Patent ID: 9454744
Filing Date: 2016-09-27
CPC Classification: G06Q,H04L,H04W

Claim Text:
1. An asset tracking method used by an asset tracking device communicatively coupled to a communication network operating according to an industrial automation protocol, the method comprising: obtaining, by the asset tracking device, absolute positioning information associated with a global positioning system (GPS), the absolute positioning information indicative of an absolute spatial position of the asset tracking device; determining, by the asset tracking device, a relative spatial position of the asset tracking device based on the absolute positioning information, the relative spatial position defined in terms of one or more measures of distance in one or more directions from a spatial location of a known point of reference in the communication network other than the location of the asset tracking device, wherein the known point of reference is a portion of a structure, fixture, or equipment within a process control environment; determining, by the asset tracking device, positioning data indicative of the relative spatial position of the asset tracking device; generating, by the asset tracking device, a message conforming to the industrial automation protocol and including a content corresponding to at least a portion of the positioning data; and causing the message to be transmitted from the asset tracking device to an asset tracking host via the communication network using the industrial automation protocol, the industrial automation protocol including messages defined for communicating information corresponding to controlling or monitoring process variables in the process control environment.