Location tracking device

• US 20050001814A1
• Filed: 05/03/2004
• Published: 01/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InnaLabs Limited
• Original Assignee: InnaLabs Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Anton, Supron E., Simonenko, Dmitri V.
• Granted Patent: US 7,292,223 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/158
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors

Abstract

A location tracking device utilizing an acceleration sensor is described. The acceleration sensor includes an inertial body in magnetic fluid that is contained in a closed volume vessel. The tracking device may be used for tracking objects, people, animals, and the like. The tracking device may be utilized as a back-up system to a GPS system such that when signal from a GPS receiver are unavailable, the location tracking device may provide positional information about the location of the object.

Claims

1. A location tracking device comprising:

an acceleration sensor, wherein the acceleration sensor comprises;

a closed volume vessel containing magnetic fluid;

a non-magnetic inertial body contained in the vessel; and

at least three magnetic field sources located in pairs on three mutually perpendicular axes around the closed volume vessel, and wherein said at least three magnetic field sources have an output; and

a signal converter module wherein the output of said magnetic field sources is connected to an input of the signal converter module; and

a location positioning device, wherein outputs of the signal converter module are connected to inputs of the location positioning device.

2. The location tracking device of claim 1 wherein the magnetic field source comprises inductor coils serially connected to a current generator, wherein an output of the current generator is the output for the magnetic field sources.

3. The location tracking device of claim 1 wherein additional magnetic field sources are introduced into the proximity of the magnetic field sources.

4. The location tracking device of claim 1 wherein said magnetic field sources include one or more constant magnets.

5. The location tracking device of claim 1 wherein the location positioning device comprises a computer in communication with the signal converter module and a display in communication with the computer, wherein the display is adapted to display object positional information.

6. The location tracking device of claim 5 further comprising a transmitter in communication with the signal converter module and a receiver in communication with the location positioning device, wherein the transmitter and receiver are connected for transmitting positional information by a wireless connection.

7. A location tracking device comprising:

a GPS apparatus;

an acceleration sensor, wherein the acceleration sensor comprises;

a closed volume vessel containing magnetic fluid;

a non-magnetic inertial body contained in the vessel; and

at least three magnetic field sources located in pairs on three mutually perpendicular axes around the closed volume vessel, and wherein said at least three magnetic field sources have an output; and

a signal converter module wherein the output of said magnetic field sources is connected to an input of the signal converter module;

a location positioning device; and

a switch in communication with the GPS apparatus, the signal converter module, and the location positioning device, wherein the switch provides GPS positional information to the location positioning device and monitors GPS signals from the GPS apparatus and based on an interruption of the GPS signal provides positional information from the signal converter module to the location positioning device.

8. The location tracking device of claim 7 wherein the magnetic field source comprises inductor coils serially connected to a current generator, wherein an output of the current generator is the output for the magnetic field sources.

9. The location tracking device of claim 7 wherein additional magnetic field sources are introduced into the proximity of the magnetic field sources.

10. The location tracking device of claim 7 wherein said magnetic field sources include one or more constant magnets.

11. The location tracking device of claim 7 wherein the location positioning device comprises a computer in communication with the signal converter module and a display in communication with the computer, wherein the display is adapted to display object positional information.