Portable position determining device

• US 7,336,227 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2006
• Issued: 02/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pfizer Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pfizer Inc.
• Inventors: Durst, Jennifer, McAlexander, Joseph C., Fowler, Eugene F.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, DAO LINDA
• Application Number:
  US11/446,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20080001814A1
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.07, 342/357.09, 701/213, 701/215, 455/422.1
• US Class Current: 342/357.55
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/16 Anti-theft; Abduction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/36 relating to the receiver frond end
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/008 using a mobile telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• 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 21/0247 System arrangements wherein the alarm criteria uses signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0261 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect trespassing over a fixed physical boundary, e.g. the end of a garden
• 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

Abstract

A position determining device is disclosed comprising a satellite navigation receiver for automatically providing computed position information, when the device has changed its position relative to a predetermined location, to a paging transmitter for transmission to a paging receiver for readout of the computed position information. The readout may be in the form of coordinates and may be accompanied by a message or alarm. The device may be configured as a portable unit of small size and economical manufacture.

Claims

1. A position determining device, comprising:

a satellite navigation receiver for automatically providing computed position information from an output of said satellite navigation receiver for transmission to a host paging receiver when said provided position information indicates said device has changed its position relative to a predetermined location;

a first two-way communication device configured to transmit to said host paging receiver and having a transmitting input coupled to said output of said satellite navigation receiver wherein said provided position information is transmitted to said host paging receiver responsive to receiving said computed position information at said transmitting input for readout of said provided position information at said host paging receiver;

wherein said position determining device is configurable as a portable unit; and

wherein said position determining device comprises a rechargeable battery.