Identification device, system and method

• US 10,165,052 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2015
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Global Locating Systems LLC (Fred DuFresne)
• Original Assignee: Global Locating Systems LLC (Fred DuFresne)
• Inventors: Wildon, Michael Peter, Paterson, Alexander Robert Dalziel
• Primary Examiner(s): Nwugo, Ojiako K
• Application Number:
  US14/953,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20160224813A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 3405721-5729, 3405391
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/18 Devices to prevent theft or loss of purses, luggage or hand carried bags
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/42 Devices for identifying luggage; Means for attaching same
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/16 Anti-theft; Abduction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/01 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/018 Involving non-radio wave signals or measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02 using radio waves using satellite radio beacon systems for determining position G01S19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 15/00 Tags attached to, or associated with, an object, in order to enable detection of the object record carriers for use with machines having a detectable tag or marker G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07345 by activating or deactivating at least a part of the circuit on the record carrier, e.g. ON/OFF switches
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/02 using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination

Abstract

An identification system includes an identification device and a communication device. The identification device is attached to an article and including a sensor. The identification device is configured to operate in a plurality of modes and configured to switch between modes of the plurality of modes based on one or more conditions of a surrounding environment sensed by the sensor. The identification device is configured to send data to a server. The communication device of a user of the identification system is configured to receive data including location data of the identification device from the server using short message service protocols or messages through a signaling channel.

Claims

1. A system to provide a location of a device over a network, comprising:

the device that is configured to perform one or more actions, including;

employing conditions sensed by one or more sensors to operate in one or more of a plurality of modes; and

employing a housing of the device to provide a light pathway to one or more of a display or a sensor; and

a server that is configured to performs action, including;

receiving data from the device, wherein the data includes position identification data;

determining the location of the device based on the position identification data, wherein the device'"'"'s location is accessible to a user of the system.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the server performs further actions including employing one or more triangulation methods to identify the location of the device, wherein the one or more methods include received signal strength indication (RSSI), global positioning system (GPS), assisted GPS, time difference of arrival (TQA), or angle of arrival (AoA).

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the device communicates with the server over one or more networks, including Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), 3G, 3.5G, 4G, Long Term Evolution (LTE), or Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax).

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the housing of the device is convex-shaped to provide the light pathway.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the device is one or more of a personal computer, laptop computer, notebook computer, tablet computer, or a smartphone.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the device performs further actions including periodically providing the position identification data to the server.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the server is configured to perform further actions, including:

comparing a current location of the device to an anticipated location of the device and, if they are different, to transmit the current location to the user.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the location of the device is communicated to the user via one or more of short message service protocols, email, dynamic map pin-pointing using a Geographic Information System, or Interactive Voice Response.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the device performs further actions, including:

operating in a first mode in which the device receives and transmits data;

operating in a second mode in which the device is disabled from receiving and transmitting data; and

operating in a third mode in which the device provides one or more of usage details or an alert to the user.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors include a temperature sensor, global positioning sensor, a light sensor, a pressure sensor, a proximity sensor, or a motion sensor.

11. A device that provides its location over a network, wherein the device performs actions comprising:

employing conditions sensed by one or more sensors to collect data and operate in one or more of a plurality of modes;

employing a housing of the device to provide a light pathway to one or more of a display or a sensor; and

providing data to a server, wherein the data includes position identification data that the server employs to determine the location, wherein the device'"'"'s location is accessible to a user of the system.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the server performs further actions including employing one or more triangulation methods to identify the location of the device, wherein the one or more methods include received signal strength indication (RSSI), global positioning system (GPS), assisted GPS, time difference of arrival (TQA), or angle of arrival (AoA).

13. The device according to claim 11, wherein the device performs further actions including communicating with the server over one or more networks, including Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), 3G, 3.5G, 4G, Long Term Evolution (LTE), or Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax).

14. The device according to claim 11, wherein the housing is convex-shaped to provide the light pathway.

15. The device according to claim 11, wherein the device is one or more of a personal computer, laptop computer, notebook computer, tablet computer, or a smartphone.

16. The device according to claim 11, wherein the server is configured to perform further actions, including:

comparing a current location of the device to an anticipated location of the device and, if they are different, to transmit the current location to the user.

17. A method that provides a location of a device over a network, wherein the actions of the method are performed by the device comprising:

employing conditions sensed by one or more sensors to collect data and operate in one or more of a plurality of modes;

employing a housing of the device to provide a light pathway to one or more of a display or a sensor; and

providing data to a server, wherein the data includes position identification data that the server employs to determine the location, wherein the device'"'"'s location is accessible to a user of the system.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the server performs further actions including employing one or more triangulation methods to identify the location of the device, wherein the one or more methods include received signal strength indication (RSSI), global positioning system (GPS), assisted GPS, time difference of arrival (TQA), or angle of arrival (AoA).

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the device performs further actions including communicating with the server over one or more networks, including Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), 3G, 3.5G, 4G, Long Term Evolution (LTE), or Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax).

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the housing is convex-shaped to provide the light pathway.

21. The method according to claim 17, wherein the device is one or more of a personal computer, laptop computer, notebook computer, tablet computer, or a smartphone.

22. The method according to claim 17, wherein the server is configured to perform further actions, including:

comparing a current location of the device to an anticipated location of the device and, if they are different, to transmit the current location to the user.