Tags: first steps in Asset tracking field

Table of contents

• Asset Tracking: The Foundation
• Devices: Trackers, Beacons, Tags, Sensors — Who’s Who?
• Let’s Walk Through a Real Example
• Tags: Gateways and Assets
• Tags: Labeling System
• Tags: Event-Based Reporting System
• Layers: Asset & Gateway Mapping
• Demo Use Cases
• BETA is open! Start using the system

Asset Tracking: The Foundation

Asset tracking goes hand in hand with GPS monitoring and plays a key role in telematics and fleet management. It’s about using technology to monitor and manage physical assets — from containers and tools to heavy machinery and sensitive cargo.

These systems provide real-time data on location, movement, condition, and sensor metrics. This helps businesses protect assets, reduce losses, and streamline operations. Let’s take a closer look at the building blocks of a modern asset tracking system — the devices that make it all work.

Devices: Trackers, Beacons, Tags or Sensors?

Short answer? All of them. And each plays a part.

Modern GPS trackers are no longer just about location. They’ve become smart devices that can connect to a variety of sensors — wired or wireless. Think fuel level sensors (like FLS or FCS), temperature sensors, door status sensors, and many others.

Then come the BLE beacons and sensors — compact, wireless, and surprisingly capable. Many of them carry built-in sensors for temperature, humidity, and more. Simple in form, powerful in function.

In practice, what used to be a basic GPS tracker is now a data hub: collecting inputs from multiple sources and pushing them to a platform for processing, visualization, and analytics.

Most platforms treat this stream of data as coming from a single object — a unit: a vehicle, trailer, or piece of equipment. That simplifies logic, dashboards, and reports. But here’s the catch: this “single unit” model makes it hard to track and manage the external devices individually. Details get lost in the stream.

So maybe it’s time to rethink the concept?
There might be a better, more flexible way to build this.

Let’s Walk Through a Real Example:

1. We start with a GPS device — for instance, the Teltonika FMB965, installed in a cargo truck that’s transporting various types of equipment.
2. Next, we add a few compact BLE devices: the Teltonika EYE Beacon and the EYE Sensor. The EYE Beacons are attached directly to the equipment — for example, a forklift and a generator. The EYE Sensor is placed inside a thermobox containing a specialized construction material that requires temperature control within the +5°C to +25°C range.
3. And we can’t forget fuel monitoring — we use an Escort TD-150 BLE sensor, connected via RS485 and installed in the vehicle’s fuel tank.

So what do we end up with? A seemingly ordinary GPS tracker that’s actually collecting and forwarding data from four different external devices. And that’s just a start — the number of connected components can easily scale up. In this setup, the tracker effectively acts as a gateway.

The gateway (GPS tracker) sends a full stream of data to the platform — but it all gets bundled into a single entity: a unit. Still, that data actually comes from the tracker plus four independent sources that aren’t inherently linked to each other.

Our new asset tracking app — Tags — solves this challenge by allowing each connected device to be tracked individually as a separate Asset.

Tags: Gateways and Assets

Tags is a solution for tracking and managing diverse assets. Let’s clarify the core terminology.

Gateways

Usually GPS trackers that connect to sensors (wired or wireless), detect nearby BLE devices, and send all collected data to the platform.

Gateways can be:

• Stationary – installed at fixed locations to scan passing assets
• Mobile – installed on vehicles to track assets on the move

Assets

Anything the system tracks individually:

• Wireless sensors – BLE tags, beacons, sensor etc.
• Wired sensors – fuel level, temperature, etc.
• Gateway parameters – e.g., fuel level turned into its own asset

📍 Key advantage: Any gateway parameter can be turned into a trackable asset — no extra hardware needed.
Example: A fuel level sensor on a truck becomes a separate "Fuel Level" asset.

Tags: Labeling System

Assets can be tagged with Labels for better organization and control. Labels fall into two types:

1. System Labels (automatic):

• Status – e.g., “no_message” for offline, “motion” for moving
• Geofence – assigned when assets enter/leave zones

2. User Labels - manually created by user:

• Create custom labels with colors and names
• Group assets by team, project, priority, etc.
• Search and filter assets by label

Tags: Event-Based Reporting System

The Tags module offers a robust event-driven reporting system that enhances operational transparency and decision-making. Reports are built around two core dimensions:

• Assets
• Geofences

1. Asset-Based Reports

These reports deliver detailed, chronological event histories for individual assets, capturing:

• Movement events (start/stop)
• Geofence transitions (entry/exit)
• Communication status changes (loss/restoration)
• Label updates (assignments/removals)

2. Geofence-Based Reports

Monitor all asset activity across defined geographic zones. Gain visibility into:

• Which assets entered or exited a specific geofence
• Exact time stamps of geofence events

3. Event Filtering Capabilities

Users can refine data by selecting specific event types and assets on Events tab.

• Motion: Asset movement start and stop
• Geofence: Entry into or exit from a designated zone
• No Message: Detection and restoration of communication interruptions

Layers: Asset & Gateway Mapping

The Layers feature introduces an abstraction level for managing the relative positioning of assets and gateways. This functionality is designed to enhance interaction by allowing users to define and visualize physical environments beyond conventional GPS coordinates.

Layers enable placement of assets and gateways within structured indoor or constrained environments—such as floors, warehouses, buildings, or zones—where traditional geolocation is insufficient or unavailable.

Advantages

• Support for custom indoor layers alongside traditional GPS-based positioning
• Improved relative awareness and control in complex or multi-level environments
• Scalable structure for managing assets across logically or physically segmented areas
• Comprehensive indoor tracking and precise relative mapping of assets and gateways within virtual models of physical environments (floors, rooms, zones)

With Layers, your asset and infrastructure management becomes more intuitive, flexible, and space-aware—unlocking a new dimension of control.

Demo Use Cases

Here are several scenarios that can be observed in the demo environment:

• Cold Chain Monitoring
  A mobile gateway with temperature sensors moves through 3–4 geofences twice daily.
  Example: A refrigerated truck (Refrigerator Truck) with BLE tags on cargo.
  

• Equipment Tracking via Geofencing and BLE beacon fetching
  Stationary gateways at job sites(delivery points) and a mobile gateway on a Delivery truck. BLE tags on assets like shredders or compactors.
  Example: Equipment is delivered to 3 sites.

• Container & Cargo Monitoring
  Fixed gateways at the port and warehouses. 9 containers with BLE tags follow a predefined route.
  Example: The system provides:

• • Delivery time of containers from the port to gateway locations at warehouses in different cities of Lithuania.
  • Enter and Exit timestamps

BETA is open! Start using the system

To try out Tags, just create an account in our admin application – Partner Panel.

1. Register here. (only email and password required)
2. Log in and check the onboarding documentation
   
3. Go to the Tags tab and start exploring

Feel free to share your suggestions, ideas, or any thoughts by emailing us directly at business@gps-trace.com