Intelligent remote location system

• US 6,519,530 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2001
• Issued: 02/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: On Track Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ewatchdogs, Inc.
• Inventors: Thacker, William E., Crockett, Patrick W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu; Yonel
• Application Number:
  US09/930,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20020042278A1
• Time in Patent Office: 545 Days
• Field of Search: 701/300 709/203,1 340/988,989,992 379/106.02
• US Class Current: 701/300
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A remote location system for communicating location information between a movable remote location device that generates such location information and a location service includes at least one remote location device having detecting means for determining a location of a remote location device, communication capability for communicating the location information to the service and from the service to a user of the service, and intelligent location agent means in the form of algorithms for selectively defining location information in terms of location event data to be communicated to the locator service. The intelligent location agent algorithms define location event data to include a remote locator device crossing a specified boundary as established by the location service; traveling a specified distance from a prior location; and exceeding a specified velocity.

Claims

1. A remote location system for communicating physical location information between a movable remote location device that generates such location information and a location service comprising at least one remote location device having detecting means for receiving signal information and for computing a physical location of said remote location device, communication means for communicating said location information to said service and from said service to a user of said service, and intelligent location agent means for selectively defining said location information in terms of physical location event data to be communicated to said locator service.

2. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein said communication means includes a communication protocol for communicating with a said remote location device.

3. The system as defined in claim 2 wherein said communication means includes a computer system for communicating with a said remote locator device by way of said protocol.

4. The system as defined in claim 2 wherein said communication means includes user communication modes for communication between a user and said service.

5. The system as defined in claim 4 wherein said modes include service-initiated communication from said service to a user.

6. The system as defined in claim 4 wherein said communication means includes protocols for controlling communication between said service and a user.

7. The system as defined in claim 6 wherein said communication means includes software for integrating communication between said service and a said remote locator device and between a user and said service.

8. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein said intelligent location agent means defines physical location event data to include a said remote locator device crossing a specified boundary as established by said location service.

9. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein said intelligent location agent means defines location-event data to include a said remote location device traveling a specified physical minimum distance from a prior location as established by said location service.

10. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein said intelligent location agent means defines location event data to include a said remote locator device exceeding a specified velocity as established by said location service.

26. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein said intelligent location agent means defines physical location event data to include a said remote locator device failing to cross a specified boundary as established by said location service.

27. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein said intelligent location agent means defines location event data to include a said remote location device failing to travel a specified physical minimum distance from a prior location as established by said location service.

11. A remote location system for communicating physical location information between a movable remote location device that generates such location information and a location service comprising a plurality of remote location devices each having detecting means for receiving signal information and for computing the physical location of a said remote location device, communication means for communicating said location information to said location service from each said remote location device and from said location service to a user of said location service, and program means for selectively defining said location information in terms of physical location event data to be communicated to said location service and under what circumstances said data is communicated from said service to a user of said service.

12. The system as defined in claim 11 wherein said communication means includes a communication protocol for communicating with each said remote location device.

13. The system as defined in claim 12 wherein said communication means includes a computer system for communicating with each said remote locator device by way of said protocol.

14. The system as defined in claim 12 wherein said communication means includes user communication modes for communication between a user and said location service.

15. The system as defined in claim 14 wherein said modes include service-initiated communications from said location service to a user.

16. The system as defined in claim 14 wherein said communication means includes software protocols for controlling communication between said location service and a user.

17. The system as defined in claim 14 wherein said communication means includes human operator protocolis for controlling communication between said location service and a user.

18. The system as defined in claim 11 wherein said program means defines physical location event data to include a said remote locator device crossing a specified boundary as established by said location service.

19. The system as defined in claim 11 wherein said program means defines location event data to include a said remote location device traveling a specified physical minimum distance from a prior location as established by said location service.

20. The system as defined in claim 11 wherein said program means defines location event data to include a said remote locator device exceeding a specified velocity as established by said location service.

28. The system as defined in claim 11 wherein said program means defines physical location event data to include a said remote locator device failing to cross a specified boundary as established by said location service.

29. The system as defined in claim 11 wherein said program means defines location event data to include a said remote location device failing to travel a specified physical minimum distance from a prior location as established by said location service.

21. A remote location system for communicating physical location information between a movable remote location device that generates such location information and a location service comprising at least one remote location device having detecting means for receiving signal information and for computing a physical location of a said remote location device identified by said system and memory for storing said location information, communication means for communicating said location information to said location service and from said service to a user of said location service, and intelligent location agent means for selectively defining said location information in terms of physical location event data to be communicated to said locator service.

22. The system as defined in claim 21 wherein said intelligent location agent means includes at least one location algorithm for selecting which said location data is to be stored in said memory of said remote locator device.

23. The system as defined in claim 22 wherein said at least one location algorithm is for minimum distance sampling whereby the current location is recorded only when the distance from the most recently recorded location to the current location is at least as much as some prescribed distance.

24. The system as defined in claim 22 wherein said at least one location algorithm is for fixed time interval sampling whereby the current location is recorded only when a prescribed amount of time has passed since the most recently recorded location.

25. The system as defined in claim 22 wherein said at least one location algorithm is for velocity-determined sampling whereby the rate that the locations are recorded depends on the velocity of a said remote location device.