Locating system and method

• US 7,308,274 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2005
• Issued: 12/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NorBelle LLC
• Original Assignee: NorBelle LLC
• Inventors: Mohi, Norman, Hume, James, Judge, Kevin, Scislowski, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): D AGOSTA, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US11/259,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20060035648A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-4563, 455/457, 455/414.2, 342/357.06, 342/357.08, 342/357.09, 340/426.19, 340/426.2, 340/426.22, 340/426.23, 340/573.1
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/16 Anti-theft; Abduction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/51 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0009 Transmission of position information to remote stations involving assistance data G01S5/0236
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A mobile controller unit has a radio positioning system and a two-way communication system and a rover unit also has a radio positioning system and a two-way radio communication system. The controller unit can query the rover unit to send its location data so that the rover unit can be located and if desired, found, such as in the case of a lost child or items. Relative spatial position can be displayed along with an arrow showing where the rover is, also how fast it is moving and other data.

Claims

1. A system for locating and tracking at least one rover unit from a mobile controller unit comprising;

a mobile controller unit comprising;

a radio position receiver/processor module for receiving and processing radio position information from a radio positioning source and being equipped with a compass obtain heading information of the mobile controller unit;

a display;

a rover unit comprising;

a radio position receiver/processor module for receiving and processing radio position information from a radio positioning source; and

a specially programmed computer that is enabled to obtain and use radio positioning information for the rover unit and the mobile controller unit from their respective radio position receiver/processors and heading information for the mobile controller unit and by using said radio positioning information of the mobile controller and the rover and the heading information of the mobile controller unit obtained by the compass to calculate the relative spatial position quantities of the mobile controller unit and the rover unit and the bearing of the rover from the mobile controller unit relative to the mobile controller unit'"'"'s heading and position and to allow upon selection by a user display on the display of the mobile controller unit a bearing line from the mobile controller unit to the rover unit relative to the mobile controller unit'"'"'s heading and position

whereby the heading of the mobile controller unit is obtained by the compass and the heading so provided is used to calculate and to allow display on the display of the mobile controller unit of the bearing line to the rover unit relative to the heading and position of the mobile controller unit.

2. The system of claim 1 in which the radio positioning source is the GPS.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the rover unit and the mobile controller unit use the most common suite of GPS satellites available.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the mobile controller unit is additionally enabled to obtain its heading information from GPS satellites as an alternative to obtaining its heading information from the compass under conditions in which compass heading information is unavailable.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the radio positioning information of the mobile controller unit and of the rover is obtained from a satellite positioning system.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile controller unit and the rover obtain radio positioning information from a common set of radio positioning sources.

7. The system of claim 1 further wherein the distance from the mobile controller unit to the rover unit is calculated and the distance is enabled to be displayed on the mobile controller unit.

8. The system of claim 1 further wherein in the specially programmed computer the speed of movement of the rover unit is calculated and is enabled to be displayed on the mobile controller unit.

9. The system of claim 1 further wherein in the specially programmed computer the height of the rover unit relative to the mobile controller unit is calculated and is enabled to be displayed on the mobile controller unit.

10. The system of claim 1 further wherein an audible announcement of the rover unit'"'"'s bearing direction and distance from the mobile controller unit is provided.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the radio position information is GPS pseudorange information.