System and method for communication with a tracking device

• US 10,129,695 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2017
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global Trek Xploration Corp. (Metalert, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Inventergy LBS LLC (Inventergy Global, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bertagna, Patrick E., DiBella, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunnings, Travis R
• Application Number:
  US15/684,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20180048995A1
• Time in Patent Office: 447 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system and method for providing communication with a tracking device are disclosed. An example tracking device includes a location detector, a communication device, memory, a processor, and a configuration routine. The location detector is operative to determine locations of the tracking device. The communication device is operative to communicate with a remote system. The memory stores data and code, the data including location data determined by the location detector and configuration data. The processor is operative to execute the code to impart functionality to the tracking device. The functionality of the tracking device depends at least in part on the configuration data. The configuration routine is operative to modify the configuration data responsive to communications from the remote system. Thus, functional access to the tracking device is provided to the remote system.

Claims

1. A tracking device comprising:

a location detector operative to determine locations of said tracking device;

a communication device operative to communicate with a remote system;

memory comprising a stored set of instructions and data, said data including location data from said location detector and configuration data;

a processor configured to execute said stored set of instructions to control operation of said tracking device; and

wherein

said stored set of instructions are configured to cause said tracking device to

receive updates to said configuration data from said remote system,

use said configuration data to control functionality of said tracking device,

determine whether said tracking device is in communication with said remote system,

transmit locations of said tracking device while said communication device is able to communicate with said remote system,

buffer said location data indicative of one or more locations of said tracking device when communication with said remote system is lost, and

transmit said buffered location data after communication with said remote system is restored.

2. The tracking device of claim 1, wherein said configuration data comprises one or more of a location data reporting interval, a location data buffering interval, and a distance threshold for buffering said location data.

3. The tracking device of claim 1, wherein said configuration data comprises a threshold distance between one of said locations and a subsequent one of said locations for storing said subsequent one of said locations.

13. The tracking device of claim 1, wherein said configuration data comprises a location data reporting interval.

14. The tracking device of claim 1, wherein said configuration data comprises a location data buffering interval.

15. The tracking device of claim 1, wherein said configuration data comprises a distance threshold for buffering said location data.

4. A tracking device comprising:

a location detector operative to determine locations of said tracking device;

a communication device operative to communicate with a remote system;

memory comprising a stored set of instructions and data, said data including location data indicative of locations of said tracking device from said location detector and configuration data; and

a processor configured to execute said stored set of instructions to control operation of said tracking device; and

wherein

said stored set of instructions are configured to cause said tracking device to

receive updates to said configuration data from said remote system,

use said configuration data to control functionality of said tracking device,

determine a monitored condition based on said location data,

transmit said location data of said tracking device and said monitored condition while said communication device is able to communicate with said remote system,

buffer said location data and said monitored condition indicative of one or more locations of said tracking device when communication with said remote system is lost, and

transmit said buffered location data and said monitored condition after communication with said remote system is restored.

5. The tracking device of claim 4, wherein said monitored condition comprises-one or more of a geographical area, a velocity, a distance, and a time/distance relationship.

6. The tracking device of claim 5, wherein said configuration data comprises one or more of a location data reporting interval, a location data buffering interval, a power state of the tracking device, a diagnostic reporting interval, and a distance threshold for buffering said location data.

16. The tracking device of claim 4, wherein said configuration data comprises a location data reporting interval.

17. The tracking device of claim 4, wherein said configuration data comprises a location data buffering interval.

18. The tracking device of claim 4, wherein said configuration data comprises a power state of the tracking device.

19. The tracking device of claim 4, wherein said configuration data comprises a diagnostic reporting interval.

20. The tracking device of claim 4, wherein said configuration data comprises a distance threshold for buffering said location data.

21. The tracking device of claim 4, wherein said monitored condition comprises a velocity.

22. The tracking device of claim 4, wherein said monitored condition comprises a time/distance relationship.

7. A method for controlling a tracking device comprising:

obtaining location data comprising one or more locations of said tracking device from a location detector;

receiving updates to configuration data of said tracking device from a remote system;

using said updated configuration data to control functionality of said tracking device;

determining whether said tracking device is in communication with said remote system;

transmitting locations of said tracking device while said tracking device is able to communicate with said remote system;

buffering said location data indicative of one or more locations of said tracking device when communication with said remote system is lost; and

transmitting said buffered location data after communication with said remote system is restored.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said configuration data comprises one or more of a location data reporting interval, a location data buffering interval, and a distance threshold for buffering said location data.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said configuration data comprises a threshold distance between one of said locations and a subsequent one of said locations for storing said subsequent one of said locations.

23. The tracking device of claim 7, wherein said configuration data comprises a location data reporting interval.

24. The tracking device of claim 7, wherein said configuration data comprises a location data buffering interval.

25. The tracking device of claim 7, wherein said configuration data comprises a distance threshold for buffering said location data.

10. A method for controlling a tracking device comprising:

obtaining location data comprising one or more locations of said tracking device from a location detector;

receiving updates to configuration data of said tracking device from a remote system;

using the updated configuration data to control functionality of said tracking device;

determining a monitored condition based on said location data;

transmitting said location data of said tracking device and said monitored condition while said communication device is able to communicate with said remote system;

buffering said location data and said monitored condition indicative of one or more locations of said tracking device when communication with said remote system is lost; and

transmitting said buffered location data and said monitored condition after communication with said remote system is restored.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said monitored condition comprises one or more of a geographical area, a velocity, a distance, and a time/distance relationship.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said configuration data comprises one or more of a location data reporting interval, a location data buffering interval, a power state of the tracking device, a diagnostic reporting interval, and a distance threshold for buffering location data.

26. The tracking device of claim 10, wherein said configuration data comprises a location data reporting interval.

27. The tracking device of claim 10, wherein said configuration data comprises a location data buffering interval.

28. The tracking device of claim 10, wherein said configuration data comprises a power state of the tracking device.

29. The tracking device of claim 10, wherein said configuration data comprises a diagnostic reporting interval.

30. The tracking device of claim 10, wherein said configuration data comprises a distance threshold for buffering said location data.

31. The tracking device of claim 10, wherein said monitored condition comprises a velocity.

32. The tracking device of claim 10, wherein said monitored condition comprises a time/distance relationship.