SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MOBILE TRACKING, COMMUNICATIONS AND ALERTING

• US 20120064921A1
• Filed: 03/05/2010
• Published: 03/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Vetrix, LLC
• Original Assignee: Vetrix, LLC
• Inventors: Hernoud, Melani S., Dunn, David Duran, Pierce, Elizabeth J.
• Application Number:
  US13/254,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20120064921A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.6
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42127 Systems providing several special services or facilities from groups H04M3/42008 - H04M3/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A moblie device that can optionally communicate with a server, the mobile device including latitude/longitude determining capabilities, a display, a data communication system and a power source. The mobile device can be used to communicate, provide location information, track an individual, as well as allow alerting, such in a case of an emergency. This location information could be accompanied with one or more of video information, audio information, multimedia information, and pictures taken by the mobile device. The mobile devices also allow inner-communicability among the devices such as text messaging, chat, voice communications, and the like. The capabilities of the mobile device can also be used to determine if the device has traversed a geo-fence, or defined electronic perimeter, with the crossing of the perimeter capable of triggering special functionality such as the turning on of the mobile device, or smart phone, sending an alert, altering functionality, or the like.

Claims

1. A method of operating a mobile communications device comprising:

determining a location of the mobile communications device and maintaining a record of one or more of the location and a last known good position in one or more of a server and another communications device;

providing a map on a display of the communications device including the location of the mobile communications device;

providing one or more of text-based, multimedia-based, image-based, voice-based and video-based communications with the communications device; and

monitoring for an alert from the communications device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring the location relative to one or more perimeters, and taking one or more actions based on a crossing of a perimeter.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing peer-to-peer communications with one or more other communications devices.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising managing device functionality based on one or more of remaining battery power and mission information.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing communications with one or more of other communications devices, the server and another endpoint.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising surreptitiously receiving one or more of software, parameters and communications device updates.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile communications device is tagged such that the mobile communications device can be tracked.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising entering a special operational mode, wherein the mobile communications device performs one or more automated functions.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert triggers the mobile communications device to perform one or more automatic functions.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the server maintains location information for one or more mobile communications devices and, via a communications module, is capable of exchanging one or more of text-based, multimedia-based, image-based, voice-based and video-based communications with the one or more mobile communications devices.

11. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

13. A mobile communications device comprising:

a location module that determines a location of the mobile communications device and maintains a record of one or more of the location and a last known good position in one or more of a server and another communications device;

a mapping module that provides a map on a display of the mobile communications device including the location of the mobile communications device;

a communications module that provides the ability to one or more of send and receive one or more of text-based, multimedia-based, image-based, voice-based and video-based communications from the mobile communications device; and

an alert module that monitors for an alert from the mobile communications device.

14. The device of claim 13, further comprising a perimeter module that monitors the location relative to one or more perimeters, and a perimeter action module that takes one or more actions based on a crossing of a perimeter.

15. The device of claim 13, further comprising a peer-to-peer module that establishes peer-to-peer communications with one or more other communications devices.

16. The device of claim 13, further comprising a power management module that manages device functionality based on one or more of remaining battery power and mission information.

17. The device of claim 13, further comprising a communications module that establishes communications with one or more of other communications devices, the server and another endpoint.

18. The device of claim 13, further comprising a controller that surreptitiously receives one or more of software, parameters and communications device updates.

19. The device of claim 13, wherein the mobile communications device is tagged such that the mobile communications device can be tracked.

20. The device of claim 13, further comprising a special mode module that allows entry into a special operational mode, wherein the mobile communications device performs one or more automated functions.

21. The device of claim 13, wherein the alert triggers the mobile communications device to perform one or more automatic functions.

22. The device of claim 13, wherein the server maintains location information for one or more mobile communications devices and, via a communications module, is capable of exchanging one or more of text-based, multimedia-based, image-based, voice-based and video-based communications with the one or more mobile communications devices.

23. (canceled)

24. (canceled)