Messaging device for ID Systems Inc's PowerFleet vehicle management system for forklifts

Wireless solutions provider ID Systems Inc received an additional US patent on 18 March for a mobile asset data management system primarily for use on forklifts.

ID Systems believes the forklift-related patent is especially strong. "Its filing date precedes the development of a number of competing systems, and it addresses many functional aspects of wireless industrial vehicle management," says Kenneth Ehrman, president and interim chief executive officer.

The patent covers a broad range of essential processes utilised by wireless vehicle management systems (VMS) for industrial trucks, such as forklifts and tow tractors.

ID Systems says the basic network architecture for the wireless VMS utilises an intermediary wireless device between the system database and the system's vehicle-mounted wireless devices. Further, the patent involves vehicle access control authorisations by operator group and impact sensing that incorporates the axes, time, level and angle of an impact to a vehicle. Vehicle inspection checklists are stored autonomously on vehicle-mounted devices.

Currently, ID Systems is a VMS technology partner to Raymond Corp of Greene, New York, an operation of the Toyota Material Handling North America organisation. Also, ID Systems collaborates regularly with most other original equipment forklift manufacturers to implement VMS systems on end-users' forklifts.

ID Systems cites a success story about VMS and PowerFleet use at eight US distribution centres of Norwalk, Connecticut-based document technology and services provider Xerox Corp.

ID Systems says PowerFleet ROI breakeven is typically less than a year. "Without divulging any specific customer-confidential information, Xerox can be said to have fallen within that timeframe," ID Systems reports.

Separately, the US patent office in an 11 March issuance granted ID Systems' claim for technology on a wireless rental vehicle system with remotely controlled vehicle access.

ID Systems now holds more than 60 patents related to its wireless machine-to-machine asset management systems.

Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey-based ID Systems has subsidiaries in Texas, Germany and the United Kingdom. ID Systems says about one-half of the Fortune 200 companies utilise forklifts and tow tractors and that, of those companies, in excess of 50 have adopted its VMS technology for industrial vehicles.