Aircraft container tracking device
A wireless transmitter device that has a baseline ‘off’ status, turning its data transmission module ‘on’ only under certain specific circumstances, thus allowing the device to be used on aircraft without concern of the device activating and transmitting location data that might interfere with the aircraft navigation and/or communication systems. The data transmission module may be turned on manually, may be activated based on time, or may be activated based on motion. Activation of the data transmission module occurs only after it has been determined that it is safe to activate the module(s), for example, if no motion of the device has been sensed for a predetermined period of time. Only after the device has assuredly determined that the aircraft is in a mode where data transmission is allowed (e.g., not in flight) is the data transmission module activated.
1. A method of tracking an item with a wireless tracking system, the system comprising a receiver and a tracking device comprising at least one communication module(s), a positioning element, memory, and a sensor array comprising motion sensor(s), a vision sensor, and environmental sensor(s), the method comprising:
while the communication module(s) are in a data transmission ‘off’ mode, and the positioning element, the vision sensor and the environmental sensor(s) are off, monitoring for a predetermined pattern of movement of the tracking device with the motion sensor(s), the predetermined pattern being an aircraft landing sequence;
responsive to detecting the landing sequence, activating the vision sensor and/or the environmental sensor(s) and responsive to determining the tracking device is not in an aircraft hold via the vision sensor and/or the environmental sensor(s), activating the positioning element, obtaining a first location of the tracking device, activating the communication module(s) and sending the first location to the receiver;
after sending the first location to the receiver, deactivating the communication module(s), positioning element, the vision sensor and the environmental sensor(s) while continuing to detect movement;
responsive to no detected movement for a predetermined time period within a range of 30 seconds to 30 minutes after sending the first location to the receiver, activating the vision sensor and/or the environmental sensor(s) and responsive to determining the tracking device is not in an aircraft hold via the vision sensor and/or the environmental sensor(s), activating the positioning element, obtaining a second location of the tracking device, activating the communication module(s) and sending the second location to the receiver.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one communication module(s) comprise an RF communication module, and the steps of sending the first location to the receiver and sending the second location to the receiver is via the RF communication module.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one communication module(s) comprise a cellular communication module, and the steps of sending the first location to the receiver and sending the second location to the receiver is via the cellular communication module.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one communication module(s) comprise an RF communication module and a cellular communication module, and the steps of sending the first location to the receiver and sending the second location to the receiver is via one or both of the RF communication module and the cellular communication module.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the steps of activating the vision sensor and/or the environmental sensor(s) comprise activating the vision sensor and the environmental sensor(s).
6. A method of tracking an item with a wireless tracking system, the system comprising a receiver and a tracking device comprising at least one communication module(s), a positioning element, memory, and a sensor array comprising motion sensor(s), a vision sensor, and environmental sensor(s), the method comprising:
while the communication module(s) are in a data transmission ‘off’ mode, and the positioning element, the vision sensor and the environmental sensor(s) are off, monitoring for a predetermined pattern of movement of the tracking device with the motion sensor(s), the predetermined pattern being an aircraft landing sequence;
responsive to detecting the landing sequence, activating the positioning element and obtaining a first location of the tracking device, saving the first location to memory, and deactivating the positioning element after obtaining the first location;
after saving the first location to memory, monitoring for movement of the tracking device with the motion sensor, and responsive to no detected movement for a predetermined time period within a range of 30 seconds to 30 minutes after saving the first location to memory, activating the vision sensor and/or the environmental sensor(s) and responsive to determining the tracking device is not in an aircraft hold via the vision sensor and/or the environmental sensor(s), activating the positioning element, obtaining a second location of the tracking device, activating the communication module(s) and sending the first location and the second location to the receiver.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the step of after saving the first location to memory, monitoring for movement of the tracking device comprises monitoring for an unloading movement sequence.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the at least one communication module(s) comprise an RF communication module, and the steps of sending the first location to the receiver and sending the second location to the receiver is via the RF communication module.
9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the at least one communication module(s) comprise a cellular communication module, and the steps of sending the first location to the receiver and sending the second location to the receiver is via the cellular communication module.
10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the at least one communication module(s) comprise an RF communication module and a cellular communication module, and the steps of sending the first location to the receiver and sending the second location to the receiver is via one or both of the RF communication module and the cellular communication module.
11. A method of tracking an item with a wireless tracking system, the system comprising a receiver and a tracking device comprising at least one communication module(s), a positioning element, memory, and a sensor array comprising motion sensor(s), a vision sensor, and environmental sensor(s), the method comprising:
while the communication module(s) are in a data transmission ‘off’ mode, and the positioning element, the vision sensor and the environmental sensor(s) are off, monitoring for movement of the tracking device with the motion sensor(s);
responsive to detecting no movement for a predetermined time period within a range of 30 seconds to 30 minutes, activating the positioning element and obtaining a first location of the tracking device, saving the first location to memory, and deactivating the positioning element after obtaining the first location;
after saving the first location to memory, monitoring for movement of the tracking device with the motion sensor, and responsive to no detected movement for a predetermined time period up to 30 minutes after saving the first location to memory, activating the vision sensor and/or the environmental sensor(s) and responsive to determining the tracking device is not in an aircraft hold via the vision sensor and/or the environmental sensor(s), activating the positioning element, obtaining a second location of the tracking device, activating the communication module(s) and sending the first location and the second location to the receiver.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of after saving the first location to memory, monitoring for movement of the tracking device comprises monitoring for an unloading movement sequence.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one communication module(s) comprise an RF communication module, and the steps of sending the first location to the receiver and sending the second location to the receiver is via the RF communication module.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one communication module(s) comprise a cellular communication module, and the steps of sending the first location to the receiver and sending the second location to the receiver is via the cellular communication module.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one communication module(s) comprise an RF communication module and a cellular communication module, and the steps of sending the first location to the receiver and sending the second location to the receiver is via one or both of the RF communication module and the cellular communication module.