Method and system of configuring a boundary and tracking an object thereby

• US 20020180618A1
• Filed: 12/31/2001
• Published: 12/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey S. Beri, Raymond J. Werner
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey S. Beri, Raymond J. Werner
• Inventors: Beri, Jeffrey S., Werner, Raymond J.
• Application Number:
  US10/037,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20020180618A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/988
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/023 Power management, e.g. system sleep and wake up provisions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/028 Communication between parent and child units via remote transmission means, e.g. satellite network

Abstract

A location monitoring system for tracking an object relative to a virtual boundary via telecommunication infrastructure for use in an electronic-commerce environment. In one embodiment the system includes a wireless communications network and the telecommunications infrastructure to dynamically configure the virtual boundary, by controlled, subscription-based access to the location monitoring system.

Claims

1. A tracked object for use with a location monitoring system, the tracked object comprising:

a microcontroller;

a GPS receiver, a central site receiver, a detachable non-volatile memory unit, a transmitter, and at least one power source, each operatively coupled to the microcontroller;

wherein the detachable non-volatile memory unit is adapted to communicatively interface with an apparatus, remote from the tracked object, for providing positional information stored therein.

2. The tracked object of claim 1, wherein the at least one power source is a battery.

3. The tracked object of claim 1, wherein the central site receiver and the transmitter are adapted to communicate with a common entity.

4. The tracked object of claim 3, wherein the common entity is a central site.

5. The tracked object of claim 3, wherein the transmitter is adapted to transmit at a range of power levels.

6. The tracked object of claim 3, wherein the transmitter is adapted to transmit at a low power level and at a high power level.

7. The tracked object of claim 3, wherein the transmitter is adapted to transmit at a low power level when the tracked object is within a first geographical region, and further adapted to transmit at a high power level when the tracked object is within a second geographical region.

8. The tracked object of claim 7, wherein the tracked object is adapted to transmit location information and identification information.

9. The tracked object of claim 8, wherein the tracked object is adapted to receive an electronic handshake originating at the central site.

10. The tracked object of claim 8, wherein the detachable non-volatile memory unit has temporal data stored therein, wherein those temporal data are associated with geographical coordinates.

11. The tracked object of claim 8, wherein the detachable non-volatile memory unit has historical positional information of the tracked object stored therein.

12. The tracked object of claim 7, wherein the tracked object is operable, in response to an inquiry received by the central site receiver, to transmit location information regarding the location of the tracked object.

13. The tracked object of claim 7, wherein the tracked object is operable to transmit location information regarding the location of the tracked object in response to the expiry of a predetermined amount of time.

15. The object of claim 14, wherein the transmitter is adapted to transmit at the first power level responsive to receipt by the central site receiver of information indicating that the object is within a first geographical region, and further adapted to transmit at the second power level responsive to receipt by the central site receiver of information indicating that the object is within a second geographical region.

16. The object of claim 15, wherein the first power level is lower than the second power level.

18. The object of claim 17, wherein the location determination module is adapted to determine location from satellite-based radio transmissions.

19. The object of claim 17, wherein the location determination module is adapted to determine location from earth-based radio transmissions.

14. An object for use with a location monitoring system, the object comprising:

a microcontroller; and

a GPS receiver, a central site receiver, a non-volatile memory unit, a transmitter, and at least one power source, each operatively coupled to the microcontroller;

wherein the transmitter is adapted to transmit at a first power level when the object is within a first geographical region, and further adapted to transmit at a second power level when the object is within a second geographical region.

17. An object for use with a location monitoring system, the object comprising:

a microcontroller; and

a location determination module, a central site receiver, a non-volatile memory unit, a transmitter, and at least one power source, each operatively coupled to the microcontroller;

wherein the transmitter is adapted to transmit at a first power level when the object is within a first user-defined geographical region, and further adapted to transmit at a second power level when the object is within a second user-defined geographical region.