Energy efficient object location reporting system

• US 20040192352A1
• Filed: 03/25/2003
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Lilja, Harri, Vallstrom, Jari
• Application Number:
  US10/396,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20040192352A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.6
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/002 for traffic control, mobile tracking, guidance, surveillance or anti-collision
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/017 Detecting state or type of motion
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/10 Position of receiver fixed by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements , e.g. omega or decca systemsG01S5/12 takes precedence ; beacons and receivers cooperating therewith G01S1/306, G01S1/308

Abstract

An object location tracking device (10) is constructed to include a battery (10D), a movement sensor (10E), a GSM engine (10A) and a radio frequency (RF) transceiver (10B). The tracking device, in response to the movement sensor sensing a cessation of movement, transmits a message that results in initiating a location determination operation via the RF transceiver to a GSM network (12). The tracking device may transmit data representing its current location to the GSM network. The tracking device thereafter places at least the GSM engine into a reduced battery power consumption mode of operation. In one embodiment the message transmitted by the location tracking device is, as examples, a SMS message or a GPRS message that contains an alpha string that requests the location application server to cause the GSM network to initiate a Mobile Terminated Location Request operation for the tracking device.

Claims

1. A method to operate an object location tracking system that comprises a wireless network, comprising:

associating a tracking device with the object, the tracking device comprising a movement sensor;

in response to sensing a cessation of movement, determining the current location of the tracking device; and

placing at least a portion of the tracking device into a reduced power consumption mode of operation.

2. A method as in claim 1, where determining the current location of the tracking device uses a Mobile Originated Location Request operation.

3. A method as in claim 1, where determining the current location of the tracking device uses a Mobile Terminated Location Request operation.

4. A method as in claim 3, where the Mobile Terminated Location Request operation is initiated by sending a message to a location server that comprises an alphanumeric string.

5. A method as in claim 1, where determining the current location of the tracking device comprises using a GPS receiver.

6. A method as in claim 1, where the current location is forwarded to a location tracking system server that is coupled to a wireless network.

7. A method as in claim 1, where the current location is saved in a wireless network in conjunction with a time stamp and, in response to receiving a location update inquiry from a location tracking system server that is coupled to the wireless network, returning the saved location and the time stamp to the location tracking system server.

8. A method as in claim 1, where the current location is saved in the tracking device and, after receiving a location update inquiry, sending the saved current location in response to the location update inquiry.

9. An object location tracking system, comprising:

a tracking device for with associating an object to be tracked, the tracking device comprising a movement sensor, a cellular network-compatible engine and a radio frequency (RF) transceiver;

a cellular network comprising a mobile station location function; and

a location application server that is bidirectionally coupled to the wireless network;

said tracking device, in response to said movement sensor sensing a cessation of movement, initiating a location determination operation via the RF transceiver, the location determining operation resulting in a current location of the tracking device ,becoming known to at least one of the mobile station location function and the location application server, and placing at least a portion of the tracking device into a reduced power consumption mode of operation.

10. An object location tracking system as in claim 9, where the location determining operation uses a Mobile Originated Location Request operation.

11. An object location tracking system as in claim 9, where the location determining operation is initiated by sending a message that comprises an alphanumeric string to the location application server.

12. An object location tracking system as in claim 11, where the alphanumeric string is interpreted by the location application server as a request to cause said mobile station location function to perform a Mobile Terminated Location Request operation.

13. An object location tracking system as in claim 9, where data representing the current location is stored in a memory of said mobile station location function and, in response to receiving a location update inquiry from said location application server, said mobile station location function returns the stored data to said location application server.

14. An object location tracking system as in claim 9, where data representing the current location is stored in a memory of said mobile station location function in conjunction with a time stamp and, in response to receiving a location update inquiry from said location application server, said mobile station location function returns the stored data and the time stamp to said location application server.

15. An object location tracking system as in claim 9, where data representing the current location is stored in a memory of the tracking device and, in response to receiving a location update inquiry, transmitting the stored data in response to the inquiry.

16. An object location tracking system as in claim 9, where data representing the current location is forwarded to said location application server via said mobile station location function.

17. An object location tracking system as in claim 9, where the cellular system comprises a GSM-based system.

18. An object location tracking system as in claim 9, where the cellular system comprises one of a CDMA-based system, a WCDMA-based system, or a TDMA-base system.

19. An object location tracking device, comprising a movement sensor, a cellular network-compatible engine and a radio frequency (RF) transceiver;

said tracking device, in response to said movement sensor sensing a cessation of movement, transmitting a message via the RF transceiver to a location server, the message requesting that the location server initiate a Mobile Terminated Location Request operation using said cellular system, and after completion of a tracking device location determination operation, placing at least a portion of the tracking device into a reduced power consumption mode of operation.

20. An object location tracking device, comprising a battery, a movement sensor, a GSM engine and a radio frequency (RF) transceiver;

said tracking device, in response to said movement sensor sensing a cessation of movement, initiating a Mobile Originated Location Request operation via the RF transceiver to a GSM network, the Mobile Originated Location Request operation resulting in the generation of data representing a current location of said tracking device, and placing at least the GSM engine into a reduced battery power consumption mode of operation.

21. An object location tracking device, comprising a battery, a movement sensor, a GSM engine and a radio frequency (RF) transceiver;

said tracking device, in response to said movement sensor sensing a cessation of movement, transmitting a message via the RF transceiver to a location application server that is coupled to the GSM network, the message comprising an alphanumeric string that requests said location application server to cause said GSM network to perform a Mobile Terminated Location Request operation for said tracking device for obtaining data representing the current location of said tracking device, and placing at least the GSM engine into a reduced battery power consumption mode of operation.

22. An object location tracking device as in claim 21, where the message that comprises the alphanumeric string is a Short Message Service (SMS) message.

23. An object location tracking device as in claim 21, where the message that comprises the alphanumeric string is a data message.

24. An object location tracking device as in claim 21, where the message that comprises the alphanumeric string is a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) message.

25. An object location tracking device, comprising a battery, a movement sensor, a GSM engine, a radio frequency (RF) transceiver, a memory and a GPS function;

said tracking device, in response to said movement sensor sensing a cessation of movement, generating data representing the current location of said tracking device and storing the data into said memory, and placing at least the GPS function into a reduced battery power consumption mode of operation.

26. A method to operate a mobile station with a wireless network, comprising:

in response to sensing a cessation of movement of the mobile station, determining the current location of the mobile station;

transmitting a message from the mobile station towards the wireless network, the message comprising a current location of the mobile station; and

placing at least a portion of the mobile station into a reduced power consumption mode of operation.

27. A method to operate a mobile station with a wireless network, comprising:

in response to sensing a cessation of movement of the mobile station, storing data representing a current location of the mobile station in a memory of the mobile station;

placing at least a location determining system of the mobile station into a reduced power consumption mode of operation; and

in response to receiving a request for the mobile station'"'"'s location from one of the wireless network or a location server, responding with the stored data.

28. A method to operate an object location tracking system that comprises a wireless network coupled to a location application server that can be queried to initiate a current location determination of an object, comprising:

associating a tracking device with the object, the tracking device comprising a movement sensor;

in response to sensing a cessation of movement, sending a message from the tracking device to the location application server;

calculating the current location of the tracking device in one of the wireless network, with the assistance of the tracking device, or in the tracking device; and

forwarding the calculated location to the location application server.

29. A method as in claim 28, where forwarding the calculated location is supported by the wireless network in a Mobile Terminate Location Request MT-LR operation.

30. A method as in claim 28, where forwarding the calculated location comprises sending a message separate from a Mobile Terminate Location Request MT-LR operation.

31. A method as in claim 28, further comprising placing at least a portion of the tracking device into a reduced power consumption mode of operation.

32. A method as in claim 28, further comprising placing at least a portion of electronics circuitry associated with the tracking device into a reduced power consumption mode of operation.

33. A method to operate an object location tracking system that comprises a wireless network coupled to a location application server that can be queried to initiate a current location determination of an object, comprising:

associating a tracking device with the object, the tracking device comprising a movement sensor;

in response to sensing a cessation of movement, sending a message from the tracking device to the location application server;

in response to receiving the message, initiating a location request operation from the wireless network and performing a Mobile Terminated Location Request (MT-LR) operation;

calculating the current location of the tracking device in one of the wireless network, with the assistance of the tracking device, or in the tracking device; and

forwarding the calculated location to the location application server.

34. A method as in claim 33, where forwarding the calculated location is supported by the wireless network in the MT-LR operation.

35. A method as in claim 33, where forwarding the calculated location comprises sending a message separate from the MT-LR operation.

36. A method as in claim 33, further comprising placing at least a portion of the tracking device into a reduced power consumption mode of operation.

37. A method as in claim 33, further comprising placing at least a portion of electronics circuitry associated with the tracking device into a reduced power consumption mode of operation.

38. A method to operate an object location tracking system that comprises a wireless network coupled to a location application server that can be queried to initiate a network determination of a current location of an object, comprising:

associating a tracking device with the object, the tracking device comprising a movement sensor;

in response to sensing a cessation of movement, sending a message from the tracking device to the location application server, the message comprising information for initiating a current location determination operation for the tracking device;

in response to receiving the current location of the tracking device, storing information that specifies the current location in the location application server;

placing at least a portion of the tracking device into a reduced power consumption mode of operation; and

in response to a query to the location application server for the current location of the tracking device, responding with the stored information.

39. A method as in claim 38, where the message comprises a SMS message.

40. A method as in claim 38, where the message comprises a packet data service message.

41. A method to operate a mobile station with a wireless network, the mobile station comprising or being coupled to a location determination system, comprising:

in response to sensing a cessation of movement of the mobile station, performing at least one of;

(a) forwarding most recent location information of the mobile station to the wireless network for storage, (b) forwarding the most recent location information of the mobile station to a location application server for storage via the wireless network, and (c) storing the most recent location information of the mobile station in the mobile station;

at least partially powering down the location determination system; and

in response to a request for a current location of the mobile station, responding with the stored location information.

42. A method as in claim 41, where the mobile station comprises a tracking device for associating with an object.

43. A method as in claim 41, where the mobile station comprises a cellular telephone.

44. A method as in claim 41, where the location determination system comprises a GPS receiver.