SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OBTAINING AND USING DATA FROM A LOCALIZED LOCATION AND TELEMETRY SYSTEM IN A WIDE AREA LOCATION AND TELEMETRY SYSTEM

• US 20090115608A1
• Filed: 11/02/2007
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Recon Dynamics LLC (Tricon Sales LLC)
• Original Assignee: S5 Wireless, Inc. (Tricon Sales LLC)
• Inventors: Prestwich, Sy, Bevan, Scott, Baker, James R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,969,348 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.100
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0009 Transmission of position information to remote stations involving assistance data G01S5/0236
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0263 by combining or switching between positions derived from two or more separate positioning systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/47 using RFID associated with sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A wide area location and telemetry system may include a wide area location and telemetry system server that is configured to determine wide area location and telemetry system data about an object when the object is located within the coverage area of the wide area location and telemetry system. The wide area location and telemetry system server may also be configured to receive localized location and telemetry system data about the object when the object is located within the coverage area of a localized location and telemetry system. The wide area location and telemetry system may also include a database and a database manager. The database manager may be configured to store the wide area location and telemetry system data and the localized location and telemetry system data in the database.

Claims

1. A multi-mode tag, comprising:

a localized location and telemetry system component that allows the localized location and telemetry system to determine localized location and telemetry system data about an object when the object is located within the coverage area of the localized location and telemetry system; and

a wide area location and telemetry system component that allows the wide area location and telemetry system to determine wide area location and telemetry system data about the object when the object is located within the coverage area of the wide area location and telemetry system.

2. The multi-mode tag of claim 1, wherein the multi-mode tag is configured to be coupled to the object.

3. The multi-mode tag of claim 1, wherein the localized location and telemetry system data comprises both location data and telemetry data about the object.

4. The multi-mode tag of claim 1, wherein the wide area location and telemetry system data comprises both location data and telemetry data about the object.

5. The multi-mode tag of claim 1, wherein communication between the localized location and telemetry system component and the localized location and telemetry system occurs in accordance with a protocol that is selected from the group consisting of active radio frequency identification, passive radio frequency identification, Ultra-Wideband, ZigBee, Ultrasonic, and mesh networking.

6. The multi-mode tag of claim 1, wherein the wide area location and telemetry system component is configured to transmit a wide area location and telemetry system packet that is received by one or more base stations of the wide area location and telemetry system.

7. The multi-mode tag of claim 6, wherein transmission of the wide area location and telemetry system packet facilitates determination of location data about the object by the wide area location and telemetry system server.

8. The multi-mode tag of claim 6, wherein the wide area location and telemetry system packet includes telemetry data about the object that is determined by the wide area location and telemetry system component.

9. The multi-mode tag of claim 6, wherein the wide area location and telemetry system packet comprises localized location and telemetry system data that is received from the localized location and telemetry system.

10. The multi-mode tag of claim 6, wherein the wide area location and telemetry system packet comprises an indication about whether the localized location and telemetry system component is connected to the localized location and telemetry system.

11. A wide area location and telemetry system, comprising:

a wide area location and telemetry system server that is configured to determine wide area location and telemetry system data about an object when the object is located within the coverage area of the wide area location and telemetry system, wherein the wide area location and telemetry system server is also configured to receive localized location and telemetry system data about the object when the object is located within the coverage area of a localized location and telemetry system;

a database; and

a database manager that is configured to store the wide area location and telemetry system data and the localized location and telemetry system data in the database.

12. The wide area location and telemetry system of claim 11, wherein the database manager is configured to associate the wide area location and telemetry system data with the wide area location and telemetry system in the database, and wherein the database manager is also configured to associate the localized location and telemetry system data with the localized location and telemetry system in the database.

13. The wide area location and telemetry system of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of base stations, wherein the wide area location and telemetry system server is configured to determine location data about the object based on timing information that is provided by at least one of the plurality of base stations.

14. The wide area location and telemetry system of claim 13, wherein the timing information that is provided by a base station comprises a timestamp which indicates when a wide area location and telemetry system packet was received by the base station.

15. The wide area location and telemetry system of claim 14, wherein the wide area location and telemetry system packet comprises telemetry data about the object.

16. The wide area location and telemetry system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of base stations are in electronic communication with the wide area location and telemetry system server via one or more Internet protocol networks.

17. A tag that is configured to provide gateway functionality that allows objects to communicate with a wide area location and telemetry system, comprising:

a communication interface that is configured to receive localized location and telemetry system data about a first object from a localized location and telemetry system; and

a wide area location and telemetry system component that is configured to transmit the localized location and telemetry system data to a wide area location and telemetry system.

18. The tag of claim 17, wherein the first object is unable to communicate directly with the wide area location and telemetry system.

19. The tag of claim 17, wherein the wide area location and telemetry system component is configured to transmit a wide area location and telemetry system packet that is received by one or more base stations, and wherein the localized location and telemetry system data is transmitted in the wide area location and telemetry system packet.

20. The tag of claim 19, wherein the wide area location and telemetry system packet is transmitted in a burst direct sequence spread spectrum radio signal.