Tracking device and associated system and method

• US 6,952,646 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2003
• Issued: 10/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chang Industry, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Chang Industry, Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, Yu-Wen
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Gary
• Application Number:
  US10/438,302
• Publication Number:
  US 20040230372A1
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: 701/207, 701214-216, 342/357.06, 342/357.07, 340/988, 340/989, 340/993, 340/426.1, 340/426.11, 340/426.13, 340/426.14, 340/426.15, 340/426.16, 340/426.17, 340/426.19, 455/456.6
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/302 using recording means, e.g. black box
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/305 using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/16 Anti-theft; Abduction
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

A system for tracking a vehicle is provided. Such a system comprises a tracking device including a location-determining apparatus configured to determine a location, a signaling device operably engaged with the location-determining apparatus and adapted to transmit a signal, including a location signal corresponding to the location, to a station remotely disposed with respect to the location-determining apparatus, and a securing apparatus operably engaged with the location determining apparatus and adapted to secure the location-determining apparatus to the vehicle while the vehicle is moving. A deployment vehicle is configured to transport the tracking device and deploy the tracking device onto the vehicle so as to thereby allow the securing apparatus to secure the tracking device to the vehicle such that the vehicle can be remotely tracked from the station in response to the location signal. An associated device and method are also provided.

Claims

1. A device adapted to track a vehicle, said device comprising:

a location-determining apparatus configured to be capable of determining a location;

a signaling device operably engaged with the location-determining apparatus and adapted to be capable of transmitting a signal, including a location signal corresponding to the location, to a station remotely disposed with respect to the location-determining apparatus;

a housing configured to house the location-determining apparatus and the signaling device, the housing being configured to be deployable onto the vehicle from a remote location, the remote location being discrete with respect to the vehicle, while the vehicle is moving; and

a securing apparatus operably engaged with the housing, the securing apparatus being configured to secure the housing, deployed from the remote location with respect to the vehicle, onto the moving vehicle so as to allow the vehicle to be remotely tracked from the station in response to the location signal.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the location-determining apparatus further comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) device.

3. A device according to claim 1 further comprising at least one of an audio device capable of capturing an audio signal and a video device capable of capturing a video signal, the at least one of the audio and the video devices being operably engaged with the securing apparatus.

4. A device according to claim 3 wherein the at least one of the audio and the video devices is operably engaged with the signaling device and the signaling device is configured to be capable of transmitting at least one of the audio and the video signals.

5. A device according to claim 1 wherein the signaling device is further configured to be capable of receiving a signal from the station.

6. A device according to claim 5 further comprising at least one of an audio device capable of broadcasting an audio signal and a video device capable of broadcasting a video signal, the at least one of the audio and the video devices being operably engaged with the securing apparatus and capable of broadcasting the respective audio and video signals in response to the signal received from the station.

7. A device according to claim 1 wherein the signaling device is configured to be capable of communicating with the station by way of at least one of a wireless and a wireline communication system.

8. A device according to claim 1 wherein the securing apparatus further comprises at least one of an adhesive substance and a magnetic device.

9. A system adapted to track a vehicle, said system comprising:

a tracking device, comprising;

a location-determining apparatus configured to be capable of determining a location;

a signaling device operably engaged with the location-determining apparatus and adapted to be capable of transmitting a signal, including a location signal corresponding to the location, to a station remotely disposed with respect to the location-determining apparatus;

a housing configured to house the location-determining apparatus and the signaling device, the housing being configured to be deployable onto the vehicle from a remote location, the remote location being discrete with respect to the vehicle, while the vehicle is moving; and

a securing apparatus operably engaged with the housing, the securing apparatus being configured to secure the housing, deployed from the remote location with respect to the vehicle, onto the moving vehicle; and

a deployment vehicle comprising the remote location and configured to be capable of transporting the tracking device and deploying the tracking device onto the moving vehicle so as to thereby allow the securing apparatus to secure the tracking device to the moving vehicle such that the vehicle can be remotely tracked from the station in response to the location signal.

10. A system according to claim 9 wherein the location-determining apparatus further comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) device.

11. A system according to claim 9 further comprising at least one of an audio device capable of capturing an audio signal and a video device capable of capturing a video signal, the at least one of the audio and the video devices being operably engaged with the securing apparatus.

12. A system according to claim 11 wherein the at least one of the audio and the video devices is operably engaged with the signaling device and the signaling device is configured to be capable of transmitting at least one of the audio and the video signals.

13. A system according to claim 9 wherein the signaling device is further configured to be capable of receiving a signal from the station.

14. A system according to claim 13 further comprising at least one of an audio device capable of broadcasting an audio signal and a video device capable of broadcasting a video signal, the at least one of the audio and the video devices being operably engaged with the securing apparatus and capable of broadcasting the respective audio and video signals in response to the signal received from the station.

15. A system according to claim 9 wherein the signaling device is configured to be capable of communicating with the station by way of at least one of a wireless and a wireline communication system.

16. A system according to claim 9 wherein the securing apparatus further comprises at least one of an adhesive substance and a magnetic device.

17. A system according to claim 9 wherein the deployment vehicle further comprises at least one of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a manned aerial vehicle, a ground vehicle, and a waterborne vehicle.

18. A method of tracking a vehicle with a tracking device comprising a location-determining apparatus configured to be capable of determining a location, a signaling device operably engaged with the location-determining apparatus and adapted to be capable of transmitting a signal, including a location signal corresponding to the location, to a station remotely disposed with respect to the location-determining apparatus, a housing configured to house the location-determining apparatus and the signaling device, and a securing apparatus operably engaged with the housing and configured to be capable of securing the housing, deployed from a remote and discrete disposition with respect to the vehicle, to the vehicle while the vehicle is moving, said method comprising:

deploying the tracking device from a deployment vehicle onto the moving vehicle, the deployment vehicle being remotely disposed and discrete with respect to the moving vehicles;

securing the tracking device, deployed from the remotely disposed and discrete deployment vehicle, to the moving vehicle with the securing apparatus;

receiving the location signal at the station; and

remotely tracking the moving vehicle from the station in response to the location signal.

19. A method according to claim 18 wherein the location-determining apparatus further comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) device capable of producing a GPS location signal and said receiving the location signal further comprises receiving the GPS location signal from the Global Positioning System (GPS) device via the signaling device.

20. A method according to claim 18 wherein the tracking device further comprises at least one of an audio device capable of capturing an audio signal and a video device capable of capturing a video signal, the at least one of the audio and video devices being operably engaged with the securing apparatus, and the method further comprises receiving at least one of the audio and the video signals at the station via the signaling device.

21. A method according to claim 18 wherein the signaling device is further configured to be capable of receiving a signal and the method further comprises transmitting a signal from the station to the tracking device via the signaling device.

22. A method according to claim 21 wherein the tracking device further comprises at least one of an audio device capable of broadcasting an audio signal and a video device capable of broadcasting a video signal, the at least one of the audio and the video devices being operably engaged with the securing apparatus, and the method further comprises broadcasting at least one of the audio and video signals in response to the signal received from the station.

23. A method according to claim 18 further comprising communicating between the tracking device and the station via the signaling device over at least one of a wireless and a wireline communication system.

24. A method according to claim 18 wherein said securing the tracking device to the vehicle further comprises securing the tracking device to the vehicle with at least one of an adhesive substance and a magnetic device.

25. A method according to claim 18 wherein said deploying the tracking device further comprises deploying the tracking device with at least one of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a manned aerial vehicle, a ground vehicle, and a waterborne vehicle.