System and method for monitoring a wireless tracking device

• US 9,373,241 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2013
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sierra Wireless America Incorporated (Sierra Wireless Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Omnilink Systems Incorporated (Sierra Wireless Incorporated)
• Inventors: Aninye, Steve, Rajala, Yoganand
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent
• Application Number:
  US13/937,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20130293378A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,078 Days
• Field of Search: 340/936, 340/905, 340/539.13, 340/441
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0211 Combination with medical sensor, e.g. for measuring heart rate, temperature
• 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 21/0272 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect exact location of child or item using triangulation other than GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0286 Tampering or removal detection of the child unit from child or article
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0288 Attachment of child unit to child/article
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0423 detecting deviation from an expected pattern of behaviour or schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0492 Sensor dual technology, i.e. two or more technologies collaborate to extract unsafe condition, e.g. video tracking and RFID tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/006 Alarm destination chosen according to type of event, e.g. in case of fire phone the fire service, in case of medical emergency phone the ambulance
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/008 Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

Monitoring systems and methods may monitor locations and/or speeds of a wireless tracking device. An administrative hub comprising a location database including speed limit data for at least selected road segments may be configured to monitor locations of the wireless tracking device based on data reported by the wireless tracking device. The administrative hub may also be configured to compare a speed of the wireless tracking device based on the data reported by the wireless tracking device to the speed limit data for a road segment associated with the location of the wireless tracking device.

Claims

1. A monitoring system comprising:

a wireless tracking device; and

an administrative hub comprising a location database including speed limit data for at least selected road segments, the administrative hub configured to;

monitor locations of the wireless tracking device based on data reported by the wireless tracking device;

extrapolate a speed of the wireless tracking device from the locations of the wireless tracking device; and

compare the extrapolated speed of the wireless tracking device to the speed limit data for a road segment associated with the location of the wireless tracking device,

wherein the administrative hub comprises a geocoding database, and

wherein the administrative hub is further configured for subscriber addition of custom information about a roadway speed limit to the geocoding database and further for publication of the custom information on a public geocoding database for availability to other subscribers,

wherein the administrative hub is further configured to compare at least one of the locations of the wireless tracking device to geocoding information stored in the public geocoding database to determine if the stored geocoding information is incorrect and, if deemed incorrect, automatically correcting the stored geocoding information.

2. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the wireless tracking device is a tracking device carried or worn by an individual, installed in or on a vehicle, or installed in or on a mobile communication device or a combination thereof.

3. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the administrative hub is further configured to generate an event log comprising a location report based on the monitored locations of the wireless tracking device, or a speed report based on the compared speed of the wireless tracking device to the speed limit data, or a combination thereof.

4. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the administrative hub is further configured to generate a speeding report based on the compared speed of the wireless tracking device to the speed limit data when the compared speed of the wireless tracking device exceeds a speed limit for a road segment associated with the location of the wireless tracking device.

5. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the administrative hub further comprises a database containing a set of prescribed rules applicable to the wireless tracking device.

6. The monitoring system of claim 5, wherein at least one of the prescribed rules is obeying a speed limit.

7. The monitoring system of claim 5, wherein the administrative hub is further configured to:

determine whether at least one of the prescribed rules is violated based on the data from the wireless tracking device; and

generate a violation report when the at least one of the prescribed rules is violated.

8. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the data reported by the wireless tracking device comprises data indicative of a location of the device.

9. The monitoring system of claim 8, wherein the administrative hub is further configured to determine the speed of the wireless tracking device based on the data reported by the wireless tracking device by extrapolating the speed from a first location in first data reported by the wireless tracking device and a second location in second data reported by the wireless tracking device.

10. A monitoring method comprising:

receiving, with an administrative hub comprising a location database including speed limit data for at least selected road segments, data reported by a wireless tracking device, wherein the administrative hub comprises a geocoding database;

monitoring, with the administrative hub, locations of the wireless tracking device based on the data reported by the wireless tracking device, the administrative hub comprising a location database;

extrapolating, with the administrative hub, a speed of the wireless tracking device from the locations of the wireless tracking device;

comparing, with the administrative hub, the extrapolated speed of the wireless tracking device to the speed limit data for a road segment associated with the location of the wireless tracking device;

receiving, with the administrative hub, information about a roadway speed limit from a subscriber and adding the received information to the geocoding database;

publishing the added information about the roadway speed limit on a public geocoding database for availability to other subscribers; and

comparing, with the administrative hub, at least one of the locations of the wireless tracking device to geocoding information stored in the public geocoding database to determine if the stored geocoding information is incorrect and, if deemed incorrect, automatically correcting the stored geocoding information.

11. The monitoring method of claim 10, wherein the wireless tracking device is a personal tracking device carried or worn by an individual, installed in or on a vehicle, or installed in or on a mobile communication device or a combination thereof.

12. The monitoring method of claim 10, further comprising generating, with the administrative hub, an event log comprising a location report based on the monitored locations of the wireless tracking device, or a speed report based on the compared speed of the wireless tracking device to the speed limit data, or a combination thereof.

13. The monitoring method of claim 10, further comprising generating, with the administrative hub, a speeding report based on the compared speed of the wireless tracking device to the speed limit data when the compared speed of the wireless tracking device exceeds a speed limit for a road segment associated with the location of the wireless tracking device.

14. The monitoring method of claim 10, wherein the administrative hub further comprises a database containing a set of prescribed rules applicable to the wireless tracking device.

15. The monitoring method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the prescribed rules is obeying a speed limit.

16. The monitoring method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining, with the administrative hub, whether at least one of the prescribed rules is violated based on the data from the wireless tracking device; and

generating, with the administrative hub, a violation report when the at least one of the prescribed rules is violated.

17. The monitoring method of claim 10, wherein the data reported by the wireless tracking device comprises data indicative of a location of the device.

18. The monitoring method of claim 17, further comprising determining, with the administrative hub, the speed of the wireless tracking device based on the data reported by the wireless tracking device by extrapolating the speed from a first location in first data reported by the wireless tracking device and a second location in second data reported by the wireless tracking device.