Systems, methods, and devices for locating items, people, and/or animals

• US 9,892,610 B1
• Filed: 06/03/2016
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LynQ Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Awearable Apparel, Inc.
• Inventors: Lange, Justin
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, An T
• Application Number:
  US15/173,239
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/16 Anti-theft; Abduction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/51 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0263 by combining or switching between positions derived from two or more separate positioning systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/023 Power management, e.g. system sleep and wake up provisions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0236 Threshold setting
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0247 System arrangements wherein the alarm criteria uses signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0263 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the direction in which child or item is located
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0266 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact distance between parent and child or surveyor and item
• 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 21/0294 Display details on parent unit

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices for locating items, people, and/or animals are provided. In accordance with some embodiments, locator devices for locating a target device are provided, the locator devices comprising: a first transceiver configured to communicate with a second transceiver in the target device; a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver configured to receive data from a plurality of satellites for calculating a location; a visual indicator; and a hardware processor that: receives signals from the first transceiver; calculates an estimated distance between the locator device and a target device based on the signals; controls whether the GNSS receiver is powered on or off based on the estimated distance; and causes the visual indicator indicate an estimated direction to the target device from the locator device.

Claims

1. A locator device for locating a target device, comprising:

a first transceiver configured to communicate with a second transceiver in the target device;

a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver configured to receive data from a plurality of satellites for calculating a location;

a visual indicator; and

a hardware processor that;

receives signals from the first transceiver;

calculates a first estimated distance between the locator device and the target device based on the signals;

controls whether the GNSS receiver is powered on or off based on the first estimated distance;

causes the visual indicator to indicate an estimated direction to the target device from the locator device; and

powers on the GNSS receiver of the locator device after it has been powered off for a first period of time, wherein the first period of time is determined based on a maximum travel rate of the target device and a second estimated distance between the target device and a first boundary.

2. The locator device of claim 1, wherein the hardware processor also controls whether a GNSS receiver of the target device is powered on or off based on the first estimated distance.

3. The locator device of claim 1, wherein the hardware processor also controls whether the first transceiver is powered on or off based on the first estimated distance.

4. The locator device of claim 3, wherein the hardware processor also powers on the first transceiver of the locator device after it has been powered off for a second period of time.

5. The locator device of claim 4, wherein the second period of time is determined based on the maximum travel rate of the target device and a third estimated distance between the target device and a second boundary.

6. The locator device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of antennas coupled to the first receiver by at least one switch, wherein the hardware processor also controls which of the plurality of antennas is used based on an orientation of the locator device.

7. The locator device of claim 1, wherein the hardware processor also:

determines that a location of the locator device is a current location;

instructs a user of the locator device to move the locator device to a first new location that is the first estimated distance from the current location;

calculates a first new distance estimate between the locator device and the target device at the first new location;

instructs the user of the locator device to move the locator device to a second new location that is at least the first estimated distance from the first new location;

calculates a second new distance estimate between the locator device and the target device at the second new location;

instructs the user of the locator device to move the locator device to a third new location that is at least the first estimated distance from the second new location;

calculates a third new distance estimate between the locator device and the target device at the third new location;

instructs the user of the locator device to move the locator device to a fourth new location that is at least the first estimated distance from the third new location;

calculates a fourth new distance estimate between the locator device and the target device at the fourth new location; and

estimates a location of the target device based on the current location, the first new location, the second new location, the third new location, the fourth new location, the first estimated distance, the first new distance estimate, the second new distance estimate, the third distance estimate, and the fourth distance estimate.

8. The locator device of claim 7, wherein the hardware processor estimates the location of the target device using a non-linear fitting trilateration technique.

9. A method for locating a target device, comprising:

receiving signals from a first transceiver, of a locator device, configured to communicate with a second transceiver in the target device;

calculating a first estimated distance between the locator device and the target device based on signals received from the first transceiver;

controlling whether a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver, of the locator device, which GNSS receiver is configured to receive data from a plurality of satellites for calculating a location, is powered on or off based on the first estimated distance;

causing a visual indicator to indicate an estimated direction to the target device from the locator device; and

powering on the GNSS receiver of the locator device after it has been powered off for a first period of time, wherein the first period of time is determined based on a maximum travel rate of the target device and a second estimated distance between the target device and a first boundary.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising controlling whether a GNSS receiver of the target device is powered on or off based on the first estimated distance.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising controlling whether the first transceiver is powered on or off based on the first estimated distance.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising powering on the first transceiver of the locator device after it has been powered off for a second period of time.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the second period of time is determined based on the maximum travel rate of the target device and a third estimated distance between the target device and a second boundary.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising controlling which of a plurality of antennas that are coupled to the first receiver by at least one switch is used based on an orientation of the locator device.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining that a location of the locator device is a current location;

instructing a user of the locator device to move the locator device to a first new location that is the first estimated distance from the current location;

calculating a first new distance estimate between the locator device and the target device at the first new location;

instructing the user of the locator device to move the locator device to a second new location that is at least the first estimated distance from the first new location;

calculating a second new distance estimate between the locator device and the target device at the second new location;

instructing the user of the locator device to move the locator device to a third new location that is at least the first estimated distance from the second new location;

calculating a third new distance estimate between the locator device and the target device at the third new location;

instructing the user of the locator device to move the locator device to a fourth new location that is at least the first estimated distance from the third new location;

calculating a fourth new distance estimate between the locator device and the target device at the fourth new location; and

estimating a location of the target device based on the current location, the first new location, the second new location, the third new location, the fourth new location, the first estimated distance, the first new distance estimate, the second new distance estimate, the third distance estimate, and the fourth distance estimate.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the location of the target device is estimated using a non-linear fitting trilateration technique.

17. A locator device for locating a target device, comprising:

a first transceiver configured to communicate with a second transceiver in the target device;

a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver configured to receive data from a plurality of satellites for calculating a location;

a visual indicator; and

a hardware processor that;

receives signals from the first transceiver;

calculates a first estimated distance between the locator device and the target device based on the signals;

controls whether the GNSS receiver is powered on or off based on the first estimated distance;

causes the visual indicator to indicate an estimated direction to the target device from the locator device;

controls whether the first transceiver is powered on or off based on the first estimated distance; and

powers on the first transceiver of the locator device after it has been powered off for a period of time, wherein the period of time is determined based on a maximum travel rate of the target device and a second estimated distance between the target device and a boundary.

18. The locator device of claim 17, wherein the hardware processor also controls whether a GNSS receiver of the target device is powered on or off based on the first estimated distance.

19. The locator device of claim 17, further comprising a plurality of antennas coupled to the first receiver by at least one switch, wherein the hardware processor also controls which of the plurality of antennas is used based on an orientation of the locator device.

20. The locator device of claim 17, wherein the hardware processor also:

determines that a location of the locator device is a current location;

instructs a user of the locator device to move the locator device to a first new location that is the first estimated distance from the current location;

calculates a first new distance estimate between the locator device and the target device at the first new location;

instructs the user of the locator device to move the locator device to a second new location that is at least the first estimated distance from the first new location;

calculates a second new distance estimate between the locator device and the target device at the second new location;

instructs the user of the locator device to move the locator device to a third new location that is at least the first estimated distance from the second new location;

calculates a third new distance estimate between the locator device and the target device at the third new location;

instructs the user of the locator device to move the locator device to a fourth new location that is at least the first estimated distance from the third new location;

calculates a fourth new distance estimate between the locator device and the target device at the fourth new location; and

estimates a location of the target device based on the current location, the first new location, the second new location, the third new location, the fourth new location, the first estimated distance, the first new distance estimate, the second new distance estimate, the third distance estimate, and the fourth distance estimate.

21. The locator device of claim 20, wherein the hardware processor estimates the location of the target device using a non-linear fitting trilateration technique.

22. A method for locating a target device, comprising:

receiving signals from a first transceiver, of a locator device, configured to communicate with a second transceiver in the target device;

calculating a first estimated distance between the locator device and the target device based on signals received from the first transceiver;

controlling whether a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver, of the locator device, which GNSS receiver is configured to receive data from a plurality of satellites for calculating a location, is powered on or off based on the first estimated distance;

causing a visual indicator to indicate an estimated direction to the target device from the locator device;

controlling whether the first transceiver is powered on or off based on the estimated distance; and

powering on the first transceiver of the locator device after it has been powered off for a period of time, wherein the period of time is determined based on a maximum travel rate of the target device and a second estimated distance between the target device and a boundary.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising controlling whether a GNSS receiver of the target device is powered on or off based on the first estimated distance.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising controlling which of a plurality of antennas that are coupled to the first receiver by at least one switch is used based on an orientation of the locator device.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

determining that a location of the locator device is a current location;

instructing a user of the locator device to move the locator device to a first new location that is the first estimated distance from the current location;

calculating a first new distance estimate between the locator device and the target device at the first new location;

instructing the user of the locator device to move the locator device to a second new location that is at least the first estimated distance from the first new location;

calculating a second new distance estimate between the locator device and the target device at the second new location;

instructing the user of the locator device to move the locator device to a third new location that is at least the first estimated distance from the second new location;

calculating a third new distance estimate between the locator device and the target device at the third new location;

instructing the user of the locator device to move the locator device to a fourth new location that is at least the first estimated distance from the third new location;

calculating a fourth new distance estimate between the locator device and the target device at the fourth new location; and

estimating a location of the target device based on the current location, the first new location, the second new location, the third new location, the fourth new location, the first estimated distance, the first new distance estimate, the second new distance estimate, the third distance estimate, and the fourth distance estimate.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the location of the target device is estimated using a non-linear fitting trilateration technique.