SELF-CHARGING POWER CONTROLLED SYSTEM FOR LOCATING ANIMALS BY GPS
First Claim
1. A system for tracking the location of a movable object, the system comprising:
- a portable tracking unit attached to the movable object, the tracking unit comprising;
an overhead position locater receiver configured to receive position signals from a plurality of overhead position location devices and provide overhead position location data from the received position signals;
a wireless communications transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit a tracking unit location signal representative of the geographic location of the tracking unit;
a motion detector configured to detect when the portable tracking unit is moving and to provide a motion signal;
a tracking unit processor programmed to receive the motion signal and control the receiver and transmitter to operate in a normal operation mode, to receive overhead position location data from the receiver, to process the overhead position location data to calculate the present geographic location of the tracking unit and provide a tracking unit location signal;
to control the transmitter to wirelessly transmit the tracking unit location signal, and to control the transmitter and receiver to operate in a low-power consumption sleep mode;
a battery configured to provide electrical power to the receiver, transmitter, and processor; and
an electrical energy generator configured to transduce mechanical motion of the portable tracking unit into electrical energy, the electrical energy generator connected to the battery to automatically recharge the battery.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A portable tracking unit attached to a movable object, such as an animal'"'"'s collar, includes a GPS receiver to receive GPS signals from multiple satellites for use in multilateration calculations in determining the current position of the tracking unit. A processor in the tracking unit processes the GPS data signals to determine the tracking unit'"'"'s position, and a GSM mobile wireless transmitter is used to transmit the geographic coordinates of the tracking unit to a remote monitoring unit. The tracking unit also includes a motion detector that outputs a motion signal when the animal is on the move. A motion signal “wakes up” the processor that wakes up the GPS receiver and the GSM transmitter to begin calculating and transmitting the geographic coordinates of the tracking unit. The tracking unit also includes electrical generators configured to transduce mechanical motion of the tracking unit into electrical energy to recharge a battery and power devices. The portable tracking unit is fabricated monolithically in silicon with circuitry integrated with silicon micro-machined motion sensor, as well as power generators, and packaged through silicon wafer bonding. A remote computing device receives the geographic coordinates of the tracking device and indicates to a user the position of the tracking device in relation to a map. An alert may also be provided if the location of the tracking device is outside a programmed safe zone.
93 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A system for tracking the location of a movable object, the system comprising:
a portable tracking unit attached to the movable object, the tracking unit comprising; an overhead position locater receiver configured to receive position signals from a plurality of overhead position location devices and provide overhead position location data from the received position signals; a wireless communications transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit a tracking unit location signal representative of the geographic location of the tracking unit; a motion detector configured to detect when the portable tracking unit is moving and to provide a motion signal; a tracking unit processor programmed to receive the motion signal and control the receiver and transmitter to operate in a normal operation mode, to receive overhead position location data from the receiver, to process the overhead position location data to calculate the present geographic location of the tracking unit and provide a tracking unit location signal;
to control the transmitter to wirelessly transmit the tracking unit location signal, and to control the transmitter and receiver to operate in a low-power consumption sleep mode;a battery configured to provide electrical power to the receiver, transmitter, and processor; and an electrical energy generator configured to transduce mechanical motion of the portable tracking unit into electrical energy, the electrical energy generator connected to the battery to automatically recharge the battery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system for tracking the location of a movable object, the system comprising:
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a portable tracking unit attached to the movable object, the tracking unit comprising; a GPS locator receiver configured to receive position signals from a plurality of GPS satellites and provide GPS position location data from the received position signals; a GSM wireless communications transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit a tracking unit location signal representative of the geographic location of the tracking unit; a multiple-axis motion detector configured to detect when the portable tracking unit is moving and to provide a motion signal; a tracking unit processor programmed to receive the motion signal and control the receiver and transmitter to operate in a normal operation mode, to receive GPS location data from the receiver, to process the GPS position location data to calculate the present geographic location of the tracking unit and provide a tracking unit location signal;
to control the GSM transmitter to wirelessly transmit the tracking unit location signal, and to control the GSM transmitter and GPS receiver to operate in a low-power consumption sleep mode;a battery configured to provide electrical power to the receiver, transmitter, and tracking unit processor; and a plurality of electrical energy generators configured to transduce mechanical motion of the portable tracking unit into electrical energy, the electrical energy generators connected to the battery to automatically recharge the battery, to the GPS receiver to power its operation, and to the GSM transmitter to power its operation; a monitoring unit located remotely from the tracking unit, the monitoring unit comprising; a monitoring unit memory in which is stored a series of geographical data representing a safe geographic area in which the tracking unit is expected to remain; a monitoring unit processor programmed to receive the tracking unit location signal, retrieve from the memory the data representing a safe geographic area, compare the tracking unit location to the safe geographic area data, and provide an alert signal if the location of the tracking unit is outside the safe geographic area. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for tracking the location of a movable object, the system comprising:
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receiving position signals from a plurality of overhead position location devices; processing the received signals to extract location assist data and providing overhead position location data from the received position signals; detecting motion of the movable object and providing a motion signal; upon receiving the motion signal, processing the overhead position location data to calculate the present geographic location of the movable object and generate a movable object location signal; wirelessly transmitting movable object location signal representative of the geographic location of the movable object; providing operational power from a battery source located with the movable object; transducing mechanical movement of the movable object into electrical energy and recharging the battery source with the transduced electrical energy; operating in a low power consumption move when the movable object is stationary; receiving the geographic location signal representative of the movable object at a location remote from the movable object; and processing the received geographic location signal of the movable object and displaying the geographic location of the movable object in relation to a geographic coordinate map. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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Specification