Flexible Simulated Currency Pack Tracking Unit
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A tracking unit for assisting in the recovery of stolen monies or other property includes a housing containing a GPS receiver for receiving GPS signals from overhead satellites, a cellular phone transceiver, a microprocessor, and a battery. Following a theft, the microprocessor activates the cellular phone transceiver to dial the telephone number of a central monitoring station. The microprocessor obtains location data from the GPS receiver and transmits the location data, along with identification information, to the central monitoring station. The tracking unit also includes a separate, conventional RF beacon transmitter for allowing authorities to home-in on the tracking unit within a large building or other structure, either after the GPS signals are lost, or after the location of the tracking unit is localized to a specific building or area.
-
Citations
27 Claims
-
1-13. -13. (canceled)
-
14. A security pack comprising:
a housing simulating a bundled package of currency bills having a hollowed portion containing a plurality of components, the components comprising; a global positioning system (GPS) module disposed within said housing for receiving GPS signals for determining location of the tracking unit; a first communications module disposed within said housing and configured to operate pursuant to a first communications protocol for establishing a communications link, the first communications module configured to transmit the location of and an identifier for the tracking unit via the communications link and to receive a command signal via the communications link; a second communications module disposed within said housing and configured to transmit a beacon signal via a second communications protocol different from the first communications protocol; and a controller disposed within said housing and electrically coupled to said GPS receiver, said first communications module, and said second communications module, said controller configured to cause the first communications module to establish the communications link and transmit the location and identifier, and further configured to activate and deactivate the first and second communications protocols; a power source disposed within said housing and electrically coupled to said GPS receiver, said first and second communications modules, and said controller; wherein one or more of the components are disposed on a flexible mounting/interconnecting substrate and spaced apart from one another. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
27. A security pack comprising:
a housing simulating a bundled package of currency bills having a hollowed portion containing a plurality of components physically spaced apart from one another, the components comprising; a global positioning system (GPS) module disposed within said housing for receiving GPS signals for determining location of the tracking unit; a first communications module disposed within said housing and configured to operate pursuant to a first communications protocol for establishing a communications link, the first communications module configured to transmit the location of and an identifier for the tracking unit via the communications link and to receive a command signal via the communications link; a second communications module disposed within said housing and configured to transmit a beacon signal via a second communications protocol different from the first communications protocol; and a controller disposed within said housing and electrically coupled to said GPS receiver, said first communications module, and said second communications module, said controller configured to cause the first communications module to establish the communications link and transmit the location and identifier, and further configured to activate and deactivate the first and second communications protocols; a power source disposed within said housing and electrically coupled to said GPS receiver, said first and second communications modules, and said controller; and a plurality of flexible electrical interconnections between the components.
Specification