SYSTEM AND METHOD OF TRACKING THE MOVEMENT OF INDIVIDUALS AND ASSETS

• US 20080088438A1
• Filed: 11/06/2007
• Published: 04/17/2008
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 8,547,222 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• 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

A monitoring system is provided, by which location data and possibly other information from a wireless personal tracking device carried by an individual is transmitted to an administrative hub for processing and action according to defined rules. Simultaneous monitoring of a plurality of individuals with diverse tracking units and effective event recording and reporting can be implemented.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for monitoring the compliance of an individual with a set of prescribed rules comprising:

(a) a wireless personal tracking device carried by the individual;

(b) an administrative hub monitoring locations of the individual based upon data reported by the wireless personal tracking device, and having a location database and a database containing the set of prescribed rules applicable to the individual;

wherein at least one of the rules applicable to the individual is a mobile exclusion zone that moves corresponding to the location of a second wireless tracking device that is monitored by the administrative hub.

3. The monitoring system of claim 1 wherein a user of the monitoring system is notified upon the administrative hub determining that one of the prescribed rules has been violated.

4. The monitoring system of claim 3 wherein the user notification is by a recorded or synthesized voice message.

9. The monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the wireless personal tracking device does not determine its location, but only transmits location related data to the administrative hub.

10. The monitoring system of claim 9 wherein the administrative hub may direct the wireless personal tracking device to determine its location autonomously.

11. The monitoring system of claim 10 wherein the administrative hub may direct the wireless tracking device to autonomously apply at least one of the prescribed rules for the individual.

2. A monitoring system for monitoring the compliance of an individual with a set of prescribed rules comprising:

(a) a wireless personal tracking device carried by the individual;

(b) an administrative hub monitoring locations of the individual based upon data reported by the wireless personal tracking device, and having a location database and a database containing the set of prescribed rules applicable to the individual;

wherein at least one of the rules applicable to the individual is a mobile inclusion zone that moves corresponding to the location of a second wireless tracking device that is monitored by the administrative hub.

21. The monitoring system of claim 2 wherein a user of the monitoring system is notified upon the administrative hub determining that one of the prescribed rules has been violated.

22. The monitoring system of claim 21 wherein the user notification is by a recorded or synthesized voice message.

23. The monitoring system of claim 2 wherein the wireless personal tracking device does not determine its location, but only transmits location related data to the administrative hub.

24. The monitoring system of claim 23 wherein the administrative hub may direct the wireless personal tracking device to determine its location autonomously.

25. The monitoring system of claim 24 wherein the administrative hub may direct the wireless tracking device to autonomously apply at least one of the prescribed rules for the individual.

5. A monitoring system for monitoring the compliance of an individual with a set of prescribed rules comprising:

(a) a wireless personal tracking device carried by the individual;

(b) an administrative hub monitoring locations of the individual based upon data reported by the wireless personal tracking device, and having a location database and a database containing the set of prescribed rules applicable to the individual in addition to reportable events applicable to the individual;

(c) an event log created by the administrative hub that contains both violations of the prescribed rules and reportable events applicable to the individual.

6. The monitoring system of claim 5 wherein a reportable event includes the presence of the individual in a buffer zone.

7. A monitoring system for monitoring the compliance of an individual with a set of prescribed rules comprising:

(a) a wireless personal tracking device carried by the individual;

(b) an administrative hub monitoring locations of the individual based upon data reported by the wireless personal tracking device, and having a location database and a database containing the set of prescribed rules applicable to the individual, at least one of said prescribed rules being an inclusion zone for the individual;

wherein when the location of the individual in the inclusion zone is initially monitored over a defined period the reported locations are predominantly near a perimeter location of the inclusion zone, then the co-ordinates of the inclusion zone are automatically selected for recalibration to the predominantly reported location.

8. The monitoring system of claim 7 wherein an administrator can efficiently approve the selected recalibration.

26. The monitoring system of claim 7 wherein the wireless personal tracking device does not determine its location, but only transmits location related data to the administrative hub.

27. The monitoring system of claim 26 wherein the administrative hub may direct the wireless personal tracking device to determine its location autonomously.

28. The monitoring system of claim 27 wherein the administrative hub may direct the wireless tracking device to autonomously apply at least one of the prescribed rules for the individual.

12. A monitoring system for monitoring the compliance of a plurality of individuals with a set of prescribed rules for said individuals comprising:

(a) a first wireless personal tracking device having a first CPU running a real time operating system carried by a first individual;

(b) a second wireless personal tracking device having a second CPU running a virtual machine implementation of the first CPU carried by a second individual;

(c) an administrative hub monitoring locations based upon data reported by the first and second wireless personal tracking devices, and having a location database and a database containing the set of prescribed rules applicable to each of the first and the second individuals.

13. The monitoring system of claim 12 wherein a third wireless personal tracking device having a third CPU running a virtual machine implementation of the first CPU is carried by a third individual, the location of said third wireless personal tracking device also being monitored by the administrative hub.

14. The monitoring system of claim 12 wherein the second individual is notified when the first individual is within a specified proximity.

15. A monitoring system for monitoring compliance of individuals with associated sets of prescribed rules comprising:

(a) a first group of individuals each carrying a wireless personal tracking device;

(b) a second group of individuals each carrying a wireless personal tracking device;

(c) an administrative hub monitoring locations of the individuals in the first and second groups based upon data reported by the wireless personal tracking devices, and having at least one location database and a database containing the sets of prescribed rules applicable to the individuals;

(d) a first user authorized to access the locations of and data stored by the administrative hub pertaining to the individuals in the first group;

(e) a second user authorized to access the locations of and data stored by the administrative hub pertaining to the individuals in the second group;

wherein the first user is not authorized to access the locations of and data stored by the administrative hub pertaining to the individuals in the second group.

16. The monitoring system of claim 15 wherein the first user is authorized to modify the location database used by the administrative hub for monitoring locations of the individuals in the first group and applying the sets of prescribed rules applicable to those individuals, to create a set of first modifications applied to the location database.

17. The monitoring system of claim 16 wherein an administrator of the system is authorized to accept the modifications entered by the first user for general inclusion in a location database at the administrative hub.

18. The monitoring system of claim 15 wherein a web crawler is directed to search for specified criteria and returns data proposed for inclusion in a location database.

19. A monitoring system for monitoring the compliance of an individual with a set of prescribed rules comprising:

(a) a wireless personal tracking device carried by the individual;

(b) an administrative hub monitoring locations of the individual based upon data reported by the wireless personal tracking device, and having a location database and a database containing the set of prescribed rules applicable to the individual;

wherein the location database includes speed limit data for at least selected road segments, and at least one of the prescribed rules is for the individual to abide by speed limits.

20. A monitoring system for monitoring compliance of individuals with associated sets of prescribed rules comprising:

(a) a group of individuals each carrying a wireless personal tracking device;

(b) an administrative hub monitoring locations of the individuals in the group based upon data reported by the wireless personal tracking devices, and having at least one location database and a database containing the sets of prescribed rules applicable to the individuals;

(c) a user authorized to access the locations of and data stored by the administrative hub pertaining to the individuals in the group;

(d) wherein the user may simultaneously display the location history of selected individuals in the group.