Method and system for providing tracking services to locate an asset

• US 7,283,046 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2005
• Issued: 10/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Spectrum Tracking Systems, Inc. (5th Element Tracking LLC)
• Original Assignee: Spectrum Tracking Systems, Inc. (5th Element Tracking LLC)
• Inventors: Culpepper, Jerry W., Smith, Lawrence M., VanCleave, James P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US11/270,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20060071783A1
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.13
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/105 Radio frequency identification data [RFID]
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/48 by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/14 Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction aerial arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00; combinations of different interacting aerial units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q21/29; aerials or aerial systems providing at least two radiation patterns H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0009 Transmission of position information to remote stations involving assistance data G01S5/0236
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0294 Trajectory determination or predictive filtering, e.g. target tracking or Kalman filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• 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: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method of asset location. Location data is received from a cellular transmitter associated with a selected asset, which location data includes data representative of a cellular receiver with which direct communication with the cellular transmitter is made. The location data is then communicated to a tracking service system, which tracking service system includes a database representative of geographic locations associated with a plurality of cellular receivers. The database is then queried with received location data so as to generate geographic tracking data associated with a location of the cellular receiver, the geographic tracking data including display data adapted to generate a map image including a representative of a location of the selected asset. The geographic tracking data is then communicated to an associated security agency so as to allow for viewing of an image generated in accordance with the display data and at least one of tracking and interception of the selected asset.

Claims

1. A system for asset tracking comprising:

means adapted for receiving notification data representative of commencement of an asset tracking operation in which a selected asset is tracked;

timer means adapted for commencement of a tracking elapsed time associated with the asset tracking operation;

means adapted for receiving event data representative of a triggering event associated with the tracking operation;

means adapted for receiving candidate data representative of at least one individual associated with the selected asset being tracked, wherein the candidate data includes at least one of data representative of a number of candidates, data representative of a vehicle identification and data representative of a risk level associated with at least one candidate;

means adapted for communicating the notification data, the event data and the candidate data to an associated memory;

means adapted for storing history data representative of elapsed time data, event data, and candidate data in a data storage associated with an associated security agency;

means adapted for isolating at least one party of interest relative to stored history data, wherein the at least one party of interest includes at least one of an individual and an organization associated with tracking of the selected asset;

means adapted for prompting the at least one party of interest in accordance with stored history data;

means adapted for receiving into the associated security agency a request from the at least one party of interest after prompting thereof; and

means adapted for selectively communicating history data from the associated security agency to the at least one party of interest after receipt of a request.

2. The system for asset tracking of claim 1, wherein the event data includes data representative of at least one of kidnapping, bank robbery, retail robbery and vehicle theft.

3. The system for asset tracking of claim 2, wherein the notification data is generated from a wireless device associated with the selected asset.

4. A method for asset tracking comprising the steps of:

receiving notification data representative of commencement of an asset tracking operation in which a selected asset is tracked;

timing a tracking elapsed time associated with the asset tracking operation;

receiving event data representative of a triggering event associated with the tracking operation;

receiving candidate data representative of at least one individual associated with the selected asset being tracked, wherein the candidate data includes at least one of data representative of a number of candidates, data representative of a vehicle identification and data representative of a risk level associated with at least one candidate;

communicating the notification data, the event data and the candidate data to an associated memory;

storing history data representative of elapsed time data, event data, and candidate in a data storage associated with an associated security agency;

isolating at least one party of interest relative to stored history data, wherein the at least one party of interest includes at least one of an individual and an organization associated with tracking of the selected asset;

prompting the at least one party of interest in accordance with stored history data;

receiving in to the associated security agency a request from the at least one party of interest after prompting thereof; and

selectively communicating history data from the associated security agency to the at least one party of interest after receipt of a request.

5. The method for asset tracking of claim 4, wherein the event data includes data representative of at least one of kidnapping, bank robbery, retail robbery and vehicle theft.

6. The method for asset tracking of claim 5, wherein the notification data is generated from a wireless device associated with the selected asset.