DEVICES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PORTABLE DEVICE LOCATION

• US 20120326930A1
• Filed: 09/08/2012
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: O'Hern, William A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,400,967 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/451
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8237 Charging means
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0063 of measured values, i.e. measurement on base station and position calculation on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods are disclosed which relate to a network of RFID readers which detect a location of an RFID transmitter coupled to a portable device. The network of RFID readers transmits the location to a user. The RFID transmitter couples to any personal device and broadcasts a unique ID. The nearest RFID reader(s) receive the unique ID and alert a server in communication with the network of RFID readers. The server calculates the distance of the RFID transmitter from each RFID reader receiving the unique ID. The server triangulates the location of the RFID transmitter when three or more RFID readers are receiving the unique ID. The server then securely transmits the location of the RFID transmitter to the user of the portable device. The user receives the transmission through a secure receiver.

Claims

1. A portable device, comprising:

a battery; and

two exposed device electrical contacts coupled to the battery, the two exposed device electrical contacts powering a radiofrequency (RFID) transmitter, the RFID transmitter having two exposed transmitter electrical contacts to receive power from the two exposed device electrical contacts;

wherein a location of the RFID transmitter may be calculated based on readings from a plurality of RFID readers distributed about an area, the plurality of RFID readers configured to detect the RFID transmitter coupled to the portable device, each of the plurality of RFID readers producing a broadcast alone and waiting for a response from the RFID transmitter before another one of the plurality of RFID readers produces a broadcast.

2. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the RFID transmitter is oriented such that the device electrical contacts touch the transmitter electrical contacts allowing the battery to power the RFID transmitter.

3. The portable device of claim 2, wherein the RFID transmitter includes an adhesive for coupling to the portable device.

4. The portable device of claim 2, wherein the RFID transmitter is embedded in a card receivable by the portable device.

5. The portable device of claim 1, further comprising a special placement area for receiving the RFID transmitter.

6. The portable device of claim 5, wherein the special placement area conceals the RFID transmitter.

7. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the area is one of a floor in a house, a city block, and a country.

8. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the location is transmitted to a user via a secure receiver.

9. The portable device of claim 8, wherein the secure receiver is a handheld device.

10. The portable device of claim 8, wherein the location is indicated on a map displayed on a display of the handheld device.

11. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the battery powers the RFID transmitter when the battery does not have sufficient capacity to power the portable device.

12. A portable device tracking server, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory in communication with the processor, the memory storing logical instructions that are executed by the processor to perform operations including;

receiving readings from a plurality of RFID readers distributed about an area, the plurality of RFID readers configured to detect a presence of an RFID transmitter coupled to a portable device, each of the plurality of RFID readers producing a broadcast alone and waiting for a response from the RFID transmitter before another one of the plurality of RFID readers produces a broadcast, and

calculating a location of the portable device based on the readings,

wherein the portable device includes a battery and a pair of exposed device electrical contacts for mating with a corresponding pair of exposed transmitter electrical contacts of the RFID transmitter allowing the battery to power the RFID transmitter.

13. The server of claim 12, wherein the location of the portable device is transmitted to a user via a secure receiver in communication with the server.

14. The server of claim 12, wherein the processor calculates the location of the portable device by triangulating readings from three or more of the plurality of RFID readers.

15. The server of claim 12, wherein the processor calculates the location of the portable device upon determining that the portable device is detectable by at least one of the plurality of RFID readers.

16. A method, comprising:

utilizing a server including at least one a processor for receiving readings from plurality of radiofrequency (RFID) readers distributed about an area, the plurality of RFID readers configured to detect a presence of an RFID transmitter coupled to a portable device, each of the plurality of RFID readers producing a broadcast alone and waiting for a response from the RFID transmitter before another one of the plurality of RFID readers produces a broadcast; and

utilizing the processor for calculating a distance of the RFID transmitter from each of the plurality of RFID readers by measuring the time it takes for the RFID transmitter to respond to the broadcast,

wherein the portable device includes a battery, and a pair of exposed device electrical contacts for mating with a corresponding pair of exposed transmitter electrical contacts of the RFID transmitter allowing the battery to power the RFID transmitter.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising outputting a location of the RFID transmitter based on a plurality of distances from each of the plurality of RFID readers.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the calculating further comprises triangulating the location when three or more of the plurality of RFID readers have read the RFID transmitter.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the outputting further comprises displaying the location on a map.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the outputting further comprises inputting a longitude and latitude of the location into a GPS navigator.