Tracking System and Portable Virtual Fence
First Claim
1. A tracking system, comprising:
- a service center, said service center communicating with one or more remote party devices on a selective basis determined by at least one remote party;
a tracking module associated with or associatable with an animal, person or object to be tracked, said tracking module comprisingone or more tracking devices for detecting the geographic location of said tracking module,a mobile communication device for communicating with the service center, anda first RF transmitter, RF receiver, or RF transceiver;
a base station having a second RF transmitter, RF receiver, or RF transceiver which sends or receives RF signals from said first RF transmitter, RF receiver, or RF transceiver;
a communication device, which can be the same or different from said mobile communication device of said tracking module, forcommunicating with said service center when RF signals transmitted between said tracking module and said base station are not received at said tracking module or said base station,receiving signals from said service center to selectively activate or de-activate said one or more tracking devices, andproviding location information of said tracking module obtained from said one or more tracking devices to said service center,said service center providing one or more of an activation or deactivation signal to said mobile communication device of said tracking module to activate or deactivate said one or more tracking devices according to instructions from said at least one remote party.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
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. The size of the virtual fence can be expanded to fit any shaped geometry using signal repeater or transceiver devices. In addition, more than one pet can be tracked using a single virtual fence and base station. Upon confirmation that a trackee has breached the fence and should be tracked, a service center can provide location information of the trackee as well directions to the trackee by voice or transmission of mapping and other imaging displays to the responsible party seeking to locate the trackee. Power management is enhanced by either turning off the power to the tracking devices (e.g., GPS or GSM or other device) after a report, or by dynamically varying the time reports are made without deactivating the tracking devices.
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Citations
6 Claims
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1. A tracking system, comprising:
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a service center, said service center communicating with one or more remote party devices on a selective basis determined by at least one remote party; a tracking module associated with or associatable with an animal, person or object to be tracked, said tracking module comprising one or more tracking devices for detecting the geographic location of said tracking module, a mobile communication device for communicating with the service center, and a first RF transmitter, RF receiver, or RF transceiver; a base station having a second RF transmitter, RF receiver, or RF transceiver which sends or receives RF signals from said first RF transmitter, RF receiver, or RF transceiver; a communication device, which can be the same or different from said mobile communication device of said tracking module, for communicating with said service center when RF signals transmitted between said tracking module and said base station are not received at said tracking module or said base station, receiving signals from said service center to selectively activate or de-activate said one or more tracking devices, and providing location information of said tracking module obtained from said one or more tracking devices to said service center, said service center providing one or more of an activation or deactivation signal to said mobile communication device of said tracking module to activate or deactivate said one or more tracking devices according to instructions from said at least one remote party. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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Specification