Analytic and tracking systems and methods using over-the-air identifiers of mobile devices

• US 9,084,103 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2014
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Miller, Trent J, Monks, Deborah J, Bekiares, Tyrone D, Collins, Timothy J
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DANH C
• Application Number:
  US14/158,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20140134971A1
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.5, 455/456.1, 455/404.1, 379/37
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/878 Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector G01S13/874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0295 Proximity-based methods, e.g. position inferred from reception of particular signals
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• 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: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Analytic and tracking systems and methods are described that use over-the-air identifiers (OTAIs) of mobile devices for tracking, dispatch, identification, etc. In particular, the analytic and tracking systems and methods can include various OTAI sensors that are communicatively coupled to a server and with one another. The OTAI sensors are configured to identify proximate mobile devices concurrent with at least one additional piece of information. The analytic and tracking systems and methods can process identified mobile devices and the additional pieces of information for a plurality of applications.

Claims

1. An identifying and tracking method, comprising:

operating a plurality of sensors across a geographic region;

capturing an over-the-air identifier of a device at one of the plurality of sensors;

capturing additional incident information associated with the device;

correlating the captured over-the-air identifier and associated additional incident information to detect triggers indicative of situations of interest; and

in response to detecting a situation of interest, performing an action related to over-the-air identifiers of interest related to the situation of interest;

wherein capturing the over-the-air identifier of the device at one of the plurality of sensors comprises capturing a Media Access Control (MAC) address based on a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) probe request compliant to IEEE 802.11; and

wherein capturing the additional incident information associated with the device comprises capturing one of video, audio, radio frequency identification, and information input by an individual.

2. An analytic and tracking system, comprising:

a plurality of sensors deployed across a geographic region;

at least one server, wherein the at least one server and the plurality of sensors are communicatively coupled therebetween; and

a database coupled to the at least one server;

wherein the plurality of sensors are configured to capture over-the-air identifiers of proximate devices and associated information;

wherein the at least one server and the plurality of sensors are configured to correlate the captured over-the-air identifiers and the associated information for detecting a trigger indicative of a situation of interest and performing an action based thereon; and

wherein the trigger comprises one of;

detecting the over-the-air identifiers of a device at two or more places of interest over a period of time;

detecting the over-the-air identifiers at a single location for an abnormal presence pattern;

detecting the over-the-air identifiers at a prohibited location for the device;

detecting the over-the-air identifiers in combination with additional analytics indicative of the situation of interest;

detecting the over-the-air identifiers coincident with a computer-assisted dispatch report; and

detecting the over-the-air identifiers coincident with another identifier of interest.

3. The analytic and tracking system of claim 2, wherein the over-the-air identifiers comprise a Media Access Control (MAC) address, and wherein the plurality of sensors are further configured to:

capture the MAC address based on a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) probe request compliant to IEEE 802.11;

capture the associated information as one of video, audio, radio frequency identification, and information input by an individual.

4. The analytic and tracking system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of sensors are each one of stationary and mobile, wherein the mobile sensors are deployed on government vehicles and on government personnel, and wherein the fixed sensors are deployed in government buildings and on machine-to-machine devices.

5. An analytic and tracking system, comprising:

a plurality of sensors deployed across a geographic region;

at least one server, wherein the at least one server and the plurality of sensors are communicatively coupled therebetween; and

a database coupled to the at least one server;

wherein the plurality of sensors are configured to capture over-the-air identifiers of proximate devices and associated information;

wherein the at least one server and the plurality of sensors are configured to correlate the captured over-the-air identifiers and the associated information for detecting a trigger indicative of a situation of interest and performing an action based thereon; and

wherein the at least one server and the plurality of sensors are further configured to;

associate the over-the-air identifiers of a device to an individual through one of (i) capturing an image and performing facial recognition and (ii) associating the individual through information gathered via another source.

6. The analytic and tracking system of claim 5, wherein the over-the-air identifiers comprise a Media Access Control (MAC) address, and wherein the plurality of sensors are further configured to:

capture the MAC address based on a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) probe request compliant to IEEE 802.11;

capture the associated information as one of video, audio, radio frequency identification, and information input by an individual.

7. The analytic and tracking system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of sensors are each one of stationary and mobile, wherein the mobile sensors are deployed on government vehicles and on government personnel, and wherein the fixed sensors are deployed in government buildings and on machine-to-machine devices.