Cell Tower Locationing to Extend Asset Tracker Battery Life
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tracking devices face challenges in balancing computational resource use with battery life while accurately recording and transmitting GPS data during asset transportation.
Innovation Solution
Wireless tracking devices leverage cell towers to determine location by detecting identifiers and signal strengths, using flexible adhesive tape platforms with integrated wireless communication modules to efficiently manage battery life and data transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If tracking devices use GPS data recording and transmission functions, then location tracking accuracy is improved, but battery life deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces cell towers as intermediary elements to perform locationing functions. Instead of relying solely on GPS hardware in the tracking device, the system uses existing cell tower infrastructure to determine asset locations through signal strength measurements and tower identifier detection, thereby reducing the computational and energy burden on the tracking device's battery
Solution Approach 2:
The tracking device leverages the cell tower network for multiple purposes: location determination, data transmission, and identification. By using the cell tower infrastructure for these functions, the device reduces its own resource consumption while maintaining accurate tracking capabilities
2Reliability
If tracking devices perform frequent location updates and data transmission, then tracking reliability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Cell towers serve as intermediaries that handle the energy-intensive tasks of data reception and location calculation. The tracking device only needs to detect tower identifiers and measure signal strengths, while the cell tower network performs the computationally intensive GPS coordinate determination and data management
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic location updates by having the tracking device detect cell towers at regular intervals during asset transportation. This periodic detection approach maintains reliable tracking while allowing the device to enter low-power states between measurements, optimizing the balance between tracking reliability and energy consumption
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables accurate location tracking of assets with minimal battery consumption, facilitating continuous monitoring and data transmission without the need for active cellular data plans.
Implementation Method 1
Wireless tracking devices are configured to detect cell towers during transportation... receive an identifier of the detected cell tower and may determine a signal strength corresponding to a communication between the cell tower and the wireless tracking device
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless tracking device may receive, from a server of a wireless tracking system, a cell tower data set having an entry with a cell tower identifier and cell tower location coordinates for each of at least one cell tower located along at least part of an expected route of an asset associated with the wireless tracking device. At intervals, the wireless tracking device activates a cellular communication circuit to receive at least one wireless signal including a broadcast cell tower identifier. The wireless tracking device retrieves cell tower location coordinates from an entry of the cell tower data set where the cell tower identifier matches the broadcast cell tower identifier. The wireless tracking device determines a location estimate of the wireless tracking device based on the retrieved cell tower coordinates.