Tracking system and method employing cellular network control channels

• US 20020123353A1
• Filed: 02/04/2002
• Published: 09/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Datacom Wireless Corporation (GeoTab Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Datacom Wireless Corporation (GeoTab Incorporated)
• Inventors: Savoie, Paul-Andre
• Application Number:
  US10/067,115
• Publication Number:
  US 20020123353A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A tracking system and method employing cellular network control channels. The system, leveraging existing Roamer Record Exchange Systems (RRES), comprises a cellular transceiver installed in a tracking target and a central server for paging the installed cellular transceiver to enter into a tracking mode over a cellular network control channel and collecting tracking mode information provided through RRES to map information such as Cell Site ID and Sector for use as reference points for the tracking of the tracking target. The method, leveraging existing Roamer Record Exchange Systems (RRES), includes the steps of installing a cellular transceiver in a tracking target, and paging the installed cellular transceiver over a cellular network control channel to enter into a tracking mode to identify, from information provided through the RRES, one or more cell sites located near the tracking target so as to enable the tracking of the tracking target.

Claims

1. A tracking system employing cellular network control channels, leveraging existing Roamer Record Exchange Systems (RRES), the tracking system comprising:

a cellular transceiver installed in a tracking target; and

a central server for paging the installed cellular transceiver to enter into a tracking mode over a cellular network control channel, and collecting tracking mode information provided through RRES to map information such as Cell Site ID and Sector for use as reference points for the tracking of the tracking target.

2. The system according to claim 1, further includes a chase vehicle deployed to a tracked location to enable the interception of a stolen vehicle, the chase vehicle including a tracking module having:

a Doppler direction finder for finding the direction of the stolen vehicle'"'"'s cellular transceiver;

a tracking radio linked to the Doppler direction finder; and

an updating radio set to periodically update the chase vehicle'"'"'s position in one direction, and update the control channel frequency, used by the tracking mode and tuned into the tracker module, in the other direction.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the chase vehicle is further equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver for determining its own location with respect to one or more cell sites identified as being close to the target to enable the chase vehicle to more quickly travel to an area determined by the identified cell sites.

4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising means for using a determined unusable control channel to transmit tracking information so as to further minimize drain on cellular network resources.

5. A tracking method employing cellular network control channels, leveraging existing Roamer Record Exchange Systems (RRES), the method comprising the steps of:

(i) installing a cellular transceiver in a tracking target; and

(ii) paging the installed cellular transceiver, over a cellular network control channel, to enter into a tracking mode to identify, from information provided through the RRES, one or more cell sites located near the tracking target so as to enable the tracking of the tracking target.

6. The method according to claim 5, further includes the step of deploying a chase vehicle to a tracked location to enable the interception of a stolen vehicle, the chase vehicle including a tracking module having:

a Doppler direction finder for finding the direction of the stolen vehicle'"'"'s cellular transceiver;

a tracking radio linked to the Doppler direction finder; and

an updating radio set to periodically update the chase vehicle'"'"'s position in one direction, and update the control channel frequency, used by the tracking mode and tuned into the tracker module, in the other direction.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the chase vehicle is further equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver for determining its own location with respect to one or more cell sites identified as being close to the target to enable the chase vehicle to more quickly travel to an area determined by the identified cell sites.

8. The system according to claim 5, further comprising the step of using a determined unusable control channel to transmit tracking information so as to further minimize drain on cellular network resources.

9. A tracking system employing cellular network control channels, the system comprising:

means for installing a cellular transceiver in a tracking target; and

means for paging the installed cellular transceiver, over a cellular network control channel, to enter into a tracking mode to identify, from information provided through the RRES, one or more cell sites located near the tracking target so as to enable the tracking of the tracking target.

10. The system according to claim 9, further includes a chase vehicle deployed to a tracked location to enable the interception of a stolen vehicle, the chase vehicle including a tracking module having:

a Doppler direction finder for finding the direction of the stolen vehicle'"'"'s cellular transceiver;

a tracking radio linked to the Doppler direction finder; and

an updating radio set to periodically update the chase vehicle'"'"'s position in one direction, and update the control channel frequency, used by the tracking mode and tuned into the tracker module, in the other direction.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the chase vehicle is further equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver for determining its own location with respect to one or more cell sites identified as being close to the target to enable the chase vehicle to more quickly travel to an area determined by the identified cell sites.

12. The system according to claim 9, further comprising means for using a determined unusable control channel to transmit tracking information so as to further minimize drain on cellular network resources.

14. The method according to claim 13, further includes a chase vehicle deployed to a tracked location to enable the interception of a stolen vehicle, the chase vehicle including a tracking module having:

a Doppler direction finder for finding the direction of the stolen vehicle'"'"'s cellular transceiver;

a tracking radio linked to the Doppler direction finder; and

an updating radio set to periodically update the chase vehicle'"'"'s position in one direction, and update the control channel frequency, used by the tracking mode and tuned into the tracker module, in the other direction.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the chase vehicle is further equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver for determining its own location with respect to one or more cell sites identified as being close to the target to enable the chase vehicle to more quickly travel to an area determined by the identified cell sites.

16. The method according to claim 13, further comprising means for using a determined unusable control channel to transmit tracking information so as to further minimize drain on cellular network resources.

13. A storage medium readable by a computer, the medium encoding a computer process to provide a tracking method employing cellular network control channels, leveraging existing Roamer Record Exchange Systems (RRES), the computer process comprising:

a processing portion for installing a cellular transceiver in a tracking target; and

a processing portion for paging the installed cellular transceiver, over a cellular network control channel, to enter into a tracking mode to identify, from information provided through the RRES, one or more cell sites located near the tracking target so as to enable the tracking of the tracking target.