METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING TRACKING SERVICES TO LOCATE AN ASSET

• US 20120109853A1
• Filed: 10/31/2011
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James P. Vancleave, Jerry W. Culpepper, Lawrence M. Smith
• Original Assignee: James P. Vancleave, Jerry W. Culpepper, Lawrence M. Smith
• Inventors: CULPEPPER, Jerry W., Smith, Lawrence M., VanCleave, James P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,299,914 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/400
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/105 Radio frequency identification data [RFID]
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/48 by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/14 Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction aerial arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00; combinations of different interacting aerial units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q21/29; aerials or aerial systems providing at least two radiation patterns H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0009 Transmission of position information to remote stations involving assistance data G01S5/0236
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0294 Trajectory determination or predictive filtering, e.g. target tracking or Kalman filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0269 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact location of child or item using a navigation satellite system, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method of asset location. Location data is received from a cellular transmitter associated with a selected asset, which location data includes data representative of a cellular receiver with which direct communication with the cellular transmitter is made. The location data is then communicated to a tracking service system, which tracking service system includes a database representative of geographic locations associated with a plurality of cellular receivers. The database is then queried with received location data so as to generate geographic tracking data associated with a location of the cellular receiver, the geographic tracking data including display data adapted to generate a map image including a representative of a location of the selected asset. The geographic tracking data is then communicated to an associated security agency so as to allow for viewing of an image generated in accordance with the display data and at least one of tracking and interception of the selected asset.

Claims

1. A location-based service system comprising:

a receiver operable to receive location data from at least one associated portable tracking device via a data communication system inclusive of at least one wireless data transmission component;

the receiver further operable to communicate data corresponding to first location data and second location data with the portable tracking device, wherein the second location data is acquired as a result of the first location data;

a display operable to generate an image corresponding to a location of the portable tracking device in accordance with the second location data;

the receiver further operable to receive status data corresponding to at least one device status condition of the portable tracking device; and

a transmitter operable to communicate position data corresponding to a location of the tracking device in accordance with the second location data to at least one remote data device.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising the remote data device including a display operable to generate an image corresponding to the position data relative to a map image.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first location data is associated with a GPS location system associated with the portable tracking device.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the first location data is associated with a cellular network-based location system associated with the portable tracking device.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the second location data is associated with a direct radio frequency communication between the tracking device and an associated mobile tracking unit.

6. The system of claim 2 further comprising a fee data generator operable to generate data corresponding to a charge associated with communication of the second location data to the at least one remote data device.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a data storage operable to store position data associated with the portable tracking device for each of a series of locations associated therewith.

8. The system claim 1 wherein the receiver is associated with at least one data server.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiver is associated with a mobile data device.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiver is associated with a tracking agency.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the tracking agency is comprised of a law enforcement agency.

12. A location service method comprising:

receiving location data from at least one associated portable tracking device via a data communication system inclusive of at least one wireless data transmission component;

communicating data corresponding to first location data and second location data with the portable tracking device, wherein the second location data is acquired as a result of the first location data;

displaying an image corresponding to a location of the portable tracking device in accordance with the second location data;

receiving status data corresponding to at least one device status condition of the portable tracking device; and

communicating position data corresponding to a location of the tracking device in accordance with the second location data to at least one remote data device.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of displaying an image corresponding to the position data relative to a map image.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the first location data is associated with a GPS location system associated with the portable tracking device.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the first location data is associated with a cellular network-based location system associated with the portable tracking device.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the second location data is associated with a direct radio frequency communication between the tracking device and an associated mobile tracking unit.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of generating fee data corresponding to a charge associated with communication of the second location data to the at least one remote data device.

18. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of storing position data associated with the portable tracking device for each of a series of locations associated therewith.

19. The method claim 12 wherein the step of receiving location data includes the step of receiving the location data into a data server.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of receiving location data includes the step of receiving the location data into a mobile data device.

21. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of receiving location data includes the step of receiving the location data into a receiver associated with a tracking agency.

22. The method of claim 12 wherein the tracking agency is a law enforcement agency.