Method and apparatus for tracking assets
A tracking device is described. The tracking device receives, from a management server, configuration parameters including a first data transmission rate and a second data transmission rate. The tracking device automatically enters into an active mode of the tracking device. When operating in an active mode, the tracking device, is operative to transmit, in response to determining based on first motion sensor measurements that the asset is stationary, first location data at the first data transmission rate. In response to determining, based on second motion sensor measurements and motion definition parameters, that the asset is mobile, the tracking device is operative to transmit, second location data of the asset at the second data transmission rate.
1. A method in a tracking device mounted on an asset, the method comprising:
receiving, from a management server, one or more first motion definition parameters that define a first type of movement for the asset to be considered as being mobile or stationary;
responsive to determining, based on first motion sensor measurements and the one or more first motion definition parameters, that the asset is stationary, transmitting, at a first data transmission rate, first location data of the asset to the management server;
responsive to determining, based on second motion sensor measurements and the one or more first motion definition parameters, that the asset is mobile, transmitting, at a second data transmission rate, second location data of the asset to the management server;
receiving, from the management server, one or more second motion definition parameters that define a second type of movement for the asset to be considered as being mobile or stationary, wherein the second type of movement is different from the first type of movement; and
responsive to determining, based on the one or more second motion definition parameters, that the asset is stationary, transmitting, at the first data transmission rate, third location data of the asset to the management server.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
responsive to determining, based on the one or more second motion definition parameters, that the asset is mobile, transmitting, at the second data transmission rate, fourth location data of the asset to the management server.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more first motion definition parameters includes a minimum amount of time during which the tracking device is to move for the asset to be considered as being mobile, a minimum distance that needs to be travelled by the tracking device for the asset to be considered as being mobile, or a motion pattern that includes motion in a first direction for an interval of time and motion in a second direction for another interval of time.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitting, at the second data transmission rate, the second location data of the asset to the management server includes:
transmitting, to the management server, a first location reading upon automatically detecting, based on the one or more first motion definition parameters, that the tracking device has started moving;
transmitting, to the management server, one or more additional location readings based on the second data transmission rate while the tracking device is determined to be moving; and
transmitting, to the management server, a second location reading upon automatically determining, based on the one or more first motion definition parameters, that the tracking device has stopped moving.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second data transmission rate is greater than the first data transmission rate causing the management server to obtain more frequent location data when the asset is mobile than when the asset is stationary.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving, from the management server, one or more first motion definition parameters includes receiving, through a connectionless communication protocol, one or more messages of serialized structured data including the one or more first motion definition parameters.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitting, at the second data transmission rate, the second location data of the asset to the management server includes:
transmitting, to the management server at a first time, fifth location data determined based on a first positioning technology; and
transmitting, to the management server at a second time that is later than the first time, sixth location data determined based on a second positioning technology.
8. A tracking device to be mounted on an asset, the tracking device comprising:
a non-transitory computer readable storage medium to store instructions; and
a processor coupled with the non-transitory computer readable storage medium to process the stored instructions to:
receive, from a management server, configuration parameters including one or more first motion definition parameters that define a first type of movement for the asset to be considered as being mobile or stationary,
responsive to determining, based on first motion sensor measurements and the one or more first motion definition parameters, that the asset is stationary, transmitting, at a first data transmission rate, first location data of the asset to the management server,
responsive to determining, based on second motion sensor measurements and the one or more first motion definition parameters, that the asset is mobile, transmitting, at a second data transmission rate, second location data of the asset to the management server,
receiving, from the management server, one or more second motion definition parameters that define a second type of movement for the asset to be considered as being mobile or stationary, wherein the second type of movement is different from the first type of movement, and
responsive to determining, based on the one or more second motion definition parameters, that the asset is stationary, transmitting, at the first data transmission rate, third location data of the asset to the management server.
9. The tracking device of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further to:
responsive to determining, based on the one or more second motion definition parameters, that the asset is mobile, transmit, at the second data transmission rate, fourth location data of the asset to the management server.
10. The tracking device of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the one or more first motion definition parameters includes a minimum amount of time during which the tracking device is to move for the asset to be considered as being mobile, a minimum distance that needs to be travelled by the tracking device for the asset to be considered as being mobile, or a motion pattern that includes motion in a first direction for an interval of time and motion in a second direction for another interval of time.
11. The tracking device of claim 8 , wherein to transmit, at the second data transmission rate, the second location data of the asset to the management server includes to:
transmit, to the management server, a first location reading upon automatically detecting, based on the one or more first motion definition parameters, that the tracking device has started moving;
transmit, to the management server, one or more additional location readings based on the second data transmission rate while the tracking device is determined to be moving; and
transmit, to the management server, a second location reading upon automatically determining, based on the one or more first motion definition parameters, that the tracking device has stopped moving.
12. The tracking device of claim 8 , wherein the second data transmission rate is greater than the first data transmission rate causing the management server to obtain more frequent location data when the asset is mobile than when the asset is stationary.
13. The tracking device of claim 8 , wherein to receive, from the management server, one or more first motion definition parameters includes to receive, through a connectionless communication protocol, one or more messages of serialized structured data including the one or more first motion definition parameters.
14. The tracking device of claim 8 , wherein to transmit, at the second data transmission rate, the second location data of the asset to the management server includes to:
transmit, to the management server at a first time, fifth location data determined based on a first positioning technology; and
transmit, to the management server at a second time that is later than the first time, sixth location data determined based on a second positioning technology.
15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium that provide instructions, which when executed by a processor of a tracking device to be mounted on an asset, cause said processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving, from a management server, configuration parameters including one or more first motion definition parameters that define a first type of movement for the asset to be considered as being mobile or stationary,
responsive to determining, based on first motion sensor measurements and the one or more first motion definition parameters, that the asset is stationary, transmitting, at a first data transmission rate, first location data of the asset to the management server,
responsive to determining, based on second motion sensor measurements and the one or more first motion definition parameters, that the asset is mobile, transmitting, at a second data transmission rate, second location data of the asset to the management server,
receiving, from the management server, one or more second motion definition parameters that define a second type of movement for the asset to be considered as being mobile or stationary, wherein the second type of movement is different from the first type of movement, and
responsive to determining, based on the one or more second motion definition parameters, that the asset is stationary, transmitting, at the first data transmission rate, third location data of the asset to the management server.
16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise:
responsive to determining, based on the one or more second motion definition parameters, that the asset is mobile, transmitting, at the second data transmission rate, fourth location data of the asset to the management server.
17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein at least one of the one or more first motion definition parameters includes a minimum amount of time during which the tracking device is to move for the asset to be considered as being mobile, a minimum distance that needs to be travelled by the tracking device for the asset to be considered as being mobile, or a motion pattern that includes motion in a first direction for an interval of time and motion in a second direction for another interval of time.
18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the transmitting, at the second data transmission rate, the second location data of the asset to the management server includes:
transmitting, to the management server, a first location reading upon automatically detecting, based on the one or more first motion definition parameters, that the tracking device has started moving;
transmitting, to the management server, one or more additional location readings based on the second data transmission rate while the tracking device is determined to be moving; and
transmitting, to the management server, a second location reading upon automatically determining, based on the one or more first motion definition parameters, that the tracking device has stopped moving.
19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the second data transmission rate is greater than the first data transmission rate causing the management server to obtain more frequent location data when the asset is mobile than when the asset is stationary.
20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the receiving, from the management server, one or more first motion definition parameters includes receiving, through a connectionless communication protocol, one or more messages of serialized structured data including the one or more first motion definition parameters.
21. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the transmitting, at the second data transmission rate, the second location data of the asset to the management server includes:
transmitting, to the management server at a first time, fifth location data determined based on a first positioning technology; and
transmitting, to the management server at a second time that is later than the first time, sixth location data determined based on a second positioning technology.