Tracking Device Programs, Systems and Methods

• US 20180190103A1
• Filed: 12/25/2017
• Published: 07/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PB, Inc.
• Original Assignee: PB, Inc.
• Granted Patent: US 10,424,189 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/91 Remote control based on location and proximity

Abstract

In a tracking device 10, a crescent-shaped PCB 12 partially encircles a battery 15 to minimize thickness of the device 10. A speaker 23 and an LED 24 emit alerts upon command of a control apparatus 37 or in response to motion or temperature sensed by sensor 25. A local network 40 has one hub 41 to tracking devices 33 and a wider area network 45 has multiple hubs for more detailed tracking of devices 33. A wide area network 50 tracks devices anywhere and stores data of each tracking device including its last known position and its sensor data.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the operation of a control apparatus having a transceiver enabled to receive a beacon signal, the method comprising:

providing a tracking device having a processor, supporting logic and power circuitry, processor-executable instructions and a bluetoothed radio for transmitting a beacon signal;

associating the tracking device with a control apparatus and selecting at least one triggerable alert on an interactive menu of the control apparatus such that the triggerable alert is programmed to be triggered when one or more criteria are met;

monitoring, by the control apparatus, transmissions of said beacon signal from the tracking device, wherein said signal is associated by the control apparatus with a range therefrom or a location respective thereto;

determining, by the control apparatus, a first condition based the range of the tracking device from the control apparatus, the location respective thereto, or the motion respective thereto;

monitoring, by the control apparatus, a change in said first condition and determining whether said change meets the one or more criteria for triggering the alert; and

,

triggering, by the control apparatus, the control apparatus to trigger the alert when the one or more criteria are met.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing said tracking device with a sensor or sensors and processor-executable instructions for transmitting a sensor output from said sensor or sensors in the beacon signal to the control apparatus.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said sensor output is not processed by the tracking device to determine a location, a range, or a motion of the tracking device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said sensor or sensors include any one or a combination of sensors selected from accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, photocell, battery charge, temperature, acoustic, pressure, or motion sensor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said first condition is a relative signal strength of the beacon signal, a first criterion is a loss of beacon signal, and further comprising triggering a perceptible lost alert on the control device, a display of a map showing a last location of a tracking device, or a request to a cloud service to locate the tracking device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said first condition is a relative signal strength of the beacon signal, a first criterion is a loss of a beacon signal, a second criterion is return of the beacon signal, and further comprising triggering a notification on the control apparatus or a perceptible audible or visual alert from the tracking device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a first condition is a location of the control apparatus, a first criterion is a change in location of the control apparatus, and a second criterion is subsequent loss of the beacon signal, further comprising triggering a left behind alert, a display of a map showing a last location of the tracking device, or a request to a cloud service to locate the tracking device.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein said sensor output from the tracking device comprises a motion sensor output, a first criterion is a sensor output indicative of a motion of the tracking device, and a second criterion is subsequent loss of the beacon signal, further comprising triggering a perceptible lost alert on the control device, a display of a map showing a last location of the tracking device, or a request to a cloud service to locate the tracking device.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein said sensor output from the tracking device comprises a motion sensor output, wherein a first criterion is a sensor output indicative of a motion of the tracking device, a second criterion is a time of day, further comprising triggering a notification on a control apparatus if the criteria are not within predetermined expectations.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein said sensor output from the tracking device comprises a motion sensor output, wherein a first criterion is a sensor output indicative of a motion of the tracking device, a second criterion is a location of the tracking device, further comprising triggering a notification on a control apparatus if the criteria are not within predetermined expectations.

11. The method of claim 4, which comprises monitoring, by the control apparatus, a sensor output by a tracking device, wherein said sensor output is indicative of acceleration or motion of the tracking device;

wherein a first criterion is a state of movement of the tracking device;

a second criterion is a location or a change in location of the control apparatus associated with the tracking device; and

,

comparing, by the control apparatus, the relative movement and location of the tracking device and the control apparatus;

then triggering a lost alert if the criteria are inconsistent in velocity or direction.

12. The method of claim 1, comprising monitoring, by the control apparatus, a distance between the tracking device and the control apparatus, and triggering, by the control apparatus, a perceptible audible or visual alert on the control apparatus when the distance exceeds a predetermined threshold.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said tracking device is affixable to a thing or person of interest.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the control apparatus is selected from one of a smartphone, a desktop computer, a tablet, laptop or notebook computer, or a personal digital assistant.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein one or more tracking devices are shared by a plurality of control devices.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein a single control device is associated with a plurality of tracking devices.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a radio hub configured to link said tracking device into a local network.

18. The method of claim 4, wherein a condition includes a sensor output from said one or a combination of sensors.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein a condition, by the control apparatus, includes day of the week or time of the day.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein a condition includes a location of the control apparatus or the tracking device.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein a condition includes a status of charge for a battery powering the tracking device.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying, by the control apparatus, a map indicating a location of the tracking device or an icon on a map showing a pathway taken by a tracking device.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising listing, by the control apparatus, an identifier of a tracking device when a change in said first condition, as monitored by the control device, meets one or more criteria for triggering a listing, wherein said identifier is listed on a shared cloud-based listing service for lost tracking devices.

24. The method of claim 1 further comprising designating, by the control apparatus, the transmission from the tracking device as private and only available to the associated control apparatus.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising making and releasing, by the control apparatus, an association with the tracking device with permission of an owner thereof.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the processor-executable instructions are configured in a first configuration to control, by the tracking device, a function or functions of the control apparatus, and are configured in a second configuration to control, by the control apparatus, a function or functions of the tracking apparatus, and further comprising entering a permission by an owner to operate in one or both configurations when the tracking device is within radio range of the control apparatus.