Patents by Inventor Austin L. Higgs

Austin L. Higgs has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6879962
    Abstract: A logistics method is disclosed that provides logistics computer programming for controlling a plurality of transports to supply a plurality of delivery locations from one or more bases. Each of the bases and delivery locations are in communication with a central database, preferably an Internet server database, that contains updated logistics information. The central database is preferably automatically updated at selectable intervals as to transport location, destination, fuel level, speed, and heading. Manifests may be originated at the respective delivery location or at an associated base and are stored in the central database. Each material on the manifest is associated with information such as the authorized vendor, a description, storage preferences, units, hazardous designations and additional information if the material is hazardous.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Inventors: Joseph D. Smith, Austin L. Higgs, Thien K. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 6611686
    Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method are disclosed for monitoring, tracking, and logistics purposes that preferably includes a monitoring unit wherein data is processed using a microcontroller. The monitoring unit includes an interface with the target or asset to be tracked such that electrical signals may be sent between the target and monitoring unit to denote events from the target, e.g., air bag deployment and for activating features of the target, e.g., an alarm. The interface may be unique for each monitoring unit because unique information relating to each interface is stored in the system database, e.g., data may be related to a temperature in one unit and to a movement sensor indication in another. Therefore, the system may respond appropriately to signals having unique meanings from each different monitoring unit. A pager unit with a pager modem is controlled by the microcontroller to thereby encode the signals for transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Elite Logistics Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph D. Smith, Austin L. Higgs, Thien K. Nguyen