Object locator

• US 7,564,405 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2008
• Issued: 07/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pfizer Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pfizer Inc.
• Inventors: McAlexander, Joseph C., Fowler, Eugene F., Durst, Jennifer
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, DAO LINDA
• Application Number:
  US12/021,192
• Publication Number:
  US 20080136705A1
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.07, 342/357.09, 342/357.1, 701/213, 701/215
• US Class Current: 342/357.55
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 27/009 with electric-shock, sound, magnetic- or radio-waves emitting devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/16 Anti-theft; Abduction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/36 relating to the receiver frond end
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/008 using a mobile telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0247 System arrangements wherein the alarm criteria uses signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0261 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect trespassing over a fixed physical boundary, e.g. the end of a garden
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0269 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact location of child or item using a navigation satellite system, e.g. GPS

Abstract

There is disclosed an object locator system for obtaining information about the location of an individual, animal or moveable object, having a lightweight, attached object locator, that is present in a region served by a two-way paging system and a global positioning satellite system. The object locator may be selectively activated to conserve power or enabled to respond only when beyond a boundary.

Claims

1. A system for locating or tracking an animate object and operable in a system including a wireless communication network and a base station, comprising:

a mobile communication unit (MCU) configured for carrying by said animate object for locating or tracking said animate object, said MCU comprising;

satellite receiving means for receiving data transmissions from a satellite navigation system responsive to activation signals provided;

transmitting means for transmitting processed location data via said wireless communication network to said base station that is not within line-of-sight of said MCU, said transmitting means including a wireless transmitter operable to communicate via said wireless network; and

,

controlling means operatively coupled to said satellite receiving means and said transmitting means for providing said activation signals to control said satellite receiving means, providing object location positioning data from said data transmissions in a form suitable for processing at a location data generating means associated with said base station for generating said location data, and, for initiating transmission of said object location positioning data, by said transmitting means, to said location data generating means associated with said base station,

said location data generating means associated with said base station operable for receiving object location positioning data from signals communicated by said MCU via said wireless communication network, and generating location data associated with the animate object based, at least in part, on the object location positioning data received,

wherein said base station includes readout means for providing user access to said generated location data associated with the animate object.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said MCU further includes:

receiver means for receiving signals via said wireless network, said controlling means responsive to said wireless network received signals for providing said activation signals.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said controlling means is responsive to said wireless network signals for providing said activation signals at select intervals in time.

4. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said base station receives said generated location data and further performs translating said processed location data into human readable form said user accessing said determined location data associated with the animate object via said base station.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said location generating means associated with said base station includes a server device communicable with said MCU via said wireless network.

6. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said location data generating means associated with said base station further includes means for receiving data transmissions received from said satellite navigation system and processing said received data transmissions in conjunction with said received object location positioning data received from said MCU for generating said location data at said generating means associated with said base station.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said received data transmissions comprise Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) signals.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said location data includes location coordinates.

9. A method for providing information about a location of an animate object in a form suitable for user access at a base station, wherein a mobile control unit (MCU) carried by the animate object and coupled with a satellite navigation receiver and a transmitter in communication via a wireless communication network with the base station that is not within line-of-sight of said MCU is operable to provide location information from the satellite navigation receiver according to the steps of:

activating the satellite navigation receiver responsive to an activation signal generated in the mobile control device at a predetermined time to acquire object location positioning data from satellite data transmissions of a satellite navigation system;

processing the data transmissions received at the satellite navigation receiver to said control device for coupling object location positioning data to the transmitter; and

transmitting the processed object location positioning data from the transmitter to a means associated with said base station operable for receiving said object location positioning data via said wireless communication network and generating location data associated with the animate object based, at least in part, on the object location positioning data received, and,

providing, at said base station, user access to said generated location data associated with the animate object.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, at said MCU, signals via said wireless network, said controlling means responsive to said received signals for providing said activation signals.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, at said MCU, signals via said wireless network, said controlling means responsive to said received signals for providing said activation signals at select intervals in time.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

receiving, at said base station, said generated location data; and

translating said processed location data into human readable form said user accessing said determined location data associated with the animate object via said base station.

13. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said location generating means associated with said base station includes a server device communicable with said MCU via said wireless network.

14. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, at said generating means associated with said base station, said data transmissions from said satellite navigation system and processing said received data transmissions in conjunction with said received object location positioning data for generating said location data to be provided at base station.

15. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said location data includes location coordinates.