Electronically tracking a path history

• US 20060187027A1
• Filed: 02/08/2005
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: User-Centric IP, L.P. (Locator IP LP)
• Original Assignee: User-Centric Enterprises, Inc.
• Inventors: Smith, Michael R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,245,214 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.130
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/207 with respect to certain areas, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas with possible alerting when inside or outside boundaries

Abstract

Methods and systems for electronically tracking the progress of teams as they cover an assigned geographic area are described herein. A server computer establishes a coverage area, divides the coverage area into a plurality of regions, and assigns each region to a team. Each team carries a tracking device capable of autonomously determining its present location without user assistance, thus allowing the team to focus on the assigned task, such as searching for a missing person, plowing a field, paving a road, etc. The server monitors the location of each tracking device as each team covers its assigned region, and updates on a visually displayed geographic map a historical path associated with each tracking device based on the monitored location of each tracking device. In this manner, users can quickly view the visual depiction of the historical to determine as yet uncovered areas.

Claims

1. A method for electronically tracking a historical path, said method comprising:

(a) establishing a coverage area;

(b) dividing the coverage area into a plurality of regions;

(c) assigning each region to one of a plurality of teams, wherein each team is associated with a tracking device;

(d) receiving electronic transmissions from each tracking device as each team traverses its assigned region, wherein each electronic transmission includes a location of the tracking device from which it is received; and

(e) updating on a geographic map displayed on a computer display device a historical path associated with each tracking device based on the monitored locations in step (d).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a width of each historical path corresponds to a size of the team to which the historical path corresponds.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(f) when any team has finished covering its assigned region, updating the finished region on the geographic map displayed on the computer display device to indicate it has been completed.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically assigning a new region to a team that has finished covering its assigned region.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises establishing a circular area around a point of disappearance.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein step (b) comprises dividing the circular area into cells.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) comprises rendering each historical path with a different visual appearance on the visually displayed geographic map.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(f) receiving a message from one of the plurality of tracking devices indicating that an objective has been completed, wherein said message comprises a location in which the objective was completed.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

(g) automatically sending a response message to tracking devices other than the one tracking device from which the message was received, said response message indicating that the objective has been completed.

10. A computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions for performing the method of claim 1.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein the size comprises a number of people.

12. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

(g) determining that a team has finished covering its assigned region by analyzing the team'"'"'s corresponding current historical path.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein in step (g) analyzing the team'"'"'s corresponding current historical path comprises determining that the team has been within a predefined distance of every location within the team'"'"'s assigned region.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein in step (g) analyzing the team'"'"'s corresponding current historical path comprises determining that the historical path covers a predefined minimum percentage of the team'"'"'s assigned region.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the predefined minimum percentage is one-hundred percent.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein in step (g) analyzing the team'"'"'s corresponding current historical path comprises determining that there are no gaps in the historical path larger than a predefined maximum allowed gap size.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the predefined maximum gap size comprises a maximum allowed gap width.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of outputting an alert by a tracking device when the tracking device determines that its assigned team has finished covering the team'"'"'s assigned region.

19. A tracking device, comprising:

a processor;

a display screen for outputting a visually displayed geographic map;

memory storing computer executable instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the tracking device to perform a method for electronically tracking a historical path, said method comprising;

(a) determining a geographic region to be monitored by the tracking device and displaying the region on the visually displayed geographic map;

(b) monitoring, at regular intervals, a location of the tracking device as it is carried by a team covering the assigned region; and

(c) updating the visually displayed geographic map with a historical path corresponding to the monitored locations of the tracking device.

20. The tracking device of claim 19, further comprising a location module capable of determining the location of the tracking device, and wherein step (b) comprises receiving the location from the location module.

21. The tracking device of claim 19, wherein step (b) comprises receiving the location from a wireless network operator.

22. The tracking device of claim 19, wherein step (b) comprises wirelessly sending the location of the tracking device to a server.

23. The tracking device of claim 19, wherein the computer executable instructions further comprise displaying on the display screen a graphic indicating the region of the tracking device as compared with a coverage area corresponding to multiple tracking devices.

24. The tracking device of claim 19, wherein the computer executable instructions further comprise:

(d) receiving coverage information corresponding to a plurality of tracking devices;

(e) displaying on the display screen a coverage area, wherein the coverage area is divided in regions bases on the received coverage information; and

(f) displaying in each region a historical path corresponding to a monitored location of a tracking device associated with that region, as received in the coverage information.

25. The tracking device of claim 19, wherein the computer executable instructions further comprise:

(d) automatically detecting, based on step (b), when the team has completed covering its assigned region, and outputting an alert as a result of the detection.

26. The tracking device of claim 25, wherein step (d) comprises determining when an entire field has been covered by a piece of farming machinery.

27. The tracking device of claim 25, wherein step (d) comprises determining when a search and rescue team has searched its assigned region.

28. The tracking device of claim 25, wherein step (d) comprises determining when a road crew has treated a predefined portion of a road.

30. The tracking device of claim 19, wherein the computer executable instructions further comprise:

(d) receiving user input indicating that an objective has been completed prior to covering the entire assigned region; and

(e) automatically sending a message to a server based on step (d).

31. The tracking device of claim 19, wherein the computer executable instructions further comprise:

(d) receiving a message indicating that an objective has been completed; and

(e) outputting an alert as a result of step (d).

32. The tracking device of claim 19, wherein step (a) comprises receiving geographic region information as input from a user of the tracking device.

33. The tracking device of claim 19, further comprising a transceiver, and wherein step (a) comprises wirelessly receiving geographic region information from a server.

34. The tracking device of claim 19, further comprising a transceiver, and wherein the method for electronically tracking a historical path further comprises communicating location information via the transceiver between the tracking device and a second tracking device.

35. The tracking device of claim 19, wherein step (a) comprises receiving user input identifying the geographic area.

36. The tracking device of claim 19, wherein step (a) comprises receiving user input identifying the geographic area based on a present location of the tracking device.

37. A computer system, comprising:

a processor controlling overall operation of the system;

a display device that outputs a visual depiction of a geographic map of a search area;

memory storing computer executable instructions for performing a method for tracking a history of search patterns of a search and rescue operation, said method comprising;

(a) establishing the search area based on a point of disappearance;

(b) dividing the search area into a plurality of regions;

(c) assigning each region to one of a plurality of search teams, wherein each search team is associated with a tracking device;

(d) monitoring a location of each tracking device as each search team searches its assigned region;

(e) updating on the visual depiction of the geographic map of the search area a search trail associated with each search tracking device based on the monitored location of each tracking device in step (d);

(f) receiving user input indicating that a missing person has been found prior to searching the entire assigned region; and

(g) automatically sending a message to a server based on step (f), including a location in which the missing person was found.