Pet tracking systems, other tracking systems, and portable virtual fence

• US 20060202818A1
• Filed: 03/07/2006
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telepet USA
• Original Assignee: Stephen Jay Greenberg
• Inventors: Greenberg, Stephen Jay
• Granted Patent: US 7,411,492 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.130
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/023 Anti-evasion devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/16 Anti-theft; Abduction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/35 Constructional details or hardware or software details of the signal processing chain
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/48 by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/002 for traffic control, mobile tracking, guidance, surveillance or anti-collision
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/008 using a mobile telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0202 Child monitoring systems using a transmitter-receiver system carried by the parent and the child
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons

Abstract

A tracking system includes a global positioning system (GPS) module and a modem for mobile communications both attached to a pet (or other trackee), and a virtual fence (which includes a base station sending a signal to a certain range and a receiver attached to the pet (or other trackee) and receiving the signal sent by a base station when the receiver is within the range of the base station). A portable virtual fence system includes a signal-sending base station, and a signal-receiver worn by a to-be-fenced pet or other trackee. Advantageously, the base station is portable.

Claims

1. A tracking system, comprising:

a global positioning system (GPS) module attached to a trackee;

a modem for mobile communications attached to the trackee;

a virtual fence comprising (1) a base station sending at least one signal to a certain range and (2) a receiver attached to the trackee and receiving the at least one signal sent by a base station when the receiver is within the range of the base station.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the trackee is an animate subject.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the trackee is an animal which is a pet.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the trackee is a human.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the trackee is an inanimate object.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the inanimate object is a stolen possession.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the trackee is trackable within a building.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the modem for mobile communications is a modem for a GSM protocol or a modem for a CDMA protocol.

9. The system of claim 1, including a GSM modem.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the module and the modem are associated with the trackee by one selected from the group consisting of:

a collar, a tag and a wearable device not removable by the wearer.

11. The system of claim 1, including a battery power source.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal sent by the base station is an RF signal.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the trackee is a pet and the signal range is adjustable between about 50 to about 300 feet.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the GSM is selectively employed when GPS coordinates are not available.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising a light system which is selectively activatable and which is attached to the trackee.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the light system comprises at least one light emitting diode (LED) that emits light while the missing trackee is being tracked.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual fence is a portable virtual fence.

18. The tracking system of claim 1, including a multi-mode system comprising:

a first mode which is a low-power mode which operates while a signal is received indicating that the receiver on the trackee remains within range of the base station;

a second mode which is a standby mode;

a third mode which is a lost trackee mode which is activated upon user authorization.

19. The tracking system of claim 18, wherein the user authorization is in affirmative response to an inquiry for whether the pet should be tracked.

20. The tracking system of claim 18, wherein the user authorization is by the user reporting loss of the trackee.

21. The tracking system of claim 18, wherein the standby mode is engaged when no signal indicating that the receiver on the trackee remains within range of the base station is received.

22. The tracking system of claim 18, wherein the standby mode is engaged during a walk mode when a switch on the base station sends a signal acknowledging that the receiver will be leaving the range of the base station.

23. The tracking system of claim 18, wherein a signal indicating that the receiver on the trackee remains within range of the base station is at a first frequency, and a signal acknowledging that the receiver is leaving the range of the base station is at a second frequency which is different from the first frequency;

and the standby mode is engaged upon (1) non-receipt of the first frequency signal indicating that the receiver on the trackee remains within range of the base station or (2) receipt of the second frequency signal.

24. The tracking system of claim 23, including a switch on the base station for a user to activate the second frequency signal when taking the trackee for a walk out of range of the base station.

25. The tracking system of claim 18, wherein the lost pet mode includes a GPS mode and a GSM tracking mode, wherein GPS mode is primarily used and GSM tracking mode is used only when GPS mode is not operational.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein the multi-mode system further includes a fourth mode which is a battery alert, wherein a message is sent to the appropriate person advising him or her to effect a battery change.

41. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein the at least one signal sent by the base station is an RF signal, and as long as the receiver on the trackee is receiving the at least one RF signal from the base station, all other power-using internal components worn on the trackee are in a state of shut-down to conserve energy.

27. A portable virtual fence system, comprising:

a signal-sending base station, wherein the base station is portable; and

a signal-receiver worn by a to-be-fenced trackee.

28. The portable virtual fence system of claim 27, wherein the signal is an RF signal.

29. The portable virtual fence system of claim 27, including a switch on the base station for a user to switch the RF signal from “

low-power”

to “

standby”

mode.

30. A method of tracking a trackee, comprising:

(1) attaching to the trackee a global positioning system (GPS) module and a GSM modem or CDMA modem;

(2) setting up a base station in an intended safe location for the trackee, wherein the base station emits at least one signal received by a receiver on the trackee;

(3) when the trackee is missing from the intended location, tracking the missing trackee.

31. The tracking method of claim 30, wherein the trackee is a pet.

32. The tracking method of claim 30, wherein tracking step comprises at least one operation performed from a location remote from the animal.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein a position of the missing trackee is obtained.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the position of the missing trackee is obtained while the missing trackee is unreachable by a GPS mode.

35. The method of claim 30, including switching from a GPS mode to a GSM mode only when the GPS mode is not operational.

36. The method of claim 30, further comprising attaching to the trackee a light system which is selectively activatable.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the light system comprises at least one light emitting diode (LED) that emits light while the missing animal is being tracked.

38. The method of claim 30, including a multi-mode system comprising:

a first mode which is a low-power mode which operates while a signal is received indicating that the receiver on the trackee remains within range of the base station;

a second mode which is a standby mode;

a third mode which is a lost trackee mode which is activated upon user authorization.

39. The method of claim 30, wherein the lost trackee mode includes a GPS mode and a GSM tracking mode, wherein GPS mode is primarily used and GSM tracking mode is used only when GPS mode is not operational.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the multi-mode system further includes a fourth mode which is a battery alert, wherein a message is sent to the appropriate person advising him or her to effect a battery change.