A method for tracking a rail car (22) having an on-board communication system (12) including a location determining system (24,33) and a transceiver (26) for receiving and transmitting rail car data, the system including a processor (28) responsive to an executable program for enabling operation of the transceiver (26) to transmit rail car data during a reporting event, the method comprising providing a remotely addressable software database accessible by the executable program for establishing a reporting event in response to at least one of a selected time, a change in geographical location, an extended time in a geographical location, an approach to a specified geographical location, a coupling/decoupling of the rail car with a particular locomotive and a command to report.
Patent Application Number: 2005217624
Filing Date: February 24, 2005Priority Date: February 24, 2004
Inventors: Daniel Malachi Ballesty, Bradley Charles Hendrickson, Jeffrey James Kisak, Robert Glenn Shaffer
Applicants: General Electric Company
View Prior Art for Claim 17
Patent/Application # 6972682
Description
Abstract: Systems, devices, methods, and programs disclosed herein provide a solution for monitoring and tracking assets by utilizing wireless communications. A representative system for monitoring assets includes a remote monitoring station (RMS) and a network of identification (ID) tags. Each ID tag is coupled to an asset and is configured to wirelessly communicate with other ID tags in the network within a predetermined proximity. Each tag is also configured to relay communications from other ID tags so that a communication path is established between the RMS and any ID tag in the network, either directly or via other ID tags.
Patent/Application # 6745027
Description
Abstract: A method of forming an ad hoc hierarchical communication network involves associating a plurality of wireless transceivers with articles, ... A network organization routine of the wireless transceivers operates to establish the hierarchical network based on the transceivers' class designations, resulting in a logical network organization that provides efficiencies for asset tracking. ...The wireless transceivers may include a query handling routine in communication with a memory of the transceiver for serving as a dynamic distributed hierarchical database system.
International Partners: 
United States
United States