Method and system to monitor and control devices utilizing wireless media

• US 20060099971A1
• Filed: 06/21/2005
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WirelessWERX IP LLC (Pueblo Nuevo LLC)
• Original Assignee: Wirelesswerx International, Inc.
• Inventors: Staton, Houston, Ashley, James Jr., Mooney, Patrick, Ashley, James Sr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,881,733 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.6
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/42 Transmitting or receiving remote control signals via a network
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/51 Remote controlling of devices based on replies, status thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A method and system of selectively communicating with one or more devices within pre-defined geographical zones is disclosed. A plurality of geographical zones is defined, each zone being defined by latitude and longitude attributes. A plurality of devices is associated with each geographical zone with which a portable device can communicate, the portable device having data representative of the plurality of geographical zones. The portable device also has a ground positioning unit receiver to obtain geographical coordinates of the portable device. If the portable device determines that its location is within one of the plurality of geographical zones, the portable device communicates with the devices in associated with the geographical zone.

Claims

1. A method of selectively communicating with devices within pre-defined geographical zones, comprising:

defining a plurality of geographical zones, each zone being defined by predetermined attributes;

associating at least one device within each geographical zone with which a portable device can communicate;

providing the portable device with a ground positioning unit receiver;

loading data representative of the plurality of geographical zones to the portable device;

obtaining geographical coordinates of the portable device from the ground positioning unit receiver;

determining the location of the portable device in relation to at least one of the plurality of geographical zones; and

enabling communication with the at least one device associated to the at least one geographical zone when the portable device determines it is within the at least one geographical zone.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a module communicatively coupled to at least one device associated to the at least one geographical zone, the module behaving as a hub for communication between the at least one device and the portable device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined attributes are latitude and longitude attributes.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

permitting the at least one device to transmit a signal to the portable device indicating the occurrence of the event; and

permitting a microprocessor in the portable device to execute a preconfigured operation if the microprocessor in the portable device determines that the event occurred triggers the execution of the preconfigured operation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable device is a cell mobile phone, a smart phone, or a personal data assistant.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographical zone is at least one of a home environment, a work environment, a state, a city, a commercial neighborhood, a residential neighborhood, or a school zone.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the data representative of each geographical zone is a plurality of coordinates, wherein the portable device creates a further representation of the geographical zone using the plurality of coordinates by performing the steps of:

mapping the coordinates on a pixilated image so as to assign one pixel to each coordinate of the plurality of coordinates, wherein the distance between each assigned pixel is configurable;

connecting the plurality of assigned pixels with lines forming a contiguous and connected line that encloses an area in the pixilated image; and

activating the pixels that lie on the lines in order to form a contiguous array of pixels that enclose a shape in the pixilated image.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the data representative of each geographical zone is a plurality of waypoints, each waypoint in the plurality of waypoints being defined by a geographical coordinate and a radius;

wherein the geographical coordinate is represented by a latitude and longitude, and the radius is represented by a distance magnitude.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the data representative of each geographical zone is a pixilated image created performing the steps of:

allowing a user to identify a geometrical zone in a computer map using two coordinate attributes;

dividing the identified geometrical area into a grid;

allowing a user to select at least one section from within the grid in order to define a geographical area; and

associating the at least one section to a pixel in a pixilated computer image such that the pixels selected by the user in the identified geometrical area are identified as being in the geographical zone.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the grid is divided into a number of sections so as to achieve a high enough resolution to be able to correctly delineate the geographical zone.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication signal between the portable device and the at least one device is a Bluetooth signal, an infrared signal, a short range radio signal, wireless universal serial bus, or Wi-Fi.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising executing a pre-programmed operation, wherein the pre-programmed operation can be a telephone call, reporting to a control center, or starting an alarm.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one device is a measuring instrument that measures the levels of at least one of carbon monoxide, chlorine, smoke, smog, oxygen in the air, or temperature.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable device is programmed to determine if certain conditions have occurred in the geographical zone, and when a condition occurs the portable device reports the occurrence to a control center or to a second portable device.

15. A method of selectively communicating with devices in a remote environment, comprising:

providing an instrument module associated with a geographical location;

enabling communication between the instrument module and a plurality of instruments located at the geographical location;

enabling wireless communication between the instrument module and the portable device through a communications network;

loading to the portable device data identifying the plurality of instruments associated with each geographical location and data identifying the corresponding instrument module;

programming a microprocessor in the instrument module to determine the occurrence of an event related to data obtained from one of the plurality of instruments; and

permitting the microprocessor in the instrument module to transmit an event message indicating the occurrence of the event to the portable device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the communications network is the Internet.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the communications network is a cellular network.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising permitting a microprocessor in the portable device to execute a preconfigured operation if the microprocessor in the portable device determines that the event occurred triggers the execution of the preconfigured operation.

19. A system of selectively communicating with devices in a remote environment, comprising:

an instrument module associated with a geographical location;

at least one instrument communicatively connected to the instrument module, the at least one instrument located at the geographical location;

a portable device wirelessly connected to the instrument module through a communications network, wherein the portable device is loaded with data identifying the at least one instrument and the corresponding instrument module; and

wherein the instrument module includes a microprocessor that determines the occurrence of an event related to data obtained from the at least one instrument and transmits an event message indicating the occurrence of the event to the portable device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the communications network is the Internet.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the communications network is a cellular network.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein a microprocessor in the portable device executes a preconfigured operation if the microprocessor in the portable device determines that the event occurred triggers the execution of the preconfigured operation.

23. A method of selectively communicating with devices within pre-defined geographical zones, comprising:

defining a plurality of geographical zones, each zone being defined by predetermined attributes;

associating a plurality of devices within each geographical zone with which a portable device can communicate;

providing the portable device with a ground positioning unit receiver;

loading data representative of the plurality of geographical zones to the portable device;

obtaining geographical coordinates of the portable device from the ground positioning unit receiver;

determining the location of the portable device in relation to at least one of the plurality of geographical zones; and

enabling communication with one of the devices in the plurality of devices associated to the at least one geographical zone when the portable device determines it is within the at least one geographical zone.