Mobile transceiver having asset-based alarm profile and a method of operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10140834-B2
Application number	US-201615230820-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 8, 2016
Priority date	Aug 8, 2016
Publication date	Nov 27, 2018
Grant date	Nov 27, 2018

Abstract

A mobile transceiver having an asset-based alarm profile and a method of operation are provided. In accordance with one embodiment, there is provided a method of operating a mobile transceiver: sending to an asset tracking service a message including a device identifier (ID); receiving from the asset tracking service an alarm profile assigned to the device ID, wherein the alarm profile defines a plurality of alarms, each alarm including a trigger condition and one or more actions; storing the alarm profile in a memory of the mobile transceiver; and applying the alarm profile.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of operating a mobile transceiver, comprising:
wirelessly sending by a wireless transceiver of the mobile transceiver to a remote server of an asset tracking service a message including a device identifier (ID) of the mobile transceiver;
wirelessly receiving by the wireless transceiver of the mobile transceiver from the remote server of the asset tracking service an alarm profile assigned to the device ID of the mobile transceiver in response to the message, wherein the alarm profile is determined by the remote server of the asset tracking service based on an asset condition associated with the mobile transceiver, wherein the asset condition is one of a route, location, sensor data, time, alarm status, asset type, asset contents, asset value or driver profile, wherein asset condition is dependent on one or more of the device ID of the mobile transceiver and a container ID of an asset to which the mobile transceiver is attached, wherein the alarm profile defines a plurality of alarms, each alarm including a trigger condition and one or more actions to be taken by the mobile transceiver in response to detection of the trigger condition, wherein the one or more actions comprise acquiring sensor data, reporting sensor data to the asset tracking service or a combination thereof;
storing by a processor of the mobile transceiver the alarm profile in a memory of the mobile transceiver; and
applying by the processor of the mobile transceiver the alarm profile to configure the operation of the mobile transceiver.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the alarms is date-based, time-based, sensor-based, location-based or a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alarm profile is associated with an asset condition, wherein the asset condition is one of refrigerated container, non-refrigerated container, high value container or low value container.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the alarm profile comprises:
monitoring for one or more trigger conditions of the plurality of alarms in the alarm profile;
waking up a processor from a low power mode in response to detecting one of the trigger conditions;
identifying an alarm which was triggered based on the detected trigger condition by comparing the detected trigger condition to the alarms defined in the alarm profile;
determining one or more actions to be performed based on the identified alarm; and
performing the determined one or more actions associated with the identified alarm.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
before monitoring, initiating a low power mode for a main processor and wireless transceiver of the mobile transceiver.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein performing the determined one or more actions associated with the identified alarm comprises:
activating a satellite receiver from a low power mode;
determining a geolocation using the satellite receiver; and
storing the geolocation in the memory of the mobile transceiver.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein performing the determined one or more actions associated with the identified alarm comprises:
activating the wireless receiver from the low power mode;
connecting to the asset tracking service via the wireless transceiver; and
sending the geolocation to the asset tracking service.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein performing the determined one or more actions associated with the identified alarm comprises:
enabling or disabling one or more of the alarms on the alarm profile.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the determined one or more actions associated with the identified alarm comprises:
acquiring sensor data using one or more sensors; and
storing the sensor data in the memory of the mobile transceiver.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein performing the determined one or more actions associated with the identified alarm comprises:
activating the wireless receiver from the low power mode;
connecting to the asset tracking service via the wireless transceiver;
sending the sensor data to the asset tracking service.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
before acquiring sensor data, activating at least some of the one or more sensors from a low power mode.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise a light sensor, the method further comprising:
measuring an amount of light using the light sensor;
determining a door status as open when the measured amount of light is greater than or equal to a threshold;
determining a door status as closed when the measured amount of light is less than the threshold.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise a time-of-flight sensor, the method further comprising:
measuring a travel time using the time-of-flight sensor;
determining a door status as open when the measured travel time is greater than or equal to a threshold, wherein the threshold is set by a container profile based on dimensions of a container to which the mobile transceiver is attached;
determining a door status as closed when the measured travel time is less than the threshold.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise a time-of-flight sensor, the method further comprising:
measuring a travel time using the time-of-flight sensor;
determining a content status as empty when the measured travel time is greater than or equal to a threshold, wherein the first threshold based on dimensions of a container to which the mobile transceiver is attached, the dimensions being specified by a container profile stored in the memory of the mobile transceiver;
determining a content status as full when the measured travel time is less than the threshold.

15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
measuring a travel time using the time-of-flight sensor;
determining a content status as empty when the measured travel time is greater than or equal to a first threshold, wherein the first threshold based on dimensions of a container to which the mobile transceiver is attached, the dimensions being specified by a container profile stored in the memory of the mobile transceiver;
determining a content status as half-full or half-empty when the measured travel time is less than the first threshold but greater than or equal to a second threshold, the second throe being lower than the first threshold, wherein the second threshold based on dimensions of a container to which the mobile transceiver is attached, the dimensions being specified by a container profile stored in the memory of the mobile transceiver;
determining a content status as fall when the measured travel time is less than the second threshold.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise an accelerometer, the method further comprising:
measuring an amount of motion using the accelerometer;
determining a door status as open when the measured amount of motion is greater than or equal to a threshold and a previously determined door status parameter stored in the memory of the mobile transceiver indicates that the door status is closed;
determining a door status as closed when the measured amount of motion is less than the threshold and a previously determined door status parameter stored in the memory of the mobile transceiver indicates that the door status is open.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the asset type specifies a cargo type or vehicle type.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the asset type is one of oil truck, milk truck, service truck,

Assignees

• Blackberry Ltd

Inventors

• Barcala Sergio
• Berriz Sergio Javier

Classifications

• G06Q10/0833 Primary

  Tracking · CPC title

• G08B25/10

  using wireless transmission systems {(G08B25/009 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G08B21/18 Primary

  Status alarms (G08B21/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F1/3209

  Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections · CPC title