Asset Tracking Device Ship Mode Power Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Asset tracking devices face challenges in determining location and conserving battery power when in areas with dead zones or low-quality network coverage, particularly on ocean-going vessels where satellite signals are weak or unavailable, leading to unnecessary power consumption in attempting to establish cellular connections.
Innovation Solution
The device enters a ship mode upon detecting a beacon signal, disabling the GNSS chip and cellular transceiver to conserve power, and transitions to an ocean mode when at sea, where it ceases all location determination and connection attempts, using short-range communication systems to periodically check for beacon signals to determine its status.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the device continuously attempts to establish satellite and cellular connections to maintain location tracking, then location accuracy is improved, but power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The device dynamically adjusts its operational mode based on detected environment type. In ocean mode, the device enters low-power state with disabled GNSS and cellular transceiver. In port mode, the device activates full tracking functionality. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making location tracking accurate only when necessary (in port) while conserving power during ocean transit.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (power state of GNSS chip and cellular transceiver) based on detected location context. When beacon signal indicates ocean environment, parameters are changed to low-power state. When RTK correction signal indicates port environment, parameters are changed to high-accuracy tracking state. This parameter switching resolves the contradiction between continuous tracking and power conservation.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the device enters low-power mode to conserve battery, then power consumption is reduced, but the ability to track location in real-time is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The device uses feedback from beacon signal detection and RTK correction signal reception to determine when to activate tracking. The system continuously monitors for these signals and switches between power-saving and tracking modes accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures tracking reliability is maintained when needed (port areas with signals) while power consumption is minimized during ocean transit.
Solution Approach 2:
The device performs preliminary detection of beacon and RTK signals to predict when tracking will be needed. By detecting the presence of these signals in advance, the device can prepare to enter tracking mode before actual location reporting is required, ensuring reliability is maintained without unnecessary power consumption during transitions.
3Measurement precision
If the device uses GNSS chip for location determination, then location accuracy is improved, but the device cannot operate in ocean areas with blocked satellite signals
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the GNSS location determination function from the ocean mode operation. When in ocean mode, the GNSS chip is disabled and its location determination capability is taken out of service. The system accepts that location tracking is not available during ocean transit, focusing instead on power conservation and signal detection for when the vessel arrives at port.
4Measurement precision
If the device attempts cellular triangulation to determine location, then location can be obtained without satellite signals, but power consumption increases and cellular coverage is still unavailable at sea
Solution Approach 1:
The cellular transceiver operates dynamically based on detected environment. In ocean mode, the transceiver is disabled to conserve power. In port mode, when RTK correction signals are detected, the transceiver is activated for potential cellular triangulation. This dynamic operation resolves the contradiction by enabling cellular location capability only when cellular coverage is likely available and power conservation is less critical.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods and systems for controlling an asset tracking device and, in particular, determining when an asset tracking device is aboard a ship. The device may have a ship mode in which the device determines it has been loaded onto a ship and in which geolocation is not determined. The device may further have an ocean mode to which it transitions from the ship mode in which it ceases to look for a cellular connection in order to send location reports. The device may detect a beacon signal from a ship-mounted base-station to trigger the ship mode and may detect, or fail to detect, one or more wireless signals or identifiers as the trigger to transition to ocean mode.