Location tracking device

• US 7,292,223 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2004
• Issued: 11/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: InnaLabs Limited
• Original Assignee: InnaLabs Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Simonenko, Dmitri V., Suprun, Anton E.
• Primary Examiner(s): LAO, LUNYI
• Application Number:
  US10/836,624
• Publication Number:
  US 20050001814A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,282 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-169, 273/148.B, 463 37- 38, 348/734, 7351401-51408, 735/143.1, 701/79, 701/110, 701213-216, 342/357.06, 342/357.07, 342/357.08, 342/357.12, 342/357.14
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors

Abstract

A location tracking device utilizing an acceleration sensor is described. The acceleration sensor includes an inertial body in magnetic fluid that is contained in a closed volume vessel. The tracking device may be used for tracking objects, people, animals, and the like. The tracking device may be utilized as a back-up system to a GPS system such that when signal from a GPS receiver are unavailable, the location tracking device may provide positional information about the location of the object.

Claims

1. A location tracking device comprising:

an acceleration sensor, wherein the acceleration sensor comprises;

a vessel containing magnetic fluid,

an inertial body in the vessel, and

a plurality of magnetic field sources located in pairs on mutually perpendicular axes around the vessel, and wherein said magnetic field sources have an output;

a signal converter module receiving the output of said magnetic field sources; and

a location positioning device receiving an output of the signal converter module and providing a location measurement of the location tracking device.

2. The location tracking device of claim 1 wherein each magnetic field source comprises inductor coils serially connected to a current generator, wherein an output of the current generator is the output for the magnetic field sources.

3. The location tracking device of claim 1 wherein additional magnetic field sources are introduced into a proximity of the magnetic field sources.

4. The location tracking device of claim 1 wherein said magnetic field sources include one or more constant magnets.

5. The location tracking device of claim 1 wherein the location positioning device comprises a computer in communication with the signal converter module and a display in communication with the computer, wherein the display is adapted to display the location measurement information of the location tracking device.

6. The location tracking device of claim 5 further comprising a transmitter in communication with the signal converter module and a receiver in communication with the location positioning device, wherein the transmitter and receiver are connected for transmitting the location measurement information of the location tracking device by a wireless connection.

7. A location tracking device comprising:

a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver;

an acceleration sensor, wherein the acceleration sensor comprises;

a closed-vessel containing magnetic fluid,

an inertial body in the vessel,

a plurality of magnetic field sources located in pairs on mutually perpendicular axes around the vessel, and wherein said magnetic field sources have an output;

a signal converter module wherein the output of said magnetic field sources is connected to an input of the signal converter module;

a location positioning device; and

a switch in communication with the GPS receiver, the signal converter module, and the location positioning device, wherein the switch provides GPS positional information to the location positioning device and monitors GPS signals from the GPS receiver and based on an interruption of the GPS signal provides location measurement information of the location tracking device from the signal converter module to the location positioning device.

8. The location tracking device of claim 7 wherein each magnetic field source comprises inductor coils serially connected to a current generator, wherein an output of the current generator is the output for the magnetic field sources.

9. The location tracking device of claim 7 wherein additional magnetic field sources are introduced into a proximity of the magnetic field sources.

10. The location tracking device of claim 7 wherein said magnetic field sources include one or more constant magnets.

11. The location tracking device of claim 7 wherein the location positioning device comprises a computer in communication with the signal converter module and a display in communication with the computer, wherein the display is adapted to display the location measurement information of the location tracking device.

12. A location tracking device comprising:

an acceleration sensor that includes an inertial body in a magnetic fluid and a plurality of magnets generating a magnetic field in the magnetic fluid;

a signal converter receiving a signal that represents a displacement of the inertial body and outputting an acceleration measurement; and

a location positioning device receiving the acceleration measurement and calculating a location of the location tracking device based on the acceleration measurement.

13. The location tracking device of claim 12, wherein each magnet comprises an inductor coil serially connected to a current generator, wherein the inductor coils provide the signal.

14. The location tracking device of claim 12, wherein each magnet comprises a permanent magnet.

15. The location tracking device of claim 12, wherein each magnet comprises an electromagnet.

16. The location tracking device of claim 12, wherein each magnet comprises an electromagnet and a permanent magnet.

17. The location tracking device of claim 12, wherein the location positioning device comprises a computer in communication with the signal converter and a display in communication with the computer, wherein the display is adapted to display the location measurement information of the location tracking device.

18. The location tracking device of claim 17, further comprising a transmitter in communication with the signal converter and a receiver in communication with the location positioning device, wherein the transmitter and receiver are connected using a wireless connection.

19. A location tracking device comprising:

a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver;

an accelerometer that includes an inertial body in a magnetic fluid and a plurality of magnets generating a magnetic field in the magnetic fluid;

a signal converter outputting a signal representative of acceleration of the inertial body; and

a location positioning device connected to the GPS receiver and to the signal converter,

wherein, upon an interruption of a signal from the GPS receiver, the location positioning device calculates location of the location tracking device based on the signal representative of the acceleration.