System and method for establishing and monitoring the relative location of group members

• US 20050143096A1
• Filed: 03/23/2004
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corporation for National Research Initiatives
• Original Assignee: Corporation for National Research Initiatives
• Inventors: Boesch, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 7,181,228 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.300
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks

Abstract

Systems and methods for monitoring a perimeter for ingress or egress by a member of an ad hoc wireless network. A wireless device is equipped with location means. In an embodiment, the wireless device is a cellular telephone equipped with a GPS chip set. A plurality of such wireless devices form an ad hoc network and are linked to a server in association with each other. The server receives retains perimeter boundary data and receives positioning information from each of the plurality of associated wireless devices. The locations of each member of a network are tracked relative to perimeter. A perimeter may be an egress perimeter, which defines an area in which monitored units are permitted to roam but from which network members may not leave. A perimeter may be an ingress perimeter, which defines an area in which monitored units are not permitted to enter. An ingress perimeter may reside within an egress perimeter. The system provides warnings when a perimeter boundary is approached or crossed.

Claims

1. A system for locating a member of a group, wherein each member of the group comprises a wireless device equipped with location means, the system comprising:

the wireless device, wherein the wireless device is accessible via a wireless network; and

a server accessible via the wireless network, the server adapted to;

receive location data from a first wireless device;

establish a location rule for the first wireless device,

determine whether the first wireless device is in violation of the location rule established for the first wireless device; and

in the event the first wireless device is in violation of the location rule established for the first wireless device, report the location of the first wireless device to the first wireless device.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprises a second wireless device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is a cell phone.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the wireless network is a cell phone network.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the location means comprises a GPS chip adapted to acquire and process a GPS signal.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the location rule comprises a proximity threshold relative to a perimeter boundary.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the perimeter boundary is an egress perimeter boundary that defines an area from which the wireless device may not depart.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the perimeter boundary is an ingress perimeter boundary that defines an area into which the wireless device may not enter.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein the location rule comprises a proximity threshold relative to the second wireless device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the proximity threshold relative to the second wireless device comprises a maximum allowable separation threshold.

11. The system of claim 2, wherein the second wireless device is a designated group leader.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the server is located on the group leader.

13. A system for locating a member of a group relative to a perimeter boundary comprising:

the group comprising at least a first member and a second member each comprising a wireless device equipped with location means, wherein the wireless device is accessible via a wireless network; and

a server accessible via the wireless network, the server adapted to;

receive location data from the first member wireless device;

determine the location the first member wireless device relative to a perimeter boundary;

determine whether the first member wireless device is within a proximity threshold of the perimeter boundary; and

in the event that the first member wireless device is within the proximity threshold of the perimeter boundary, report the location of the first member wireless device to at least the second member wireless device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the wireless device is a cell phone.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the wireless network is a cell phone network.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein each of the location means comprises a GPS chip set adapted to acquire and process a GPS signal.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the perimeter boundary is an egress perimeter boundary that defines an area from which the wireless device may not depart.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the perimeter boundary is an ingress perimeter boundary that defines an area into which the wireless device may not enter.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the server is located on the second member wireless device.

20. A system for locating members of a group comprising:

the group comprising a plurality of wireless devices; and

a server accessible via a wireless network, the server adapted to;

receive location data from a wireless device;

determine the location of the wireless device relative to the location of the plurality of wireless devices;

report to the wireless device the location of the wireless device relative to the location of the plurality of wireless devices.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the wireless device is a cell phone.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the wireless network is a cell phone network.

23. The system of claim 20 wherein each of the location means comprises a GPS chip adapted to acquire and process a GPS signal.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the server is located on one of the plurality of wireless devices.

25. A method for locating wireless devices on an ad hoc network comprising:

creating a identifier for a wireless device;

establishing a location rule for the wireless device;

receiving location data from the wireless device;

determining whether the wireless device is in violation of the location rule; and

in the event the wireless device is in violation of the location rule, reporting the location of the wireless device to at least one other wireless device on the ad hoc network.

26. The method for locating a wireless device on an ad hoc network of claim 25, wherein establishing a location rule for the wireless device comprises establishing a proximity threshold relative to a perimeter boundary.

27. The method for locating a wireless device on an ad hoc network of claim 26, wherein establishing a proximity threshold relative to a perimeter boundary comprises establishing a proximity threshold relative to an egress perimeter boundary that defines an area from which a wireless device may not depart.

28. The method for locating a wireless device on an ad hoc network of claim 26, wherein establishing a proximity threshold relative to a perimeter boundary comprises establishing a proximity threshold relative to ingress perimeter boundary that defines an area into which a wireless device may not enter.

29. The method locating a wireless device on an ad hoc network of claim 25, wherein establishing a location rule for the wireless device comprises establishing a proximity threshold relative to another wireless device on the ad hoc network.

30. The method for locating a wireless device on an ad hoc network of claim 29, wherein establishing a proximity threshold relative to another wireless device on the ad hoc network comprises establishing a maximum allowable separation threshold between the wireless device and the another wireless device on the ad hoc network.