Method and system of electronic monitoring

• US 8,682,356 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2013
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corrisoft, LLC
• Original Assignee: Earthsweep LLC
• Inventors: Poe, Brian C., Miller, Michael P., Sturgill, Bryon
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Chuong A
• Application Number:
  US13/766,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20130210465A1
• Time in Patent Office: 405 Days
• Field of Search: 455/457, 455/416, 455/417, 455/445, 455/422.1, 455/404.2, 455/414.1, 455/440, 4554561-567, 370328-338, 701/1, 701/2, 701/35, 701/29
• US Class Current: 455/457
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

GPS data can be transmitted from a portable electronic device to a central database using either a cellular network or a satellite RF network. Multiple embodiments are capable of executing tools and techniques that automatically determine the network appropriate for given conditions, maximize GPS data transmission coverage, and minimize cost. Using the described technology, it is possible to detect, differentiate between, and utilize networks according to circumstance.

Claims

1. A tracking device configured to be worn by a user for location tracking of the user, the device comprising:

a housing, the housing configured to be worn by a user, the housing holding;

a global positioning system device (GPS) configured to collect geographic location data that delineates a physical location of the tracking device;

a cellular transceiver;

a satellite transceiver;

a peer to peer transceiver configured to communicate location data with a specified, paired peer to peer transceiver;

a storage device configured to store location data collected by the global positioning system device;

a processor configured to

determine which of the cellular transceiver or the satellite transceiver to automatically communicate with a remote unit based on availability of a cellular network for the cellular transceiver, by configuring the processor to;

search for an available cellular network and when a cellular network is found causing the cellular transceiver to establish a connection and when an available cellular network is not found, the processor is configured to;

search for an available satellite network and when a satellite network is found causing the satellite transceiver to establish a connection;

cause the tracking device to send the location data collected by the global positioning system device to the remote unit, over the connection established via the determined one of the cellular or satellite transceivers; and

cause the peer to peer transceiver configured to communicate location data with a specified, paired peer transceiver by presenting peer to peer credentials previously programmed into the tracking device, and presenting a transceiver ID of the specified peer to peer transceiver to establish a direct peer to peer network connection with the specified paired peer to peer transceiver.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the geographic location data sent to the remote unit comprises a set of geographic locations and time data corresponding to times at the geographic locations.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the peer to peer transceiver in the tracking device is a Bluetooth transceiver.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the housing is a smartphone housing.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the housing is an ankle monitor housing.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor in the tracking device is further configured to:

receive data that specifies a geographic location of the specified, pair peer transceiver that is disposed in a client device;

retrieve data corresponding to an exclusion zone that is an established distance to maintain by the tracking device apart from the client device; and

determine whether the tracking device is within the exclusion zone.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein when the processor in the tracking device is unable to find either a cellular or a satellite network, the processor is further configured to:

attempt to establish the connection by the peer to peer transceiver with the specified, paired peer transceiver; and

when established,

send the location data to the specified, paired peer transceiver, the location data including the geographic location of the tracking device.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to:

display a map showing detailed information on the relative locations of the first and second devices.

9. A method comprising:

collecting location data specifying location of a portable electronic device worn by a user for transmission of the location data from the portable electronic device to a central database;

storing the collected location data in a storage device on the portable electronic device;

determining by a processor on the portable electronic device a network over which to send the location data by the processor first

determining whether a cellular network is available, when a cellular network is available,

sending the location data stored in the storage device to the central database over the available cellular network;

when a cellular network is not available,

determining by the processor on the portable electronic device whether a satellite network is available;

when a satellite network is available,

sending the location data stored in the storage device to the central database over the satellite network; and

searching for an available peer to peer network, when found

presenting peer to peer credentials of a peer to peer transceiver previously programmed into the tracking device and presenting a transceiver ID of a specified peer to peer transceiver to establish a direct peer to peer network connection with the specified peer to peer transceiver.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

sending by the peer to peer transceiver the location data to the specified peer to peer transceiver.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

receiving data that specifies a location of the specified peer to peer device;

retrieving data corresponding to an exclusion zone that is an established distance to maintain by the tracking device apart from the specified peer to peer device for separation of the tracking device from the peer device; and

determining whether the tracking device is within the exclusion zone.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein when neither a cellular nor a satellite network is available,

attempting to establish the connection by the peer to peer transceiver on the portable electronic device with the specified peer to peer transceiver in a second different electronic device;

and when established,

sending the location data to the specified peer to peer transceiver.

13. A system comprising:

a first portable device configured to be worn by a user for location tracking of the user, the device comprising;

a first housing, the housing holding;

a first global positioning system device (GPS) configured to collect geographic location data that delineates a geographic location of the first device;

a cellular transceiver;

a satellite transceiver;

a storage device configured to store location data collected by the global positioning system device;

a first processor configured to;

automatically communicate with a remote unit using either the cellular transceiver when an available cellular network is found or the satellite transceiver when a cellular network is not found;

cause the device to send geographic location data collected by the global positioning system device via either the cellular transceiver or the satellite transceiver to the remote unit; and

a first Bluetooth transceiver configured to communicate the geographic location data to a specified, second Bluetooth transceiver;

a second device that includes the specified, second Bluetooth transceiver device, the second device further including;

a second global positioning system device (GPS) configured to collect location data of the second device;

a second processor that receives geographic location data of the first device and geographic location data of the second device to calculate relative geographic locations of the first device to the second device, the processor further configured to alert a user of the second device on the relative geographic locations of the first and second devices.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the remote unit is a central database to receive and store the geographic location data collected by the global positioning system device of the first portable device, sent via the cellular transceiver or the satellite transceiver.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the remote unit is configured to:

determine whether the first portable device is within an established exclusion zone;

send an alert to the second device when the first portable device is within the established exclusion zone.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the remote unit is configured to:

cause the second device of the second user to display a map showing detailed information on the relative locations of the first portable device and second device.

17. A method comprises:

collecting location data of a first portable electronic device configured to be worn by a user;

storing the collected location data in a storage device on the first portable electronic device;

determining by a processor on the first portable electronic device whether to use a cellular network or a satellite network to send the location data stored in the storage device to the central database with determining based on whether a cellular network is available;

sending the location data stored in the storage device to the central database over the determined one of the cellular and satellite networks;

presenting peer to peer credentials previously programmed into the first portable electronic device, and presenting a transceiver ID of a specified peer to peer transceiver to establish a direct peer to peer network connection with the specified paired peer to peer transceiver;

sending the location data stored in the storage device from a first peer to peer transceiver in the first portable device to a specified second peer to peer transceiver device in a second, different portable device;

receiving by at least a first one of the first and second portable devices locational data of the other one of the first and second portable devices; and

determining by a processor in the at least first one of the first and second portable devices relative positions of the first and second peer to peer transceiver devices.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the remote unit is a central database to receive and store the location data collected by the global positioning system device, sent via the cellular transceiver or the satellite transceiver.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining whether the first portable electronic device is within an established exclusion zone;

sending an alert to the second portable electronic device.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

causing the second portable, electronic device to display a map showing detailed information on relative locations of the first portable, electronic device and the second portable, electronic device.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

causing the second portable, electronic device to alert a user according to changes in relative locations of the first portable, electronic device and the second portable, electronic device.

22. A device for real-time location monitoring of an individual, the device comprising:

a housing, the housing holding;

a global positioning system device (GPS) configured to collect location data that delineates a location of the tracking device;

a peer to peer transceiver configured to communicate with a specified, peer to peer transceiver by presenting peer to peer credentials previously programmed into the device, and presenting a transceiver ID of the specified peer to peer transceiver to establish a direct peer to peer network connection with the specified paired peer to peer transceiver;

a storage device configured to store location data collected by the global positioning system device;

a processor configured to;

receive location data collected by the global positioning system device;

receive location data collected by a second, different global positioning system device (GPS), the second GPS device from a tracking device configured to be worn by the individual, once a connection is established between the peer to peer transceiver and the specified, peer to peer transceiver in the tracking device;

retrieve data corresponding to an exclusion zone for separation of the monitoring device from the peer device; and

determine whether the peer device has entered the exclusion zone.

23. The device of claim 22 wherein the housing is a smartphone housing, and the peer to peer transceiver in the housing is a Bluetooth transceiver.