SBIR-STTR Award

To provide a complete system for tracking and monitoring marine assets, the proposed effort will design an RF tag that utilizes low-cost, embedded microprocessors and accelerometers for calculating the inertial states of the container while onboard the ship. The initial states are determined at the time of loading by differential GPS measurements taken by the on-ship gateway and the in-terminal gateway. RF links from the tag to the gateway will transmit updated onboard location and sensor information for upload to control centers located onboard, in the terminals, and at remote sites. The upload frequency and real-time event threshholds are remotely programmable. The data received by the control center will be displayed in both graphical and textual views for rapid report generation and analysis

iControl`s Phase II effort completes the design of a prototype Maritime Asset Tag Tracking System (MATTS). The fully functional system includes shipboard satellite gateways, container TAGs, and secure Internet Data Center. The container TAG is a miniature sensor, data logging computer, radio transceiver, and inertial assisted GPS tracking system integrated into a compact inexpensive package. A TAG`s inertial estimator accurately resolves container locations even when sporadic or multi-path reflections corrupt GPS signals. The principal benefit of inertial corrected GPS, is an instrumented port or ship is not required to record container location. An iControl container TAG can store its location history with no supporting infrastructure. The container location (and its history) are reported when the TAG is in range (up to 2 km) of an Internet gateway equipped ship or dock. To implement the reporting network, self contained, low cost satellite gateways will be installed on each container ship. Ports will be equipped with low cost Internet linked gateways to provide real-time container tracking for inventory management. Phase II will include tests and integration of the system at an overseas port. Containers will be instrumented and tracked during loading, trans-pacific crossing, and unloading