Systems and Methods For Monitoring and Tracking

• US 20080186166A1
• Filed: 01/24/2008
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Longhorn Automotive Group LLC (Alpha Alpha Intellectual Partners LLC)
• Original Assignee: Konsillus Networks LLC
• Inventors: Pang, Dexing, Lin, Ning, Zhou, Peter Y., Bolton, Keith L., Tong, Yiu-Cho Alan, Albanna, Amro, Albanna, Rowena Lampa, Addington, David Ralph
• Granted Patent: US 8,862,393 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0036 of measured values, i.e. measurement on mobile and position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to systems, methods and applications utilizing the convergence of any combination of the following three technologies: wireless positioning or localization technology, wireless communications technology and sensor technology. In particular, certain embodiments of the present invention relate to a remote device that includes a sensor for determining or measuring a desired parameter, a receiver for receiving position data from the Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite system, a processor for determining whether or not alert conditions are present and a wireless transceiver for transmitting the measured parameter data and the position data to a central station, such as an application service provider (ASP). The ASP, in turn, may communicate the measured data, position data and notification of any alerts to an end user via an alert device. The present invention also relates to various applications and systems utilizing the capabilities of such a device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a plurality of remote devices associated with the objects, each remote device including;

memory for storing an alert threshold value; and

one or more processors configured to receive data and generate alerts by comparing the data to the alert threshold value;

a plurality of user alert devices for receiving the alerts;

a plurality of user interface devices for receiving from the users indications of the alert threshold values; and

an application service provider (ASP) for receiving the indication of the alert threshold values from the user interface devices, the ASP including;

a database for associating each user with a particular one of the remote devices and associating the particular remote device to a particular alert threshold value and associating the particular remote device to one or more of the plurality of alert devices; and

one or more processors configured to communicate the particular alert threshold value to the particular remote device and to communicate alerts generated by the particular remote device to the particular alert devices according to a priority.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the user alert devices is from the following group of devices:

telephone, wireless device, computer, cellular telephone and personal digital assistant.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the priority with respect to a user is a prioritized order of user alert devices.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the processor is configured to communicate the alert to a first user'"'"'s alert device and following an amount of time, to communicate the alert to a next alert device in the prioritized order.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the processor is configured to communicate the alert simultaneously to one or more of the prioritized alert devices.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the priority with regard to a remote device includes a prioritized order of a first user'"'"'s alert device and a second user'"'"'s alert device.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first user'"'"'s alert device is a different type than the second user'"'"'s alert device.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to communicate the alert to the first user'"'"'s alert device and following an amount of time, to communicate the alert to the second user'"'"'s alert device.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to communicate the alert simultaneously to the first user'"'"'s alert device and the second user'"'"'s alert device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the user interface devices is from the following group of devices:

telephone, wireless device, computer, cellular telephone and personal digital assistant.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the alerts is from the following group of alerts, telephone call, electronic mail message, electronic text message, voice message and a message transmitted to a call management center.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the alert threshold values is from the following group of values:

geographical boundary, geographical distance, speed, and time.

13. A system for receiving localizing data from remote devices and communicating alerts to users having to user alert devices, the system comprising:

a database for associating one or more user alert devices with a particular one of the remote devices, associating the particular one of the remote devices to a particular alert threshold value and to a particular one of the alert devices, and for storing the localizing data received from the particular one of the remote devices;

a communications link with the user alert devices for communicating alerts;

one or more processors configured to compare the localizing data received from the particular one of the remote devices to the particular alert threshold value and to generate an alert in response to the comparing and initiating communication of the alert to one or more alert devices in accordance with a priority.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the priority with respect to a user is a prioritized order of user alert devices.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to communicate the alert to a first alert device of a first user and following an amount of time, to communicate the alert to a second alert device of the first user according to the prioritized order.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to communicate the alert simultaneously to one or more of the prioritized alert devices.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the priority with regard to a remote device includes a prioritized order of a first user'"'"'s first alert device and a second user'"'"'s alert device.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the first user'"'"'s alert device is a different type than the second user'"'"'s alert device.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to communicate the alert to the first user'"'"'s alert device and following an amount of time, to communicate the alert to the second user'"'"'s alert device.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to communicate the alert simultaneously to the first user'"'"'s alert device and the second user'"'"'s alert device.

21. The system of claim 13, further comprising a second server for providing an interface between the one or more users and the database to allow the one or more users access to the localizing data.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the communications link is accomplished via the web and/or via electronic mail.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein one or more of the alerts is from the following group of alerts:

electronic mail message, voice mail message, telephone call and message transmitted to a call management center.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein one or more of the alert devices is from the following group of alert devices:

telephone, wireless device, pager, computer, cellular telephone personal digital assistant other device capable of receiving electronic mail.

25. The system of claim 13, wherein the localizing data is a Global Positioning System (GPS) signal.

26. A method for providing an alert in response to an object being monitored in a system for monitoring and tracking objects, the method comprising:

receiving data from a remote device associated with the object being monitored;

generating the alert based on analysis of the data;

transmitting the alert to at least one alert device in accordance with a priority.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein receiving data from a remote device includes receiving data from a remote device associated with a human.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein transmitting the alert to at least one alert device in accordance with the priority includes transmitting the alert signal to a series of user alert devices used by one or more users.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the alert is transmitted to a first user'"'"'s alert device, and then to a second user'"'"'s alert device.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the transmitting of alert signal in a prioritized order includes transmitting alerts to a first user'"'"'s first type of alert device, a first user'"'"'s second type of alert device, a second user'"'"'s first type of alert device and a second user'"'"'s second type of alert device.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the alert signal is transmitted to a first user'"'"'s first type of alert device, an amount of time passes and another alert signal is transmitted to the a second alert device, the second alert device being the next alert device in the priority.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein the alert signal is transmitted to a first user'"'"'s first type of alert device, an after receiving feedback from the first user'"'"'s first type of alert device and another alert signal is transmitted to the a second alert device, the second alert device being the next alert device in the priority.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein the alert signal is transmitted simultaneously to one or more of the series of alert devices in the priority.

34. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of updating the priority.

35. The method of claim 26, wherein the alert signal is transmitted in the form of one or more of the following group of alert signal forms:

electronic mail message, voice mail message, telephone call, message transmission to a call management center.

36. The method of claim 26, wherein the alert signal is transmitted to one or more of the following group of alert devices:

telephone, wireless device, pager, computer, cellular telephone personal digital assistant other device capable of receiving electronic mail.