Personal shoe tracking system

• US 6,819,258 B1
• Filed: 07/10/2001
• Issued: 11/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Eworldtrack, Inc.
• Inventors: Brown, William W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne, Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dalencourt, Yves
• Application Number:
  US09/902,394
• Time in Patent Office: 1,225 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.49, 340/825.36, 340/988, 340/989, 340/5.61, 340/5.64, 342/457, 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.07, 342/357.09, 342/357.12, 701/213, 455/457, 455/456.1
• US Class Current: 340/8.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0202 Child monitoring systems using a transmitter-receiver system carried by the parent and the child

Abstract

A system for tracking a person from a system subscriber who affixes a location unit to the person to be tracked is provided wherein the location unit calculates the location of the person at any given time. The system includes a web host connected to a wide area web network, such as the Internet, the web host includes a computer readable medium and is accessible by the subscriber from a remote computer terminal. A computer program resides on the web host for receiving a tracking request from the subscriber and transmitting a tracking call to the location unit carried by the person. The computer program includes instructions embodied in computer readable code for automatically transmitting the tracking call, receiving location data from the location unit in response to the tracking call, and transmitting the location data to the subscriber'"'"'s terminal where the current location of the person is displayed.

Claims

1. A computerized system for locating and tracking a person by a system subscriber who maintains a remote computer terminal, said system comprising:

a web host connected to a wide area web network, said web host having a computer readable medium;

a shoe location unit for being carried by a shoe worn by the person for calculating the location of the shoe and person at any given time and transmitting a low power digital location data packet containing location data; and

a computer program having instructions embodied in computer readable code residing on said web host for receiving a tracking request from the subscriber, transmitting a tracking call to said shoe location unit, receiving back said low power digital location data packet containing location data from said location unit representing the current position of the person automatically in response to said tracking request, and transmitting the location data regarding the current position of the shoe to said subscriber whereby the location of the person'"'"'s shoe is displayed at the subscriber'"'"'s terminal.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said computer program includes:

input instructions for receiving said tracking request signal from the remote user via the Internet, said tracking request having a shoe location unit identification;

processing instructions for receiving said tracking request and processing and routing said tracking request;

communication instructions initializing wireless communication with the location unit;

location instructions responsive to said processing instructions for generating said tracking call and outputting said call to the location unit and for receiving said location data from said shoe location unit, and

a display module for outputting said location data for display of the location unit'"'"'s position by the the remote user via the Internet.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said input instructions are contained in an input module, said communications instructions are contained in a communications module, said location instructions are contained in a location module, and said display instructions are contained in a display module;

and including a main processing module for calling said communication, location, and display modules to carry out their respective instructions.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein validation instructions are contained in a validation module called by said main module.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said computer readable instructions include:

formatting instructions for formatting said location data into a display map of the current location of the shoe location unit, and display instructions for outputting said map to the remote user via the Internet.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said display map includes a position indicator indicating the current location of the shoe location unit.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said tracking request includes a shoe unit identification number, and said computer readable instructions include validation instructions for comparing said unit identification number to an access code stored on said web host, and said instructions allowing said input instructions to generate said tracking call when said unit identification number corresponds to an authorized access code.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said shoe location unit comprises:

an enclosure;

a location chip carried within the enclosure for receiving raw geo-position information;

a processor for receiving said raw geo-position information and generating said low power digital location data packet having location data representing the current position of the location unit and shoe;

a transceiver for transmitting said low power digital location data packet to a remote station in response to a call signal being received from said remote station;

said processor controlling said transceiver to transmit said low power digital location data packet in response to automatically answering said call signal from said remote station; and

a power supply for supplying power to said location chip, said processor and said transceiver.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said location chip is a GPS chip for receiving geo-position information from a global positioning system.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein a computer readable medium is included within said processor and including:

a set of computer instructions embodied in said computer readable medium wherein said instructions perform the steps of;

detecting a tracking request;

requesting tracking information signals from said location chip;

generating location data from said tracking information signals; and

,

providing said location data for transmission to a remote location.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said instructions include means embodied in computer readable code for returning said processor to a standby mode after transmission of said location data to said remote location.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein said location data is embodied in a digital signal containing digital data only, and having no audio signal.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein said digital signal includes a digital record which includes access code data identifying a specific object to which the device is assigned, and location data.

14. The system of claim 1 where said shoe location unit is carried within one of a heel and sole of a person'"'"'s shoe in an integral and inconspicuous manner.

15. The system of claim 14 including a pressure sensitive switch for turning the location unit off and on in response to the absence or presence of the person'"'"'s foot being in the shoe, respectively.

16. The system of claim 14 including a rechargeable power source in said shoe location unit;

and a charging cradle receiving said shoe in electrical mating contact for charging the power source.

17. A system for locating a person by a system subscriber wherein the person'"'"'s shoe is provided with a shoe location unit which calculates the current location of the shoe and person at any given time, wherein said location unit includes a processor and transmitter to transmit a low power digital location data packet having location data, said system comprising:

a web host connected to a wide area web network, said web host having a computer readable medium;

said web host being accessible by the subscriber from a remote computer terminal;

a computer program residing on said web host for receiving a tracking request from the subscriber and transmitting a tracking call to the shoe location unit carried by the person'"'"'s shoe; and

said computer program including instructions embodied in computer readable code for automatically transmitting said tracking call, receiving the low power digital location data packet having location data from the location unit in response to said tracking call, and transmitting location data regarding the current position of the shoe and person to the subscriber'"'"'s terminal where the current location of the person'"'"'s shoe is displayed.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said web host is accessible concurrently by a plurality of subscribers for sending out concurrent tracking calls to a plurality of respective shoe location units carried by person sought to be located.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein said computer readable instructions include:

input instructions for receiving said tracking request signal from the remote user via the Internet, said tracking request having a location unit identification;

processing instructions for receiving said tracking request and processing and routing said tracking request;

communication instructions initializing wireless communication with the shoe location unit;

location instructions responsive to said processing instructions for generating said tracking call and outputting said call to the shoe location unit and for receiving said location data from said location unit, and

a display module for outputting said location data for display of the shoe location unit'"'"'s position by the the remote user via the Internet.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein said computer readable instructions include:

formatting instructions for formatting said location data into a display map of the current location of the location unit, and display instructions for outputting said map to the remote user via the Internet.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein said display map includes a position indicator indicating the current location of the shoe location unit.

22. The system of claim 17 wherein said tracking request includes a unit identification number, and said computer readable instructions include:

validation instructions for comparing said unit identification number to an access code stored on said web host, and said instructions allowing said input instructions to generate said tracking call when said unit identification number corresponds to an authorized access code.

23. The system of claim 17 wherein said shoe location unit includes a computer processor having a computer readable medium and including:

a set of computer instructions embodied in said computer readable medium wherein said instructions perform the steps of;

detecting a tracking request;

requesting tracking information signals from said location chip;

generating location data from said tracking information signals; and

,

providing said location data for transmission to a remote location.

24. The system of claim 17 wherein said location data is embodied in a digital signal containing digital data only, and having no audio signal.

25. The system of claim 17 wherein said shoe location unit includes a processor and transceiver;

and said processor including instruction embodied in computer readable code so that said shoe location unit automatically answers a tracking call, transmits said location data to said web host, hangs up, and returns to a standby mode.

26. A method for locating and tracking the position of a person'"'"'s shoe, said method comprising:

providing a web host connectable to a plurality of subscriber terminals concurrently;

providing at least one shoe location units for affixation to at least one shoe worn by a person to be tracked;

receiving a tracking request at said web host initiated at said subscriber'"'"'s terminal seeking the present location of a person'"'"'s shoe;

transmitting a tracking call to the shoe location unit whose location is desired in response to receiving said tracking request;

receiving a low power digital data packet having location data at said web host from the shoe location unit representing the current location of the person'"'"'s shoe in response to said tracking call; and

transmitting said location data to the computer terminal of the subscriber for display of the current location of the person'"'"'s shoe on the subscriber'"'"'s terminal display.

27. The method of claim 26 including concealing said location unit in a portion of a shoe to be worn by a person.

28. The method of claim 27 including concealing the location unit in a heel of the shoe in an integral and inconspicuous manner;

and providing a sensor which cuts the location unit off and on in response to detecting the absence or pressure of the person'"'"'s foot, respectively.

29. The method of claim 26 including providing a rechargeable battery for powering the location unit and a shoe charging cradle for receiving the shoe in electrical contact to recharge the battery.

30. The method of claim 26 including providing a computer program residing on said web host for receiving a tracking request from the subscriber and transmitting a tracking call to the shoe location unit carried by the person'"'"'s shoe;

and

said computer program includes the steps of automatically transmitting said tracking call, receiving said low power digital location data packet having location data from the shoe location unit in response to said tracking call, and transmitting the location data packet to the computer terminal of the subscriber where the current location of the person'"'"'s shoe is displayed.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein said computer program includes instructions which include the steps of:

receiving said tracking request signal from the remote user via the Internet, said tracking request having a shoe location unit identification;

receiving said tracking request and processing and routing said tracking request;

initializing wireless communication with the location unit;

processing instructions for generating said tracking call and outputting said call to the location unit and for receiving said location data from said shoe location unit, and

outputting said location data packet having location data for display of the location unit'"'"'s current position by the remote user via the Internet.

32. The method of claim 26 including providing concurrent access to said web host from a plurality of subscribers for sending out concurrent tracking calls to a plurality of respective shoe location units carried by a person'"'"'s shoe sought to be located.

33. A method for tracking persons wherein subscribers have computer terminals with a display comprising:

providing subscriptions to a web host accessible from a subscriber terminal;

assigning a shoe location unit to the person to be tracked by integrating the location unit with the person'"'"'s shoe;

receiving a tracking request initiated at said subscriber terminal at said web host whereby a tracking call is transmitted from said web host to the shoe location unit assigned to the subscriber and location data representing the location of the person'"'"'s shoe is transmitted to said web host from the shoe location unit; and

transmitting said location data to said subscriber terminal so that the current location of the shoe and person can be displayed on the subscriber'"'"'s terminal display.

34. The method of claim 33 including placing said location unit in the heel of a shoe in an integral inconspicuous manner.

35. The method of claim 34 including providing a rechargeable battery for said shoe location unit, and providing a shoe charging cradle for recharging the battery when the shoe is in the cradle.