Patent ID: 7801506

Claim:
An asset tracking system comprising: (a) a tracking device for mounting on an asset, the tracking device comprising: (i) a GPS receiving device for receiving GPS signals from GPS satellite transmitters; (ii) a tracking device communication device; and (iii) a microcontroller connected with both the GPS receiving device and the tracking device communication device, for controlling the tracking device; (b) a tracking device management system comprising: (i) a tracking system server comprising a database for storing data pertaining to the asset tracking system; (ii) a management system communication device; and (iii) a management system communication interface for interfacing with the management system communication device and the tracking system sever; (c) a tracking device communication link between the tracking device communication device and the management system communication device to enable the tracking device management system to communicate with the tracking device; and (d) 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; wherein the tracking device is configured to transmit a message to the tracking device management system through the tracking device communication link, wherein the tracking device management system is configured to transmit a message receipt confirmation through the tracking device communication link to the tracking device in response to the message, and wherein the tracking device is further configured to re-transmit the message to the tracking device management system through the tracking device communication link if the tracking device does not receive the message receipt confirmation within a selected message confirmation time.