Data capture instructions for asset tracking

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11640577-B2
Application number	US-202017008106-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2020
Priority date	Jun 16, 2020
Publication date	May 2, 2023
Grant date	May 2, 2023

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for data capture instructions for asset tracking are provided. An example method for capturing data involves obtaining raw data from a data source onboard an asset and monitoring the raw data for satisfaction of a simplified data capture trigger. When the simplified data capture trigger is satisfied, a dataset simplification algorithm is performed on the raw data to generate a simplified set of raw data, and the simplified set of raw data is logged. The method further involves monitoring the raw data for satisfaction of a rich data capture trigger. When the rich data capture trigger is satisfied, an unsimplified block of raw data is identified and logged for rich data analysis. The data is transmitted to a server. The unsimplified block of raw data contains raw data that is additional to the raw data contained in the simplified set of raw data.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
obtaining raw data from a data source onboard an asset;
monitoring the raw data obtained from the data source for satisfaction of a simplified data capture trigger that determines when the raw data is to be evaluated for simplification;
when the simplified data capture trigger is satisfied, performing a dataset simplification algorithm on the raw data to generate a simplified set of raw data, and logging the simplified set of raw data;
monitoring the raw data obtained from the data source for satisfaction of a rich data capture trigger that detects one or more features in the raw data;
when the rich data capture trigger is satisfied, identifying and logging an unsimplified block of raw data that has not been simplified by the dataset simplification algorithm for rich data analysis, the unsimplified block of raw data comprising raw data of a first data type, the unsimplified block of raw data containing raw data that is additional to raw data contained in the simplified set of raw data; and
transmitting the simplified set of raw data and the unsimplified block of raw data to a server.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
monitoring the raw data for satisfaction of the rich data capture trigger comprises evaluating the rich data capture trigger for the first data type.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein evaluation of the rich data capture trigger comprises one or more of:
determining whether a value of a data point in the raw data of the first data type surpasses a first threshold value; and
determining whether a composite value of a group of data points in the raw data of the first data type that spans an evaluation window surpasses a second threshold value.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the unsimplified block of raw data further comprises raw data of a second data type different from the first data type.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the raw data of the first type spans a first data window and the raw data of the second data type spans a second data window that is greater in duration than the first data window.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the asset comprises a vehicle, the first data type comprises vehicle accelerometer data, and wherein the second data type comprises vehicle speed data or vehicle location data.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the simplified set of raw data is to be processed for telematics services, and wherein the method further comprises flagging the unsimplified block of raw data for the rich data analysis separate from processing of the simplified set of raw data for the telematics services.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the rich data analysis comprises machine learning analysis.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data source comprises one or more of:
an onboard diagnostic port of the asset;
a locating device of the asset;
a locating device of an asset tracking device onboard the asset;
a sensor of the asset; and
a sensor of an asset tracking device onboard the asset.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising buffering the raw data obtained from the data source in a raw data buffer where the raw data is monitored for satisfaction of the simplified data capture trigger and the rich data capture trigger.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dataset simplification algorithm comprises a line simplification algorithm that reduces a curve of raw data composed of line segments into a similar curve with fewer points.

12. An asset tracking device comprising:
an interface layer to obtain raw data from a data source onboard an asset;
a memory to store the raw data;
a controller to execute simplified data capture instructions to:
monitor the raw data obtained from the data source for satisfaction of a simplified data capture trigger that determines when the raw data is to be evaluated for simplification; and
when the simplified data capture trigger is satisfied, perform a dataset simplification algorithm on the raw data to generate a simplified set of raw data and log the simplified set of raw data;

the controller further to execute rich data capture instructions to:
monitor the raw data obtained from the data source for satisfaction of a rich data capture trigger that detects one or more features in the raw data; and
when the rich data capture trigger is satisfied, identify and log an unsimplified block of raw data that has not been simplified by the dataset simplification algorithm for rich data analysis, the unsimplified block of raw data comprising raw data of a first data type, the unsimplified block of raw data containing raw data that is additional to raw data contained in the simplified set of raw data; and

a communication interface to transmit the simplified set of raw data and the unsimplified block of raw data to a server.

13. The asset tracking device of claim 12 , further comprising a raw data buffer to store the raw data to be monitored for satisfaction of the simplified data capture trigger and the rich data capture trigger.

14. The asset tracking device of claim 12 , further comprising logging memory to store the logged simplified set of raw data and the logged unsimplified block of raw data prior to transmission by the communication interface to the server.

15. The asset tracking device of claim 12 , further comprising:
a sensor to gather sensor data at the asset tracking device; and
a locating device to obtain location data of the asset tracking device;
wherein the data source comprises the sensor, the locating device, or an onboard diagnostic port of the asset, and wherein the interface layer comprises a first interface to obtain the sensor data from the sensor, a second interface to obtain the location data from the locating device, and a third interface to obtain asset data from the onboard diagnostic port.

16. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed cause a controller of an asset tracking device to:
obtain raw data from a data source onboard an asset;
monitor the raw data obtained from the data source for satisfaction of a simplified data capture trigger that determines when the raw data is to be evaluated for simplification;
when the simplified data capture trigger is satisfied, perform a dataset simplification algorithm on the raw data to generate a simplified set of raw data, and log the simplified set of raw data;
monitor the raw data obtained from the data source for satisfaction of a rich data capture trigger that detects one or more features in the raw data;
when the rich data capture trigger is satisfied, identify and log an unsimplified block of raw data that has not been simplified by the dataset simplification algorithm for rich data analysis, the unsimplified block of raw data comprising raw data of a first data type, the unsimplified block of raw data containing raw data that is additional to raw data contained in the simplified set of raw data; and
transmit the simplified set of raw data and the unsimplified block of raw data to a server.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the instructions further cause the controller to:
monitor the raw data for satisfaction of the rich data capture trigger by evaluating the rich data capture trigger for the first data type.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein evaluation of the rich data capture trigger comprises one or more of:
determining whether a value of a data point in the raw data of the first data type surp

Assignees

• Geotab Inc

Inventors

• Hockin Robert Spencer
• Petersen Willem
• Bradley Robert

Classifications

• G06Q10/087 Primary

  Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders · CPC title

• G06N20/00

  Machine learning · CPC title

• G07C5/085

  using electronic data carriers · CPC title

• G06Q10/0639 Primary

  Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations · CPC title

• G07C5/02

  Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only (apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00) · CPC title