Apparatus and method for determining location and tracking coordinates of a tracking device

• US 8,102,256 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2008
• Issued: 01/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LBT IP I LLC (Location Based Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Location Based Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Beydler, Michael L., Mejia, Desiree, Anderson, Roger B., Butler, David, Scalisi, Joseph F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phung
• Application Number:
  US11/969,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20090174603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,479 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.13, 340/539.21, 340/573.1, 340/574, 340/573.4, 340/686.1, 340/689, 340/690
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/165 combined with non-inertial navigation instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/19 Sporting applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/49 whereby the further system is an inertial position system, e.g. loosely-coupled
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

An apparatus to monitor location coordinates of an electronic tracking device. The apparatus includes a transceiver, a signal processor, an accelerometer, and an antenna. The antenna communicates signal strength to the signal processor associated with the electronic tracking device. In response to signal strength, a battery power monitor controls battery usage by electronic circuitry associated with the electronic tracking device. An accelerometer provides a supplemental location tracking system to improve tracking accuracy of a primary location tracking system of the electronic tracking device.

Claims

1. A location monitoring apparatus for an electronic tracking device to track by a monitoring station comprising:

an accelerometer to generate displacement vectors associated with the electronic tracking device; and

a signal processor to measure a signal level of a receive communication signal comprising location coordinates information;

wherein the accelerometer activates or deactivates based in part on a value of the signal level of the receive communication signal, wherein to generate displacement vectors comprises to generate differential voltage values representative of acceleration with respect to an initial location coordinates reference values, convert the differential voltage values of the electronic tracking device; and

communicate the acceleration values to the monitoring station.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the monitoring station converts the acceleration values to delta positional values and calculates current location coordinates information of the electronic tracking device in response to initial location coordinates reference values and delta positional values.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the monitoring station comprises a mobile phone electrically coupled to a wireless communication network to communicate information between the electronic tracking device and the mobile phone.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an additional accelerometer responsive to physical impacts of the electronic tracking device;

wherein a user is alerted of the physical impacts based in part on a magnitude value of the physical impacts.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a multitude of additional accelerometers to provide outputs responsive to physical impacts of the electronic tracking device in a variety of physical orientations;

wherein the monitoring station contacts an individual on a contact list in response to magnitude of the outputs above a threshold level; and

wherein the contact list and the threshold level in response to input from a system administrator or a user.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first signal level comprises a threshold value determined by a user or system administrator to deactivate location tracking circuitry and power amplifier circuitry and to activate the accelerometer to measure differential voltage values responsive to a measurement of displacement of the electronic tracking device from known reference coordinate values.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the known reference coordinate values comprise a last known location of the electronic tracking device.

8. A location monitoring apparatus for an electronic tracking device to track by a monitoring station comprising:

an accelerometer to generate displacement vectors associated with the electronic tracking device;

a signal processor to measure a signal level of a receive communication signal comprising location coordinates information, wherein the accelerometer activates or deactivates based in part of a value of the signal level of the receive communication signal;

a power amplifier to amplify a signal level of at least one of the receive communication signal and a transmit communication signal; and

battery monitor circuitry to measure available battery power and adjust power usage to the power amplifier responsive to available battery power and to a signal level of the receive communication signal.

9. A location monitoring apparatus for an electronic tracking device to track by a monitoring station comprising:

an accelerometer to generate displacement vectors associated with the electronic tracking device;

a signal processor to measure a signal level of a receive communication signal comprising location coordinates information, wherein the accelerometer activates or deactivates based in part of a value of the signal level of the receive communication signal;

power amplifier circuitry;

location tracking circuitry; and

battery management circuitry to adjust power level applied to the location tracking circuitry and the power amplifier circuitry responsive to the signal level.

10. A location monitoring apparatus for an electronic tracking device powered by a battery to track by a monitoring station comprising:

an accelerometer to generate displacement vectors associated with the electronic tracking device; and

a signal processor to measure a signal level of a receive communication signal comprising location coordinates information; and

a battery power monitor configured to activate and deactivate at least one portion of the electronic tracking device to conserve battery power in response to a signal level of the receive communication signal, wherein the accelerometer activates or deactivates based in part on the signal level of the receive communication signal.