TRACKING SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20120092132A1
• Filed: 03/31/2010
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Edith Cowan University
• Original Assignee: Edith Cowan University
• Inventors: Holme, Christopher Douglas, Karvinen, Reino Tauno
• Granted Patent: US 9,137,970 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/008 incorporating GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/005 Solid-state data loggers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A tracking apparatus (1) comprising: a first mobile transceiver unit (2), and a second mobile transceiver unit (3), the first mobile transceiver unit being in wireless communication with the second mobile transceiver unit for the transfer of data therebetween, the first mobile transceiver unit being arranged for location within an environment and being operable to determine data regarding the environment and to emit some or all of the determined data which is received by the second mobile transceiver unit for storage thereon when it is determined by the first mobile transceiver unit that the second mobile transceiver unit is located within a distance of the first mobile transceiver unit.

Claims

1. A tracking apparatus comprising:

a first mobile transceiver unit, and a second mobile transceiver unit, the first mobile transceiver unit being in wireless communication with the second mobile transceiver unit for the transfer of data therebetween, the first mobile transceiver unit being arranged for location within an environment and being operable to determine data regarding the environment and to emit some or all of the determined data which is received by the second mobile transceiver unit for storage thereon when it is determined by the first mobile transceiver unit that the second mobile transceiver unit is located within a distance of the first mobile transceiver unit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first mobile transceiver unit is operable to communicate the determined data for receipt by the second mobile transceiver unit in response to a request signal from the second mobile transceiver unit.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, further comprising a data collection unit, wherein the second mobile transceiver unit is in wireless communication with the data collection unit such that the stored determined data can be transferred to the data collection unit.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second mobiled transceiver unit is operable to determine the presence of a data collection unit, and, in response to the determination of the presence of a data collection unit to transfer the stored determined data to the data collection unit.

5. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the distance is predetermined, and the first mobile transceiver unit includes a detector for determination of the presence of a second mobile transceiver unit within the predetermined distance.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the detector comprises a passive detection circuit.

7. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first mobile transceiver unit includes one or more sensors for determining data regarding the environment in which the first mobile transceiver unit is located.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the one or more sensors include:

a temperature sensor, a power sensor, and/or a motion sensor.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the power sensor comprises a battery voltage sensor operable to sense a voltage of a battery providing power to the first mobile transceiver unit.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 or 9, wherein the motion sensor comprises an accelerometer.

11. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second mobile transceiver unit operates in a first mode and includes a sensor operable to change state when subject to a condition, the second mobile transceiver unit being operable to change to a second mode in response to a detected change in state of the sensor, providing an indication that the condition has been sensed by the sensor.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first mode comprises a lower power default mode, and the second mode comprises a higher power mode.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 or 12, wherein the sensor comprises a motion detector, the condition comprises subjection of the motion detector to motion, and the indication provided is that the second mobile transceiver unit is in motion.

14. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first mobile transceiver unit has a unique identifier, details of which are communicated to the second mobile transceiver unit as part of the determined data.

15. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second mobile transceiver unit has a unique identifier, details of which are communicated to the data collection unit as part of the determined data.

16. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first and second mobile transceiver units comprise a radio frequency transceiver, preferably operating at 433 MHz.

44. A mobile transceiver unit for use in a tracking apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 16.

45. A data collection unit for use in a tracking apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 16.

17. A system for tracking an entity, the system comprising:

a first module having a first communication device, and a second module having a second communication device, the first communication device being in communication with the second communication device for the transfer of data therebetween, the first module being arranged for location proximate the entity and being operable to determine data via a sensor and to communicate some or all of the determined data for receipt by the second module for storage on a storage medium when it is determined that the second module is located within a distance of the first module.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first module and/or the second module are mobile or portable.

19. The system of claim 17 or 18, wherein the communication comprises wireless communication.

20. The system of any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein the first communication device is operable to communicate the determined data for receipt by the second communication device in response to a request from the second communication device.

21. The system of any one of claims 17 to 20, further comprising a data collection module, wherein the first communication device and/or the second communication device is in communication with the data collection module such that the determined data can be transferred to the data collection module.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the first module and/or the second module is operable to determine the presence of a data collection module, and, in response to the determination of the presence of a data collection module to transfer the determined data to the data collection module.

23. The system of any one of claims 17 to 22, wherein the distance is predetermined, and the first module includes a detector for determination of the presence of a second module within the predetermined distance.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the detector comprises a passive detection circuit.

25. The system of any one of claims 17 to 24, wherein the sensor is operable to determine data regarding the entity and/or an environment in which the sensor is located.

26. The system of any one of claims 17 to 25, wherein the module comprises a set of sensors.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the set of sensors include:

a temperature sensor, a power sensor, and/or a motion sensor.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the power sensor comprises a battery voltage sensor operable to sense a voltage of a battery providing power to the first module.

29. The system of claim 27 or 28, wherein the motion sensor comprises an accelerometer.

30. The system of any one of claims 17 to 29, wherein the first module and/or the second module operates in a first mode and includes a sensor operable to change state when subject to a condition, the first module and/or the second module being operable to change to a second mode in response to a detected change in state of the sensor, providing an indication that the condition has been sensed by the sensor.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the first mode comprises a lower power default mode, and the second mode comprises a higher power mode.

32. The system of claim 30 or 31, wherein the sensor comprises a motion detector, the condition comprises subjection of the motion detector to motion, and the indication provided is that the first module and/or the second module is in motion.

33. The system of any one of claims 17 to 32, wherein the first module and/or the second module have a unique identifier, details of which are communicated as part of the determined data.

46. A module for use in a system for tracking an entity in accordance with any one of claims 17 to 33.

47. A data collection module for use in a system for tracking an entity in accordance with any one of claims 17 to 33.

34. A tracking method, the method comprising the steps of mounting a first mobile transceiver unit on a first entity, mounting a second mobile transceiver unit on a second entity, determining data using a sensor of the first mobile transceiver unit, determining that the second mobile transceiver unit and the first mobile transceiver unit are within a distance, transmitting the determined data to the second mobile transceiver unit in response to the determined distance, and storing some or all of the determined data on the second mobile transceiver unit.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the determined data relates to the first entity and/or to an environment of the first entity.

36. The method of claim 34 or 35, wherein the determined data is communicated from the first mobile transceiver unit to the second mobile transceiver unit in response to a request signal from the second mobile transceiver unit.

37. The method of any one of claims 34 to 36, including determining when a data collection unit is located within a distance of the second mobile transceiver unit, and communicating the stored determined data to the data collection unit when it is located within the distance.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the distance is predetermined.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein the determined data relates includes a temperature of the first entity.

40. The method of any one of claims 34 to 39, including determining whether the second entity is in motion.

41. A method for tracking an entity, the method comprising the steps of associating a mobile first module having a communication device with the entity, determining data regarding the entity using a sensor of the first module, determining that the first module is within a distance of a second module, communicating the determined data to the second module in response to the determined distance, and storing some or all of the determined data on a storage medium of the second module.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein associating the first module with the entity comprises mounting the first module on the entity or implanting the first module at least partially within the entity.

43. The method of claim 41 or 42, wherein the second module comprises a data collection module.

48. A tracking apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

49. A system for tracking an entity substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

50. A tracking method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

51. A method for tracking an entity substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.