Large area position/proximity correction device with alarms using (D)GPS technology

• US 8,149,110 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2011
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Research Institute, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Research Institute, Inc.
• Inventors: Troxler, Robert Ernest
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US13/073,929
• Publication Number:
  US 20110193717A1
• Time in Patent Office: 372 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 340/539.26, 340/573.1, 340/573.3, 340/573.4, 340/686.1, 340/988, 340/989, 342/357.06, 342/357.07, 342/357.41, 342/463, 701/1, 701/3
• US Class Current: 340/539.11
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/023 Anti-evasion devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0211 Combination with medical sensor, e.g. for measuring heart rate, temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/023 Power management, e.g. system sleep and wake up provisions
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0277 Communication between units on a local network, e.g. Bluetooth, piconet, zigbee, Wireless Personal Area Networks [WPAN]

Abstract

A movable boundary detection apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a receiver operable to receive a positioning signal including actual position coordinates of a movable device in a first space and a memory module including a memory to store predefined position coordinates for defining boundaries of a second space being located within the first space. A processor module is communicatively coupled to the receiver and the memory module and operable to compare the actual position coordinates to the predefined position coordinates. An indicator is communicatively coupled to the processor module and operable to indicate when the actual position coordinates are outside the predefined position coordinates for indicating that the device is outside the second space.

Claims

1. A movable boundary detection device comprising:

a receiver configured to determine a position of the device; and

a processor module configured to;

determine that the position is a predetermined distance from a predefined boundary;

detect a power saving condition; and

implement a power saving strategy including one of the receiver, communications, and the processor module in response to detecting the power reduction condition.

2. The movable boundary detection device of claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured to one of:

receive a position notification from another device; and

send a position notification to another device and

determine the position and issue a notification.

3. The movable boundary detection device of claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured to receive satellite positioning data;

and

wherein the processor module is configured to conserve power of one of the receiver, communications, and the processor module based on a quality of the positioning data.

4. The movable boundary detection device of claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured to receive satellite positioning data;

and

wherein the processor module is configured to activate one of the receiver, communications, and the processor module based on a quality of the positioning data.

5. The movable boundary detection device of claim 1, wherein the processor module is configured to:

determine whether the position of the device has not changed or at a predetermined rate of movement; and

reduce power to one of the receiver, communications, and the processor module in response to determining that the position of the device has not changed or at a predetermined rate of movement.

6. The movable boundary detection device of claim 1, wherein the processor module is configured to:

determine whether the position of the device has changed; and

activate one of the receiver, communications, and the processor module in response to determining that the position of the device has changed or at a predetermined rate of movement.

7. The movable boundary detection device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to activate systems on one of detection of positional change, acceleration, and rates of change of position.

8. A movable boundary detection system comprising:

a receiver configured to determine a position of the device;

a memory module configured to store;

coordinates that define a plurality of different zones; and

a definition in association with each zone for an action to be implemented when the position of the device is one of near or within the zone;

a processor module configured to;

determine whether the position is one of near, approaching, and within one of the zones; and

implement the action associated with a zone in response to determining that the position is one of near, approaching, or within the zone.

9. The movable boundary detection system of claim 8, wherein the coordinates that define the different zones are stored in one of a remote server and the memory module, and wherein the receiver is configured to receive an alert or notification based on the coordinates of the zones from the remote server.

10. The movable boundary detection system of claim 8, wherein the zones are one of remotely updated and interactively updated from a local mobile device.

11. The movable boundary detection system of claim 8, wherein the action includes wirelessly communicating to a remote computing device information stored in the memory module when the position of the device is one of near, approaching, and within one of the zones, and

wherein the processor module is configured to wirelessly communicate the information to the remote computing device in response to determining that device is one of near, approaching, and within the one of the zones.

12. The movable boundary detection system of claim 8, wherein the identity, information, defined action, and coordinates are one of keyed and encoded actions.

13. The movable boundary detection system of claim 8, wherein the action includes indicating to a user that the device is one of near, approaching, and within a zone;

and

wherein the processor module is configured to;

determine whether the position is one of near, approaching, or within the zone; and

indicate to the user that the device is one of near or within at least one of the zones in response to determining that the position is one of near, approaching, and within the zone.

14. The movable boundary detection system of claim 8, wherein the action includes indicating to a user that the device is one of near, approaching, and within one of an unsafe zone, a secure zone, and an unsecure zone;

and

wherein the processor module is configured to;

determine whether the position is one of near, approaching, or within one of the unsafe zone, secure zone, and unsecure zone; and

indicate to the user that the device is one of near or within at least one of the unsafe zone, secure zone, and unsecure zone in response to determining that the position is one of near, approaching, and within the at least one of the unsafe zone, secure zone, and unsecure zone.

15. The movable boundary detection system of claim 14, further comprising a transmitter configured to receive coordinates of the at least one of the unsafe zone, secure zone, and unsecure zone, and

wherein the memory is configured to store the coordinates of the at least one of the unsafe zone, secure zone, and unsecure zone.

16. A movable point detection device comprising:

a receiver configured to determine a position of the movable point detection device and to determine a position of a movable electronic device; and

a processor module configured to;

determine that the position of the movable point detection device is a predetermined distance from the position of the movable electronic device; and

implement an action in response to determining that the position of the movable point detection device is the predetermined distance from the position of the movable electronic device.

17. The movable point detection device of claim 16, wherein the receiver is configured to one of:

receive the position or notification from another device; and

determine that the position warrants an alert or notification.

18. The movable point detection device of claim 16, wherein the processor module is configured to present an alert or notification in response to determining that the position of the movable point detection device is the predetermined distance from the position of the movable electronic device.

19. The movable point detection device of claim 16, wherein the processor module is configured to communicate a message to another electronic device to indicate that the position of the movable point detection device is the predetermined distance from the position of the movable electronic device in response to determining that the position of the movable point detection device is the predetermined distance from the position of the movable electronic device.

20. The movable point detection device of claim 16, wherein the receiver is configured to receive a communication from the movable electronic device for indicating the location of the movable electronic device.

21. The movable point detection device of claim 16, wherein the receiver is configured to receive a positioning signal from a global positioning system for indicating the location of the movable point detection device.

22. The movable point detection device of claim 16, wherein the processor module is configured to communicate a message to another electronic device to indicate one of the position and location of the movable point detection device and the position and location of the movable electronic device in response to determining that the position and location of the movable point detection device is the predetermined distance from the position and location of the movable electronic device.

23. The movable point detection device of claim 16, wherein the processor module is configured to control generation of an alarm based on one of a speed, velocity, direction, and acceleration.

24. A boundary detection system comprising:

(a) a boundary detection device comprising;

(i) a positioning signal receiver operable to receive at least one signal indicating position coordinates of a moveable device; and

(ii) a transmitter configured to communicate the position coordinates of the moveable device; and

(b) at least one of a base station and a mobile device comprising;

(i) a receiver configured to receive the position coordinates of the moveable device communicated from the boundary detection device;

(ii) a memory module operable to store position coordinates for defining a boundary; and

(iii) a processor module configured to compare the indicated position coordinates of the moveable device to the position coordinates, configured to determine event triggering based on the comparison of the indicated position coordinates to the position coordinates, and configured to communicate information indicating the event triggering via a communications system based on the event triggering determination.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the boundary detection device is configured to receive information from one or more cellular towers for supplementing the indicated position coordinates of the moveable device.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the positioning signal receiver is configured to apply assisted global positioning system (AGPS) techniques to adjust satellite identification coordinates for improving system performance.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the base station comprises at least a processor and memory, and is communicatively connected to one of a wireless communication system and a web-based communications system.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the base station is communicatively connected to a communications network.

29. The system of claim 24, further comprising a transmitter configured to transmit a request for assistance.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein the receiver is configured to receive a request for information or assistance.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the requested information includes at least one of identity, velocity, distance, acceleration, direction, medical parameters, location, speed, satellite health, and diagnostics.

32. The system of claim 24, wherein the processor module is configured to assign one of a secure area designation and an unsecure area designation zones defined by first and second spaces.

33. The system of claim 24, wherein the boundary defines one or more zones, and one or more zones are one of an area, volume, and point or proximity to a zone.

34. The system of claim 24, wherein the boundary defines one or more zones, and wherein the zones are one of fixed or dynamic.

35. The system of claim 24, wherein an airspace, taxiway, water, residence, a hospital, a battlefield, a military operations area or, a civilian area are defined by the boundary.

36. The system of claim 32, wherein the processor module is configured to assign by default a secure designation to at least one of the first and second spaces.

37. The system of claim 24, wherein the one of the base station and mobile device comprises an indicator configured to provide a haptic signal when the position coordinates are a predetermined distance from the boundary.

38. The system of claim 24, wherein the processor module is configured to define an object space around a subject, and wherein the object space defines the boundary.

39. The system of claim 24, wherein the boundary detection device is further configured to one of continuously communicate, intermittently communicate, and automatically communicate data with a plurality of wearable, portable, devices and the base station.

40. The system of claim 38, wherein the transmitter is configured to communicate at least one of location, direction, speed, identity, medical parameters, and physical parameters of the object.

41. The system of claim 24, wherein the processor module is configured to implement a corrective action when position coordinates of the boundary detection device are a predetermined distance from predefined position coordinates of a boundary.

42. The system of claim 24, wherein the transmitter is configured to send a signal to the base station, and wherein the base station is configured to automatically alert an authority in response to receiving the signal.

43. The system of claim 24, wherein the transmitter is configured to communicate an alarm signal via one of a cellular network and a wireless network.

44. The system of claim 24, wherein the position coordinates are defined by one of a geographic information system (GIS) and a web-based program, and

wherein the boundary detection device is configured to download the position coordinates.

45. The system of claim 24, wherein the one of the base station and the mobile device further comprises a user interface for receipt of the position coordinates by manual user input.

46. The system of claim 24, wherein the base station further comprises:

at least one receiver operable to receive an alarm signal from the transmitter; and

an indicator connected to the at least one receiver and configured to indicate the receipt of the alarm signal.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the alarm signal includes one of a text message, a voice message, an analog message, and a digital message transmitted by a cellular network.

48. The system of claim 24, wherein the boundary detection device is polled via one of a wireless communications network and a web-based network, and

wherein the transmitter reports the position coordinates in response to the polling.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the reported position coordinates are used to track at least one of a child, a patient, a soldier, equipment, a vessel, aircraft, and a pet.

50. The system of claim 24, wherein the position coordinates are updated and changed using wireless or cell phone techniques one of periodically and when polled.

51. The system of claim 24, wherein the event triggered is a communication to a mobile receiver and comprises an embedded message, an email, or a text type message.

52. The system of claim 24, further comprising an electronic device,

wherein the boundary detection device is configured to:

determine a distance between the boundary detection device and the electronic device; and

report an alert or notification based on the distance to the one of the base station and the mobile device.

53. The system of claim 24, wherein the receiver of the one of the base station and the mobile device is configured to receive position coordinates of other moveable devices communicated from other boundary detection devices,

wherein the memory module of the one of the base station and the mobile device is configured to store or process the position coordinates of the other boundary detection devices.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein the processor module is configured to track position coordinates of the boundary detection devices in real time.

55. The system of claim 53, wherein the processor module is configured to implement one or more actions based on the tracked position coordinates.

56. A boundary detection system comprising:

(a) a boundary detection device comprising;

(i) a positioning signal receiver operable to receive at least one signal indicating first position coordinates of a moveable device; and

(ii) a transmitter configured to communicate the first position coordinates of the moveable device; and

(c) one of at least one base station and a mobile device comprising;

(i) a receiver configured to receive the first position coordinates of the moveable device communicated from the boundary detection device and to receive second position coordinates of the moveable device communicated from at least one cellular base station; and

(ii) a processor module configured to determine a position of the moveable device based on the first position coordinates and the second position coordinates.

57. A boundary detection system comprising:

(a) a first moveable device comprising;

(i) a positioning signal receiver operable to receive at least one signal indicating first position coordinates of the first moveable device; and

(ii) a transmitter configured to communicate the first position coordinates; and

(b) a second moveable device comprising;

(i) a receiver configured to receive the first position coordinates of the first moveable device and to receive second position coordinates of the first moveable device communicated from a wireless communications system; and

(ii) a processor module configured to determine a position of the first moveable device based on the first position coordinates and the second position coordinates.