Remote tracking device and a system and method for two-way voice communication between the device and a monitoring center

• US 9,491,289 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2014
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Track Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SecureAlert Incorporated
• Inventors: Derrick, David, Derrick, Bruce G.
• Primary Examiner(s): LIU, HARRY K
• Application Number:
  US14/323,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20140323104A1
• Time in Patent Office: 859 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.07
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/20 Checking timed patrols, e.g. of watchman
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0211 Combination with medical sensor, e.g. for measuring heart rate, temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0219 Circuit arrangements
• 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 21/0283 via a telephone network, e.g. cellular GSM
• 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 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42357 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• 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 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

A remote tracking system is described including one or more remote tracking devices and a monitoring center. The remote tracking device includes a tamper-resistant housing intended to be held securely to a wearer by a strap, a positioning system receiver in the housing and operable to receive signals indicative of the location of the remote tracking device, a cellular transceiver in the housing and operable to communicate with the monitoring center, and a processor in the housing and in electrical communication with the positioning system receiver and the cellular transceiver, the processor operable to monitor a status for the remote tracking device. The remote tracking system is able to compare the location of the remote tracking device with a set of pre-programmed rules and establish a two-way voice communication between the wearer and the monitoring center upon the occurrence of certain programmable conditions in the remote tracking system.

Claims

1. A remote tracking device in a remote tracking system having a monitoring center, the remote tracking device comprising:

a housing connected to a tamper-resistant strap;

a positioning system receiver in the housing and operable to receive signals indicative of the geographical location of the remote tracking device;

a cellular transceiver in the housing and operable to communicate with the monitoring center; and

a processor in the housing and in electrical communication with the positioning system receiver and the cellular transceiver, the processor operable to compare the location of the remote tracking device with a set of one or more pre-programmed rules,

wherein the pre-programmed rules define permissible geographical locations for the remote tracking device, and

wherein the processor is programmed to initiate, without human intervention, the establishment of a two-way voice communication channel between the remote tracking device and a monitoring center when the processor'"'"'s comparison of the geographical location of the remote tracking device with the set of pre-programmed rules results in a determination that the remote tracking device is not in a permissible geographical location.

2. The remote tracking device of claim 1, wherein the remote tracking device is enabled to use the cellular transceiver to place a call to the monitoring center by dialing a telephone number associated with the monitoring center.

3. The remote tracking device of claim 1, wherein the remote tracking device is also enabled to send data to the monitoring center when the processor'"'"'s comparison of the geographical location of the remote tracking device with the set of pre-programmed rules results in a determination that the remote tracking device is not in a permissible geographical location.

4. The remote tracking device of claim 1, wherein the remote tracking device is also enabled to provide audio feedback to the wearer when the processor'"'"'s comparison of the geographical location of the remote tracking device with the set of pre-programmed rules results in a determination that the remote tracking device is not in a permissible geographical location.

5. The remote tracking device of claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to initiate, without human intervention, the establishment of the two-way voice communication channel by sending data to the monitoring center, in response to which the monitoring center places a call to the remote tracking device.

6. The remote tracking device of claim 1, wherein the remote tracking device also includes a call button for placing a call to the monitoring center.

7. A method for monitoring a remote tracking device in a remote monitoring system having a monitoring center, the method comprising:

generating, at the remote tracking device, location information about the geographical location of the remote tracking device;

comparing, at the remote tracking device, the location information to a set of one or more pre-programmed rules stored at the remote tracking device;

wherein the pre-programmed rules define permissible locations for the remote tracking device, and

executing programmed instructions, on a processor at the remote tracking device, that establish, without human intervention, a two-way voice communication channel between the remote tracking device and the monitoring center when the comparison of the location of the remote tracking device with the set of pre-programmed rules results in a determination that the remote tracking device is not in a permissible location.

8. The method recited in claim 7, wherein the remote tracking device also includes a call button for placing a call to the monitoring center, and wherein two-way communication can also be initiated manually by the wearer by pressing call button on the remote tracking device.

9. The method recited in claim 7, wherein automatic initiation of the two-way communication using the cellular transceiver occurs without requiring the call button to be manually pressed.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the remote tracking device is enabled to receive a call initiated from the monitoring center.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises the remote tracking device sending data to the monitoring center when the processor'"'"'s comparison of the geographical location of the remote tracking device with the set of pre-programmed rules results in a determination that the remote tracking device is not in a permissible geographical location.

12. A remote tracking device in a remote tracking system having a monitoring center, the remote tracking device comprising:

a housing connected to a tamper-resistant strap;

a positioning system receiver in the housing and operable to receive signals indicative of the geographical location of the remote tracking device;

a cellular transceiver in the housing and operable to communicate with the monitoring center; and

a processor in the housing and in electrical communication with the positioning system receiver and the cellular transceiver, the processor operable to compare the location of the remote tracking device with a set of one or more pre-programmed rules,

wherein the pre-programmed rules define permissible geographical locations for the remote tracking device, and

wherein the processor is programmed to initiate, without human intervention, the establishment of a two-way voice communication channel between the remote tracking device and a monitoring center when the processor'"'"'s comparison of the geographical location of the remote tracking device with the set of pre-programmed rules results in a determination that the remote tracking device is not in a permissible geographical location, and

wherein the remote tracking device is also enabled to receive a call initiated from the monitoring center.

13. The remote tracking device of claim 12, wherein the remote tracking device is also enabled to initiate the establishment of a two-way voice communication channel between the remote tracking device and the monitoring center when the wearer presses a button on the remote tracking device.

14. The remote tracking device of claim 12, wherein the remote tracking device is enabled to use the cellular transceiver to place a call to the monitoring center by dialing a telephone number associated with the monitoring center.

15. The remote tracking device of claim 12, wherein the remote tracking device is also enabled to send data to the monitoring center when the processor'"'"'s comparison of the geographical location of the remote tracking device with the set of pre-programmed rules results in a determination that the remote tracking device is not in a permissible geographical location.

16. The remote tracking device of claim 12, wherein the processor is programmed to initiate, without human intervention, the establishment of the two-way voice communication channel by sending data to the monitoring center, in response to which the monitoring center places a call to the remote tracking device.

17. The electronic tracking system of claim 12, wherein the monitoring center uses the voice communication to provide instructions to the wearer based on the status and/or location information.

18. The electronic tracking system of claim 12, wherein the remote tracking device is also enabled to automatically initiate the voice communication in response to detecting a particular status of the remote tracking device, the particular status of the remote tracking device comprising an alarm condition.

19. The electronic tracking system of claim 18, wherein the remote tracking device sends an indication of the alarm condition to the monitoring center upon the initial indication of the alarm condition.

20. The electronic tracking system of claim 12, wherein a subsequent two-way communication is initiated by a third party administrator.

21. The electronic tracking system of claim 20, wherein the third party administrator, through a web application, instructs the monitoring center to establish the subsequent two-way communication.

22. The electronic tracking system of claim 21, wherein the monitoring center conferences the third party administrator into the subsequent two-way communication with the remote tracking device.

23. The electronic tracking system of claim 22, wherein the subsequent two-way communication comprises a three way communication between the administrator, the monitoring center and the remote tracking device and wherein the administrator is remotely located from the monitoring center.

24. The electronic tracking system of claim 12, wherein the remote tracking device is enabled to identify and block communication calls that do not originate from the monitoring center.

25. The electronic tracking system of claim 12, wherein the telephone number is a first telephone number and wherein the automatic initiation of the two-way communication includes the remote tracking device dialing a secondary telephone number associated with the monitoring center in response to obtaining an unsuccessful result after dialing the first telephone number associated with the monitoring center.

26. The electronic tracking system of claim 12, wherein the automatic initiation of the two-way voice communication is part of an escalating alarm condition in which the remote tracking device sends notice to the monitoring center of the particular status of the remote tracking device prior to initiating the two-way voice communication with the monitoring center.