Body worn active and passive tracking device

• US 6,014,080 A
• Filed: 10/28/1998
• Issued: 01/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3M Taiwan Limited (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: Pro Tech Monitoring Incorporated (Allied Universal Manager LLC)
• Inventors: Layson, Hoyt M. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/181,244
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/573.3, 340/573.4, 340/539, 340/825.36, 340/825.46, 340/825.49, 340/357.02, 340/357.07, 340/357.08, 340/357.09, 342/357, 701/211, 701/212, 701/213
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0211 Combination with medical sensor, e.g. for measuring heart rate, temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/023 Power management, e.g. system sleep and wake up provisions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/028 Communication between parent and child units via remote transmission means, e.g. satellite network
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0286 Tampering or removal detection of the child unit from child or article
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0288 Attachment of child unit to child/article
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons

Abstract

Tamper resistant body-worn tracking device to be worn by offenders or potential victims for use in a wireless communication system receiving signals from a global positioning system (GPS). The tracking device directly communicates spacial coordinates to multiple remote sites. The tracking device is an enclosed case worn on a limb of a person. The case contains a battery, a signaling device, and a circuit board containing a field programmable gate array, a wireless data modem, a conventional GPS receiver, and a matched filtering GPS receiver.

Claims

1. A tamper resistant body-worn tracking device worn on a limb of an offender for use in a wireless communication system receiving signals from a GPS and directly communicating spacial coordinates to multiple remote sites, the body-worn tracking device comprising

(a) a sealed enclosed case containing means for implementing tamper detection;

(b) a main battery enclosed by the case;

(c) a signaling device enclosed by the case;

(d) a means to replace the main battery;

(e) a circuit board enclosed by the case having attached on the circuit board, a wireless data modem, a GPS receiver having a means to acquire updates to a GPS almanac, a matched filtering GPS receiver, an RF front end connected to the GPS receiver and matched filtering GPS receiver and a field programmable gate array; and

(f) the body-worn tracking device in contact with a central station computer containing an algorithm for comparing a current location of the body-worn tracking device to a schedule of rules and location restraints to determine if a static violation has occurred.

2. A body-worn tracking device according to claim 1 containing a battery monitoring circuit.

3. A body-worn tracking device according to claim 1 wherein the means for implementing tamper detection are battery cover screws that actuate an alarm to a central data base if removed from contact with the case.

4. A body-worn tracking device according to claim 1 wherein the means for implementing tamper detection is a strap attached to the case and worn around an ankle of the offender which if severed actuates an alarm to a central data base.

5. A body-worn tracking device according to claim 1 wherein the signaling device is a low profile vibrator.

6. A body-worn tracking device according to claim 1 wherein the field programmable gate array includes a processor and memory containing a schedule of rules and location constraints.

7. A body worn tracking device according to claim 1 wherein the wireless data modem communicates directly to remote associated devices selected from the group consisting of victim devices, central data base, supervisory agency and law enforcement.

8. The body-worn device according to claim 1 wherein the sealed enclosed case contains a backup battery to provide power to the circuit board if the main battery is discharged or during replacement.

9. The body-worn device according to claim 1 wherein the sealed enclosed case contains a wireless data modem to actively transmit the location of the body-worn device at current health and status frequent intervals.

10. The body-worn device according to claim 1 wherein the sealed enclosed case contains a wireless data modem to passively transmit the accumulated location movement history of the body-worn device at predetermined intervals.

11. A system for determining the spacial coordinates of an offender comprising attaching a tamper resistant body-worn tracking device to a limb of the offender, and sending signals directly from the body-worn tracking device to remote associated notification devices, the body-worn tracking device providing a sealed case containing:

(a) a main battery;

(b) a signaling device;

(c) a circuit board having attached to the board

(1) a wireless data modem,

(2) a GPS receiver having a means to acquire updates to a GPS almanac,

(3) a matched filtering GPS receiver with an RF front end connected to the GPS receiver and matched filtering GPS receiver, and

(4) a field programmable gate array;

the system including a central station computer in direct communication with the body-worn device, the computer containing an algorithm for comparing a current location of the body-worn tracking device to a schedule of rules and location restraints to determine if a violation has occurred.

12. The system according to claim 11 including direct communication to a victim'"'"'s body-worn device to determine if a dynamic rule violation has occurred.

13. The system according to claim 11 wherein a low profile vibrator is provided as the signaling device.

14. The system according to claim 11 wherein the circuit board has additionally attached a battery monitoring circuit.

15. The system according to claim 11 wherein the sealed case contains a field programmable gate array comprising multiple integrated circuits for power saving.

16. The system according to claim 11 wherein the sealed case contains a passive tracking mode for reduced wireless communications and power savings.