SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRACKING ASSETS

• US 20150070165A1
• Filed: 09/08/2014
• Published: 03/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Protrack LLC
• Original Assignee: TracFind, Inc.
• Inventors: East, Clark D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,679,456 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2482 EAS methods, e.g. description of flow chart of the detection procedure
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0272 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect exact location of child or item using triangulation other than GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0275 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS] tag technology used for parent or child unit, e.g. same transmission technology, magnetic tag, RF tag, RFID

Abstract

A computer-based system, computer-implemented method, and computer-readable medium for tracking assets, such as objects and persons. The current invention involves associating a GPS-tracked tag with a targeted asset, registering a serial number associated with the tag, storing the serial number onto a database, and tracking the tag—and thus, associated asset—through the database. Authorized third parties, such as law enforcement personnel, may also access the database and track the asset, if needed, for example if the asset is stolen. The user is able to activate and deactivate the tracking ability of the tag and immediately track the tag when needed.

Claims

1. One or more tangible non-transitory computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions for performing a method of running a software program on a computing device, the computing device operating under an operating system, the method including issuing instructions from the software program to track an asset, device, or person via a GPS-tracked tag registered on a compiled database, the instructions comprising:

receiving a unique identifier associated with said GPS-tracked tag;

receiving authenticating information about an end-user;

activating said GPS-tracked tag responsive to receipt of said unique identifier and said authenticating information;

associating said unique identifier or said GPS-tracked tag with said end-storing said unique identifier in a database responsive to activation of said GPS-tracked tag;

responsive to user input, receiving an activating signal or a deactivating signal for respectively activating or deactivating said GPS-tracked tag;

responsive to said deactivating signal being received, deactivating said GPS-tracked tag;

responsive to said activating signal being received, receiving a data packet from said GPS-tracked tag;

extracting location information of said GPS-tracked tag from said data packet;

storing said extracted location information in said database and associating said extracted location information with said unique identifier in said database, said stored extracted location information and said stored unique identifier being viewable by said end-user on a display device; and

converting a relevant portion of said extracted location information in an appropriate language-based response in order to display a location of said GPS-tracked tag to said end-user on said display device.

2. A computer-implemented method of tracking an asset, device, or person via a GPS-tracked tag registered on a compiled database, comprising:

receiving a unique identifier associated with said GPS-tracked tag;

receiving authenticating information about an end-user;

activating said GPS-tracked tag responsive to receipt of said unique identifier and said authenticating information;

associating said unique identifier or said GPS-tracked tag with said end-user;

storing said unique identifier iii a database responsive to activation of said GPS-tracked tag;

responsive to user input receiving an activating signal or a deactivating signal for respectively activating or deactivating said GPS-tracked tag;

responsive to said deactivating signal being received, deactivating said GPS-tracked tag;

responsive to said activating signal being received, receiving a data packet from said GPS-tracked tag;

extracting location information of said GPS-tracked tag from said data packet;

storing said extracted location information in said database and associating said extracted location information with said unique identifier in said database, said stored extracted location information and said stored unique identifier being viewable by said end-user on a display device; and

converting a relevant portion of said extracted location information in an appropriate language-based response in order to display a location of said GPS-tracked tag to said end-user on said display device.