Personnel tracking system

• US 7,512,406 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2007
• Issued: 03/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bertrand Dorfman
• Original Assignee: Bertrand Dorfman
• Inventors: Dorfman, Bertrand
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Thanh C
• Application Number:
  US11/944,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20080125159A1
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/878 Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector G01S13/874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0081 Transmission between base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

The system for tracking and communicating with individuals as they move through a complex structure involves wireless communication over a first channel, called herein a front channel, between transceivers carried by the individuals being tracked and repeaters. This provides distance information signals between repeaters and transceivers within range of each other. In a second or back channel, this distance information is transmitted between repeaters until it reaches a command station. At the command station, the distance information is employed to calculate the real-time position of the individual carrying each transceiver and to plot that position on a map for display at the command station. A similar front channel and back channel approach is used to provide audio information from mobile voice communication devices carried by the individuals being tracked. Audio repeaters on a front channel communicate with these voice communication devices and on a back channel send the audio information through various audio repeaters to the other voice communication devices in the system.

Claims

1. A personnel tracking system for real time tracking of personnel as they move through a complex structure network comprising:

a plurality of electronic tracking repeaters located at predetermined positions throughout the structural network,

a portable tracking transceiver carried by each individual being tracked, and

a command station,

a front tracking communication channel for communication between each of said transceivers and each of said repeaters in range of a transceiver to provide a first distance information signal indicating the distance between a transceiver and each repeater in communicating range,

a back tracking communication channel for communication between said repeaters to provide a second distance information signal transmitted between repeaters within range and to said command station from repeaters within range of said command station,

said front channel and said back channel operating on different carrier frequencies,

means at said command station to calculate the real time position of the individual carrying said transceiver based on the distance information provided by said distance information signals on said back channel, and means to display said individual position on a map of the structure within which the individual is moving,

said first channel communication and said back channel communication being wireless.

2. The personnel tracking system of claim 1 wherein:

said communication between transceivers and repeaters and said communication between repeaters is by digital modulated signals.

3. The personnel tracking system of claim 1 wherein:

said command station includes means to communicate with said repeaters to provide power management and status information.

4. The personnel tracking system of claim 2 wherein:

said command station includes means to communicate with said repeaters to provide power management and status information.

5. The personal tracking system of claim 1 wherein:

said distance information signal includes an identifying header to enable termination of retransmission of a distance information signal received a second time.

6. The personal tracking system of claim 4 wherein:

said distance information signal includes an identifying header to enable termination of retransmission of a distance information signal received a second time.

7. A system having personnel tracking and voice communication capabilities comprising:

The tracking system of claim 1, and an audio communication system comprising;

a plurality of audio repeaters located at predetermined positions throughout the structural network,

a front audio communication channel for communication between individually carried mobile voice communication devices and said audio repeaters within range to provide an audio modulated first information signal,

a back audio communication channel for communication between said audio repeaters to provide an audio modulated second information signal which is communicated between repeaters within range,

said audio repeaters providing a front channel audio modulated information signal which is communicated to whatever mobile voice communication devices are in range,

said front audio channel and said back audio channel operating on different carrier frequencies.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said communication on said front audio channel is with an analog modulated signal and said communication on said back audio channel is with a digital modulated signal.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein:

said command station includes means to communicate with said audio repeaters to provide power management and status information.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein:

said command station includes means to communicate with said audio repeaters to provide power management and status information.

11. The method of real time tracking of the position of an individual moving through a complex structural network comprising the steps of:

positioning a plurality of electronic tracking repeaters at predetermined locations throughout said structural network,

carrying a portable tracking transceiver on the individual being tracked,

communicating between said portable transceiver and at least two of said repeaters to provide an information signal on the distance between said portable transceiver and each of said repeaters with which said portable transceiver is in communication,

transmitting said distance information from each of said repeaters to repeaters in range to provide a distance information signal at a command station,

calculating the real time position for the individual carrying the transceiver based on the distance information that is provided by said repeaters to said command station, and

displaying the position of the individual on a map of the structural network within which the individual carrying the transceiver is moving.

12. The tracking method of claim 11 wherein said step of transmitting said distance information includes the step of receiving and retransmitting said distance information to each of said tracking repeaters within range to assure receipt of said information for said step of calculating.

13. The tracking method of claim 11 further comprising the step of:

communicating with said tracking repeaters to determine repeater status and provide power management.

14. The tracking method of claim 12 further comprising the step of:

communicating with said tracking repeaters to determine repeater status and provide power management.

15. The personnel tracking and voice communication method comprising the steps of:

performing the tracking method of claim 11,

positioning a plurality of electronic audio repeaters at predetermined locations throughout said structural network,

receiving on a front channel of said audio repeaters audio information from whatever mobile voice communication devices are in range,

transmitting on a back channel of said repeaters said audio information to whatever repeaters are in range,

transmitting on a front channel of said repeaters said audio information to whatever mobile voice communication devices are in range.

16. A personnel tracking system for real time tracking of personnel carrying a portable tracking transceiver as they move through a complex structure network comprising:

a plurality of electronic tracking repeaters located at predetermined positions throughout the structural network,

a command station,

a front tracking communication channel for communication between a transceiver and each of said repeaters in range of a transceiver to provide a first distance information signal indicating the distance between a transceiver and each repeater in communicating range,

a back tracking communication channel for communication between said repeaters to provide a second distance information signal transmitted between repeaters within range and to said command station from repeaters within range of said command station,

said front channel and said back channel operating on different carrier frequencies,

means at said command station to calculate the real time position of the individual carrying a transceiver based on the distance information provided by said distance information signals on said back channel, and means to display said individual position on a map of the structure within which the individual is moving,

said first channel communication and said back channel communication being wireless.