The Virtual Design Group wireless tracker is designed to permit low cost tracking and control of assets via the wireless network. Utilizing a Telit wireless module, the device has flexible software that can be downloaded and configured on the unit to modify power management or to add in device control logic, for automated action without network interaction. In addition, it can detect device events, such as movement, or input triggers, and notify the server remotely via GPRS or SMS. The design includes a quad band wireless modem for seamless world wide operation and a Sirf Star III GPS for unparalleled position accuracy and acquisition, even indoors for some applications.

At only 2.5 inches by 2.5 inches by 1 inch, including two antennas and battery, the device can be easily mounted or concealed. With FCC, PCTRB, and ATT network certifications, a speedy deployment is possible. The wireless chipset includes jamming detection and on board log capacity of up to 3Mb.

The VDG Tracker supports a standard set of commands to activate the controls wired to the units, monitor inputs, and report configurable exceptions. In the single user use case, the operator can SMS the unit with a location request or control action, and the unit will reply with the current position or the control setting is acknowledged.

If the device enters or exits a series of configurable GPS box definitions, the unit will send an SMS to the notification number automatically. The boxes can have complex, boolean, nested triggering configurations. Each can be triggered separately upon entry or exit, allowing close monitoring. The device can be controlled by a server or completely independantly of a formal back end. All operations require a password, which is configured in the unit and may be updated over the air..

The design is available for license or customization, and we have a relationship with a mass manufacturing partner. Please contact us directly for further details.

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Side by side comparison clearly shows relative size of original and VDG design.

Key to the success of the design was the creation of a hardware platform that provided an abstract interface to a variety of corded cell phone handsets, with a replaceable hardware module to allow the base unit to be switched between different modules. A cordless Bluetooth module is planned.

Virtual Design Group participated in a group effort to perform needs analysis and trial design to determine the cost effectiveness of a complete re-design of an in-vehicle computer system. A complete master plan was created for the development of a new, more configurable, In-Vehicle system. Tasks ranged from creation of customer profiles, logical functions, functional requirements, design alternatives, segmentation of requirements by customer need into a stratified product line, and the integration of all these individual elements into a complete software development plan. This project was implemented by Virtual Design Group and is currently under deployment trial in several large transport, trucking and package delivery fleets.

A Virtual Design Group client desired to produce wireless applications that could be quickly ported to a variety of remote devices. Some of these remote devices were in use at the time of the project definition, some were unknown or their market availability was indeterminate. Virtual Design Group created a set of Operating System-independent Application Programmer Interfaces, that allowed the easy development of cooperating multi-tasking applications. This hardware and operating system independent API allowed the development and debugging of applications in a rich Win 32 environment, while allowing identical code to run in each target environment.

Virtual Design Group created a demonstration application providing interstate exit and truckstop service information for the Palm VII. The development consisted of normalizing the database, converting it to a web-hosted environment, creating appropriate HTML and PQA documents to serve the pages in a variety of prototype display formats.

Virtual Design Group engineers designed and prototyped a very low cost vehicle telematics unit with features that included: vehicle locate, panic, factory alarm forwarding, lot monitoring, tow protection and a demonstration central monitoring system. This product is available for sale and license with and without custom software engineering and support.

Virtual Design Group engineers have developed a number of applications and integration efforts for the Research In Motion (RIM) Blackberry wireless pagers using the Mobitext network. Technologies used include: C/C++ and Java J2ME SDKs, RIM APIs, Rim 950 Pager, 957 PDA, 902M Radio Modem, the operating systems used on those devices as well as the Cingular MyBiz Interactive system (RIM 952) and the Cingular MIST Middleware system. Virtual Design has deployed Cingular Interactive’s Internet Access Service to interface a custom application to the Mobitex network. A custom remote hardware device communicated with a MIST-based application over the serial interface on the pager, and the pager then relayed messages between a central server application and the remote unit connected to the pager. The pager application interfaced to both the MIST and RIM Radio APIs for maximum wireless communications flexibility.

Virtual Design Group engineers have been involved in the development of a variety of GPS, Satellite, and cell phone integration efforts, some of which are currently restricted by non-disclosures. If you have a specific need in this area, please ask and we will be glad to discuss our capabilities in more detail and provide references if permitted.

A major international overnight package shipping and delivery company required an interface between a wireless data transmission system and Symbol ruggedized Palm Pilot in-vehicle data capture and identification system. This effort involved the integration of two data capture devices with a wireless transmission system and a user data entry terminal in the vehicle. A data retrieval strategy was designed and implemented to gather the information from each terminal on a server on a daily basis. Virtual Design Group engineers created a series of reports to assemble the data gathered and automatically note the exceptions that were identified by characteristics present in the data collected.