Telecommunications – Radiotelephone system – Zoned or cellular telephone system
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-24
2003-08-26
Urban, Edward F. (Department: 2681)
Telecommunications
Radiotelephone system
Zoned or cellular telephone system
C340S989000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06611686
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to remote tracking, control, and logistics and, more particularly, to apparatus, systems and methods for remotely controlling one or more devices and/or remotely tracking one or more assets such as cars, trucks, ships, cargo, and the like.
2. Description of the Background
For the most part, it is expensive and difficult to monitor moveable assets such as cargo, vehicles, trucks, cargo containers, and the like. It would be desirable to provide a low cost, reliable device with the ability to locate assets anywhere and anytime. It would also be desirable to communicate between the asset and a central control center using any type of required data or information. Moreover, it would be desirable to enable the remote control center or a client at any location to initiate command and control functions to the assets or targets which may also be at any location in the world. The advantages of such a system would include the availability of near real time information and data which in turn would allow for maximum asset utilization and control at a greatly reduced cost of operation. An affordable device of this type would place proper equipment and materials at the right location during an upset condition response and allow real time monitoring of those assets.
As only one example, it would be desirable to remotely monitor the location of a vehicle in a cost-effective manner. Presently existing systems can achieve this function but the costs are prohibitive for general usage. The presently available lowest cost systems use a global positioning satellite system (GPS) sensor in conjunction with a cellular telephone-based modem. As is well known, the GPS sensor communicates with satellites to obtain location information for the sensor. A computer control interfaces between the vehicle inputs and outputs, the GPS sensor, and the cellular modem in accord with demands of the interface/software control between the cellular modem and cellular telephone. While these systems are able to some degree to perform the desired functions discussed above, the equipment costs of such systems are prohibitive for general usage. On top of the very high initial equipment cost, the supporting operating service cost is quite high. It would be desirable to provide a system capable of the same and additional functions that costs a fraction of presently available systems both for initial equipment costs and for operating service cost. In this way, the useful features of such systems could be effectively utilized in a great many applications such as affordable auto tracking and control as well as for many other purposes.
Consequently, there remains a need for a system and method for remote tracking, control, and logistics that is available at greatly reduced levels of capital investment as compared to systems available today as well as being operable for a fraction of the operating costs of present systems so as to be widely affordable. Those skilled in the art have long sought and will appreciate the present invention which addresses these and other problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a device which costs a fraction of presently available devices and also operates at a fraction of the cost of presently available services that allow for monitoring, controlling, and logistics. The device and system of the present invention permits usage on a wide scale due to its low cost. A wide range of targets or assets can be monitored by the present invention including but not limited to vehicles, trains, cargo, ships, persons, utility units, buildings, and other targets.
For this purpose, one preferred embodiment of the monitoring device for monitoring a target comprises a microcontroller programmed for operating the monitoring device. A pager controlled by the microcontroller is operable for communicating with a pager network. A pager modem is provided for interfacing with the pager for communicating over the pager network. A global positioning sensor is included for providing location information. An interface is provided between the monitoring device and the target for communicating signals relating to the target.
Preferably, a computer port is provided for connecting the monitoring device to a computer to allow communication between the computer and the pager network. In this way, the pager modem and the microcontroller is operable for sending email messages over the pager network. The pager is preferably operable for both sending and receiving signals over the pager network. A plurality of inputs to the monitoring device from the target are provided as well as plurality of outputs from the monitoring device to the target. If the target is a vehicle, then the interface communicates electrical signals relating to one or more elements of the vehicle.
The microcontroller is programmed in a low level language closely related to an architecture of the microcontroller. The low level programming language provides that the microcontroller is programmed to collect data from the global positioning sensor, send data through the modem, receive messages from the modem and communicate with the interface or with the global positioning sensor in response to the messages. As a security precaution, the microcontroller preferably has no port that allows access for reading the program.
In one embodiment of the invention for use with nonmoving targets such as utility meters, home or building security, offshore platform, well pumps, or any other fixed structure or device and/or for moving devices where location information is not desired, the GPS is removed from the monitoring device. The programming allows the device to continue to operate with respect to other features.
The preferred system of the invention includes a pager network operable for communication with a plurality of pagers. In one embodiment, an Internet connection is provided for communication with the pager network. One or more computers having an Internet connection are operable for communicating over the Internet connection to detect the target signals. Preferably, the one or more computers are operable for sending a target control signal through the Internet connection for controlling one or more features of the target.
Where the monitor includes a GPS, then the one or more computers is operable for communicating over the computer connection through the pager network to determine a location of the respective target. For this purpose, a server is provided in communication with the pager network, and one or more computers are operable for communicating over the server and through the pager modem to detect the one or more target signals.
Preferably a database is provided for storing signals relating to the target either for communication with the one or more computers. The database also preferably provides information about each target and the definition/response for each target signal.
In the method of the invention, a pager with a pager antenna is attached to the target. An electrical interface is provided for the target such that one or more electrical signals may be received from the target through the electrical interface. Encoding of a message to a pager modem to form a modem-encoded message relating to the one or more electrical signals from the target is provided using a microcontroller in combination with the electrical interface, the pager modem, and the pager with a microcontroller. The modem-encoded message is transmitted through the pager using the pager antenna.
Preferably the microcontroller repeatedly checks the electrical interface for the one or more electrical signals from the target. A message may be transmitted from a pager network to the pager, received through the pager modem, and result in execution of a command responsive to the message. In another case, a global position may be determined and a message encoded to a pager modem to form a global position message based on the global position. The global position message is transmitted
Higgs Austin L.
Nguyen Thien K.
Smith Joseph D.
Elite Logistics Services, Inc.
Nash Kenneth L.
Smith S.
Urban Edward F.
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