JP2023015060A - System and method for automobile asset location management - Google Patents

Abstract

A system and method for tracking and managing location information for automotive assets.
A facility site or site (100) attaches passive transmitter tags with unique identification information to automotive assets (102) to scan the passive transmitter tags with scanning devices (104) at various scan points for location information. thereby associating the vehicle asset with the designated area 122 and/or location information. Location information and vehicle asset information are stored, read and updated in a centralized cloud database platform and can be accessed at various levels by suppliers, manufacturers, shippers and others.
[Selection drawing] Fig. 1

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD This disclosure relates generally to automotive asset management and supply chain logistics. More specifically, the present disclosure provides passive transmitter tags that can be scanned by fixed scanning devices and/or mobile scanning devices, can be associated with asset and location information, and can be updated in a centralized platform. to locate, track, and manage a wide variety of manufactured goods such as automotive assets, vehicles, auto parts, containers, and the like.

Independent solutions and varying requirements drive up development costs for standalone supply chains, eliminate potential benefits of co-development, and serve original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) with a variety of technologies to address varying requirements It confuses common business partners who try to provide

For example, in a conventional automobile manufacturing facility that stores hundreds or thousands of automobile assets in storage lots, transportation personnel (e.g., truck drivers and/or train workers) are required to determine which cars or trucks are picked up and shipped. It may simply give the make, model, color, and vehicle registration number (hereinafter "VIN"). However, these storage lots on the premises of the manufacturing facility can be very large. Therefore, when rushing to start carrying the assigned cargo, the carrier picks up cars or trucks of similar make, model and color, but wants to get it on the road/rail as soon as possible and get paid. VIN may be incorrect. These errors can add enormous time costs to managing inventory and correcting the resulting problems.

Previous shipyard management systems utilized location databases and mapped facilities to handle shipping container pick-up and drop-off. However, these shipyard systems are limited to cargo containers that cannot be moved without the aid of cranes or trucks. For this reason, process flows based on planned and tracked operations of vehicles equipped to move shipping containers incorporate manual entry of location updates for specific shipping containers. there is

Previous warehouse logistics systems use radio frequency identification (RFID) tags on crates, packages, and/or pallets to track inventory within building facilities. However, these indoor facilities are for smaller properties and often utilize precise shelving and cataloging systems to track the movement of goods around the warehouse. Further, warehouse facilities often do not need to accommodate external carriers or carriers that come into warehoused inventory to pick up assigned items for shipment.

There is an ongoing problem for manufacturing facilities that store large inventories of similar looking manufactured goods and/or automotive assets such as cars and trucks on the premises of facilities with large outdoor storage lots. Therefore, there remains a need for the above solutions and systems and methods for providing more information about automotive assets so that the assets can be better tracked and managed without adding cost.

The present disclosure addresses issues related to logistical management of automotive assets within and across various facilities and their storage lots.

Generally, all suppliers and OEMs order, ship, receive, pack, consume parts, and process assets and containers at their facilities. This commonality can be used to standardize supply chain methodologies and enable automated information management and selective data sharing. All businesses want simplicity and commonality, including speed of implementation, low cost, expanded breadth and depth, and adherence to supply constraints. It would be beneficial to implement a supply chain visibility model that standardizes points of control and provides transparency related to supplier and/or manufacturer inventory. These models and systems may include, for example, manual data interaction and/or automatic data recording using passive transmitter tags. A common integration and analysis platform can be provided to manage and serve asset data. The platform can provide 99.9% data collection tolerance by leveraging passive transmitter tag scanning portals and handheld scanning devices. Passive transmitter tags can include enhanced encoding capabilities and versatility for associating data with associated assets (packages, parts, products, etc.).

In various exemplary embodiments, this specification discloses an automotive asset location management system that aggregates, compiles, and provides visibility of supply chain data obtained from sensor technology. The system can be used by participating entities approved by participants and their agents obtained through a common supply chain intake point. Readable data used in logistics management systems include, for example, real-time position, velocity, and analytics related to movement of automotive assets, reusable RFID containers, parts, and/or other supply chain support components Statistics may be included.

Automotive asset location management systems can enable end-to-end visibility through data collection and authorized sharing. Also, the logistics management system may enable hierarchical supplier participation in supply chain visibility. Various participation methods may be selected and applied, for example, by the Data Ecosystem Governance Committee. Aggregated data may be available in a common database platform that can be extended to participants in the logistics management system. It is delivered through a cost-reduced, cloud-based integration and analytics platform to address issues and provide commonality to the OEM and supplier population.

The present disclosure provides systems and methods that utilize passive transmitter tags in combination with both low power and high power fixed scanning devices and handheld scanning devices when communicating with a cloud server database. The system can capture, track, and report vehicle asset locations specific to the manufacturing plant's yard (ie, inventory), as well as production critical events.

System users can view vehicle asset location information and generate reports through software provided by the system developer. Additionally, integration may be required to pass vehicle asset information and location data (e.g. vehicle identification number (VIN) and current geographic location of the vehicle) to the manufacturer's current (i.e. legacy) tracking system. be.

In some embodiments, the logistics management system acquires data from multiple assets including multiple tags at multiple fixed portals or mobile device locations, wherein the data is acquired at a secured local layer; sending the acquired data to a remote integration and analysis platform located in a cloud network; applying analytics to the acquired and transmitted data at the remote integration and analysis platform; Separated from a secure local layer, selectively allowing access and applied analysis to one or more participants consisting of one or more original equipment manufacturers, suppliers, and authorized parties selectively granting access at a separate secure application layer, wherein one or more of the above steps comply with one or more predetermined criteria.

An improved supply chain methodology as disclosed herein offers many benefits and possibilities. For example, a common database platform can improve information flow between OEMs and suppliers. Centralizing data into one updateable cloud storage point can lead to improved management of vehicle assets, containers, and related materials such as lids, pallets, packaging, dunnage, and the like. Optimizing the timing of pick-ups, deliveries, and transportation saves assets and reusable Costs associated with containers can be reduced. Additional benefits include elimination of costs associated with status quo, improved visibility for OEMs and suppliers when returning assets and/or containers, reduced consumable usage, avoidance and tracking of quality issues deploying the right assets and/or containers at the right place and time and in the right quantity; proactively managing asset inventory, shared dwell time, speed, and fleet utilization analysis; avoiding hidden or buried costs; benefiting extensive processes within supplier facilities when assets and/or containers are inaccurately inventoried; eliminating the need to manually locate assets and/or containers improving repair processes and tracking; creating joint fleets; ensuring fleet purchase and production readiness; reducing depreciation on part/unit prices; eliminating paying twice for the same asset and/or container; reducing return centers and handling fewer containers; Flag return issues, improve last-mile workforce, improve cardboard and other material handling (e.g., wood pallet recycling, warehouse stacking efficiency), minimize inventory loss maximizing logistical efficiencies (e.g. faster returns and inbound, better utilization of lost trailers), recapturing missed commercial cost savings, optimizing fleet size, and capital Cost improvement can be mentioned.

Accordingly, the automotive asset logistics management system of the present disclosure serves among packaging materials, parts, tools, trailers, finished goods, and other valuable assets. Automotive assets equipped with passive transmitter tags can not only minimize the time cost of reading and recording data, but also eliminate human error due to misreading and typos of data in different locales. A logistics management system provides visibility and control so that mass collaboration between OEMs, suppliers, and their approved logistics partners can harmoniously manage the aforementioned assets moving through the supply chain. do.

The systems and methods disclosed herein are illustrated and described herein with reference to the following drawings.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a motor vehicle asset with a passive transmitter tag moving around a designated area of an exemplary facility site with a scanning device in communication with a location management system in accordance with this disclosure; FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary method of assigning and uploading location information to designated areas using a device in accordance with the present disclosure; 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating exemplary designated areas allocated within a facility site in accordance with the present disclosure; FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary passive transmitter tag attached and associated with a motor vehicle asset using a handheld scanner in communication with a location management system in accordance with this disclosure; FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary map displaying location information for selected automotive assets on a device in communication with a location management system, in accordance with this disclosure; FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a motor vehicle asset traveling between facilities with a scanning device in communication with a location management system in accordance with the present disclosure; FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example table displaying information about selected motor vehicle assets on a device in communication with a location management system, in accordance with the present disclosure; FIG.

In general, the automotive asset location management system and method of the present disclosure advantageously utilizes inexpensive passive transmitter tags (e.g., radio frequency identification (RFID) tags), and thus is more efficient than conventional asset location tracking systems and methods. Requires tag reader and/or scanner equipment or infrastructure of significantly reduced complexity and cost. Location information (eg, longitude, latitude, global positioning system (GPS) information) can be utilized to accurately assign designated areas and associate designated areas with vehicle assets. Location information can be assigned to designated areas by leveraging extensive survey data. Implementations of the systems and methods of the present disclosure are flexible and can inherently provide a velocity metric to highlight how fast a vehicle asset is moving within a facility. Location management systems can automate and reduce the time currently spent determining and managing the location of automotive assets, vehicles, auto parts, containers, and the like. Critical events can be captured and stored within the automotive asset location management system without human involvement. Automotive asset data can be searched and displayed through a simple user interface.

Asset tracking is an important aspect of inventory management. As shown in FIG. 1, a facility site or site 100 may include various areas, areas, buildings, etc. in which motor vehicle assets 102 may be moved and/or stored. Facility site 100 may include, for example, an automobile manufacturing facility where newly manufactured vehicles or other automobile assets 102 may be stored in storage lots (eg, lot A 118) or other designated areas such as repair lot 114. . From a designated area, such as Lot D126, a truck driver may load a vehicle asset 102 (eg, a newly manufactured car or truck) onto a trailer for delivery to a car dealership or other external facility. As another example, train workers may load motor vehicle assets 102 onto trains for later delivery to other locations. Truck drivers and train workers may be working within tight shipping deadlines, so it is in their interest to pick up the motor vehicle asset 102 as soon as possible. A particular motor vehicle asset 102 assigned to a carrier for pickup may be located within a designated area, such as Lot C124, near a train track. Identifying information (e.g., make, model, color, and vehicle identification number (VIN)) of motor vehicle assets 102, as well as their location information, is used by assigned transportation to facilitate rapid pickup with minimal error. can be provided to

Rather than adding an additional manual step to the logistics management process, the asset management system of the present disclosure can include tagging the vehicle asset 102 with a passive transmitter tag. These tagged automotive assets 102 can then be automatically tracked as they move around the facility site 100 by fixed transmitters or scanning devices 104 . These scanning devices 104 are installed at the facility such that as the vehicle asset 102 passes the scanning device 104 , the system automatically updates the location information of the vehicle asset 102 to the designated area associated with that scanning device 104 . They may be arranged according to designated areas within the site 100 . Scanning device 104 may be a standard RFID fixed portal consisting of one RFID reader and two dedicated antennas per portal.

Alternatively, handheld scanner 106 may be used to automatically scan nearby automotive assets 102 . The location information (ie, scan points) of handheld scanner 106 when a particular automotive asset 102 is scanned can be cross-referenced to designated areas and/or zones of facility site 100 . For example, a motor vehicle asset 102 in one of the designated areas 122 (eg, B-65) within the designated area lot B120 may be scanned by the handheld scanner 106 . Position information of handheld scanner 106 at scan points near B-65 can be received by the system, which then maps motor vehicle asset 102 to B-65, designated area 122, and designated area Associate with both lot B120. Handheld scanner 106 may be an RFID handheld or mobile device. The system can capture, track, and report vehicle (or other asset) locations specific to a given designated area within the facility site 100, as well as production critical events.

The entire facility site 100 may be constructed with designated zones and/or designated areas associated with location information. As shown in FIG. 2, handheld scanner 106 may be used to distinguish the perimeter of designated areas and/or designated areas within facility site 100 . In step 1, the handheld scanner 106 is physically placed on a point around a designated area, Lot B 120, and its location information is uploaded to the system, where it can be stored on the cloud-based server 108. can. Cloud server 108 may store a database that is part of the location management system. In step 2, handheld scanner 106 (and/or another handheld scanner) is positioned over another point along the perimeter of Lot B 120, the designated area, and the position information is uploaded back to cloud 108. is associated with a second point around the area. In steps 3-n, the third through n-th points along the perimeter of the designated area are associated with handheld scanner 106 location information uploaded to cloud 108 . The location information (eg, coordinates) of the n points associated with the specified area are extrapolated to a polygon or other shape and displayed on a map created within the system. Also, the system can determine the location information of the virtual center point of the designated area and/or the designated area based on the location information of the peripheral points. Further, multiple designated areas 122 within the designated area 120 may be similarly mapped according to the location information of the points uploaded to the cloud 108 . Location information may include latitude and/or longitude information for points. Elevation information for the point may also be included as part of the location information. Elevation may be useful for custody lots and/or facilities containing stacked and/or multiple levels of assets. Rather than using a handheld scanner 106 to map the designated area, a drone or other automated device may be used to collect location information (e.g., , latitude, longitude, elevation) may be stored. This collected location information may be stored locally on the device and later uploaded to server 108 .

As shown in FIG. 3, the steps for establishing designated zones and/or designated areas of facility site 100 may be repeated as necessary. For example, there may be thousands of designated areas within a single facility site 100 . Mapped designated areas and/or designated areas of facility site 100 may include buildings such as manufacturing plant 110 and/or test facility 112 . The manufacturing plant 110 can typically be, for example, a building or structure having upright exterior opposed sidewalls with opposed exterior and interior surfaces defining an interior space. The interior space of manufacturing plant 110 may be where the main portion of automotive asset 102 is assembled or manufactured. Manufacturing plant 110 may be an automobile manufacturing facility, and asset 102 may be an automobile, truck, or the like. Manufacturing plant 110 may include at least one opening in an exterior sidewall sized to allow vehicle asset 102 to enter and exit manufacturing plant 110 . Openings can be used to allow vehicle assets 102 to exit manufacturing plant 110 and be transported to designated lots outside.

Facility site 100 may include storage lots 118 external to manufacturing plant 110 for storing automotive assets 102 . The system may incorporate pathways extending between components of the system, and relative terms such as upstream or downstream are used for reference purposes to distinguish one component from another with respect to the movement of motor vehicle asset 102 along that pathway. may be explained in comparison with the components of

In some embodiments, vehicle asset 102 exiting manufacturing plant 110 may travel along a path that may be referred to as a "departure line." The exit line may pass through an opening in the outer wall of manufacturing plant 110 . The route may be sized so that the vehicle asset 102 can actually travel. Also, in some embodiments, a route may extend from manufacturing plant 110 to an external designated lot.

Areas can be designated as repair lots 114, where assets from the product stream that need to be returned to the plant 110 or other facility are withdrawn and temporarily stored until reintroduced into the product stream. be able to. For example, if the automobile asset 102 is a container, it can be temporarily pulled from the product stream until the container is supplied with the missing automobile parts to be included in the order. Additionally, moving the motor vehicle asset 102 to the repair lot 114 automatically updates the status of the motor vehicle asset 102 within the location management system within the cloud 108 and/or the asset 102 is shipped until further notice. You can show that you shouldn't.

Each designated area and/or designated area may include a scanning device 104 associated with that location. A scanning device 104 associated with a designated zone and/or designated region may capture the location information of the tagged motor vehicle asset 102 in the cloud 108 when the tagged motor vehicle asset 102 is moved near the scanning device 104. Can be updated automatically. A designated zone and/or designated area of the facility site 100 may include multiple scanning devices 104 associated with the designated zone and/or designated area. Each scanning device 104 may be associated with an entrance and/or exit to a designated area and/or designated area. For example, when a tagged asset 102 comes within a predetermined distance from a scanning device 104 associated with an exit from a designated area, the location information for the asset 102 is automatically set to "in transit" or another status by the system. may be updated from time to time. A fixed scanning device 104 may be incorporated into a building within the facility site 100 and hardwired to a power source and/or network hub. Alternatively, fixed scanning device 104 may be self-contained or somewhat mobile around facility site 100 with remote power (e.g., batteries, solar panels) and wireless network capabilities (e.g., Wi-Fi, cellular). may

A fixed scanning device 104 may be placed near the opening and proximate the line of departure or pathway. In some embodiments, scanning device 104 may be located inside manufacturing plant 110 near the opening. In other embodiments, scanning device 104 may be located outside manufacturing plant 110 near the opening. An operator may install fixed scanning devices 104 at various locations within or near manufacturing plant 110 , repair facilities, overflow facilities, or other areas throughout facility site 100 . Alternatively, when retrofitting the location management system of the present disclosure to an existing manufacturing facility, the fixed scanning device 104 may be connected to the existing legacy structure, thereby drawing power from the existing power network. For example, the fixed scanning device 104 can structurally support an existing lamppost, light fixture, illuminated sign, garage door, or other item that has an existing legacy power grid. may In some embodiments, fixed scanning devices 104 are associated with significant events such as manufacturing completion, repairs occurring, or movement of automotive asset 102 from one location to another, as well as passive transmitter tags 130 It may be strategically placed to capture the geographic location of the vehicle asset 102 based on GPS coordinates.

In some embodiments where facilities include stacked and/or multi-level storage configurations, fixed scanning devices 104 are incorporated into shelves, multi-level structures, and/or other stacked facility configurations, or may be attached.

As tagged assets 102 are scanned by scanning devices 104 and/or handheld scanners 106 in the system, time and date information as well as location information may be uploaded to cloud 108 . In this manner, the last known scan point of tagged assets 102 can be cataloged. Additionally, all location information and other data for each vehicle asset 102 may be tracked and stored according to blockchain methods so that past data is never lost. In this manner, movements of multiple assets 102 can be tracked and compared over time for data analysis or forensic evidence gathering purposes, for example.

As shown in FIG. 4, during or after the manufacturing or fabrication process, the passive transmitter tag 130 may be attached, installed, or otherwise connected to the vehicle asset 102 . Vehicle asset 102 may include asset identification information 132, such as, for example, a VIN. A VIN can be associated with various data about the vehicle asset 102 such as make, model, color, etc., which can also be stored in the cloud 108 . Passive transmitter tag 130 may include unique identifying information such as a serial number. Passive transmitter tag 130 and asset identification information 132 may be scanned by scanner 134 to match asset identification information 132 with the unique identification of passive transmitter tag 130 within the location management system on cloud 108 . can be associated.

In some embodiments, the location management system begins when the manufacturer finishes manufacturing and/or preparing the vehicle asset 102 . During its finalization, the manufacturer can apply the passive transmitter tag 130 to the vehicle asset 102 . A manufacturer or computer automatically codes or programs the passive transmitter tag 130 to include asset identifying information, such as the VIN, in the signal transmitted by the passive transmitter tag 130 . In some embodiments, programming of passive transmitter tag 130 may be accomplished by scanning passive transmitter tag 130 with scanner 134 . The scanning of the VIN and passive transmitter tag 130 correlates the two together, and the associated information is transferred from the scanner 134 to the central cloud server 108 with program logic and vehicle data when executed by one or more processors. It can be transferred to a non-transitory storage medium having encoded instructions that perform actions to identify and track the geographic location of assets 102 . The central cloud server 108 may store the information of the vehicle assets 102 in a format configured to easily recall and retrieve the information therefrom for later use. Additionally, the passive transmitter tag 130 may geolocate its location based on a GPS device and provide its geographic location to the central cloud server 108 .

In some embodiments, passive transmitter tag 130 may be an RFID chip or tag. For example, the passive transmitter tag 130 may use the AIAG GS1 GRAI 96 RFID tag standard, which is flexible and allows add-on functionality. Other transmitters associated with the identity of motor vehicle asset 102 are also possible. Scanning devices 104 may be fixed RFID transceivers and/or portals that include one RFID reader and at least two antennas per portal. Alternatively, scanning devices 104 may each include a single antenna. The handheld scanner 106 may be a handheld mobile computer with a global positioning system (GPS) and mobile RFID data capture device tethered together to perform simultaneous tag and latitude/longitude readings. Barcode scanners may be installed near the assembly line at manufacturing facility 110 to associate RFID tags with VIN tags. The plant may be saturated with Wi-Fi and the RFID tag-VIN associations passed to the location management system's database. For vehicle assets 102, the RFID tags may be placed on the windshield or near the bumper (eg, one per vehicle). A cellular modem may be used for all fixed RFID portals outside the manufacturing plant 110 or away from the plant network. Battery packs or solar cells may be used for all fixed portals 104 that are not located near available AC power.

In some embodiments, the system may include encoding logic configured to associate passive transmitter tag 130 with asset identifying information such as a VIN or serial number. In some embodiments, the passive transmitter tag 130 is configured to allow the system to store the geographic location of the passive transmitter tag 130 connected to the vehicle asset 102 at any given time. It may be associated with GPS coordinates. For example, if the passive transmitter tag 130 is an RFID tag and the automotive asset 102 is a vehicle within the manufacturing plant 110, the passive transmitter tag 130 can be attached to the vehicle and associated with the vehicle's VIN and the GPS device , the position of the vehicle inside the manufacturing plant 110 can be calculated.

In some embodiments, as the motor vehicle asset 102 moves along the route, the passive transmitter tag 130 transmits signals associated with the asset identification information 132 of the motor vehicle asset 102 and its GPS-determined location. good too. Accordingly, the scanning device 104 may be able to determine the position and orientation movement of the motor vehicle asset 102 along the path.

In some embodiments, secondary facilities may be positioned along the path downstream of manufacturing plant 110 . A secondary facility may be a logistics facility. The location management system may determine what logistical information to implement to effect delivery of the motor vehicle asset 102 to its final destination downstream of the manufacturing plant 110 . A scanning device 104 may be positioned along the route near the secondary facility. The scanning device 104 can be located either inside the secondary facility or outside the secondary facility. In each case, scanning device 104 may receive information transmitted from passive transmitter tag 130 on automotive asset 102 . Scanning device 104 may transmit information about automotive asset 102, including GPS-based geographic location, to central cloud server 108, which may be coupled to a non-transitory storage medium.

In some embodiments, test facility 112 may be positioned along the path downstream of manufacturing plant 110 . In other embodiments, test facility 112 may be downstream of a secondary facility. Test facility 112 may be configured to test the quality of automotive asset 102 against a set of standards that may be set by either a manufacturer or a government agency. For example, in the example of a vehicle as an automobile asset 102, vehicle quality may be required to meet certain company standards, as well as government standards such as emission ratings, crash ratings, and other safety standards. Scanning device 104 may be positioned along a path near test facility 112 . The scanning device 104 can be located either inside the test facility 112 or outside the test facility 112 . In each case, scanning device 104 may receive information transmitted from passive transmitter tag 130 on automotive asset 102 . Scanning device 104 may transmit information about automotive asset 102, including GPS-based geographic location, to central cloud server 108, which may be coupled to a non-transitory storage medium.

In some embodiments, repair facilities may be placed along a portion of the route. If test facility 112 determines that vehicle asset 102 does not meet initial quality standards based on test track results, such as if emissions requirements are not met or engine performance thresholds are not met, vehicle asset 102 may be sent to a repair facility for repair. Within the repair facility, the motor vehicle asset 102 can be repaired to bring it up to acceptable standards. Vehicle asset 102 can then be sent back to test facility 112 to be retested against a series of thresholds. If the motor vehicle asset 102 fails the test, it is sent back to the repair facility. This process is repeated until the vehicle asset 102 passes the test. If all tests are passed, vehicle asset 102 proceeds along the route.

In some embodiments, overflow repair facilities may be positioned along the route. Overflow repair facility may be configured to repair motor vehicle asset 102 in response to notification that motor vehicle asset 102 does not meet desired quality or standards during the manufacturing process at manufacturing plant 110 .

In some embodiments, a paypoint station or paypoint facility may be located downstream of testing facility 112 . The paypoint facility may include multiple bays configured to at least temporarily store the motor vehicle asset 102 . Paypoint stations may capture and record event information related to motor vehicle asset 102 . A scanning device 104 may be positioned along a path near a paypoint station. The scanning device 104 can be located either inside the paypoint station or outside the paypoint station. In each case, scanning device 104 may receive information transmitted from passive transmitter tag 130 on automotive asset 102 . Scanning device 104 may transmit information about automotive asset 102, including GPS-based geographic location, to central cloud server 108, which may be coupled to a non-transitory storage medium.

In some embodiments, there may be checkpoints 116 downstream from the paypoint stations along the route. Checkpoints 116 may be chokepoints on the road through which motor vehicle asset 102 travels along its route. Checkpoints 116 may be raised portions of road so that all checkpoints 116 must be driven "over the hill." Scanning device 104 may be positioned along the path near checkpoint 116 . In some embodiments, the scanning device 104 may be installed below the road surface so that when the motor vehicle asset 102 passes "over the hill" or along the vicinity of the scanning device 104 without going over the hill. Passive transmitter tag 130 passes asset identification information 132 to central cloud server 108 when vehicle asset 102 is traveling along a route through checkpoint 116 and toward a designated storage lot. You may point it out. In other embodiments, scanning device 104 may be located either inside checkpoint 116 or outside checkpoint 116 . In each case, scanning device 104 may receive information transmitted from passive transmitter tag 130 on automotive asset 102 . Scanning device 104 may transmit information about automotive asset 102, including GPS-based geographic location, to central cloud server 108, which may be coupled to a non-transitory storage medium.

The tracking logic of the location management system determines that the motor vehicle asset 102 has been placed in a designated storage lot (e.g., lot E128) and whether the motor vehicle asset 102 is queued for transportation via transportation truck. , or whether the motor vehicle asset 102 is to be rail-transported via train.

A designated quant may also be referred to as an inventory lot or queue. A designated storage lot may be along the path downstream from checkpoint 116 . In some embodiments, a designated storage lot may be a separate parking lot separate from manufacturing plant 110 . If the motor vehicle asset 102 is a vehicle, the designated storage lot may be sized to store the vehicle in a painted parking spot on the ground or pavement. The designated quantile may be further sized to allow an operator to traverse the designated quantile using the handheld scanner 106 . The operator or operator's employee can walk the lot or traverse the lot in a golf cart or other similar people-moving cart. In some embodiments, handheld scanner 106 may be a handheld RFID scanner. A handheld RFID scanner may capture the current location of the automotive asset 102 and transmit it to the central cloud server 108 . Alternatively, the handheld RFID scanner may record the location of the vehicle in the handheld RFID scanner's internal memory for later transmission to central cloud server 108 . In some embodiments, the handheld RFID scanner may also determine which “spot” the vehicle is located at based on the GPS coordinates associated with the passive transmitter tag 130 . For example, a first vehicle having a first transmitter is read by an RFID scanner to determine that the first vehicle is located at spot A-21 associated with a first GPS-based geographic location. can be shown. A second vehicle having a second transmitter is read by the RFID scanner to indicate that the second vehicle is located at spot A-22 associated with the second GPS-based geographic location. can be done. A third vehicle having a third transmitter is read by the RFID scanner to indicate that the third vehicle is located at spot A-23 associated with the third GPS-based geographic location. can be done. A fourth vehicle having a fourth transmitter is read by the RFID scanner to indicate that the fourth vehicle is located at spot A-24 associated with the fourth GPS-based geographic location. can be done. A fifth vehicle having a fifth transmitter is read by the RFID scanner to indicate that the fifth vehicle is located at spot A-25 associated with the fifth GPS-based geographic location. can be done.

An overflow inventory area may be placed adjacent to the "inventory" or storage lot. The overflow inventory area may be a designated area where the automotive asset 102 is scanned by an operator or employee with a high power handheld scanner 106 or equivalent. The overflow inventory area may be configured to store motor vehicle assets 102, such as vehicles, that exceed the storage capacity of the designated storage lot. The overflow area can be selectively filled when the designated quant is full, otherwise the overflow area is unavailable.

In some embodiments, downstream along the path from the designated storage lot may be Lot D 126, which is a truck output area, and Lot C 124, which is a rail output area. Lot D 126, a truck-loaded area, and Lot C 124, a rail-loaded area, may be designated areas where automotive assets 102 carrying individual respective passive transmitter tags 130 can be scanned with handheld scanners 106, such as handheld RFID scanners. good. Handheld scanner 106 can capture identification information that includes GPS-based geographic location coordinates. In some embodiments, the trucking out area, lot D 126 , and the railing out area, lot C 124 , are passive transmissions that the user is within about 5 feet (1.5 meters) of or attached to the vehicle asset 102 . When within about 10 feet (3 meters) of aircraft tag 130, the user may be allowed to walk through a defined area to obtain identification information.

Lot D126, the trucking out area, may be closely adjacent to the designated storage lot, and in one embodiment may simply be an area within the designated storage lot. In other embodiments, the truck exit area, lot D126, may have parking spots drawn on its surface. The geographic location of each parking spot within lot D 126 , the trucking out area, may be pre-uploaded to central cloud server 108 . This allows the central cloud server 108 to determine which spot the motor vehicle asset 102 is within Lot D 126, the trucking area, when the operator scans the passive transmitter tag 130 with the handheld scanner 106. be able to.

Continuing to refer to truck unloading area lot D 126, a truck driver operating a tractor trailer follows instructions, such as a work order or purchase order, to pick up a particular motor vehicle asset 102 in a truck unloading area lot D126. You can enter D126. As an example, in the previous situation, the work order may indicate to pick up a black Nissan Altima with VIN 123456789. However, when the truck driver was in the truck unloading area, lot D126, it was difficult to find the correct vehicle. Thus, a truck driver may accidentally load a black Nissan Altima with VIN 987654321 into a tractor trailer. Therefore, the end-user (eg, Nissan car dealership) may receive the wrong order (similar in that it's a black Nissan Altima, but the VIN is wrong). A location management system can eliminate these types of errors, among other benefits.

The location management system can associate the GPS coordinates from the GPS device with the passive transmitter tag 130 when the vehicle asset 102 (e.g., Nissan Altima) is transported to the truck exit area, Lot D126, so that the central cloud Server 108 can know the exact spot where the vehicle is located. Thus, a truck driver can be given a work order directing him to load a black Nissan Altima with VIN 123456789 located at a precise location, such as first spot A-21. This ensures that downstream final destinations, such as Nissan dealerships, receive properly ordered vehicle assets 102 .

A security hut may be located near the exit of lot D126, which is the trucking out area. In some embodiments, another handheld scanner 106 may be utilized to scan for passive transmitter tags 130 on motor vehicle assets 102 that are removed from truck exit area Lot D 126 . Alternatively, another fixed scanning device 104 may be installed near the security hut to scan and capture information from the passive transmitter tags 130 on the motor vehicle asset 102 as the motor vehicle asset 102 is hauled away.

In some embodiments, motor vehicle asset 102 may be located in lot D126, which is a trucking area. When the trucker needs to pick up the motor vehicle asset 102 from the truck unloading area, Lot D126, the manufacturer or plant asset owner can provide the trucker with a list of parking spot locations. Parking locations for automotive assets 102 may have been previously created and stored in a database using GPS-based geographic location coordinates registered for previously surveyed parking spaces. By providing the trucker with the exact spot of the motor vehicle asset 102 that the trucker needs to pick up and load onto the truck, the location management system can identify which motor vehicle asset 102 is to be picked up by the end customer (such as a car dealership). ) to eliminate guesswork by the driver. The location management system may also provide the trucker with a quadrant in which the motor vehicle asset 102 is located to further assist the driver in finding spot locations more quickly. After the correct motor vehicle asset 102 has been loaded into the truck based on the known parking spot number provided to the truck driver, another handheld scanner 106 scans the truck exit area, Lot D126, as it passes the security hut. Passive transmitter tags 130 on existing tracks may be read.

Lot C124, which is a railload area, may be located in close proximity to the designated storage lot. In some embodiments, railload area Lot C124 may be placed within a designated storage lot. A scanning device 104 may be placed along the path near the exit of Lot C124, which is the rail export area. The sixth fixed scanning device 104 may be located inside the railload area, lot C124, or may be located outside the railload area, lot C124. In each case, scanning device 104 may receive information transmitted from passive transmitter tag 130 on automotive asset 102 . Scanning device 104 may transmit information about automotive asset 102, including GPS-based geographic location, to central cloud server 108, which may be coupled to a non-transitory storage medium.

A train on rails may be placed near the exit of Lot C124, which is the rail export area. A train engineer, driver, or other train personnel may have a work order that indicates the exact items to be loaded onto the train and their exact geographic location within Lot C124, the rail loading area. This ensures that the person loading the motor vehicle asset 102 onto the train does not accidentally load the wrong motor vehicle asset 102 .

In some embodiments, the motor vehicle asset 102 may be located in Lot C124, which is the Rail Export area. When a train engineer or other train worker needs to pick up a motor vehicle asset 102 from Lot C124, the rail unloading area, the manufacturer or plant owner provides a list of parking spot locations to the train operator or worker. can be provided to Parking locations for automotive assets 102 may have been previously created and stored in a database based on GPS-based geographic location coordinates registered for previously surveyed parking spaces. By providing the train crew with the exact spot of the vehicle asset 102 that they need to pick up and load onto the train, the location management system can identify which vehicle asset 102 to pick up and which end customer (such as a car dealership). ) to eliminate guesswork by train workers. The location management system may also provide the train driver with a quadrant in which the vehicle asset 102 is located to further assist train employees or workers in locating spot locations more quickly. After the correct motor vehicle asset 102 has been loaded onto the train based on the known parking spot number provided to the train crew, another handheld scanner 106 passively scans the motor vehicle assets 102 residing in Lot C124, the rail unloading area. Transmitter tags 130 may be read.

Using handheld scanners 106, operators can retrieve information from passive transmitter tags 130 on automotive assets 102 in designated areas and/or areas that have physical locations within or substantially outside of facility site 100. may be taken in. For example, handheld scanner 106 may be an RFID scanner that scans and captures information from RFID tags on vehicles. Handheld scanner 106 can also capture serialized information from passive transmitter tag 130 encoded with asset identifying information. The central cloud server 108 can synchronize or otherwise combine asset identification information (eg, VIN) with GPS-based geographic location coordinates to establish the precise location of the vehicle asset 102 and distribute it to a central location. It can be recorded and stored in the memory of cloud server 108 .

As the motor vehicle assets 102 are scanned throughout the designated area of the facility site 100, the following SQL code can be used to assign each motor vehicle asset 102 to a designated area (eg, parking space).
select top 1 ps.PSpot_id, pl.PLocation_id,
pl. Parent_facility_id from ParkingSpot ps
join ParkingArea pa on ps.PArea_id =
pa.PArea_id
join ParkingLocation pl on pa.PLocation_id
= pl.PLocation_id
order by
( acos( sin(C_RadLatitude) sin(@RadLat) +
cos(C_RadLatitude) cos(@RadLat)
cos(@RadLong - C_RadLongitude) )

As shown in FIG. 5, the location management system may include software and/or other applications running on a computer or mobile device. For example, the system includes encoded instructions that, when executed by one or more processors (also referred to as "tracking logic"), track the location of automotive assets 102 relative to manufacturing plant 110 and designated zones and/or regions. may include a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having

The location management system software enables users to search databases stored on cloud server 108 for asset identification information 132 and/or unique identification information for passive transmitter tags 130 via a user interface. obtain. For example, a device 204 in communication with the location management system may import, scan, or receive input of the VIN 210 and/or RFID serial number 212 of the automotive asset 102 . Location management system software can query the database for location or other information about a given automotive asset 102 . In response, the location management system software can display location information for the motor vehicle asset 102 . For example, a mobile app may display designated areas and/or designated areas 214 associated with automobile asset 102 . Additionally, the location management system app may include a map rendering module that may display a map 200 of associated facility sites associated with the motor vehicle asset 102 . The map 200 may include a representation 202 of the vehicle asset 102 that indicates the location of the vehicle asset 102 within the map. Further, map 200 may display a visual representation of designated areas 208 in which motor vehicle assets 102 are located. Map 200 may also include relative orientation information 206 that indicates to the user the distance and direction of motor vehicle asset 102 based on the location information of both the user and motor vehicle asset 102 . Alternatively, relative orientation information 206 may be based on location information for a specified starting point rather than the user's current location. This allows copies of the map 200 to be readily shareable with others, such as carriers, who may be located at truck lots or entrances.

Software functionality may be available in Container Optimization Solutions (COS) software. COS software may be a web-based application. Instances of COS may be customized for manufacturing facilities to add functionality, but there are some areas that are turnkey and available without further development. The system is scalable and easy to deploy Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) or Representational State Transfer (REST) web services, but also supports other methods, and we have the same experience using them to help our customers can be integrated with In some embodiments, the user may view vehicle location information and generate reports via the COS software. Additionally, the system may pass vehicle location data, including VIN and current location, to the tracking solution.

Old or existing light poles and the like may be labeled throughout facility site 100 to provide employees and others with visual cues of designated area boundaries. In some embodiments, to locate a vehicle parked in a particular designated area or anywhere within the facility site 100, the user may utilize seek and find functionality on the handheld device to locate the vehicle. may This may, for example, act like a metal detector that starts making audible noises more often when the user is near the vehicle they are looking for. Alternatively, the handheld device 204 may show the employee the spot where the vehicle is parked.

In some embodiments, the GPS-based geographic location coordinates are used by the central cloud server 108 or another processor to query the manufacturer's database to identify a designated storage lot, lot C124, which is a rail discharge area, or truck discharge. The exact location of the motor vehicle asset 102 within any of the regions Lot D126 may be determined. Coordinates can also be associated with a particular parking spot to allow the user to know the spot location of the motor vehicle asset 102 . In some embodiments, the association of parking spots with passive transmitter tags 130 cross-references at least one read attribute with survey data captured by the installer during a pre-sale visit/survey of the facility site 100. may be achieved by

The survey data may be collected according to known methods or as cosmolabe, dioptra, theodolite, half theodolite, plain theodolite, simple theodolite, great theodolite ( great theodolite, non-transit theodolite, transit theodolite, seconds theodolite, electronic theodolite, mining theodolite, suspension theodolite, traveling theodolite, pibal theodolite, registering theodolite, gyro-theodolite, construction theodolite, photo-theodolite, robotic theodolite theodolite, vernier theodolite, tachymeter, graphometer, universal instrument, transit, total station, alidade, alidade table), plane table, dumpy level, tape (for surveying), measuring tape, surveyor's chain, engineer's chain, one or more ramsden surveying instruments, and/or Or it can be collected according to a tool that implements survey methods, such as a ranging rod. In some embodiments, the system installer takes hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of survey readings using some of the survey tools described above, and maps the entire facility site 100 to parking spots A- 21 or a generalized finite position such as "put-away position". During the survey of the facility site 100, existing legacy fixtures such as light poles can be utilized to divide the area into different quadrants.

In some embodiments, to facilitate vehicle location data specific to parking spaces, construction of the facility site 100 includes surveying and tracking GPS latitude and longitude coordinates for each parking space, and particularly vehicle location. may include plotting all other specified regions used in . Overflow areas and repair areas may utilize a designated zone approach, for example, dividing the property into 50 foot by 50 foot quadrants. The vehicle's current position in these areas may be available at the quadrant level (eg, "VIN2313432123412312 is currently under repair - Quadrant 10").

A survey plot can be inlaid with a geographical view of the facility site 100 obtained from satellite imagery such as Google Earth. Positional accuracy can be graphed on this same map, allowing the manufacturer to see the location of the vehicle asset 102 based on the GPS-based geographic location of the vehicle asset 102 represented on the computer-generated projection map registered with the satellite imagery. can be made Similarly, a user can view a map of the facility site 100 and search for vehicles by VIN. The search may return the last reported location of the motor vehicle asset 102 via scan.

Within some designated areas (eg, repair lot 114 ), facility vehicles (golf carts, people movers, etc.) transport employees carrying handheld scanners 106 . The handheld scanner 106 can receive transmission information from a passive transmitter tag 130 on a vehicle asset 102 (such as a vehicle in an overflow repair facility). In some embodiments, employees can walk through designated areas with RFID handheld readers intentionally configured with low power. Using this RFID handheld, users may be able to read and retrieve tag data from all vehicles parked in these designated areas of facility site 100 . A low power handheld scanner may require the user to be within about 3-4 feet (0.9-1.2 meters) of the passive transmitter tag 130 so that it can be read. In some embodiments, having the handheld scanner 106 in close proximity to the passive transmitter tag 130 allows the system to capture the current GPS coordinates of the reading, which is a parking-specific location within about 3 meters. Locations can be passed to the database at the level of granularity that can be generated.

In other embodiments, vehicle positions within designated overflow and repair areas may be recorded at the quadrant level. The size of each quadrant and the total number of quadrants included can be based on the size of the facility site 100 . This approach may allow employees to use handheld signal scanners 106 (ie, transceivers) with higher RFID signals or higher power settings. The higher power setting allows the user to reach within about 20-25 feet of the vehicle and obtain tag readings from vehicles moving at speeds typically associated with golf carts or vehicles moving other people. can be done. In some embodiments, the passive transmitter tag 130 may be read by the high power scanner 106 from about 10 feet away at speeds up to about 60 mph (97 km/h).

The location accuracy provided as part of the system may be specific to the region classification. In some cases, for example, the user may be able to view a map of the facility site 100 or search for vehicles by VIN. The search can return the last vehicle location reported by the scan.

Some variation in position accuracy that minimizes the need for human intervention may be provided. For example, inventory and vehicle position within truck and rail unloading areas can be provided at a parking space specific level, for example within about 3m. Tag data for certain areas may be obtained using a high power reader, and for other areas a low power unit may be used. Still other areas may utilize fixed portals.

Two different RFID data capture devices may be utilized to achieve the objectives of the system. All location data can be captured using RFID handheld or mobile devices. Milestone data can be captured using RFID fixed portals installed at chokepoints and exit points. Either way, vehicles can be RFID tagged and the tag number-VIN associations can be uploaded to a cloud database to systematically understand which tag number is associated with which vehicle. During the assembly process, it may be necessary to scan an RFID tag placed, for example, on the bumper of the vehicle to tie the VIN of the same vehicle to the VIN of the same vehicle by scanning the respective barcodes.

As shown in FIG. 6, the location management system may include tracking data across multiple sets of facilities 300 . For example, an automotive asset 302 may be tracked between an OEM's plant 310 , a remote warehouse 320 , and a tiered supplier's facility 330 . Facilities 310, 320, 330 may include stationary scanners 304 at the entrance and exit. As tagged assets 302 approach or depart fixed scanners 304, the location management system may automatically update the location and/or status of tagged assets 302 in cloud 308. good. For example, stationary scanner 304 may detect that tagged asset 302 is moving away from warehouse facility 320, so the location management system may change the status of automotive asset 302 to "in transit" or "in transit." ” can be automatically updated. Additionally, prior to leaving warehouse facility 320 , location management system may be updated to include destination information for motor vehicle asset 302 .

When transported, the motor vehicle asset 302 can be associated with an identity of a transport vehicle and/or a device within the transport vehicle that can communicate with a location management system (eg, cell phone, tablet, or other mobile device). In this way, the location management system can be updated with real-time location information of the motor vehicle asset 302 within the cargo of the transport vehicle en route. Advantageously, this allows the location management system to predict arrival times and/or tracking delays for the motor vehicle asset 302 and provide information to the system in time to respond and plan accordingly. . For example, a shipment of motor vehicle asset 302 may be delivered to another destination in response to another delayed shipment.

Various facilities 310 , 320 , 330 may each have different levels of access to location and other data regarding vehicle asset 302 . OEMs, suppliers, and other users of logistics management systems have different access to the collected data that resides in the centralized integration and analysis platform, as well as different analyzes that can be applied to the collected data at this layer. This variety of access can be done selectively and by permission. Accordingly, the present disclosure provides information visibility of sensor-based data from automotive assets 302 and/or related environmental, carrier, and facility peripheral devices to common supply chain data ingestion points, nodes, and/or hubs. provides a common platform that can be aggregated, compiled, and presented to participating entities that are privileged and authorized by users and their agents as obtained via . Some categories of data available in the logistics management system cloud include real-time position, relative velocity, acceleration, crash force, and/or analytical statistics related to movement of vehicle assets 302, parts, and other supply chain support components can be mentioned. This information logistics ecosystem can enable end-to-end visibility through data collection and authorized sharing and/or distribution. As a non-limiting example, sensor data collection points and/or tag readers may be programmed as part of a logistics management system to provide compiled analytics and/or alert messages, such as alert messages to selected users and/or system controllers. Statistical calculations can be triggered for data sharing events. Automation of this data system is tailored to specific interactive collection points/hubs, users, authorization levels, and/or limits/thresholds (e.g., time, geographic location, velocity, acceleration, impact, calculated statistics). Can be customized. Information available to suppliers includes supplier inventory data, inbound and outbound dock door portal transaction data at supplier locations, inbound and outbound dock door portal transaction data at cross dock/logistics centers, and inbound at OEM and outbound dock door portal transaction data.

Also, tiered suppliers and/or other users of logistics management systems may participate in supply chain visibility through a selection of various participation methods approved by the Data Ecosystem Governance Board and applications, for example. Aggregated statistical data in a common database can be extensible to all system participants while there is. This data access control can be provided through a cost-reduced, cloud-based integration and analytics platform to address issues and provide commonality to the OEM and supplier populations.

In some embodiments, motor vehicle asset 302 may be a container. For example, automobile asset 302 may be a reusable RFID container that interacts with transaction data collection points provided by fixed scanner 304 . Supply chain data can be collected from tagged assets (inbound and outbound) at multiple RFID portals/RFID handhelds associated with multiple OEMs, suppliers, warehouses, etc. Supply chain data includes content, specific parts, part numbers, serial numbers, UPC codes, weights, quantities, materials/hazards, origin/destination, arrival/departure times, correlated time and location data, security , approved carriers/recipients, expiration dates, storage temperatures, prices, purchase orders, associated shipping containers, and/or dimensions. This data can be collected at a secure local layer and sent to a centralized integration and analysis platform in cloud 308 . A centralized integration and analysis platform can operate at the secure application layer and ensure database layer integrity. The tagging and data collection, or reading and writing of information to the electronic tags of reusable RFID containers, can be tailored to the Group's compliant standards.

Reusable RFID containers may include RFID and/or other types of data tags that contain unique identifying information about each container itself. Data tags can be programmed to store data related to the specific contents of each container. Additionally, the data stored in the data tag may include identifying information regarding related containers associated with the same shipment or entity. This programming can occur at any of the data collection points/nodes if the programmer has read/write permission. Otherwise, the stored data may be read-only to tag readers, but may trigger other write events, such as to a network hub of a logistics management system. For example, if an unauthorized user attempts to reprogram the tag of a reusable RFID container, it may trigger data write entries in the log file, but other data stored within the data tag will not be changed. remain. Data tags may be removable or integrated into containers, shipping labels, and/or pallets used in logistics management systems.

In some embodiments, the location management system may track the location of any reusable RFID containers and their status as empty or full. The location of a particular empty container at an OEM's facility or at another user's facility may not be displayed to the supplier, but the system may indicate that an empty container is available within a certain distance range and/or Provide suppliers with information that may be scheduled for delivery within a specific time range so that they can request empty reusable RFID containers for the return or exchange of parts. may Additionally or alternatively, the logistics management system may automatically schedule pickup and delivery of empty containers based on return or exchange requests from suppliers. Logistics management systems utilize information such as known route schedules, cargo manifests, weight and space restrictions, and/or empty container locations to automatically optimize pick-up and delivery schedules, for example. be able to. The system may also utilize automatically and/or manually uploaded user data and/or sensor data to reschedule and/or reroute container shipments in real time. The logistics management system may automatically make changes to the shipment and/or suggest recalculated changes, which the user may approve or ignore. Similarly, the user may cancel automated or scheduled shipments provided by the logistics management system, which may cause the shipment data to be recalculated accordingly. A user may manually update the empty or full status of a reusable RFID container during loading/unloading. Additionally or alternatively, the reusable RFID container may include a sensor to indicate the open/closed status of the container and/or detect the presence of contents within the container, which may be indicated by the logistics management system. may trigger data uploads or status updates at a central hub or cloud.

As shown in FIG. 7, the location management system can store data in a table 400 accessible via a computer and/or mobile device 404 . Table 400 can be displayed to a user on a dynamic user interface and includes passive transmitter tag unique identification information 410, asset identification information 412, facility location information 414, arrival information 416, previous facility location information 418, Information such as departure information 420, transportation information 422, designated area information 424, designated area information 426, latitude information 428, longitude information 430, date and time of last scan information 432, and/or other information may be included. The data displayed in table 400 can be manually edited to update the location management system based on permission levels.

As used herein, "logic" includes hardware, firmware, software, and/or hardware for performing function(s) or action(s) and/or performing another function or action. logic, methods, and/or combinations of each to trigger from the system. For example, logic may include software controlled microprocessors, discrete logic such as processors (e.g., microprocessors), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmed logic devices, instructions, etc., based on the desired application or needs. A memory device including a memory, an electric appliance having a memory, and the like can be mentioned. Logic may include one or more gates, combinations of gates, or other circuit components. Logic may be fully embodied as software. When multiple logics are described, multiple logics may be incorporated into one physical logic. Similarly, where a single logic is described, that single logic may be distributed among multiple physical logics.

Moreover, the logic(s) presented herein to accomplish the various methods of this system are directed toward improving existing computer-centric or Internet-centric technologies that may not have previous analog versions. can be done. The logic(s) may provide specific functionality directly related to structures that address and solve some of the problems identified herein. Logic(s) can also provide significant advantages for solving these problems by providing exemplary inventive concepts as specific logical structures and corresponding functions of methods and systems. Additionally, the logic(s) may also provide specific computer-implemented rules that improve existing technical processes. The logic(s) provided herein do more than simply collect data, analyze information, and display results.

The embodiments described above can be implemented in any number of ways. For example, embodiments of the technology disclosed herein may be implemented using hardware, software, or a combination thereof. When implemented in software, the software code can be executed on any suitable processor or collection of processors, whether hosted on a single computer or distributed among multiple computers.

Also, it should be appreciated that a computer may be embodied in any of several forms such as a rack-mounted computer, desktop computer, laptop computer, or tablet computer. Additionally, a computer is generally not considered a computer, but can be embedded in a device with suitable processing power, including a personal digital assistant (PDA), smart phone, or any other suitable portable or fixed electronic device. .

A computer may also have one or more input and output devices. These devices can be used, among other things, to display user interfaces. Examples of output devices that can be used to provide a user interface include printers or display screens for visual presentation of output, and speakers or other sound producing devices for audible presentation of output. Examples of input devices that can be used for user interfaces include pointing devices such as keyboards, mice, touch pads, digitizing tablets, and the like. As another example, a computer may receive input information in speech recognition or other audible form.

Such computers may be interconnected by one or more networks of any suitable form, including enterprise networks and local or wide area networks, such as intelligent networks (IN) or the Internet. Such networks may be based on any suitable technology, may operate according to any suitable protocol, and may include wireless networks, wired networks, or fiber optic networks.

The various methods or processes outlined herein (e.g., the methods or processes of designing and manufacturing the coupling structures and diffractive optical elements disclosed above) can be run on any one of a variety of operating systems or platforms. can be coded as software executable on one or more processors using Moreover, such software may be written using any of a number of suitable programming languages and/or programming or scripting tools, and may also be executables running on frameworks or virtual machines. It can be compiled as machine code or intermediate code.

In this regard, various inventive concepts can be implemented in one or more programs that, when executed on one or more computers or other processors, perform methods embodying the various embodiments of the present disclosure set forth above. encoded non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (or multiple computer-readable storage media) (e.g., computer memory, one or more floppy disks, compact disks, optical disks, magnetic tapes, flash memory, field programmable gate arrays or (circuitry in other semiconductor devices, or other non-transitory or tangible computer storage media). One or more computer-readable media can be loaded with one or more programs stored thereon into one or more different computers or other processors to implement the various aspects of the disclosure as described above. , may be transportable.

The term "program" or "software" as used herein means any type of computer code or software that can be used to program a computer or other processor to implement various aspects of the embodiments as described above. Used in a generic sense to refer to a set of computer-executable instructions. Furthermore, according to one aspect, one or more computer programs which, when executed, perform the methods of the present disclosure need not reside on a single computer or processor, but can be distributed across a number of different computers or processors. It should be understood that various aspects of the present disclosure can be implemented in a modularly distributed manner.

Computer-executable instructions may be in many forms, such as program modules, executed by one or more computers or other devices. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Typically the functionality of the program modules may be combined or distributed as desired in various embodiments.

Also, data structures may be stored in computer-readable media in any suitable form. For ease of explanation, data structures may be shown to have fields that are related by position within the data structure. Such relationships can similarly be achieved by allocating storage to fields that have locations within the computer-readable medium that convey the relationship between the fields. However, any suitable mechanism can be used to establish relationships between the information in the fields of the data structures, including using pointers, tags, or other mechanisms to establish relationships between data elements.

The foregoing description uses specific terminology for the sake of brevity, clarity, and understanding. Such terms have been used for purposes of description and are intended to be interpreted broadly, and are not meant to imply unnecessary limitations beyond the requirements of the prior art. Furthermore, the description and illustration of the preferred embodiments of the disclosure are by way of example, and the disclosure is not limited to the precise details shown or described.

Although the disclosed system and method are illustrated and described herein with reference to preferred embodiments and specific examples thereof, other embodiments and examples perform similar functions and/or It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the result of All such equivalent embodiments and examples are within the spirit and scope of this disclosure and are contemplated thereby.

Claims (21)

A method for managing location information for tagged automotive assets, comprising:
assigning location information to the designated area;
Attaching a passive transmitter tag with unique identification information to a vehicle asset;
placing the vehicle asset in at least one of the designated areas;
scanning the passive transmitter tag at a scan point to obtain the unique identification;
associating the unique identification with location information of the scan points;
method including. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the location information includes latitude and longitude information. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating the unique identification information with at least one of the designated areas based on the location information. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein associating the unique identification information with the location information of the scan points comprises storing the information in a table. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein associating the unique identification information with the location information of the scan points comprises uploading the information to a cloud database. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the cloud database is searchable by the vehicle asset. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle asset is a vehicle. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle asset is a container of motor vehicle parts. 9. The method of Claim 8, wherein the container is reusable. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein scanning the passive transmitter tag at the scanning point comprises obtaining the unique identification information from the passive transmitter tag using a hand-held transceiver. 11. The method of Claim 10, wherein the portable transceiver is a handheld scanner. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein scanning the passive transmitter tags is performed at a speed of up to about 60 mph (about 97 km/h) for the passive transmitter tags. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the passive transmitter tag is a radio frequency identification tag. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning the location information to the designated regions comprises obtaining location information for at least four points along a perimeter of at least one of the designated regions. extrapolating location information for a central point of at least one of said designated regions based on said location information for at least four points along a perimeter of at least one of said designated regions. 14. The method according to 14. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the scanning point includes a fixed transceiver for scanning the passive transmitter tag when the automotive asset is in proximity. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a mark representing the motor vehicle asset on a map based on associated location information. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising determining directions to the vehicle asset based on a user's location relative to the vehicle asset. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said designated regions is nested within another designated region. Associating the unique identification information with the location information of the scan points assigns the motor vehicle asset to both a first designated area and a second designated area nested within the first designated area. 20. The method of claim 19, comprising associating with . 21. The method of claim 20, further comprising updating a status associated with the motor vehicle asset based on the association with the first designated area.

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