Lightweight portable tracking device
First Claim
1. An apparatus for tracking an object comprising:
- a processing unit having a memory device,a power management device connected to said processing unit and having a power supply for providing power to said processing unit,a navigational device connected to said processing unit for receiving position data for the apparatus from a global positioning system,a communication device connected to said processing unit for communicating with a remote server through a wireless telephone network,a sensor connected to said processing unit for collecting environmental data for the object,said power management device, said navigational device, said communication device, and said sensor electronically connected in a circuit to said processing unit within a housing,said processing unit receiving the position data from said navigational device and the environmental data from said sensor,said processing unit converting the position data and the environmental data into information for storage on said processing unit memory device, andsaid processing unit transferring the information separately from storing the information to said communication device for transmission over the wireless telephone network to the remote server.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A housing holds a microprocessor, a power management system, a pair of communication modules, multiple internal antennas, and a plurality of sensors and interfaces. The housing is connected to a mobile object. One of the communication modules connects to a GPS system through one of the antennas. The other communication module connects to a mobile cellular network or a radio or satellite system through the other antennas. The microprocessor uses the GPS system to determine the position of the object; frequency with which locational fixes are stored is user-determined. The microprocessor can be interactively reprogrammed via the mobile cellular network and creates a data structure for transmission of locational and other environmental data through the mobile cellular or other networks. The microprocessor has the ability to command the unit to separate from the object at an appropriate time to facilitate recovery.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. An apparatus for tracking an object comprising:
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a processing unit having a memory device, a power management device connected to said processing unit and having a power supply for providing power to said processing unit, a navigational device connected to said processing unit for receiving position data for the apparatus from a global positioning system, a communication device connected to said processing unit for communicating with a remote server through a wireless telephone network, a sensor connected to said processing unit for collecting environmental data for the object, said power management device, said navigational device, said communication device, and said sensor electronically connected in a circuit to said processing unit within a housing, said processing unit receiving the position data from said navigational device and the environmental data from said sensor, said processing unit converting the position data and the environmental data into information for storage on said processing unit memory device, and said processing unit transferring the information separately from storing the information to said communication device for transmission over the wireless telephone network to the remote server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A portable tracking device comprising:
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a housing for holding a first internal antenna, a second internal antenna, a processing device, a sensor, and power supply means for providing power to said processing device, said housing for connecting to a mobile object, said processing device having means for connecting to a global positioning system through said first internal antenna to determine the location of the object, said processing device having means for receiving instructions for obtaining input from said sensor from a mobile cellular network through said second internal antenna, said processing device having means for controlling said sensor to obtain input from said sensor, said processing device having means for creating data structures that include the location of the object and the input from said sensor for transmission through said second internal antenna to the mobile cellular network, and said processing device having means for obtaining a measurement of the amount of power stored in said power supply means for deactivating said processing device in response to management of the supply of power thereto. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for tracking an object comprising the steps of:
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attaching a tracking device to the object, connecting the tracking device to a satellite-based positioning system to obtain the global position of the object, connecting the tracking device to a mobile cellular network to receive signals containing operational commands software from a remote device, processing the operational commands software to instruct the tracking device to collect environmental data, and transmitting the global position of the object and the environmental data to a server over the mobile cellular network. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification