Tracking system

• US 7,382,248 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2006
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gula Consulting Limited Liability Company (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Retriever Industries LLC
• Inventors: Black, Sr., John J., Dowdy, James T.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US11/358,155
• Publication Number:
  US 20060189326A1
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/568.1, 340/571, 340/539.11, 340/539.12, 340/539.13, 340/539.14, 340/539.15, 340/539.16, 340/573.1, 340/573.4, 340/10.1, 340/10.4
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/30 for supporting lawful interception, monitoring or retaining of communications or communication related information circuit switched telephony call monitoring H04M3/2281
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2281 Call monitoring, e.g. for law enforcement purposes; Call tracing; Detection or prevention of malicious calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/80 Arrangements enabling lawful interception [LI]

Abstract

A tracking system includes a call handler and a database containing information relating to items to be tracked. The database contains customer identification criteria that guide the call handler to determine whether to track a tracked item for a customer. Communication nodes communicate with the customer, send a signal to a tracking device, receive a signal from the tracking device, and involve a law enforcement official in the communicating with the customer when appropriate.

Claims

1. A tracking system, comprising:

a call handler;

a database containing information relating to items to be tracked, wherein the database contains customer identification criteria that guide the call handler to determine whether to track a tracked item for a customer;

a communication node for communicating with the customer;

a communication node for sending a signal to a tracking device;

a communication node for receiving a signal from the tracking device;

a communication node for involving a law enforcement official in the communicating with the customer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the database contains information that guides the call handler to determine whether to involve a law enforcement official.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the database contains information that guides the call handler to determine whether to involve a supervisor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the database contains information that guides the call handler to determine whether, when tracking is initiated, to share a determined location of the tracked item with the customer.