Tracking system and associated method

A tracking system (10, 26, 170, 176), including:

• a monitoring device (22) for displaying tracking information associated with a movable asset (16);
• a tracking information network (20) in communication with the monitoring device for communicating the tracking information to the monitoring device;
• a data communication network (18);
• a tracker tag (12, 12′) adapted to selectively receive position data and time data from multiple global positioning system satellites (240) of a global positioning system satellite constellation (24), the position data representing a position of each global positioning system satellite from which data was received with respect to center of Earth (37) and the time data representing a time of day associated with the position data, the tracker tag disposed along an exterior of the movable asset at a location facilitating reception of the position data and time data, the tracker tag combining the position data and time data from the multiple global positioning system satellites for selectively transmitting combined position data and time data via the data communication network, wherein the tracker tag selectively retrieves command and control information via the data communication network;
• and
• a tracking information server (14) for command and control of the tracker tag, wherein the tracking information server selectively sends command and control information to the tracker tag via a messaging system (93), wherein the message is addressed to the tracker tag, wherein the messaging system is accessible to the tracker tag via the data communication network, wherein the tracking information server receives combined position data and time data from the tracker tag via the data communication network, wherein the tracking information server selectively receives command and control information from the monitoring device via the tracking information network, wherein the tracking information server selectively processes the combined position data and time data to produce the tracking information, wherein the tracking information is selectively accessible to the monitoring device via the tracking information network.

A method for monitoring sensor data associated with a moveable asset using a tracker tag in communication with a tracking information server, including the steps:

• a) attaching a tracker tag to the moveable asset, wherein the tracker tag is disposed along an exterior of the movable asset at a location in which the tracker tag has line of sight access to the sky during normal movement of the asset, wherein the tracker tag is inoperative from equipment associated with the asset, wherein the tracker tag includes an installed tag profile that includes programmed instructions to control current operation of the tracker tag, wherein the tracking information server includes a master tag profile that is re-configurable and at least initially the same as the installed tag profile;
• b) re-configuring the master tag profile at the tracking information server to create a next tag profile, wherein the next tag profile includes programmed instructions to control subsequent operation of the tracker tag;
• c) selectively sending the next tag profile to the tracker tag in a message via a messaging system, wherein the messaging system is accessible to the tracker tag via a data communication network;
• d) powering up the tracker tag;
• e) detecting a change in state condition with the tracker tag and responding to the change in state condition in accordance with the programmed instructions in the installed tag profile, wherein the response to the change in state condition includes retrieving the message with the next tag profile from the messaging system and installing the next tag profile in the tracker tag, wherein, upon installation, the next tag profile becomes the installed tag profile for control of current operations of the tracker tag;
• f) detecting a data acquisition condition with the tracker tag and responding to the data acquisition condition in accordance with the programmed instructions in the installed tag profile, wherein the response to the data acquisition condition includes acquiring and storing sensor data associated with at least one sensor of one or more sensors associated with the tracker tag, one or more sensors associated with the asset, and one or more sensors associated with a transport vehicle associated with the asset;
• and
• g) detecting a data download condition with the tracker tag and responding to the data download condition in accordance with the programmed instructions in the installed tag profile, wherein the response to the data download condition includes downloading the stored sensor data to the tracking information server via the data communication network, wherein the tracking information server processes the downloaded sensor data to create sensor information and displays the sensor information on a monitoring device via a tracking information network.

A method for tracking a moveable asset using a tracker tag in communication with a tracking information server, including the steps:

• a) attaching a tracker tag to the moveable asset, wherein the tracker tag is disposed along an exterior of the movable asset at a location in which the tracker tag has line of sight access to the sky during normal movement of the asset, wherein the tracker tag is inoperative from equipment associated with the asset, wherein the tracker tag includes an installed tag profile that includes programmed instructions to control current operation of the tracker tag, wherein the tracking information server includes a master tag profile that is re-configurable and at least initially the same as the installed tag profile;
• b) re-configuring the master tag profile at the tracking information server to create a next tag profile, wherein the next tag profile includes programmed instructions to control subsequent operation of the tracker tag;
• c) selectively sending the next tag profile to the tracker tag in a message via a messaging system, wherein the messaging system is accessible to the tracker tag via a data communication network;
• d) powering up the tracker tag;
• e) detecting a change in state condition with the tracker tag and responding to the change in state condition in accordance with the programmed instructions in the installed tag profile, wherein the response to the change in state condition includes retrieving the message with the next tag profile from the messaging system and installing the next tag profile in the tracker tag, wherein, upon installation, the next tag profile becomes the installed tag profile for control of current operations of the tracker tag;
• f) detecting a data acquisition condition with the tracker tag and responding to the data acquisition condition in accordance with the programmed instructions in the installed tag profile, wherein the response to the data acquisition condition includes acquiring and storing position data and time data associated with a global positioning system receiver in the tracker tag;
• and
• g) detecting a data download condition with the tracker tag and responding to the data download condition in accordance with the programmed instructions in the installed tag profile, wherein the response to the data download condition includes downloading the stored position data and time data to the tracking information server via the data communication network, wherein the tracking information server processes the downloaded position data and time data to create tracking information and displays the tracking information on a monitoring device via a tracking information network.