RADIO-TRACKING METHOD, SYSTEM AND DEVICES

• US 20110140967A1
• Filed: 05/14/2009
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tinytronic, S.L.
• Original Assignee: Tinytronic, S.L.
• Inventors: Lopez Pou, Andres, Vazquez Gallego, Francisco, Cano Camps, Albert
• Application Number:
  US12/996,559
• Publication Number:
  US 20110140967A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/450
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/008 incorporating GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/021 Electronic training devices specially adapted for dogs or cats
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/005 Monitoring or measuring activity, e.g. detecting heat or mating
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/825 with exchange of information between interrogator and responder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems

Abstract

A device configured to be worn by a target to be located, a console device for displaying information relating to the position, direction and distance of the target with respect to a person using the console, and a system and a method for searching for and locating a target by means of radiotracking.

Claims

1. Method in a radiotracking system for locating and tracking at least one carrier, the system comprising at least one user console and at least one device attached to the carrier, the method comprising:

transmission by the at least one carrier of at least one signal indicating its location;

reception by the at least one console of the at least one signal;

determination of the position of the console; and

provision of information to the console user to allow locating and tracking the carrier based on at least the position of the console and the at least one signal indicating the location of the carrier.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the provision of information to the user comprises providing at least one from among the position in the form of geographical coordinates, the position on a map, the direction in the form of an arrow, the distance, or a combination thereof.

3. Method according to claim 2, wherein the signal transmitted by the at least one carrier comprises at least one energy pulse.

4. Method according to claim 3, wherein the signal transmitted by the at least one carrier comprises the position data in the intervals between the pulses, and the determination of the position data of the device comprises the extraction of the data from these intervals.

5. Method according to claim 2, comprising:

a first mode of operation wherein the provision of information to the user is made based on determining the location of the carrier using at least the position data of the console and the at least one carrier; and

a second mode of operation wherein the provision of information to the user is made based on determining the location of the carrier using the data of the at least one energy pulse;

thereby allowing a continuous and uninterrupted search and tracking.

6. Method according to claim 2, wherein the at least one console transmits configuration commands to the at least one carrier, allowing to modify a plurality of parameters, among which are the transmission power of the pulsed signal or the data signal, the amplitude and duration of the at least one pulse, the interval between at least two pulses, or the frequency or rate of data transmission, or the change of operation and communication modes.

7. Method according to claim 6, wherein the autonomy of the devices can be managed based on the configuration of parameters allowing to minimise the power consumption and therefore maximise the lifetime of the device.

8. Method according to claim 5, additionally comprising a third mode of operation in which the functionality for determining the position is disabled in both devices, and information is provided to the user based on determining the location of the carrier within a maximum radius using the data of an energy pulse train emitted periodically at a low power.

9. Method according to claim 2 comprising, depending on the intensity of the signal received by the console device:

a first bi-directional communication mode that allows the console to receive data emitted by at least one carrier device and transmit configuration data to the carrier device; and

a second uni-directional communication mode that allows the console to receive data.

10. Radiotracking device for locating and tracking a carrier of the device, characterised by:

at least one radiofrequency energy pulse transmitter;

at least one data communication module;

at least one positioning module; and

at least one controller; and

wherein

the carrier device is configured to provide information on its location, allowing to search for and track it.

12. Device according to claim 10, wherein the at least one positioning module comprises a module for determining the geographical coordinates of the device based on a satellite communications protocol.

13. Device according to claim 12, wherein the at least one positioning module comprises at least one magnetic sensor and/or at least one accelerometer.

14. Device according to claim 12, wherein the at least one data communication module comprises at least one transceiver and the at least one controller is adapted to allow data transmission or reception from the data communication module in the intervals between pulses received by the pulse receiver.

15. Device according to claim 12, wherein the at least one pulse receiver is adapted to extract at least one parameter from the at least one pulse, among which is the intensity, or duration, or phase, or the interval between at least two pulses.

16. Device according to claim 12, wherein the at least one controller is adapted to determine the position, the direction and the distance to the carrier based on the data received by the data communication module, or the calculation of the geographical position of the console, or the parameters extracted from the pulses received, or a combination thereof.

17. Device according to claim 12, adapted to transmit configuration parameters allowing to modify a plurality of parameters, among which are the transmission power of the pulsed signal or the data signal, the amplitude and duration of at least one pulse, the interval between at least two pulses, or the frequency or rate of data transmission.

18. Device according to claim 12, comprising at least one energy pulse transducer, at least one display and a keyboard, and wherein the controller is adapted to provide information to a display on the carrier'"'"'s position, direction and distance from the carrier.

19. Radiotracking system for locating and tracking at least one carrier, the system comprising at least one carrier device according to claim 10, and at least one console device comprising at least one radiofrequency energy pulse receiver;

at least one data communication module;

at least one positioning module; and

at least one controller; and

wherein

the console device is configured to provide information on the location of the at least one carrier to the user, allowing to search for and track it.

11. Radiotracking console device for locating and tracking at least one carrier by at least one user, characterised by:

at least one radiofrequency energy pulse receiver;

at least one data communication module;

at least one positioning module; and

at least one controller; and

wherein

the console device is configured to provide information on the location of the at least one carrier to the user, allowing to search for and track it.