EP0748083A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Use of mutter mode in asset tracking for gathering data from cargo sensors
Assignee: General Electric Co
•
Filing: 1996-05-29
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2016-05-29
Abstract
Abstract The condition and/or integrity of goods is monitored while in transit using a local area network of tracked assets. Autonomous electronic sensors are situated in proximity to the cargo being shipped. These sensors communicate with an asset tracking unit affixed to the container for the goods via a mutter mode transceiver. The tracking unit has the ability to relay the cargo sensor data to the central station on demand, on exception, or on a predetermined schedule established by the central station. Communication between the cargo sensors and the tracking unit may be one-way (i.e., sensor to tracking unit) or two-way. Multiple sensors may communicate with each tracking unit.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth Brakeley Welles Ii
- 👤 John Erik Hershey
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 05:44
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S5/00; G01S5/0009; G01S5/0018; G01S5/0027; B; B61; B61L; B61L25/00; B61L25/02; B61L25/025; G01S19/00; G01S19/38; G01S19/39; G01S19/42; G08; G08G; G08G1/00; G08G1/123; G08G1/127; B61L2205/00; B61L2205/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
158 words
A method of tracking and gathering data from cargo sensors comprising the steps of: affixing a tracking unit to each respective container of cargo to be tracked; situating an environmental sensor in proximity to goods in at least some of the containers to which tracking units are affixed, each of the sensors transmitting an environmental condition sensed at periodic intervals; monitoring, at each tracking unit for a first predetermined period of time, transmissions from a specific one of said environmental sensors situated in proximity to the goods in a specific container to which said each tracking unit is affixed; logging, at said each tracking unit, times of reception of transmissions from said environmental sensors; thereafter, monitoring, at said each tracking unit for a second predetermined period of time centered on logged times, transmissions from the specific one of said environmental sensors; and recording, at said each tracking unit, data transmitted by the specific one of said environmental sensors.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of tracking and gathering data from cargo sensors recited in claim 1 including the additional step, after logging times of reception of transmissions from said environmental sensors, of halting monitoring of transmissions from the specific one of said environmental sensors until said logged times.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of tracking and gathering data from cargo sensors recited in claim 2 and further comprising the steps of: detecting, at said each tracking unit, transmissions received from the specific one of said environmental sensors during said logged times; and recording, at said each tracking unit, messages contained in the detected transmissions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of tracking and gathering data from cargo sensors recited in claim 3 and further comprising the step of recording at said each tracking unit a failure to detect a message during a logged time for the specific one of said environmental sensors.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of tracking and gathering data from cargo sensors recited in claim 3 and further comprising the step of transmitting recorded messages to a central station.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of tracking and gathering data from cargo sensors recited in claim 5 wherein said recorded messages are transmitted to said central station on a periodic basis.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of tracking and gathering data from cargo sensors recited in claim 5 wherein said recorded messages are transmitted to said central station when said each tracking unit is polled by the central station.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of tracking and gathering data from cargo sensors recited in claim 5 wherein said recorded messages are transmitted to said central station immediately upon receipt when an exception condition is detected.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
104 words
The method of tracking and gathering data from cargo sensors recited in claim 1 and further comprising the steps of: forming at least one dynamic mobile local area network comprising a plurality of tracking units, each of the tracking units in the local area network being a node of the network; assigning one of the tracking units in the local area network to be a master tracking unit, other tracking units in the local area network assuming a role of slave tracking units; and transmitting from only the master tracking unit data from all nodes of the local area network to the central station.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of tracking and gathering data from cargo sensors recited in claim 1 wherein said environmental sensor comprises a temperature sensor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of tracking and gathering data from cargo sensors recited in claim 1 wherein said environmental sensor comprises a shock sensor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of tracking and gathering data from cargo sensors recited in claim 1 wherein transmissions from the environmental sensor include an identification number associated with the goods in the container to which the tracking unit is affixed.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.