System and method for dynamic asset tracking and monitoring

1 . A self-configuring asset tracking and monitoring system comprising:

a server;

a plurality of hubs, each hub of the plurality of hubs having a processor, a memory, and a battery having a battery life, the plurality of hubs having a collective battery life;

each processor operatively connected to a set of sensors;

each processor operatively connected to a set of transceivers adapted to connect to the server; and

each memory containing a set of instructions that when executed by each processor cause each hub, of the plurality of hubs, to carry out the steps of:

assembling an internal dynamic memory structure formatted as a packed bit-field status structure from a first set of electronic status data from at least one of a group of a first set of sensors of the set of sensors and a first set of transceivers of the set of transceivers;

receiving an external dynamic memory structure via short-range hub-to-hub transceiver communication, the external dynamic memory structure containing a second set of electronic status data from at least one of a group of a second set of sensors of the set of sensors and a second set of transceivers of the set of transceivers from another hub of the plurality of hubs;

making a predicate word comparison by comparing the internal dynamic memory structure to the external dynamic memory structure to derive a predicate word comprising a multi-bit suitability indicator reflecting relative reporting suitability of the plurality of hubs based on the first set of electronic status data and the second set of electronic status data; and

executing a function set of computer instructions corresponding to the predicate word, including selecting whether each respective hub performs an upstream server-reporting function based on the predicate word such that only a hub selected by the predicate word comparison transmits to the server during a reporting interval, and extending the collective battery life of the plurality of hubs by limiting upstream server transmissions to the hub selected.

2 . The self-configuring asset tracking and monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein each processor is further connected to a warning indicator and the function set of computer instructions further comprises instructions to:

activate the warning indicator when the predicate word indicates an error condition comprising a verification failure or an authentication failure of the external dynamic memory structure, including detection of an invalid predetermined constant value or an invalid digital signature.

3 . The self-configuring asset tracking and monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the function set of computer instructions further comprises instructions to:

report the internal dynamic memory structure to the server only when each respective hub is selected by the predicate word as having reporting suitability.

4 . The self-configuring asset tracking and monitoring system of claim 3 , wherein the set of transceivers further comprises:

a Wi-Fi transceiver, a cellular transceiver, and a Bluetooth transceiver; and

wherein the step of reporting further comprises:

reporting the internal dynamic memory structure to the server using the Wi-Fi transceiver when the Wi-Fi transceiver has a first signal; and reporting to the server using the cellular transceiver when the Wi-Fi transceiver does not have the first signal and the cellular transceiver has a second signal, the reporting occurring only when each respective hub is selected for upstream reporting based on the predicate word;

wherein the step of receiving further comprises:

receiving the external dynamic memory structure via short-range hub-to-hub communication using the Bluetooth transceiver.

5 . The self-configuring asset tracking and monitoring system of claim 3 , wherein each of the first set of electronic status data and the second set of electronic status data further comprises at least one of a group of humidity, pressure, temperature, battery status, GPS fix, Wi-Fi fix, cellular fix, fixed location status and motion status.

6 . The self-configuring asset tracking and monitoring system of claim 3 , wherein packed bit-field status structure is formed by a combination of a C-language union construct and a C-language struct construct to pack a set of status fields into a fixed-layout memory block.

7 . The self-configuring asset tracking and monitoring system of claim 3 , wherein the internal dynamic memory structure further comprises:

a predetermined constant value used for verification purposes and a digital signature based on the predetermined constant value used for verification purposes.

8 . The self-configuring asset tracking and monitoring system of claim 7 , wherein the predetermined constant value used for verification purposes and the digital signature are encapsulated by a C-language union instruction.

9 . The self-configuring asset tracking and monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the predicate word further comprises a 5-bit word.

10 . The self-configuring asset tracking and monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the step of comparing further comprises:

deriving a first comparison between an internal battery status and an external battery status.

11 . The self-configuring asset tracking and monitoring system of claim 10 , wherein the function set of computer instructions further comprises instructions to:

limit the upstream server transmissions, if the first comparison indicates that the internal battery status is greater than the external battery status.

12 . The self-configuring asset tracking and monitoring system of claim 10 , wherein the step of comparing further comprises:

deriving a second comparison between an internal cellular fix and an external cellular fix.

13 . The self-configuring asset tracking and monitoring system of claim 10 , wherein the step of comparing further comprises:

deriving a second comparison between an internal GPS fix and an external GPS fix; and

deriving a third comparison between an internal Wi-Fi fix and an external Wi-Fi fix.

14 . The self-configuring asset tracking and monitoring system of claim 13 , wherein the function set of computer instructions further comprises instructions to:

limit the upstream server transmissions if:

the first comparison indicates that the internal battery status is greater than the external battery status;

the second comparison indicates that the internal GPS fix is greater than the external GPS fix; and

the third comparison indicates that the internal Wi-Fi fix is greater than the external Wi-Fi fix.

15 . The self-configuring asset tracking and monitoring system of claim 13 , wherein the step of comparing further comprises:

deriving a fourth comparison between an internal fixed location indicator and an external fixed location indicator; and

deriving a fifth comparison between an internal moving indicator and an external moving indicator.

16 . The self-configuring asset tracking and monitoring system of claim 15 , wherein the function set of computer instructions further comprises instructions to:

select each respective hub to limit the upstream server transmissions if:

the fourth comparison is greater than the fifth comparison; or

the fifth comparison is greater than the fourth comparison.

17 . The self-configuring asset tracking and monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the set of instructions further comprises instructions that when executed by each processor cause each hub, of the plurality of hubs, to carry out the steps of:

authenticating the external dynamic memory structure; and

validating the external dynamic memory structure.

18 . The self-configuring asset tracking and monitoring system of claim 17 , wherein the step of validating further comprises:

comparing a digitally signed message to a message table.

19 . The self-configuring asset tracking and monitoring system of claim 17 , wherein the step of authenticating further comprises:

generating a group key from a cryptographic group key that identifies the plurality of hubs and a cryptographic private key held by a receiving hub; and

comparing the group key to a group key table of authorized group keys for authentication.

20 . The self-configuring asset tracking and monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the set of instructions further comprises instructions that when executed by each processor cause each hub, of the plurality of hubs, to carry out the steps of:

comparing a radio signal strength of the external dynamic memory structure to a minimum radio signal strength; and

erasing the external dynamic memory structure if the radio signal strength of the external dynamic memory structure is not above the minimum radio signal strength.

21 . The self-configuring asset tracking and monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the set of instructions further comprises instructions that when executed cause each hub, of the plurality of hubs, to carry out the steps of:

counting a number of matched external dynamic memory structures received; and

erasing the external dynamic memory structure if the number of matched external dynamic memory structures received is not above a minimum count threshold.

22 . A method of configuring a set of hubs to communicate with a server comprising:

providing each hub, of the set of hubs, with a processor operatively connected to a memory;

providing each hub, of the set of hubs, with a set of transceivers operatively connected to each processor;

providing each hub, of the set of hubs, with a set of sensors operatively connected to each processor;

providing each hub, of the set of hubs, with a battery having a battery life, the set of hubs having a collective battery life;

assembling, at a first hub, a first dynamic memory structure formatted as a first packed bit-field status structure from a first set of status data from a first set of sensors and a first set of transceivers, of the first hub;

transmitting the first dynamic memory structure via short-range hub-to-hub transceiver communication to a second hub of the set of hubs;

receiving, at the first hub, a second dynamic memory structure, formatted as a second packed bit-field status structure, the second dynamic memory structure containing a second set of status data from a second set of sensors and a second set of transceivers, of the second hub;

determining a reporting condition by deriving a predicate bit-word comprising a multi-bit suitability indicator reflecting relative reporting suitability of the first hub, the predicate bit-word derived by making a predicate bit-word comparison by comparing the first dynamic memory structure to the second dynamic memory structure; and

reporting to the server with a transceiver of the first set of transceivers only when the first hub is selected by the predicate bit-word comparison to perform an upstream server-reporting function and extending the collective battery life of the set of hubs by limiting upstream server transmissions by each hub of the set of hubs.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the step of determining further comprises:

evaluating a first battery strength of the first hub to a second battery strength of the second hub.

24 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the step of determining further comprises:

evaluating a first transceiver signal strength of the first hub to a second transceiver signal strength of the second hub.

25 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the step of determining further comprises:

evaluating a first GPS signal strength of the first hub to a second GPS signal strength of the second hub.

26 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the step of determining further comprises:

determining the reporting condition based on an accelerometer status.

27 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the step of determining further comprises:

determining the reporting condition based on a fixed location indicator.

28 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the step of comparing further comprises:

determining the reporting condition based on a predicate word assembled from the first set of status data.

29 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the step of assembling further comprises:

digitally signing a message word.

30 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the step of comparing further comprises:

authenticating a digital signature carried within the second dynamic memory structure before accepting the second dynamic memory structure as valid.

31 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the step of comparing further comprises:

authenticating and validating the second dynamic memory structure.

32 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the step of transmitting further comprises:

transmitting with a Bluetooth transceiver of the set of transceivers.

33 . The method of claim 32 , wherein the step of reporting further comprises:

reporting with one of a group of a Wi-Fi transceiver, a cellular transceiver, and both of the Wi-Fi transceiver and the cellular transceiver of the set of transceivers.