WO2002039643A9

WO2002039643A9 - Mobile tracking device for transportation industry

Info

Publication number: WO2002039643A9
Application number: PCT/US2001/043028
Authority: WO
Inventors: Joseph Stanley Nadan
Original assignee: Trantis Llc; Joseph Stanley Nadan
Priority date: 2000-11-13
Filing date: 2001-11-09
Publication date: 2003-05-01
Also published as: WO2002039643A3; WO2002039643A2; AU2002225610A1

Abstract

A freight tracking system having sufficient accuracy for most commercial freight hauling purposes is disclosed. The system includes a mobile telephone transmitter (10) located in the freight or in the vehicle hauling the freight that automatically calls a telephone at the central reporting station (50). A caller reception unit (17) detects the calling number and current visited base station (81) information without answering the call and supplies it to a computer (18) at the central reporting station (50) which then determines the location of the shipment.

Description

MOBILE TRACKING DEVICE FOR TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRY

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to provisional application 60/248,051 and

incorporates the contents of that application by reference. Additionally, this application

contains subject matter related to co-pending application 60/225,755, the contents of

which are also hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to a freight management system for tracking the

location of freight as it moves from its point of origin to its destination.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Commercially available freight tracking systems are based on a combination

of a Global Positioning System (GPS) radio receiver and an in-vehicle back-link device for

transmitting information to a central reporting station. The in-vehicle back-link device for

transmitting information is most usually a mobile telephone and is sometimes a radio

transmitter. The GPS receiver determines the precise location of the vehicle from

transmissions received from overhead GPS satellites and the back-link device communicates

this location back to a central reporting station. This GPS and back-link system provides

precise information on the location of the vehicle, but unfortunately is relatively expensive to implement. It would be desirable, therefor, to have a freight tracking system that is less

costiy.

[0003] When a mobile telephone is outside its "home" subscription area it is said to

be "roaming". When roaming, a mobile telephone continually listens for a new "beacon

signal" from a nearby base station or tower. Upon reception of a new beacon signal, the

mobile telephone will identify itself and request registration on the "visited location"

system to be able to receive and send calls. When the visited location system receives the

identification information it sends an "authentication request" to the requesting mobile

telephone's home system, which sends an appropriate "authentication response" to the

visited location system. The visited location system then approves or disapproves user

access and sends "notification of authentication or rejection" to the mobile telephone. An

approved mobile telephone is then able to receive and send calls in the visited location; the

home system will subsequently receive all necessary information for all calls such that it will

be able to bill for "roaming", long distance and other provided services. A rejected mobile

telephone does not have access to service in the visited location. For more detail on

roaming and beacon signals see "Beacon Signals: What, Why, How, and Where", by S.

Gerasenko, et.al., IEEE Computer, Volume 34, Number 10, October 2001, pp.108-110.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above-noted problems of cost-effective freight tracking, the present

invention provides a tracking apparatus having a callback unit programmed to telephone a

specific destination and then terminate the telephone calls prior to their completion and

attachment to a mobile device. The present system includes a computer system responsive to the unanswered calls from the callback unit, the computer system having call-

information processing software, a database, and a user interface resident. The

unanswered-call information can be proprietary to a specific telephone provider, or can be

customized to a stand-alone phone company integrated with the computer system. The

calls can be received by either a landline telephone system connected to d e computer

system, or by a mobile telephone system which transfers calls to a landline system also

connected to the computer.

An additional embodiment of d e present invention encompasses a method for

tracking, including the steps of calling a central base station from a callback unit attached to

a mobile device, programming the duration of the telephone call to be sufficient to convey

call-origin properties yet brief enough to hang up before incurring calling charges, reading

call-origin information accompanying the call, processing desired portions of the call-origin

information by a computer system connected to the central base station; and coordinating

the call-origin information with a database within the computer system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will

become more apparent from the detailed description of the exemplary embodiments of die

invention given below witii reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a freight tracking system constructed in accordance with

a representative embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 shows in greater detail the construction of the mobile tracking unit of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows in greater detail some of the equipment located in the freight

management exchange of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 shows an independent telephone company implemented witi in the present

invention;

Fig. 5 shows application software integrated witiiin a computer system;

Fig. 6 shows a mobile telephone receiver incorporated witiiin a tracking unit;

Fig. 7 shows the user interface for tracking and tracing a shipment;

Fig. 8 shows the user interface for checking the status of a shipment; and

Fig. 9 shows the user interface for viewing the details of a shipment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The present invention can be used for locating any type of mobile device that

can originate a telephone call. It provides a less costly way to determine the approximate

location of the mobile device with sufficient accuracy for many purposes that do not require

knowing its precise location. For illustrative purposes, the following embodiments will be

implemented within the transportation industry. The present invention provides a less

costly freight tracking system having sufficient accuracy for most commercial freight

hauling purposes. However, this invention can be applied to any industry.

[0006] The system of d e present invention includes a mobile telephone transmitter

located in the freight or in the vehicle hauling the freight that periodically calls a telephone

at a central reporting station. This telephone call is never answered, so that no calling charges are incurred. Instead, a caller reception unit detects the calling number and its

current visited base station information without answering the call, and supplies ti at

information to a computer located witiiin d e central reporting station. This computer

accesses a database that contains visited base station location information for the region in

which die freight hauling vehicle is traveling (for example, the continental United States as

well as portions of Mexico and Canada) and uses it to determine the geographical location

of the visited base station from which die call was originated. In tiiis manner, die location

of a freight unit is determined to within a few miles around die visited system base station

widiout ever completing a call and without incurring the call charges associated witii such a

call.

[0007] In an alternate embodiment, d e mobile telephone unit, ratiier than

periodically sending die information, also contains a mobile receiver that receives (also

widiout answering the call) an implied request to callback the central reporting station.

The call is then placed by the mobile transmitter and processed in die same manner as

described above.

[0008] Referring to Fig. 1, a small, inexpensive mobile tracking unit 10 is located ύi

die vehicle hauling the freight or in the freight itself. As shown in Fig. 2, mobile tracking

unit 10 includes a control unit 11 that controls a mobile cellular telephone transmitter 12.

Control unit 11 is programmed to cause the mobile telephone transmitter 12 to

periodically call a telephone located at a central reporting station 50 that is part of the

freight management exchange 15. [0009] The mobile cellular telephone transmitter 12 may be caused to call d e

central reporting station 50 periodically; e.g. once an hour. The mobile phone call 84

transmitted by die mobile tracking unit 10 can be received by a cellular telephone system

13 tiiat can, hi turn, transfer it to a landline telephone system 14.

[0010] In eidier case, die landline telephone system 14 routes d e call to one of

several central reporting stations 50 (Fig. 3) which are part of d e freight management

exchange 15. Typical equipment located at a central reporting station 50 is shown in FIG.

3. The equipment includes a virtual telephone 16 that represents the telephone number to

which die telephone call from die mobile tracking unit 10 is placed. However, the call is

never answered. Despite the lack of an answer, the accompanying mobile caller

identification information 52 (Fig. 4) is still detected by a caller reception unit 17 and

supplied to a computer 18 which stores tiiis information along with die date and time of its

arrival. The mobile tracking unit 10 and the caller reception unit 17 are programmed to

disconnect die call after a selected number of rings. Information contained within the call

can be made available to customers 21 (Fig. 1) dirough communication units 22.

[0011] The mobile caller identification information 52 received and stored by

computer 18 includes the calling telephone number, which is used to identify the particular

mobile tracking unit 10 that made die call as well as additional information about its

approximate present location. For example, this additional information might be the

visited location tower identification code or the telephone area code and exchange of the

visited location telephone tower 80 which first received the call from die mobile unit 10.

This visited location tower identification code or area code and exchange code information is automatically included as part of the mobile caller identification information 52 stored by

the computer 18. Other encoded information may also be included. In a preferred

embodiment, this information as well as a date and timestamp is packaged witiiin die well-

known SS7 telephone transmission protocol, altiiough other protocols could also be used.

As shown in Fig. 5, application software 54 resident on computer 18 detects wliich

protocol is used, and queues and formats die information for subsequent processing by

database application 19.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, database 19 contains die geographical location

of each cellular telephone tower identification code and telephone area code and exchange

located in each area of the entire United States (and Canada and Mexico, if desired). In

otiier words, database 19 contains a listing of the geographical locations of all the different

unique towers and area code/exchange code combinations for the geographical region of

interest (e.g., die entire United States). Computer system 18 contains a link to a telephone

provider diat allows for frequent periodic updating of cellular tower identification codes

and area codes and exchanges and the geographic regions with which d ey correspond.

When computer system 18 receives a packet of mobile caller information, it queries the

database 19 to determine die geographical location from which die call was made. The

geographical location, received mobile caller information, and date and timestamp are

stored by computer system 18 and is processed by software application 54.

[0013] The method by which software application 54 strips off and formats die call

data from cellular telephone system 13 can vary, and as stated depends in part on the

protocol used. As stated earHer, calling charges are avoided by not answering the telephone call. However, otiier types of charges are still incurred. Even tiiough die call was not

answered, telephone companies may still charge for the use of a telephone number, or tiieir

cell tower or area code and exchange information. Numerous arrangements exist in which

telephone companies may be compensated for die use of tiieir information.

[0014] An alternative method for obtaining call information is to form a new or

independent telephone company 90, as shown in Fig. 4. This has the advantage that no

fees or charges are incurred per call. Instead, access rights to wireless transmitters 94 and in

some cases an initial cell tower 81, forwarding cell tower 80, or a combination of the two

are purchased or leased at bulk rates. This approach also results in additional advantages in

ma taining the company's computer system and web server 60.

[0015] The system described above can be implemented dirough a variety of

computer network topologies and implementations, including WANs, DSL, Voice over IP

(VoIP), or any combination of tiiese. Accordingly, mobile caller identification information

52 is shown as arriving at central Reporting Station 50_l5 but can actually be directed to any

of d e Central Reporting Stations 50_τ„_n. In a preferred embodiment, a customer is assigned

a specific user ID and password. As shown in Fig. 5, application software 54 works with

database 19 to manage these user IDs and passwords so tiiat customers 21 are granted

access only to specific data areas of computer system 18. The data segmentation is

managed by application 54 with the cooperation of database 19, so diat the customers 21

are prevented from accessing information belonging to other customers. Using their user

ID and password, a customer 21 can log onto d e tracking company's Internet website 60

and determine the geographic location of one or more of tiieir specific shipments. [0016] A customer 21 lacking access to the computer network of die present

invention who wants information on the current location of a particular freight shipment

can also call the freight management exchange 15, which then provides die desired

information by voice through a communication unit 22 as shown in Fig. 1. This is

accomplished through a data terminal 20 coupled to the computer 18 for viewing or

printing reports or providing audio of the time and location data for die different freight

shipments being tracked by die system. If desired, this process may be automated so diat

location reports are automatically and periodically sent, either by e-mail, telephone, fax, or

other suitable means of communication, to the customer 21. Alternatively, customer

relationship management software using touch tone menus and a voice recognition unit

(VRU) may be used to allow callers to query the time and location data widiout die

intervention of a human operator.

[0017] A freight tracking system in accordance with die present invention can

simultaneously handle a relatively large number of different mobile tracking units. In a

single-telephone environment with no "call waiting" feature, die different mobile units can

be programmed to place tiieir calls at different times. However, as shown in Fig. 5,

additional telephone lines 92 arranged in one or more hunt groups can be provided at the

central reporting station 50 and connected to computer system 18 for handling a greater

number of incoming calls. These multiple telephone lines are managed by die computer

system 18 which is in turn equipped witii a multi- threaded operating system 62 which is

capable of spawning a new process 64 each time a new line is added. Each process 64

manages die processing die proprietary telephone company data and matches that processed data witii a specific shipment contained in database 19. In die embodiment

where die central reporting stations 50 are merged into an independent telephone

company, die proprietary telephone company data described above is no longer proprietary,

but can be customized to conform witii either the needs of customers 21, central reporting

stations 50^, or mobile unit 10.

[0018] As a further modification, Fig. 6 illustrates how the mobile tracking unit 10

also includes a mobile telephone receiver 66 for receiving a telephone call from die freight

management exchange 15. Again to avoid calling charges, tiiis call is also not answered.

Instead, the control unit 11 detects the occurrence of this call and die calling telephone

number and instructs the mobile telephone transmitter 12 to, in response, place a call to

die calling telephone number at the freight management exchange 15. This call is received

and processed by die freight management exchange 15 in die manner previously discussed

to provide die desired location information for die mobile tracking unit 10. This mediod

of having the freight management exchange 15 triggers the call by die mobile unit 10 may

be used eitiier in addition to or in place of the above-described mediod of having die

mobile unit 10 make self-initiated calls.

[0019] In a multiple telephone line environment, the application software 54 can

manage not only the amount of incoming calls but also the frequency at which those calls

occur. At a specified distance from its destination, mobile unit 10 may call the exchange 15

every three hours. However, as the distance falls below a specified hmit, application

software 54 can force mobile unit 10 to call the freight management exchange 15 once

every hour. [0020] Additionally, application software 54 can call all mobile units 10 which are

expected at a specific destination within the next hour, or die next tiiree or four hours.

Software 54 accompHshes tiiis by querying database 19 to determine die current location of

aU trucks going to the same destination and using an industry standard expected travel time

database, e.g. PC Miler, to calculate die expected time of arrival. It should be noted that

different types of vehicles will have different travel times from the same current location to

the same destination. For example, a hazardous cargo transport may not be allowed to go

dirough a tunnel increasing die travel time by perhaps one hour. The sof ware 54 can then

query which of die trucks from among this pool are expected within a specific time-range.

The same query can be adjusted to search for shipments rather than trucks.

[0021] As shown in Fig. 7, the software 54 has a user interface 70 being divided into

several panels including WATCH LIST, OPEN ORDERS, TRACKING AND TRACING,

and WORKSPACE. To access tiiese panels customer 21 must successfully login by

entering an authorized user ID and password. Fig. 7 shows a brief summary of currently

active or incomplete bookings. The user dicks on the heading or a specific booking to

display a complete Hst of incomplete bookings, and can tiien cHck on one or more column

headings to sort die list by that column. CHcking anywhere in the TRACKING AND

TRACING panel caused additional tracking and tracing information to be displayed in die

WORKSPACE panel. Within this workspace panel, the first shipment in the Hst defaults to

being highfighted, although the user can select and highfight any shipment in die Hst.

Accordingly, the top shipment, with booking number 422162, is highfighted and will be

used as an example for further explanation of the present invention. [0022] For example, the status of booking 422162 can be obtained by cficking die

"Status" button 100 in die lower part of die present WORKSPACE panel. Doing so

brings up a status screen 102 as shown in Fig. 8, in which a customer 21 can choose from a

variety of information about a booking, including Current Location 104 and Scheduled

Arrival 106, as previously discussed. A link 108 to a mapping utility provides a convenient

visual cue for locating a shipment.

[0023] Similarly, other details of booking 422162 can be obtained by clicking die

"Booking Details" button 101 in the lower part of the WORKSPACE panel shown in Fig.

6. Doing so brings up a details screen 120 as shown in Fig. 9, in which a customer 21 can

choose from otiier details regarding a shipment.

[0024] While the invention has been described and iUustrated with reference to

specific exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that many modifications and

substitutions can be made without departing from die spirit and scope of the invention.

Accordingly, the invention is not to be considered as limited by die foregoing description

but is only Hmited by d e scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A tracking apparatus, comprising:

a mobile device varying in geographic location;

a caUback unit, attached to said mobile device, programmed to telephone a

destination and terminate said telephone caU prior to completion of said caU;

a computer system responsive to said unanswered cans from said caHback unit, said

computer system having caU-information processing software, a database, and a user

interface resident therein.

2. The tracking apparatus of claim 1, further comprising

said unanswered-caU information being proprietary to a specific telephone provider.

3. The tracking apparatus of claim 1, further comprising

said unanswered-call information being customized to a stand-alone phone company

integrated with said computer system.

4. The tracking apparatus of claim 1, further comprising

said caUback unit is pre-programmed to originate caUs according to a user's

preferred schedule.

5. The tracking apparatus of claim 1, further comprising said calls are received by a landline telephone system connected to said

computer system.

6. The tracking apparatus of claim 1, further comprising

said calls are received by a mobile telephone system which transfers diem to a

landline telephone system connected to said computer system.

7. The tracking apparatus of claim 1, further comprising

said database is coordinated witii a telephone provider to frequently update

area codes with geographic regions.

8. The tracking apparatus of claim 1, further comprising

said computer system, appHcation, database, and an operating system restrict

separate users from viewing data belonging to other users through separate processes each

of which has a data segregation component.

9. The tracking apparatus of claim 1, further comprising

said computer system being operable by a human or automated attendant

vocaHy communicating with users through telephone.

10. The tracking apparatus of claim 1, further comprising

said computer system having multiple telephone fines connected tiiereto.

11. The tracking apparatus of claim 1, wherein said caUback unit furdier

comprises an receiver for receiving telephone calls and in response originating a call to said

computer system.

12. The tracking apparatus of claim 4, wherein said caUback unit adjusts d e

frequency of outgoing caUs depending on its distance or expected travel time from a

predetermined destination.

13. A method for tracking, comprising:

calling a central base station from a caUback unit attached to a mobUe device;

programming the duration of the telephone caU to be sufficient to convey caU-origin

properties yet brief enough to hang up before incurring calling charges;

reading caU-origin information accompanying said caU;

processing desired portions of said caU-origin information by a computer system

connected to said central base station; and

coordinating said caU-origin information with a database witiiin said computer

system.

14. The tracking mediod of claim 13, further comprising

said caU-origin information being proprietary to a specific telephone provider.

15. The tracking method of claim 13, further comprising

customizing said caU-origin information, by an individual telephone company;

connecting said individual telephone company to said computer system.

16. The tracking method of claim 13, further comprising

coordinating said database witii a telephone provider to frequendy update

area codes witii geographic regions.

17. The tracking method of claim 13, further comprising

segregating data areas belonging to said separate processes; thereby

restricting separate users from viewing data belonging to otiier users.

18. The tracking method of claim 13, further comprising

enabling users to remotely access said computer system.

19. The tracking mediod of claim 13, further comprisurg

operating said computer system by a human or automatic attendant;

vocaUy communicating with users through a telephone; thereby

providing desired portions of said caU-origin information to users lacking remote

access to said computer system.