METHOD AND SYSTEM OF ELECTRONIC MONITORING

• US 20130210465A1
• Filed: 02/13/2013
• Published: 08/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corrisoft, LLC
• Original Assignee: Earthsweep LLC
• Inventors: Poe, Brian C., Miller, Michael P., Sturgill, Bryon
• Granted Patent: US 8,682,356 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/457
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

GPS data can be transmitted from a portable electronic device to a central database using either a cellular network or a satellite RF network. Multiple embodiments are capable of executing tools and techniques that automatically determine the network appropriate for given conditions, maximize GPS data transmission coverage, and minimize cost. Using the described technology, it is possible to detect, differentiate between, and utilize networks according to circumstance.

Claims

1. A system comprising a housing holding a set of components, wherein the set of components comprises:

a. a location data collector configured to collect location data;

b. a plurality of radio transceivers, said plurality of transceivers comprising a cellular transceiver and a satellite transceiver;

c. a storage device configured to store location data collected by said location data collector;

d. a processor;

e. a power supply configured to supply power to the location data collector, the plurality of radio transceivers, and the processor;

f. a set of memory locations storing data operable to configure the processor to perform a set of tasks comprising;

i. automatically switching between communicating with a remote device via the cellular transceiver and the satellite transceiver based on availability of a cellular network via the cellular transceiver and availability of a satellite network via the satellite transceiver; and

ii. sending location data collected by the location data collector to the remote device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the location data collector comprises a global positioning satellite (GPS) transceiver configured to collect GPS location data from one or more GPS satellites orbiting the Earth.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the location data sent to the remote device comprises a set of location data points, each location data point from said set of location data points specifying a location for the location data collector at a different point in time.

4. The system of claim 1 where the remote device is a central database.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of radio transceivers comprises a BlueTooth transceiver.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the housing is taken from the set of housings consisting of:

a. a smartphone housing; and

b. an ankle monitor housing.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein:

a. the system further comprises a second housing holding a second set of components;

b. the second set of components comprises a second plurality of radio transceivers and a second processor; and

c. the data stored in the set of memory locations is further operable to cause the processor to communicate with the second processor via a direct connection radio transceiver from the second plurality of radio transceivers.

8. A method for transmitting data from a portable electronic device to a central database comprising:

a. collecting GPS data on the portable electronic device from satellites orbiting the earth;

b. storing the GPS data in a storage device on the portable electronic device;

c. using a processor on the portable electronic device to execute instructions that determine whether a cellular network is available;

d. based on a determination that the cellular network is available, performing a first set of tasks comprising;

i. providing access credentials to the cellular network;

ii. utilizing the cellular network to transmit GPS data stored in the storage device to the central database;

e. based on a determination that the cellular network is not available, performing a second set of tasks comprising;

i. determining if a satellite network is available; and

ii. based on a determination that the satellite network is available;

A. providing access credentials to the satellite network;

B. utilizing the satellite network to transmit GPS data stored in the storage device to the central database.

9. A method of using a first portable electronic device and a second portable electronic device to communicate location data from the first and second electronic devices to a central database and to each other, the method comprising:

a. on each of the first portable electronic device and the second portable electronic device;

i. collecting GPS data from satellites orbiting the Earth;

ii. storing the collected GPS data in the portable electronic device'"'"'s storage device;

iii. using the portable electronic device'"'"'s processor to execute instructions that determine whether a cellular network is available;

iv. based on a determination that the cellular network is available, performing a first set of tasks comprising;

A. providing access credentials to the cellular network;

B. utilizing the cellular network to transmit GPS data stored in the portable electronic device'"'"'s storage device to a central database;

v. based on a determination that the cellular network is not available, performing a second set of tasks comprising;

A. determining if a satellite network is available; and

B. based on a determination that the satellite network is available;

I. providing access credentials to the satellite network;

II. utilizing the satellite network to transmit GPS data stored in the portable electronic device'"'"'s storage device to the central database;

vi. using the portable electronic device'"'"'s processor to execute instructions that determine whether a BlueTooth connection to the other portable electronic device is available;

vii. based on a determination that a BlueTooth connection is available, performing a third set of tasks comprising;

A. providing access credentials to the other portable electronic device;

B. utilizing the BlueTooth connection to transmit GPS data stored in the portable electronic device'"'"'s storage device to the other portable electronic device;

b. on the first portable electronic device, based on GPS data collected by the first portable electronic device and the second portable electronic device, providing a carrier of the first portable electronic device one or more pieces of location related information taken from the set of location related information comprising;

i. a location of the second portable electronic device;

ii. a direction of movement of the second portable electronic device; and

iii. a proximity between the first portable electronic device and the second portable electronic device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising initiating a vibration on the first portable electronic device based on the proximity between the first portable electronic device and the second portable electronic device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more pieces of location related information are provided to the carrier of the first portable electronic device via a map display.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the map display is provided based on map information downloaded from a remote source.