Monitoring and tracking network

• US 6,998,985 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2003
• Issued: 02/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Attenti Electronic Monitoring Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Dmatek, Ltd.
• Inventors: Gemer, Gil, Greitser, Guy, Galperin, Natan, Reisman, Yoav, Zeeli, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US10/378,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20040174264A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/573.4, 340/539.11, 340/539.12, 340/539.13, 340/825.49, 379/37, 379/38
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/10 together with the recording, indicating or registering of other data, e.g. of signs of identity
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0202 Child monitoring systems using a transmitter-receiver system carried by the parent and the child
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/1083 Pager locating systems

Abstract

A monitoring and tracking system comprising a plurality of transmitting tags attachable to a plurality of monitored individuals, a plurality of monitoring devices and a central monitoring server. The transmitting tags, each having a unique code, periodically transmit data carrying signals, the signals are received by any of the local monitoring devices when a tag is within a reception range of a local monitoring device for allowing tracking the monitored individuals.

Claims

1. A wide area monitoring and tracking system for monitoring and tracking a plurality of individuals, the system comprising:

a computerized central monitoring server comprising a processor for processing data, a memory device for storing data and a display device for displaying data;

a plurality of transmitting tags attachable to monitored individuals, each having a unique identification code, each of the plurality of tags includes a transmitter which periodically broadcasts a signal carrying a first data regarding the individual to whom the tag is attached, the first data includes the tag'"'"'s identification code; and

a plurality of local monitoring devices distributed at predetermined locations, each of the plurality of local monitoring devices comprises a receiver receptive to signals transmitted from any of the plurality of tags when a tag is within reception range of a local monitoring device, a data processor for processing the first data carried by said signals, a memory device, and a communication device for communicating according to predefined schedule a second data to the central monitoring server, the second data includes all or part of the first data and additional data concerning identity and status of the local monitoring device communicating the second data;

wherein the central monitoring server processes the data communicated from the plurality of local monitoring devices to obtain information regarding the plurality of monitored individuals and further manipulates the information for tracking monitored individuals by collecting information concerning a particular monitored individual received from different local monitoring devices.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the transmitting tags further include a receiver.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined locations include locations associated with each of the plurality of monitored individuals and wherein a local monitoring device located at a location associated with a specific monitored individual includes within its memory device a set of rules regarding presence and absence of said specific monitored individual within the reception range of the local monitoring device.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein upon violation of said rules by said specific monitored individual, a message is sent to the central monitoring server.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the locations associated with the monitored individuals include residence or work locations of the monitored individuals or other locations where the monitored individuals perform private or public activities.

6. The system of claim 3 wherein the predetermined locations further include public locations not associated with a particular monitored individual.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined locations include any of the following:

the home of a monitored person, an office, a public establishment, a public road, a public area, a vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined locations include locations external to the monitored person'"'"'s home.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the transmitter is a single or multiple channel RF transmitter.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the local monitoring devices include mobile monitoring devices.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the local monitoring devices is installed in a vehicle.

12. The system according to claim 1 wherein the obtained information is displayed graphically in a map.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the transmitting tags further include anti-tamper mechanism for indicating attempts to remove and/or to damage the tag and wherein the first data carried by the transmitted signals include data concerning tamper attempts.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the local monitoring devices further include tamper evidence mechanism indicating attempts to remove or to damage the local monitoring device and wherein upon such an attempt a message is sent to the central monitoring server.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the communication device of the local monitoring device for communicating the second data to the central monitoring server comprises a telephone line or a cellular telephone network or a data network or a telecommunication signal network.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the telephone line is a dedicated line.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the communication device of the local monitoring device for communicating the second data to the central monitoring server comprises a local or wide area network.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein a local monitoring device further includes a transmitter capable of broadcasting signals receptible by other local monitoring devices having overlapping reception/transmission range with the local monitoring device.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein upon failure of communication between the communication device of a local monitoring device and the central monitoring server, the local monitoring device broadcasts the second data via the transmitter to be relayed to the central monitoring server by other local monitoring devices.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one transmitting tag communicates with at least another transmitting tag.

21. A wide area monitoring and tracking method for monitoring and tracking a plurality of individuals, the method comprising:

providing each of the plurality of individuals to be monitored with an attachable transmitting tag, each of the plurality of tags periodically broadcasting a signal carrying a first data regarding the individual to whom the tag is attached, the first data includes the tag'"'"'s identification code;

distributing a plurality of local monitoring devices at predetermined locations, each of the plurality of local monitoring devices receiving signals transmitted from any of the plurality of tags when a tag is within reception range of a local monitoring device;

processing at the local monitoring devices the first data carried by said signals;

communicating from the local monitoring devices according to predefined schedule a second data to a central monitoring server, the second data includes all or part of the first data and additional data concerning identity and status of the local monitoring device communicating the second data; and

processing at the central monitoring server the data communicated from the plurality of local monitoring devices to obtain information regarding the plurality of monitored individuals and manipulating the information for tracking monitored individuals by collecting information concerning a particular monitored individual received from different local monitoring devices.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the transmitting tags further include a receiver.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the predetermined locations include locations associated with each of the plurality of monitored individuals and wherein a local monitoring device located at a location associated with a specific monitored individual includes within its memory device a set of rules regarding presence and absence of said specific monitored individual within the reception range of the local monitoring device.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein upon violation of said rules by said monitored individual, a message is sent to the central monitoring server.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the locations associated with the monitored individuals include residence or work locations of the monitored individuals.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein the predetermined locations further include public locations not associated with a particular monitored individual.

27. The method of claim 21 wherein the predetermined locations include any of the following:

the home of a monitored person, an office, a public establishment, a public road, a public area, a vehicle.

28. The method of claim 21 wherein the predetermined locations include locations external to the monitored person'"'"'s home.

29. The method of claim 21 wherein at least one of the local monitoring devices is installed in a vehicle.

30. The method of claim 21 wherein a local monitoring device broadcasts signals receptible by other local monitoring devices having overlapping reception/transmission range with the local monitoring device.

31. The method of claim 21 wherein at least one transmitting tag communicates with at least another transmitting tag.

32. A wide area monitoring and tracking system for monitoring and tracking a plurality of individuals, the system comprising:

a computerized central monitoring server comprising a processor for processing data, a memory device for storing data and a display device for displaying data;

a plurality of transmitting tags attachable to monitored individuals, each having a unique identification code, each of the plurality of tags includes a transmitter which periodically broadcasts a signal carrying a first data regarding the individual to whom the tag is attached, the first data includes the tag'"'"'s identification code; and

a plurality of local monitoring devices distributed at predetermined locations, the predetermined locations include locations external to the monitored individuals'"'"' homes, each of the plurality of local monitoring devices comprises a receiver receptive to signals transmitted from any of the plurality of tags when a tag is within reception range of a local monitoring device, a data processor for processing the first data carried by said signals, a memory device, and a communication device for communicating according to predefined schedule a second data to the central monitoring server, the second data includes all or part of the first data and additional data concerning identity and status of the local monitoring device communicating the second data.

33. A wide area monitoring and tracking method for monitoring and tracking a plurality of individuals, the method comprising:

providing each of the plurality of individuals to be monitored with an attachable transmitting tag, each of the plurality of tags periodically broadcasting a signal carrying a first data regarding the individual to whom the tag is attached, the first data includes the tag'"'"'s identification code;

distributing a plurality of local monitoring devices at predetermined locations, the predetermined locations include locations external to the monitored individuals'"'"' homes, each of the plurality of local monitoring devices receiving signals transmitted from any of the plurality of tags when a tag is within reception range of a local monitoring device;

processing at the local monitoring devices the first data carried by said signals;

communicating from the local monitoring devices according to predefined schedule a second data to a central monitoring server, the second data includes all or part of the first data and additional data concerning identity and status of the local monitoring device communicating the second data.