Patent ID: 7171187
Filing Date: 2007-01-30
Classification: B60R,G01S,H04M

Abstract:
1. A method of operating an asset tracking system comprising a tracking device management system and a tracking device, wherein the tracking device management system is comprised of a management system communication device, a management system communication interface and a tracking system server, wherein the tracking system server is comprised of a database for storing data pertaining to the asset tracking system and wherein the tracking device is comprised of a GPS receiver, a tracking device communication device and a microcontroller, the method comprising the following steps: (a) using the GPS receiver to obtain a plurality of GPS signals from GPS satellite transmitters in order to facilitate the determination of positioning coordinates of the tracking device; (b) processing the GPS signals with the microcontroller in order to produce a positioning message; (c) transmitting the positioning message from the tracking device to the tracking device management system through a tracking device communication link between the tracking device communication device and the management system communication device; (d) processing the positioning message with the tracking device management system to determine the positioning coordinates of the tracking device; (e) providing a customer communication link between a customer of the asset tracking system and the management system communication interface to enable the customer to communicate with the tracking device management system; and (f) configuring the tracking device through the customer communication link, wherein the tracking device configuring step is comprised of: