Mobile device tracking using group dynamics

• US 8,805,404 B1
• Filed: 07/10/2012
• Issued: 08/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trend Micro Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trend Micro Inc.
• Inventors: Yang, Shun-Fa, Lee, Yen-Ju
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, David Q
• Application Number:
  US13/545,884
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/16 Anti-theft; Abduction
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0227 System arrangements with a plurality of child units
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0238 adding new units to the system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0272 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect exact location of child or item using triangulation other than GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/028 Communication between parent and child units via remote transmission means, e.g. satellite network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks

Abstract

Any number of mobile devices each execute an application allowing them to subscribe to a group. Alternatively, the devices subscribe at a Web server. A percentage of the group and a distance threshold from a target device are defined. Each device sends its GPS data to a Web server or to one of the designated mobile devices. Alternatively, the target device calculates its distance to the other devices using wireless signals. The designated device or the Web server calculates the distance from the target device to the other devices. If the distance is over the threshold then an alert is generated and sent from the Web server to designated recipients, or sent from the designated device to the recipients. Distance from the target device to the group members may be calculated based upon a majority, a percentage of the group, or a special cluster of the group.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a target mobile device, said method comprising:

identifying a plurality of mobile devices that belong to a group to which said target mobile device must remain in proximity;

receiving, at said target mobile device, a location for each of said mobile devices;

determining a majority of said mobile devices clustered in close proximity to one another relative to other of said mobile devices not in said majority, said majority being at least half of said plurality of mobile devices;

calculating an actual distance from said target mobile device to said majority of said mobile devices;

comparing said actual distance to a threshold distance; and

generating an alert at said target mobile device when said actual distance is greater than said threshold distance.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting an alert message from said target mobile device to a recipient, an identifier for said recipient being predefined in persistent storage of said target mobile device.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

identifying said mobile devices by reference to a database of said target mobile device.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

identifying said mobile devices by receiving manual input at said target mobile device identifying each of said mobile devices.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

identifying said mobile devices by automatically and wirelessly receiving an indication of the presence of each of said mobile devices within a predefined proximity distance from said target mobile device.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

waiting a specified delay time;

recalculating said actual distance from said target mobile device to said majority of said mobile devices;

comparing said actual distance to said threshold distance; and

transmitting an alert message from said target mobile device to a recipient, an identifier for said recipient being predefined in persistent storage of said target mobile device.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said location for each of said mobile devices includes an altitude parameter, and wherein calculating an actual distance includes calculating said actual distance in three dimensions.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said mobile devices and said target mobile device are carried by a different person.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

only generating an alert at said target mobile device when said actual distance is greater than said threshold distance.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said plurality of mobile devices is at least three mobile devices.

11. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

not generating an alert at said target mobile device when one of said other mobile devices not in said majority is at a distance from said target mobile device that is greater than said threshold distance.

12. A method of monitoring a target mobile device, said method comprising:

identifying a plurality of mobile devices that belong to a group to which said target mobile device must remain in proximity;

receiving, at said target mobile device, a location for each of said mobile devices;

determining that said target mobile device must remain in proximity to at least two of said mobile devices;

identifying at least two of said mobile devices that are closest to said target mobile device;

calculating an actual distance from said target mobile device to said at least two of said mobile devices;

comparing said actual distance to a threshold distance; and

generating an alert at said target mobile device when said actual distance is greater than said threshold distance.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 further comprising:

transmitting an alert message from said target mobile device to a recipient, an identifier for said recipient being predefined in persistent storage of said target mobile device.

14. The method as recited in claim 12 further comprising:

identifying said mobile devices by reference to a database of said target mobile device.

15. The method as recited in claim 12 further comprising:

calculating said actual distance using GPS data received from said mobile devices.

16. The method as recited in claim 12 further comprising:

calculating said actual distance by wirelessly receiving an indication of the location of each of said mobile devices relative to said target mobile device.

17. The method as recited in claim 12 further comprising:

waiting a specified delay time;

recalculating said actual distance from said target mobile device to said majority of said mobile devices;

comparing said actual distance to said threshold distance; and

transmitting an alert message from said target mobile device to a recipient, an identifier for said recipient being predefined in persistent storage of said target mobile device.

18. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein generating said alert at said target mobile device includes outputting a warning that is perceived by a user in possession of said target mobile device.

19. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein each of said mobile devices and said target mobile device are carried by a different person.

20. The method as recited in claim 12 further comprising:

only generating an alert at said target mobile device when said actual distance is greater than said threshold distance.

21. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein said plurality of mobile devices is at least three mobile devices.

22. The method as recited in claim 12 further comprising:

not generating an alert at said target mobile device when one of said mobile devices other than said at least two of said mobile devices is at a distance from said target mobile device that is greater than said threshold distance.