# US 12,430,523 B2 · Systems and methods for monitoring a plurality of assets

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- Number: US 12,430,523 B2
- Document ID: US12430523B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/291,659
- Filed: 2022-06-09
- Published: 2025-02-27
- Granted: 2025-09-30
- Earliest claimed: 2021-07-29
- Assignees: Smart Skin Technologies Inc.
- Applicants: Smart Skin Technologies Inc.
- Inventors: Kumaran Thillainadarajah; Evan Justason; Michael David Bonga; Ryan Proudfoot; Abhishek Kar; Jonathan Halse; Jordan Ritchie; Nitin Kumar; Daniel Robert Rogers; Ahmed Alsaggaf; Roua M. Razak
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12430523B2

## CPC

- G06K 7/10435: {the interrogation device being positioned close to a conveyor belt or the like on which moving record carriers are passing (conveying in accordance with bodily destination marks, see B65G47/46, sorting of objects carrying identity markings, see B07C5/34)}
- G01H 3/06: by electric means
- G01H 3/12: by electric means (G01H3/14 takes precedence)
- G01K 1/024: for remote indication
- G01M 5/0066: {by exciting or detecting vibration or acceleration (vibration testing of structures G01M7/00)}
- G06K 17/0022: {arrangements or provisions for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device ("transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L)}
- G06Q 10/063: Operations research, analysis or management
- G06Q 10/08: Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
- G06Q 10/0877: {by inventory control or reporting using inventory tracking or counting}
- H04L 67/125: involving control of end-device applications over a network
- G01H 1/00: Measuring {characteristics of} vibrations in solids by using direct conduction to the detector (G01H9/00, G01H11/00 take precedence)
- G01S 5/02: using radio waves (using satellite radio beacon systems for determining position G01S19/00)
- G01S 5/02521: {using a radio-map}
- G01S 5/14: Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
- G05B 19/4184: {characterised by fault tolerance, reliability of production system}
- G05B 2219/31439: Alarms can be warning, alert or fault
- G06Q 10/087: Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
- G06Q 50/04: Manufacturing
- H04W 4/38: for collecting sensor information
- G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
- G01H: MEASUREMENT OF MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS OR ULTRASONIC, SONIC OR INFRASONIC WAVES
- G01K: MEASURING TEMPERATURE; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (radiation pyrometry G01J5/00)
- G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

Systems and methods for monitoring a plurality of assets using a plurality of location tags are provided. The plurality of assets includes a conveyor system and at least one other asset. At least a subset of the location tags is positioned at a fixed position along the conveyor system, and at least one location tag is positioned at the at least one other asset. Each location tag includes at least one environmental sensor and a communication interface. The communication interface is configured to transmit a sensor signal to a network system and at least one information signal to a mobile receiver. The mobile receiver moves with respect to the conveyor system such that the distance between the mobile receiver and the subset of the location tags continuously changes, and a position of the mobile receiver is determined based on a signal strength of the information signal.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for monitoring a plurality of assets, the plurality of assets comprising a conveyor system and at least one other asset, the system comprising:
a plurality of location tags, at least a subset of the location tags positioned at a fixed position along the conveyor system, and at least one location tag positioned at the at least one other asset, at least one of the at least one other asset being a geographically-fixed asset, wherein a mobile receiver is moveable with respect to the conveyor system such that the distance between the mobile receiver and the subset of the location tags positioned along a conveyor system is changeable;
each location tag comprises at least one environmental sensor configured to measure at least one environmental characteristic at a location of the corresponding location tag;
each location tag comprises a communication interface configured to transmit a sensor signal corresponding to the at least one environmental characteristic to a network system;
the communication interface of each location tag of the subset of the location tags positioned along the conveyor system is configured to transmit at least one information signal to the mobile receiver, wherein a position of the mobile receiver is determined based on a signal strength of the corresponding information signal;
the communication interface of each location tag is configured to transmit the sensor signal at a pre-determined transmission interval;
the network system is configured to correlate, in real time, the position of the mobile receiver and the at least one environmental characteristic measured by one or more of the subset of the location tags positioned along the conveyor system;
the network system is additionally configured to correlate, in real time, the at least one environmental characteristic with the location of the corresponding location tag positioned at the at least one other asset; and
the network system is configured to determine a state of one or more of the plurality of assets based on the correlating.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein at least one location tag is operable to detect at least one trigger event when at least one environmental characteristic measured by the at least one location tag exceeds a predetermined threshold, and in response to detecting the at least one trigger event, transmit an alert to the network system.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of i) the network system and ii) at least one location tag, is operable to detect at least one trigger event when at least one environmental characteristic measured by the at least one location tag exceeds a predetermined threshold, and in response to detecting the at least one trigger event, adjust the transmission interval for transmitting the sensor signal at the at least one location tag.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of i) the network system and ii) at least one location tag is operable to detect at least one trigger event when at least one environmental characteristic measured by the at least one location tag exceeds a predetermined threshold, and in response to detecting the at least one trigger event, adjust a sensing interval for measuring the at least one environmental characteristic at the at least one location tag.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one environmental sensor comprises at least one vibration sensor, and wherein the sensor signal comprises: i) a time series of vibration measurements, or ii) a frequency series of vibration measurements.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein the sensor signal comprises at least one vibration event, and wherein the location tag detects a vibration event if: a magnitude of a vibration measurement exceeds a predetermined vibration magnitude, or ii) a frequency of a vibration measurement is within a predetermined vibration frequency band.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one vibration event is transmitted at a first transmission interval, and the at least one of the time series of vibration measurements and the frequency series of vibration measurements is transmitted at a second transmission interval that is slower than the first transmission interval.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein:
each location tag comprises a rigid housing body; and
the at least one environmental sensor and the communication module are rigidly mounted within the rigid housing body so that the corresponding location tag has a mounted natural frequency greater than the frequency of the vibrations measured by the at least one vibration sensor.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein:
the at least one environmental sensor comprises at least one atmospheric sensor; and
at least one channel extends between the exterior of the location tag and the at least one atmospheric sensor, the at least one channel selectively sealed by a liquid impermeable membrane so that air can enter the at least one channel.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein:
each location tag comprises a power supply and at least one regulator, the at least one regulator operable to receive electrical power having a first power level from the power supply and generate electrical power having a second power level that is different from the first power level, wherein the at least one environmental sensor is operable at the first power level directly from the power supply, and at least one other environmental sensor is operable at the second power level received from the at least one regulator.

### Claim 11

A method for monitoring a plurality of assets using a plurality of location tags, the plurality of assets comprising a conveyor system and at least one other asset, at least a subset of the location tags positioned at a fixed position along the conveyor system, and at least one location tag positioned at the at least one other asset, at least one of the at least one other asset being a geographically-fixed asset, wherein a mobile receiver is moveable with respect to the conveyor system such that the distance between the mobile receiver and the subset of the location tags positioned along the conveyor system is changeable, the method comprising:
measuring, by each location tag, at least one environmental characteristic at a location of the corresponding location tag;
transmitting, by each location tag, a sensor signal corresponding to the at least one environmental characteristic to a network system;
transmitting, by each location tag of the subset of the location tags positioned along the conveyor system, at least one information signal to the mobile receiver, wherein a position of the mobile receiver is determined based on a signal strength of the corresponding information signal;
correlating, in real time, by the network system, the position of the mobile receiver and the at least one environmental characteristic measured by one or more of the subset of the location tags positioned along the conveyor system;
correlating, in real time, by the network system, the at least one environmental characteristic with the location of the corresponding location tag positioned at the at least one other asset; and
determining based on the correlating, a state of one or more of the plurality of assets,
wherein the sensor signal is transmitted at a pre-determined transmission interval.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising:
detecting at least one trigger event when at least one environmental characteristic measured by the at least one location tag exceeds a predetermined threshold, and in response to detecting the at least one trigger event, transmitting an alert to the network system.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising:
detecting at least one trigger event when at least one environmental characteristic measured by the at least one location tag exceeds a predetermined threshold, and in response to detecting the at least one trigger event, adjusting the transmission interval for transmitting the sensor signal at the at least one location tag.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising:
detecting at least one trigger event when at least one environmental characteristic measured by the at least one location tag exceeds a predetermined threshold, and in response to detecting the at least one trigger event, adjusting a sensing interval for measuring the at least one environmental characteristic at the at least one location tag.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one environmental characteristic comprises at least one vibration characteristic and wherein the sensor signal comprises: i) a time series of vibration measurements, or ii) a frequency series of vibration measurements.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the sensor signal comprises at least one vibration event, and wherein the location tag detects a vibration event if: a magnitude of a vibration measurement exceeds a predetermined vibration magnitude, or ii) a frequency of a vibration measurement is within a predetermined vibration frequency band.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one vibration event is transmitted at a first transmission interval, and the at least one of the time series of vibration measurements and the frequency series of vibration measurements is transmitted at a second transmission interval that is slower than the first transmission interval.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one environmental characteristic comprises at least one atmospheric characteristic.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile receiver is a location tag.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile receiver comprises a location tag affixed to the mobile receiver.