Two way tracking system and method using an existing wireless network
First Claim
1. A system for tracking an object, person or animal, the object, person or animal being provided with a tracking wireless transceiver, comprising:
- receiver means for receiving an indication that the object, person or animal needs to be tracked;
wireless radio means for wirelessly communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver;
means for estimating coordinates of the object, person or animal based on a location of one or more sites communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver; and
at least one wireless device provided with the object, person or animal, for wirelessly communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver;
wherein the at least one wireless device includes;
a receiver for receiving messages from the tracking wireless transceiver; and
an interface connected to the receiver, for generating a message indicating that the object, person or animal is being tracked.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention concerns a method and a system for tracking an object, person or animal, the object, person or animal being provided with a tracking wireless transceiver. The system includes a receiver for receiving an indication that the object, person or animal needs to be tracked; a wireless radio link for wirelessly communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver; a device for estimating coordinates of the object, person or animal based on a location of one or more sites communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver; and at least one wireless device provided with the object, person or animal, for wirelessly communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver. The present invention can be useful for communicating with the object, person or animal to be tracked, and is a more flexible system over the prior art systems.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. A system for tracking an object, person or animal, the object, person or animal being provided with a tracking wireless transceiver, comprising:
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receiver means for receiving an indication that the object, person or animal needs to be tracked;
wireless radio means for wirelessly communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver;
means for estimating coordinates of the object, person or animal based on a location of one or more sites communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver; and
at least one wireless device provided with the object, person or animal, for wirelessly communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver;
wherein the at least one wireless device includes;
a receiver for receiving messages from the tracking wireless transceiver; and
an interface connected to the receiver, for generating a message indicating that the object, person or animal is being tracked. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
alerting means in the tracking wireless transceiver for automatically contacting a predetermined number if the receiver means receives the indication that the object, person or animal needs to be tracked.
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6. A system for tracking an object, person or animal, the object, person or animal being provided with a tracking wireless transceiver, comprising:
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receiver means for receiving an indication that the object, person or animal needs to be tracked;
wireless radio means for wirelessly communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver;
means for estimating coordinates of the object, person or animal based on a location of one or more sites communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver; and
at least one wireless device provided with the object, person or animal, for wirelessly communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver;
and further comprising;
a sensor connected to the tracking wireless transceiver, for detecting a change and sending a sensor signal to the tracking wireless transceiver; and
a token included in the at least one wireless device, for receiving a signal from the tracking wireless transceiver if the sensor has detected the change, and transmitting a modified response signal to the tracking wireless transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
alerting means in the tracking wireless transceiver for sending the indication that the object, person or animal needs to be tracked to the receiver means if the modified response signal does not match an expected response signal.
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9. The system for tracking an object, person or animal according to claim 7, further comprising:
an engine kill connected to the tracking wireless transceiver, for shutting down an engine of the vehicle in response to a stopping signal sent by the tracking wireless transceiver if the modified response signal from the token is not received by the tracking wireless transceiver.
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10. A system for tracking an object, person or animal, the object, person or animal being provided with a tracking wireless transceiver, comprising:
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receiver means for receiving an indication that the object, person or animal needs to be tracked;
wireless radio means for wirelessly communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver;
means for estimating coordinates of the object, person or animal based on a location of one or more sites communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver; and
at least one wireless device provided with the object, person or animal, for wirelessly communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver;
and further comprising;
local emitters included in the at the least one wireless device for wirelessly communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver; and
a central location wirelessly communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver for determining which of the local emitters is closer to the tracking wireless transceiver.
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11. A system for tracking an object, person or animal, the object, person or animal being provided with a tracking wireless transceiver, comprising:
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receiver means for receiving an indication that the object, person or animal needs to be tracked;
wireless radio means for wirelessly communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver;
means for estimating coordinates of the object, person or animal based on a location of one or more sites communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver; and
at least one wireless device provided with the object, person or animal, for wirelessly communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver;
and further comprising;
positioning means for determining a location of a search vehicle with respect to one or more sites;
radio means for monitoring RF signals emitted by the wireless transceiver and received at the search vehicle; and
radio location finder means for tracking the object, person or animal based on a direction for travel of the RF signals emitted by the wireless transceiver and received at the search vehicle.
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12. A system for tracking an object, person or animal, the object, person or animal being provided with a tracking wireless transceiver, comprising:
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receiver means for receiving an indication that the object, person or animal needs to be tracked;
wireless radio means for wirelessly communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver; and
means for estimating coordinates of the object, person or animal based on a location of one or more sites communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver, the improvement wherein;
the wireless transceiver is further wirelessly in communication with at least one wireless device on the object, person or animal; and
the wireless transceiver can be used to communicate with the at least one wireless device on the object, person or animal wherein the at least one wireless device includes;
a receiver for receiving messages from the tracking wireless transceiver; and
an interface connected to the receiver, for generating a message indicating that the object, person or animal is being tracked. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
alerting means in the tracking wireless transceiver for automatically contacting a predetermined number if the receiver means receives the indication that the object, person or animal needs to be tracked.
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17. A system for tracking an object, person or animal, the object, person or animal being provided with a tracking wireless transceiver, comprising:
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receiver means for receiving an indication that the object, person or animal needs to be tracked;
wireless radio means for wirelessly communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver; and
means for estimating coordinates of the object, person or animal based on a location of one or more sites communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver, the improvement wherein;
the wireless transceiver is further wirelessly in communication with at least one wireless device on the object, person or animal; and
the wireless transceiver can be used to communicate with the at least one wireless device on the object, person or animal;
and further comprising;
a sensor connected to the tracking wireless transceiver, for detecting a physical change and sending a sensor signal to the tracking wireless transceiver; and
a token included in the at least one wireless device for receiving a signal from the tracking wireless transceiver if the sensor has detected the physical change, and transmitting a modified response signal to the tracking wireless transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
an engine kill connected to the tracking wireless transceiver, for shutting down an engine of the vehicle in response to a stopping signal sent by the tracking wireless transceiver if the modified response signal from the token is not received by the tracking wireless transceiver.
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20. A system for tracking an object, person or animal, the object, person or animal being provided with a tracking wireless transceiver, comprising:
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receiver means for receiving an indication that the object, person or animal needs to be tracked;
wireless radio means for wirelessly communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver; and
means for estimating coordinates of the object, person or animal based on a location of one or more sites communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver, the improvement wherein;
the wireless transceiver is further wirelessly in communication with at least one wireless device on the object, person or animal; and
the wireless transceiver can be used to communicate with the at least one wireless device on the object, person or animal;
and further comprising;
local emitters included in the at least one wireless device for wirelessly communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver; and
a central location wirelessly communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver for determining which of the local emitters is closer to the tracking wireless transceiver.
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21. A system for tracking an object, person or animal, the object, person or animal being provided with a tracking wireless transceiver, comprising:
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receiver means for receiving an indication that the object, person or animal needs to be tracked;
wireless radio means for wirelessly communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver; and
wireless radio means for wirelessly communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver; and
means for estimating coordinates of the object, person or animal based on a location of one or more sites communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver, the improvement wherein the wireless transceiver is further wirelessly in communication with at least one wireless device on the object, person or animal;
and further comprising;
positioning means for determining a location of a search vehicle with respect to the one or more sites;
radio means for monitoring RF signals emitted by the wireless transceiver and received at the search vehicle; and
radio location finder means for tracking the object, person or animal based on a direction of travel of the RF signals emitted by the wireless transceiver and received at the search vehicle.
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22. A method for tracking an object, person or animal, the object, person or animal being provided with a tracking wireless transceiver, the method comprising the steps of:
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establishing a wireless communication with the wireless transceiver;
estimating coordinates of the object, person or animal based on a location of one or more sites communicating with the wireless transceiver;
receiving an indication that the object, person or animal needs to be tracked at the wireless transceiver; and
sending a wireless signal from the wireless transceiver to at least one wireless device on the object, person or animal. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
sensing a change through a sensor connected to the tracking wireless transceiver;
sending a sensor signal to the tracking wireless transceiver;
receiving a signal at a token included in the at least one wireless device from the tracking wireless transceiver if the sensor has detected the change; and
transmitting a modified response signal from the at least one wireless device to the tracking wireless transceiver.
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28. The method according to claim 22, wherein the step of receiving an indication further comprises the step of automatically contacting a predetermined number.
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29. The method according to claim 22, further comprising the steps of:
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detecting a movement of a vehicle through a motion sensor connected to the tracking wireless transceiver;
sending a movement signal to the tracking wireless transceiver;
receiving a signal at a token included in the at least one wireless device from the tracking wireless transceiver if the motion sensor has detected movement of the vehicle; and
transmitting a modified response signal from the at least one wireless device to the tracking wireless transceiver.
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30. The method according to claim 29, further comprising the step of shutting down an engine of the vehicle in response to a stopping signal sent by the tracking wireless transceiver if the modified response signal is not received by the tracking wireless transceiver.
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31. The method according to claim 22, further comprising the steps of:
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wirelessly communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver through local emitters included in the at the least one wireless device; and
determining which of the local emitters is closer to the tracking wireless transceiver.
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32. The method according to claim 22, further comprising the steps of:
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determining a location of a search vehicle with respect to the one or more sites;
monitoring the wireless communication from the search vehicle; and
tracking the object, person or animal based on the direction of travel of RF signals emitted by the wireless transceiver and received at the search vehicle.
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33. A method for tracking an object, person or animal, the object, person or animal being provided with a tracking wireless transceiver, the method comprising the steps of:
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establishing a wireless communication with the wireless transceiver;
estimating coordinates of the object, person or animal based on a location of one or more sites communicating with the wireless transceiver;
sending a wireless signal from the wireless transceiver to at least one wireless device on the object, person or animal; and
determining that the object, person or animal needs to be tracked based on a response of the at least one wireless device received at the wireless transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
sensing a physical change through a sensor connected to the tracking wireless transceiver;
sending a sensor signal to the tracking wireless transceiver;
receiving a signal at a token included in the at least one wireless device from the tracking wireless transceiver if the sensor has detected the physical change; and
transmitting a modified response signal from the at least one wireless device to the tracking wireless transceiver.
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39. The method according to claim 33, wherein the step of receiving an indication further comprises the step of automatically contacting a predetermined number.
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40. The method according to claim 33, further comprising the steps of:
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detecting a movement of a vehicle through a motion sensor connected to the tracking wireless transceiver;
sending a movement signal to the tracking wireless transceiver;
receiving a signal at a token included in the at least one wireless device from the tracking wireless transceiver if the motion sensor has detected movement of the vehicle; and
transmitting a modified response signal from the at least one wireless device to the tracking wireless transceiver.
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41. The method according to claim 40, further comprising the step of shutting down an engine of the vehicle in response to a stopping signal sent by the tracking wireless transceiver if the modified response signal is not received by the tracking wireless transceiver.
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42. The method according to claim 33, further comprising the steps of:
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wirelessly communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver through local emitters included in the at the least one wireless device; and
determining which of the local emitters is closer to the tracking wireless transceiver.
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43. The method according to claim 33, further comprising the steps of:
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determining a location of a search vehicle with respect to the one or more sites;
monitoring the wireless communication from the search vehicle; and
tracking the object, person or animal based on the direction of travel of RF signals emitted by the wireless transceiver and received at the search vehicle.
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44. A system for tracking an object, person or animal, the object, person or animal being provided with a tracking wireless transceiver, comprising:
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receiver means for receiving an indication that the object, person or animal needs to be tracked;
wireless radio means for wirelessly communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver;
means for estimating coordinates of the object, person or animal based on a location of one or more sites communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver; and
at least one wireless device provided with the object, person or animal, for wirelessly communicating with the tracking wireless transceiver;
and further comprising;
a sensor connected to the wireless tracking transceiver for detecting a change and sending a sensor signal to the tracking wireless transceiver; and
at least one automatic transmitter for receiving a signal from the tracking wireless transceiver if the sensor has detected the physical change, and for emitting a signal to the tracking wireless transmitter.
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Specification