Methods for employing location information associated with emergency 911 wireless transmissions for supplementary and complementary purposes

• US 20020196161A1
• Filed: 08/10/2001
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tarsus Trust Company Limited
• Original Assignee: John A. Stangle, Lawrence A. Gould
• Inventors: Stangle, John A., Gould, Lawrence A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,756,917 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/988
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/00 Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00
• 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: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

The present invention relates to systems and methods to locate and recover stolen vehicles by determining the location information of a stolen vehicle and instructing a theft detection device to perform certain instructions. The system employs multiple radio direction finding (RDF) devices, which is capable of determining the angle of arrival of a radio signal. The MSC sends a request along with radio information to a location processor, which controls the RDF devices. The location processor sets up each RDF device to track the radio signal. If at least two RDF devices are successful in tracking the radio signals and returning information about the radio signals, then the location processor can determine the location of the radiotelephone by using a triangulation method. The system also employs a theft detection device, which is capable of placing a wireless telephone call to a monitoring center. The theft detection device connects to and receives instructions from the monitoring center.

Claims

1. A system for determining the location of an object equipped with a device, which is capable of placing a wireless telephone call, the system comprising:

a mobile switching center connected to a telephone network;

at least one base station, wherein the at least one base station is in communication with the mobile switching center;

a plurality of wireless transmission antennas, wherein each wireless transmission antenna is in communication with one base station;

a location processor, the location processor being in communication with the mobile switching center, wherein the location processor is capable of determining the location of the radiotelephone through triangulation calculation;

a plurality of radio direction finding devices, one radio direction finding device being installed adjacent a wireless transmission antenna;

a monitoring center in connection to the telephone network; and

a device installed on an object, wherein the device is capable of initiating and receiving wireless telephone calls to and from the monitoring center.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring center has a subscriber database.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the subscriber database contains lists of actions prescribed by subscribers.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is a medical emergency device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is a recovery device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is a theft detection device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the object is a vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the object is a person.

9. A method for locating an object equipped with a device capable of placing a wireless telephone call, the method comprising:

receiving a notification about the object from a caller;

retrieving information about the object from a database;

placing a call to the device;

requesting a location processor to determine the location of the device after the call to the device is established;

receiving radio signal information related to the call from a mobile switching center;

sending radio signal information to a plurality of radio direction finding devices;

receiving angular information from at least two radio direction finding devices;

employing a triangulation method to calculate the location of the device; and

transmitting information about the location to a monitoring center.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

retrieving a list of prescribed actions from a database; and

transmitting prescribed actions to the device.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

placing a call to a law enforcement agency; and

transmitting the location information to the law enforcement agency.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of sending radio signal information further includes

transmitting a radio frequency information to the plurality of radio direction finding devices.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of sending radio signal information further includes

transmitting a time slot information to the plurality of radio direction finding devices.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of sending radio signal information further includes

transmitting a special code to the plurality of radio direction finding devices.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

retrieving a list of prescribed actions from a database; and

transmitting prescribed actions to the device.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the object is a vehicle and the device is a theft detection device.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

placing a call to a roadside service center; and

transmitting the location information to the roadside service center.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising

recording actions taken by the monitoring center.

15. A method for providing assistance to an owner of an object equipped with a device capable of placing a wireless telephone call, the method comprising:

receiving a call from the device at a monitoring center;

receiving information about a triggering event;

requesting a location processor to determine the location of the device;

receiving radio signal information related to the call from a mobile switching center;

sending radio signal information to a plurality of radio direction finding devices;

receiving angular information from at least two radio direction finding devices; and

employing a triangulation method to calculate the location of the device.

20. A method for tracking an object equipped with a device capable of placing a wireless telephone call, the method comprising:

receiving a triggering event notification;

placing a call to a monitoring center;

receiving at least one instruction from the monitoring center; and

executing the at least one instruction.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the device uses TDMA technology.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the device uses GSM technology.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the device uses AMPS technology.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the device uses CDMA technology.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

retrieving the person'"'"'s medical information; and

transmitting the medical information to the medical emergency center.

25. A method for providing medical assistance to a person carrying a medical emergency device capable of placing a wireless telephone call, the method comprising:

receiving a call from the medical emergency device at a monitoring center;

requesting a location processor to determine the location of the device;

receiving radio signal information related to the call from a mobile switching center;

sending radio signal information to a plurality of radio direction finding devices;

receiving angular information from at least two radio direction finding devices;

employing a triangulation method to calculate the location of the device; and

sending the location information to a medical emergency center.