System and method for processing location data

• US 9,910,862 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2009
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inpixon Co.
• Original Assignee: GTX Corp.
• Inventors: Bertagna, Patrick E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Linh Giang
• Application Number:
  US12/378,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20100205187A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,310 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2, 705 3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A novel system and method for processing location data are disclosed. An exemplary method includes receiving location data from a remote device, associating the location data with a particular subscriber, augmenting the location data in one of a plurality of predetermined ways based on information associated with the particular subscriber to produce augmented location data, and providing the augmented location data to the subscriber. In a more particular embodiment, the step of augmenting the location data includes retrieving a subscriber file associated with the subscriber and performing one or more augmentation processes on the location data based at least in part on the subscriber file. An example system includes both a remote device operative to transmit location data and a central station for performing the methods of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method of providing augmented location data, said method comprising:

receiving subscription information associated with a particular subscriber, said subscription information identifying one or more of a plurality of location-based services to which said particular subscriber has access, some of said location-based services being accessible to said particular subscriber and others of said location-based services being inaccessible to said particular subscriber;

establishing a first connection between a server and a remote tracking device, said remote tracking device being associated with said particular subscriber;

remotely configuring one or more control routines stored in memory of said tracking device based on which of said location-based services are accessible to said particular subscriber, said control routines at least partially determining the operational characteristics of said tracking device;

establishing, apart from said tracking device, a second connection between said server and a subscriber device, said subscriber device being associated with said particular subscriber, said tracking device being remotely located from said subscriber device;

receiving a request for tracking services from said subscriber device via said second connection;

receiving location data from said tracking device via said first connection, said location data having been generated in accordance with said one or more control routines and being indicative of the geographical location of said tracking device;

associating said location data with said particular subscriber;

selecting one or more augmentation processes from a plurality of different predetermined augmentation processes depending on which ones of said location-based services are accessible to said particular subscriber as indicated by said subscription information;

augmenting said location data using said one or more of said selected augmentation processes to produce said augmented location data; and

providing said augmented location data to said subscriber device via said second connection in response to said request for tracking services.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of selecting said one or more augmentation processes includes:

retrieving a subscriber file associated with said particular subscriber; and

selecting said one or more augmentation processes based at least in part on said subscriber file.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of augmenting said location data includes:

using said location data to retrieve additional information from a remote source; and

using said additional information to augment said location data.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said remote source includes at least one public database.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein said remote source includes a plurality of discrete public databases.

6. A method according to claim 3, wherein said remote source includes at least one private database.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein said remote source includes a plurality of discrete private databases.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein said remote source includes at least one public database.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of augmenting said location data includes performing at least one, but not all, of said plurality of different predetermined augmentation processes on said location data.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein said at least one predetermined augmentation process includes comparing said location data to data previously provided by said particular subscriber.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein said at least one predetermined augmentation process determines a proximity of said tracking device to a position associated with said data previously provided by said particular subscriber.

12. A method according to claim 9, wherein said at least one predetermined augmentation process includes comparing said location data to location data retrieved from a remote data source.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein said remote data source includes at least one public database.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein said remote data source includes at least one private database.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein said remote data source includes at least one public database.

33. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving sensor data from said tracking device, said sensor data being other than said location data;

associating said sensor data with said particular subscriber;

augmenting said sensor data; and

providing said augmented sensor data to said subscriber device via said second connection.

34. A method according to claim 33, wherein said sensor data is indicative of whether said tracking device is being worn by a person being tracked.

35. A method according to claim 33, wherein said sensor data is indicative of the state of charge of a battery associated with said tracking device.

36. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a third connection with said particular subscriber; and

receiving an augmentation request from said particular subscriber via said third connection; and

wherein

said step of augmenting said location data is performed in response to receiving said augmentation request.

59. A method according to claim 1, wherein said augmented location data is generated using said location data and other data.

60. A method according to claim 1, wherein said remote tracking device is further associated with a tracked entity that is different than said particular subscriber and is remotely located from said particular subscriber.

61. A method according to claim 1, wherein said subscriber device is under the control of said particular subscriber.

62. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said augmented location data is generated using said location data and other data; and

said remote tracking device is associated with a tracked entity that is different than said particular subscriber and is remotely located to said particular subscriber.

63. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of selecting one or more augmentation processes includes selecting one or more augmentation processes from said plurality of different predetermined augmentation processes depending on which of said one or more location-based services have been identified by said particular subscriber in said subscription information.

64. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said subscription information identifies a first location-based service from a pool of at least three different location-based services;

said step of selecting one or more augmentation processes includes selecting a first augmentation process corresponding to said first location-based service; and

said step of augmenting said location data includes

using said location data to retrieve additional information from a first database associated with said first augmentation process, and

using said additional information from said first database to augment said location data according to said first augmentation process.

65. A method according to claim 64, wherein:

said subscription information identifies a second location-based service from said pool of at least three different location-based services;

said step of selecting one or more augmentation processes includes selecting a second augmentation process corresponding to said second location-based service; and

said step of augmenting said location data includes

using said location data to retrieve additional information from a second database associated with said second augmentation process, and

using said additional information from said second database to augment said location data according to said second augmentation process in addition to said first augmentation process.

66. A method according to claim 65, wherein at least one of said first augmentation process and said second augmentation process involves augmenting said location data with a map.

67. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of augmenting said location data using said one or more of said selected augmentation processes to produce said augmented location data includes:

retrieving location data associated with another physical entity; and

combining said location data associated with said other physical entity with said location data received from said tracking device.

68. A method according to claim 1, wherein ones of said location-based services become accessible or inaccessible to said particular subscriber as a subscription level of said particular subscriber changes.

69. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of remotely configuring one or more control routines stored in memory of said remote tracking device includes:

transferring at least one of said control routines from said server to said remote tracking device; and

causing said remote tracking device to load said transferred control routine into said memory of said remote tracking device.

70. A method according to claim 69, wherein ones of said control routines transferred to said tracking device correspond to ones of said plurality of location-based services accessible to said particular subscriber.

16. A non-transitory, electronically-readable storage medium having code stored thereon for causing an electronic device to:

receive subscription information associated with a particular subscriber, said subscription information identifying one or more of a plurality of location-based services to which said particular subscriber has access, some of said location-based services being accessible to said particular subscriber and others of said location-based services being inaccessible to said particular subscriber;

establish a first connection between a server and a remote tracking device, said remote tracking device being associated with a particular subscriber;

remotely configure one or more control routines stored in memory of said tracking device based on which of said location-based services are accessible to said particular subscriber, said control routines at least partially determining the operational characteristics of said tracking device;

establish, apart from said tracking device, a second connection between said server and a subscriber device, said subscriber device being associated with said particular subscriber, said tracking device being remotely located from said subscriber device;

receive a request for tracking services from said subscriber device via said second connection;

receive location data from said tracking device via said first connection, said location data having been generated in accordance with said one or more control routines and being indicative of the geographical location of said tracking device;

associate said location data with said particular subscriber;

select one or more augmentation processes from a plurality of different predetermined augmentation processes depending on which ones of said location-based services are accessible to said particular subscriber as indicated by said subscription information;

augment said location data using one or more of said selected augmentation processes to produce augmented location data; and

provide said augmented location data to said subscriber device via said second connection in response to said request for tracking services.

37. A non-transitory, electronically-readable storage medium according to claim 16, wherein said code is further operative to cause said electronic device to:

retrieve a subscriber file associated with said particular subscriber; and

select said one or more augmentation processes based at least in part on said subscriber file.

38. A non-transitory, electronically-readable storage medium according to claim 16, wherein said code is further operative to cause said electronic device to:

use said location data to retrieve additional information from a remote source; and

use said additional information to augment said location data.

39. A non-transitory, electronically-readable storage medium according to claim 38, wherein said remote source includes at least one public database.

40. A non-transitory, electronically-readable storage medium according to claim 39, wherein said remote source includes a plurality of discrete public databases.

41. A non-transitory, electronically-readable storage medium according to claim 38, wherein said remote source includes at least one private database.

42. A non-transitory, electronically-readable storage medium according to claim 41, wherein said remote source includes a plurality of discrete private databases.

43. A non-transitory, electronically-readable storage medium according to claim 41, wherein said remote source includes at least one public database.

44. A non-transitory, electronically-readable storage medium according to claim 16, wherein said code is further operative to cause said electronic device to perform at least one, but not all, of said plurality of different predetermined augmentation processes on said location data to augment said location data.

45. A non-transitory, electronically-readable storage medium according to claim 44, wherein said at least one predetermined augmentation process includes comparing said location data to data previously provided by said particular subscriber.

46. A non-transitory, electronically-readable storage medium according to claim 45, wherein said at least one predetermined augmentation process determines a proximity of said tracking device to a position associated with said data previously provided by said particular subscriber.

47. A non-transitory, electronically-readable storage medium according to claim 44, wherein said at least one predetermined augmentation process includes comparing said location data to location data retrieved from a remote data source.

48. A non-transitory, electronically-readable storage medium according to claim 47, wherein said remote data source includes at least one public database.

49. A non-transitory, electronically-readable storage medium according to claim 47, wherein said remote data source includes at least one private database.

50. A non-transitory, electronically-readable storage medium according to claim 49, wherein said remote data source includes at least one public database.

51. A non-transitory, electronically-readable storage medium according to claim 16, wherein said code is further operative to cause said electronic device to:

receive sensor data from said tracking device, said sensor data being other than said location data;

associate said sensor data with said particular subscriber;

augment said sensor data; and

provide said augmented sensor data to said subscriber device via said second connection.

52. A non-transitory, electronically-readable storage medium according to claim 51, wherein said sensor data is indicative of whether said tracking device is being worn by a person being tracked.

53. A non-transitory, electronically-readable storage medium according to claim 51, wherein said sensor data is indicative of the state of charge of a battery associated with said tracking device.

54. A non-transitory, electronically-readable storage medium according to claim 16, wherein said code is further operative to cause said electronic device to:

establish a third connection with said particular subscriber;

receive an augmentation request from said particular subscriber via said third connection; and

augment said location data in response to receiving said augmentation request.

17. A system for monitoring a tracking device, said system comprising:

a remote tracking device associated with a particular subscriber and operative to transmit location data indicative of the geographical location of said tracking device, said location data being generated based on one or more control routines stored in a memory of said tracking device; and

a central station including

a tracking interface operative to

establish a first connection between said central station and said tracking device,

provide remote configuration instructions to said tracking device to remotely configure at least one of said one or more control routines of said tracking device, and

receive said location data from said tracking device,

a subscriber interface operative to

receive subscription information associated with said particular subscriber, said subscription information identifying one or more of a plurality of location-based services to which said particular subscriber has access, some of said location-based services being accessible to said particular subscriber and others of said location-based services being inaccessible to said particular subscriber and

receive a request for tracking services from a subscriber device via a second connection established, apart from said tracking device, between said central station and said subscriber device, said subscriber device being associated with said particular subscriber,

a data augmenter operative to

select one or more augmentation processes from a plurality of different predetermined augmentation processes based on which ones of said location-based services are accessible to said particular subscriber as indicated by subscription information associated with said particular subscriber and

augment said location data using said one or more selected augmentation processes to produce augmented location data, and

an output device operative to provide said augmented location data to said subscriber device via said second connection in response to said request for tracking services; and

wherein

said tracking device is remotely located from said subscriber device; and

said central station is operative to use said tracking interface to remotely configure at least one of said one or more control routines of said tracking device based on which of said location-based services are accessible to said particular subscriber, said control routines at least partially determining the operational characteristics of said tracking device.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein said data augmenter is further operative to:

retrieve a subscriber file associated with said particular subscriber; and

select said one or more augmentation processes based at least in part on said subscriber file.

19. A system according to claim 17, wherein said data augmenter is further operative to:

use said location data to retrieve additional information from a remote source; and

use said additional information to augment said location data.

20. A system according to claim 19, wherein said remote source includes at least one public database.

21. A system according to claim 20, wherein said remote source includes a plurality of discrete public databases.

22. A system according to claim 19, wherein said remote source includes at least one private database.

23. A system according to claim 22, wherein said remote source includes a plurality of discrete private databases.

24. A system according to claim 22, wherein said remote source includes at least one public database.

25. A system according to claim 17, wherein said data augmenter further includes a routine to perform at least one, but not all, of said plurality of different predetermined augmentation processes on said location data.

26. A system according to claim 25, wherein said at least one predetermined augmentation process includes comparing said location data to data previously provided by said particular subscriber.

27. A system according to claim 26, wherein said at least one predetermined augmentation process determines a proximity of said remote device to a position associated with said data previously provided by said particular subscriber.

28. A system according to claim 25, wherein said at least one predetermined augmentation process includes comparing said location data to location data retrieved from a remote data source.

29. A system according to claim 28, wherein said remote data source includes at least one public database.

30. A system according to claim 28, wherein said remote data source includes at least one private database.

31. A system according to claim 30, wherein said remote data source includes at least one public database.

55. A system according to claim 17, wherein:

said input device is further operative to receive sensor data from said tracking device via said first connection, said sensor data being other than said location data;

said data augmenter is further operative to augment said sensor data; and

said output device is further operative to provide said augmented sensor data to said subscriber device via said second connection.

56. A system according to claim 55, wherein said sensor data is indicative of whether said tracking device is being worn by a person being tracked.

57. A system according to claim 55, wherein said sensor data is indicative of the state of charge of a battery associated with said tracking device.

58. A system according to claim 17, wherein:

said central station further includes a subscriber input device operative to establish a third connection with said particular subscriber and to receive an augmentation request from said particular subscriber via said third connection; and

wherein

said data augmenter is operative to augment said location data in response to receiving said augmentation request.

32. A system for monitoring a tracking device, said system comprising:

a remote tracking device associated with a particular subscriber and operative to transmit location data indicative of the geographical location of said tracking device, said location data being generated based on one or more control routines stored in a memory of said tracking device; and

a central station including

a tracking interface operative to

establish a first connection between said central station and said tracking device,

provide remote configuration instructions to said tracking device to remotely configure at least one of said one or more control routines of said tracking device, and

receive said location data from said tracking device,

a subscriber interface operative to

receive subscription information associated with said particular subscriber, said subscription information identifying one or more of a plurality of location-based services to which said particular subscriber has access, some of said location-based services being accessible to said particular subscriber and others of said location-based services being inaccessible to said particular subscriber and

receive a request for tracking services from a user device via a second connection established, apart from said tracking device, between said central station and said user device, said user device being associated with said particular subscriber,

means for selecting at least one augmentation process from a plurality of different predetermined augmentation processes based on which ones of said location-based services are accessible to said particular subscriber as indicated by said subscription information,

means for augmenting said location data using said selected augmentation process to produce augmented location data, and

an output device operative to provide said augmented location data to said user device via said second connection in response to said request for tracking services; and

wherein

said tracking device is remotely located from said user device; and

said central station is operative to use said tracking interface to remotely configure at least one of said one or more control routines of said tracking device based on which of said location-based services are accessible to said particular subscriber, said control routines at least partially determining the operational characteristics of said tracking device.