Method and system of remote position reporting device

• US 6,421,608 B1
• Filed: 07/12/2000
• Issued: 07/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Fong, Avery, Motoyama, Tetsuro
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THU V
• Application Number:
  US09/575,702
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 701/23-26, 701/117-123, 701/200-201, 701/207-215, 701/300-301, 342/350, 342/352, 342/357-1-3, 342/357-2-3, 342/357-5-3, 342/358, 342/450-451, 342/457-458, 342/463-465, 709/310, 709/315-319, 709/328-330, 340/988-996
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/16 Anti-theft; Abduction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile

Abstract

A remote position monitoring system, method, and computer-program product using a global position satellite receiver and information from at least two global position satellites to determine a position of a mobile object with the global position satellite receiver and report via Internet the position of the mobile object to a recipient in search of the mobile object. A remote position reporting device of the monitoring system can be part of or attached to any mobile object such as a child, a skier, a car, and expensive items. The remote position reporting device includes a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, monitoring software and an Internet access module. The monitoring software (e.g., a dynamic link library) supports multiple data formats and multiple protocols to communicated the position information. The GPS receiver provides the monitoring software with position information at prescribed times, and the monitoring software records the position information. The monitoring software communicates the position information at prescribed times to a desired party through the Internet access module.

Claims

1. A position reporting device for attachment to a mobile object, the position reporting device comprising:

a memory device for storing a pre-programmed, static address of a recipient;

a receiver configured to receive location signals from at least two known locations;

a position calculator configured to determine a position of the receiver from the received location signals; and

a transmitter configured to transmit, across a Wide Area network, position information to the recipient specified by the pre-programmed, static address in the memory of the position reporting device.

2. The position reporting device of claim 1, wherein:

the receiver and position calculator comprise a global positioning satellite receiver configured to obtain signals from global positioning satellites and to determine the position;

the position reporting device further comprises a monitoring system configured to monitor and maintain the position from the global positioning satellite receiver; and

the transmitter comprises an Internet access module configured to communicate the position information.

3. The position reporting device of claim 2, wherein the global positioning satellite receiver is at least one of a hand-held global positioning satellite receiver, an automotive global positioning satellite receiver, and a fixed-mount global positioning satellite receiver.

4. The position reporting device of claim 2, wherein the monitoring system comprises software configured to interface with the global positioning satellite receiver to record the position.

5. The position reporting device of claim 4, wherein the software comprises at least one of a dynamic link library, a static-linked library, a script, a JAVA class, a C++ class, and a C library routine.

6. The position reporting device of claim 2, wherein the monitoring system comprises a control interface for specifying a format and a protocol for transmitting the position information.

7. The position reporting device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter comprises a wireless transmitter.

8. The position reporting device of claim 7, wherein the wireless transmitter comprises a radio transmitter.

9. The position reporting device of claim 8, wherein the protocol comprises at least one of a store-and-forward protocol and a direct connection protocol.

10. The position reporting device of claim 8, wherein the protocol comprises at least one of a file transfer protocol and a simple mail transfer protocol.

11. The position reporting device of claim 1, wherein the mobile object comprises at least one of an individual and a vehicle.

12. The position reporting device of claim 11, wherein the vehicle comprises at least one of a bike, a car, a pair of skis, a snow board, a boat, a hang glider, a bus and a train.

13. The position reporting device of claim 11, wherein the individual comprises at least one of a hiker, a biker, an automobile passenger, a skier, a snow boarder, a boater, a hang glider, a child, and a person entering a hazardous area in which rescue time would be shortened by knowing the position of the person.

14. The position reporting device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit an identification number identifying the mobile object.

15. A monitoring system comprising:

a monitor for receiving position information via a wide area network; and

a position reporting device for attachment to a mobile object, the position reporting device including;

a memory device for storing a pre-programmed, static address of a recipient;

a receiver configured to receive location signals from at least two known locations;

a position calculator configured to determine a position of the receiver from the received location signals;

a selection interface for specifying at least one of a pre-programmed, static address stored in the memory of the position reporting device and a name of the monitor; and

a transmitter configured to transmit, across the Wide Area network, position information to the monitor specified by the selection interface.

16. A method for reporting a position of a position reporting device attached to a mobile object, the method comprising the steps of:

pre-programming a static address of a recipient in a memory of the position reporting device;

receiving, via a receiver, location signals from at least two known locations;

determining a position of the receiver from the received location signals; and

transmitting, across a Wide Area network, position information to the recipient specified by the static address pre-programmed in the memory of the position reporting device.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the receiving and determining steps are performed inside a global positioning satellite receiver, and the transmitting step comprises transmitting across the Internet.

18. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the step of transmitting comprises transmitting using a wireless transmitter.

19. The method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising the step of specifying a format and a protocol for transmitting the position information.

20. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the step of transmitting comprises transmitting using at least one of a store-and-forward protocol and a direct connection protocol.

21. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the step of transmitting comprises transmitting an identification number identifying the mobile object.

22. A computer program product, comprising:

A computer storage medium and a computer program code mechanism embedded in the computer storage medium for causing a position reporting device to track position information, the computer program code mechanism comprising;

a first computer code device configured to pre-program a static address of a recipient in a memory;

a second computer code device configured to receive location signals from at least two known locations;

a third computer code device configured to determine a position of the position reporting device from the received location signals; and

a fourth computer code device configured to transmit, across a Wide Area network, position information to the recipient specified by the pre-programmed static address in the memory of the position reporting device.

23. The computer program product as claimed in claim 22, wherein the second computer code device receives at least three location signals from at least three known locations and the third computer code device determines a position of the position reporting device from the at least three received location signals.