Object identity and location tracking system

• US 20080055155A1
• Filed: 08/29/2006
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pinpoint Productions LLC
• Original Assignee: Pinpoint Productions LLC
• Inventors: Jones, Charles, Moravec, Kipton, Hensley, Charles R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,847,727 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/357.04
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/008 incorporating GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/021 Electronic training devices specially adapted for dogs or cats
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/49 whereby the further system is an inertial position system, e.g. loosely-coupled
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/51 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile

Abstract

A system and method for tracking the identity and position of an object. The system includes at least one locator unit that is attached to the object to be tracked. The system also includes at least one display unit carried by or with a user. The locator unit obtains its satellite position data from a satellite positioning system such as GPS, GLONASS, LORAN, GALILEO, or the like. The locator unit then measures local position data with one or more sensors such as accelerometers and compasses and augments the satellite position data with the local position data. The locator unit transmits the augmented position data to a display unit. The display unit calculates its own position in the same way and outputs the augmented position of the locator unit relative to the augmented position of the display unit via a user interface.

Claims

1. A system for tracking the identity and position of one or more objects, the system comprising:

a locator unit, comprising;

a housing;

a position calculator module supported by the housing, the position calculator module comprising;

a satellite receiver receiving transmissions from a satellite positioning system, the satellite receiver outputting a signal containing satellite position data for the object;

one or more sensors measuring local position data of the object and outputting a signal containing the local position data;

a memory module receiving the signal from the satellite receiver and the sensor, the memory module storing the satellite position data and the local position data;

a processor interfacing with the memory module to retrieve satellite position data and local position data, the processor augmenting satellite position data with local position data, and the processor interfacing with the memory module to store augmented position data, the processor outputting a signal containing the augmented position data; and

,

a wireless communication module supported by the housing, the wireless communication module receiving the signal from the processor, the wireless communication module transmitting the augmented position data to a display unit;

a display unit, comprising;

a housing;

a wireless communication module supported by the housing, the wireless communication module receiving the augmented position data from the locator unit, the wireless communication module outputting a signal containing the augmented position data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication module of the locator unit transmits the object'"'"'s augmented position data with a unique locator ID.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the wireless communication module of the locator unit transmits the object'"'"'s augmented position data with a group ID.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the locator unit or the display unit is capable of relaying augmented position data from a second locator unit.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the display unit further comprises a user interface supported by the housing, the user interface receiving the signal from the wireless communication module and outputting the object'"'"'s augmented position in a format perceivable by the user.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the display unit further comprises:

a memory module supported by the housing, the memory module receiving the signal from the wireless communication module and storing the object'"'"'s augmented position data, the memory module selectively outputting signals containing the object'"'"'s augmented position data; and

,

a user interface supported by the housing, the user interface receiving signals from at least one of the wireless communication module and the memory module, the user interface outputting the object'"'"'s augmented position in a format perceivable by the user.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the user interface receives commands from a user and outputs signals to the memory module to retrieve previously-stored augmented position data.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the display unit further comprises:

a position calculator module supported by the housing, the position calculator module having;

a satellite receiver receiving transmissions from a satellite positioning system, the satellite receiver outputting a signal containing satellite position data for the display unit;

one or more sensors measuring local position data of the display unit and outputting a signal containing the local position data;

a memory module receiving the signals from the satellite receiver and the sensor, the memory module storing the satellite position data and the local position data;

a processor interfacing with the memory module to retrieve satellite position data and local position data, the processor augmenting satellite position data with local position data and interfacing with the memory module to store augmented position data for the display unit, the processor outputting a signal containing the display unit'"'"'s augmented position data.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor receives the signal from the wireless communication module and stores the object'"'"'s augmented position data in the memory module, the processor selectively outputting signals containing the object'"'"'s augmented position data.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising a user interface supported by the housing, the user interface receiving signals from at least one of the wireless communication module and the processor, the user interface outputting augmented position in a format perceivable by the user.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the user interface receives commands from a user and outputs a signal to the memory module to request previously-stored position data.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the wireless communication module of the display unit receives the signal from the processor and transmits the augmented position data for the display unit.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the display unit is capable of relaying augmented position data from at least one of the locator unit or a second display unit.

14. A locator unit for tracking the identity and position of one or more objects, the locator unit comprising:

a housing;

a position calculator module supported by the housing, the position calculator module having;

a satellite receiver receiving transmissions from a satellite positioning system, the satellite receiver outputting a signal containing satellite position data;

one or more sensors measuring local position data of the object and outputting a signal containing the local position data;

a memory module receiving the signal from the satellite receiver and the sensor, the memory module storing the satellite position data and the local position data;

a processor interfacing with the memory module to retrieve satellite position data and local position data, the processor augmenting satellite position data with local position data and the processor interfacing with the memory module to store augmented position data, the processor outputting a signal containing the object'"'"'s augmented position data; and

a wireless communication module supported by the housing, the wireless communication module receiving the signal from the processor and transmitting the augmented position data.

15. The locator unit of claim 14, wherein the locator unit is capable of relaying augmented position data from at least one of another locator unit or a display unit.

16. A method for tracking the identity and position of an object, the method comprising the steps of:

attaching a locator unit to an object;

receiving transmissions from a satellite positioning system;

measuring local position data of the object with one or more sensors;

augmenting the satellite position data with the local position data;

transmitting the object'"'"'s augmented position data to a display unit; and

,

receiving the object'"'"'s augmented position data at the display unit.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of outputting the object'"'"'s augmented position via a user interface.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of storing the object'"'"'s augmented position data at the display unit.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of retrieving previously-stored augmented position data for the object and outputting the object'"'"'s previously-stored augmented position data via a user interface.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

receiving transmissions from a satellite positioning system to determine the position of the display unit;

measuring local position data of the display unit with one or more sensors; and

,

augmenting the satellite position data with the local position data.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of transmitting the augmented position data of the display unit.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of outputting at least one of the object'"'"'s or the display unit'"'"'s augmented position via a user interface.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of storing the object'"'"'s augmented position data.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of retrieving previously-stored augmented position data and outputting at least one of the object'"'"'s previously-stored augmented position and the display unit'"'"'s previously-stored augmented position via a user interface.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of calculating the object'"'"'s position relative to the display unit'"'"'s position.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of outputting the relative position of the object via a user interface.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of storing the object'"'"'s relative position.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of retrieving previously-stored relative position data and outputting object'"'"'s previously-stored relative position via a user interface.