Stolen bicycle (missing chattel) identification, tracking and location; a system and method
First Claim
1. A system for tracking a stolen bicycle (missing chattel) from a plurality of stations, wherein a memory based passive transponder is associated with the stolen bicycle (missing chattel), comprising:
- a plurality of cellular telephone towers/stations at which an operation is performed;
a plurality of memory based passive transponders wherein one of the memory based passive transponders is associated with each of the plurality of telephone towers/stations for providing and/or receiving information bearing electrical signals in a microwave frequency in a memory based tag (smart) format, and wherein each of the plurality of memory based transponder readers located in the cellular telephone towers/stations produces information signals representative of information contained in the received information bearing electrical signals and/or inserts information contained in information signals in transmitted information bearing electrical signals in microwave format;
a plurality of antennae operatively coupled to a respective one of the plurality of memory based transponder readers for transmitting and/or receiving the information bearing electrical signals in microwave format in a detection region located within an urban cellular telephone network which have a plurality of antennae operatively coupled to a respective one of the plurality of memory based transponder readers for transmitting and/or receiving the information bearing electrical signals in microwave format in a detection region located within the cellular range of the cellular telephone region with at least some of said plurality of antennae, including a plurality of parabolic aluminum or loop type antennae, arranged with spatial or temporal separation for coupling the information bearing electrical signals between the memory based transponder reader and a memory based transponder located within the hollow frame of the missing chattel in the detection region with substantially 100% reading rate;
at least one memory based passive transponder associated with the missing chattel, the memory based transponder including sufficient memory and an antenna coupled to the electronic memory for transmitting and/or receiving information bearing electrical signals in the memory based transponder (smart) format, wherein the information bearing electrical signals represent information to be stored in the electronic memory and/or represent information produced from the electronic memory;
wherein the information to be stored in and the information produced from the electronic memory of the memory based transponder includes a permanent number plus application specific data;
whereby information is communicated between the electronic memory of the memory based transponder and the memory based transponder reader of a particular cellular telephone tower/station when the memory based transponder is in the detection region of that particular station after initiation, a computer processor for processing at least information signals including application specific data and a relational check number from the memory based transponder readers at the plurality of stations and for providing a record of the information represented by the information signals; and
a secure communication means for communicating the information signals between said computer processor and said plurality of memory based transponder readers and transponders located within the missing chattel.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for identifying, tracking and locating stolen bicycles (missing chattels) in an urban area from a plurality of stations is useful. A passive RFID memory based transponder is manufactured into the hollow metal frame of a bicycle (missing chattel) during manufacture. The passive transponder includes at least an electronic memory integrated circuit coupled to the spokes of the bicycle wheel whose aluminum spokes are used as an antenna through which information from the memory may be transmitted or received. The passive memory based transponder is engaged and powered up by a tag initiation process which emanates from a cellular telephone tower using microwave frequencies or internally through a combination device. This process is initiated upon a report of the bicycle (missing chattel) being stolen, or from the internal source. A process of triangulation is affected using these same cellular telephone towers in an urban area to locate the stolen bicycle. The passive memory based transponder, when initiated by electrical transmissions from the cellular telephone tower, or internally, becomes active. It is then powered from an internal generator driven by the rotation of the axle of the bicycle, or similar conveyance, with chargeable battery assist. Missing chattel is defined herein as a bicycle, motorcycle, car, truck, bus, tractor trailer or other similar conveyance.
-
Citations
24 Claims
-
1. A system for tracking a stolen bicycle (missing chattel) from a plurality of stations, wherein a memory based passive transponder is associated with the stolen bicycle (missing chattel), comprising:
- a plurality of cellular telephone towers/stations at which an operation is performed;
a plurality of memory based passive transponders wherein one of the memory based passive transponders is associated with each of the plurality of telephone towers/stations for providing and/or receiving information bearing electrical signals in a microwave frequency in a memory based tag (smart) format, and wherein each of the plurality of memory based transponder readers located in the cellular telephone towers/stations produces information signals representative of information contained in the received information bearing electrical signals and/or inserts information contained in information signals in transmitted information bearing electrical signals in microwave format;
a plurality of antennae operatively coupled to a respective one of the plurality of memory based transponder readers for transmitting and/or receiving the information bearing electrical signals in microwave format in a detection region located within an urban cellular telephone network which have a plurality of antennae operatively coupled to a respective one of the plurality of memory based transponder readers for transmitting and/or receiving the information bearing electrical signals in microwave format in a detection region located within the cellular range of the cellular telephone region with at least some of said plurality of antennae, including a plurality of parabolic aluminum or loop type antennae, arranged with spatial or temporal separation for coupling the information bearing electrical signals between the memory based transponder reader and a memory based transponder located within the hollow frame of the missing chattel in the detection region with substantially 100% reading rate;
at least one memory based passive transponder associated with the missing chattel, the memory based transponder including sufficient memory and an antenna coupled to the electronic memory for transmitting and/or receiving information bearing electrical signals in the memory based transponder (smart) format, wherein the information bearing electrical signals represent information to be stored in the electronic memory and/or represent information produced from the electronic memory;
wherein the information to be stored in and the information produced from the electronic memory of the memory based transponder includes a permanent number plus application specific data;
whereby information is communicated between the electronic memory of the memory based transponder and the memory based transponder reader of a particular cellular telephone tower/station when the memory based transponder is in the detection region of that particular station after initiation, a computer processor for processing at least information signals including application specific data and a relational check number from the memory based transponder readers at the plurality of stations and for providing a record of the information represented by the information signals; and
a secure communication means for communicating the information signals between said computer processor and said plurality of memory based transponder readers and transponders located within the missing chattel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
- a plurality of cellular telephone towers/stations at which an operation is performed;
Specification