Remote tracking device and a system and method for two-way voice communication between the device and a monitoring center

• US 8,797,210 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2006
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Track Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SecureAlert Incorporated
• Inventors: Derrick, David, Derrick, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): LIU, HARRY K
• Application Number:
  US11/486,989
• Publication Number:
  US 20080012760A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,944 Days
• Field of Search: 34235701-35717, 3423572-35778, 342/450, 34235754-35755, 340/573.4, 340/506, 340/573.1
• US Class Current: 342/357.54
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/20 Checking timed patrols, e.g. of watchman
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0211 Combination with medical sensor, e.g. for measuring heart rate, temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0219 Circuit arrangements
• 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: G08B 21/0283 via a telephone network, e.g. cellular GSM
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0286 Tampering or removal detection of the child unit from child or article
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0288 Attachment of child unit to child/article
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42357 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

A remote tracking system is described including one or more remote tracking devices and a monitoring center. The remote tracking device includes a tamper-resistant housing intended to be held securely to a wearer by a strap, a positioning system receiver in the housing and operable to receive signals indicative of the location of the remote tracking device, a cellular transceiver in the housing and operable to communicate with the monitoring center, and a processor in the housing and in electrical communication with the positioning system receiver and the cellular transceiver, the processor operable to monitor a status for the remote tracking device. The remote tracking system is able to compare the location of the remote tracking device with a set of pre-programmed rules and establish a two-way voice communication between the wearer and the monitoring center upon the occurrence of certain programmable conditions in the remote tracking system.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a remote tracking device using a monitoring center in a remote tracking system, the remote tracking device worn by a wearer and including a location determining mechanism, a wireless communication mechanism, and a processor, the method comprising:

monitoring a status of the remote tracking device using the processor;

generating location information about the location of the remote tracking device using the location determining mechanism;

determining, at the remote tracking device, a reporting interval for sending the status and location information to the monitoring center;

transmitting the status information and location information to the monitoring center at the reporting intervals using the wireless communication mechanism;

comparing, at the remote tracking device, the location information to a set of one or more pre-programmed rules stored at the remote tracking device; and

the remote tracking device automatically initiating a two-way voice communication between the remote tracking device and the monitoring center based on the remote tracking device determining that the location information indicates that the remote tracking device is in violation of at least one of the set of one or more pre-programmed rules because the remote tracking device has left an inclusion zone, the remote tracking device being enabled to receive a call initiated from the monitoring center and also being enabled to automatically initiate the voice communication in response to the result of the comparison of the location information to the set of one or more programmed rules stored at the remote tracking device, wherein the automatic initiation of the two-way communication includes the remote tracking device using the cellular transceiver to place a call to the monitoring center by dialing a telephone number associated with the monitoring center.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the monitoring center uses the voice communication to provide instructions to the wearer based on the status and/or location information.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the remote tracking device is also enabled to automatically initiate the voice communication in response to detecting a particular status of the remote tracking device, the particular status of the remote tracking device comprising an alarm condition.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the remote tracking device sends an indication of the alarm condition to the monitoring center upon the initial indication of the alarm condition.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the voice communication based on determining that the location information indicates that the remote tracking device is in violation of at least one of the set of one or more pre-programmed rules is initiated by the processor.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the remote tracking device is also enabled to initiate a voice communication when the wearer presses a button on the remote tracking device.

7. The method recited in claim 3, wherein the particular status is based at least in part on location information of the remote tracking device other than location information indicating that the remote tracking device has left the inclusion zone.

8. The method recited in claim 1, wherein a subsequent two-way communication is initiated by a third party administrator.

9. The method recited in claim 8, wherein the third party administrator, through a web application, instructs the monitoring center to establish the subsequent two-way communication.

10. The method recited in claim 9, wherein the monitoring center conferences the third party administrator into the subsequent two-way communication with the remote tracking device.

11. The method recited in claim 10, wherein the subsequent two-way communication comprises a three way communication between the administrator, the monitoring center and the remote tracking device and wherein the administrator is remotely located from the monitoring center.

12. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the remote tracking device is enabled to identify and block communication calls that do not originate from the monitoring center.

13. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the telephone number is a first telephone number and wherein the automatic initiation of the two-way communication includes the remote tracking device dialing a secondary telephone number associated with the monitoring center in response to obtaining an unsuccessful result after dialing the first telephone number associated with the monitoring center.

14. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the automatic initiation of the two-way voice communication is part of an escalating alarm condition in which the remote tracking device sends notice to the monitoring center of the particular status of the remote tracking device prior to initiating the two-way voice communication with the monitoring center.

15. An electronic tracking system that includes a remote tracking device and a monitoring center, wherein the tracking device comprises a location determining mechanism, a wireless communication mechanism, a processor, and a storage medium having stored computer executable instructions which, when executed by the processor, implement a method that includes:

monitoring a status of a remote tracking device using the processor;

generating location information about the location of the remote tracking device using the location determining mechanism;

determining, at the remote tracking device, a reporting interval for sending the status and location information to the monitoring center;

transmitting the status information and location information to the monitoring center at the reporting intervals using the wireless communication mechanism;

comparing, at the remote tracking device, the location information to a set of one or more pre-programmed rules stored at the remote tracking device; and

the remote tracking device automatically initiating a two-way voice communication between the remote tracking device and the monitoring center based on the remote tracking device determining that the location information indicates that the remote tracking device is in violation of at least one of the set of one or more pre-programmed rules because the remote tracking device has left an inclusion zone, the remote tracking device being enabled to receive a call initiated from the monitoring center and also being enabled to automatically initiate the voice communication in response to the result of the comparison of the location information to the set of one or more programmed rules stored at the remote tracking device, wherein the automatic initiation of the two-way communication includes the remote tracking device using the cellular transceiver to place a call to the monitoring center by dialing a telephone number associated with the monitoring center.

16. The electronic tracking system of claim 15, wherein the monitoring center uses the voice communication to provide instructions to the wearer based on the status and/or location information.

17. The electronic tracking system of claim 15, wherein the remote tracking device is also enabled to automatically initiate the voice communication in response to detecting a particular status of the remote tracking device, the particular status of the remote tracking device comprising an alarm condition.

18. The electronic tracking system of claim 17, wherein the remote tracking device sends an indication of the alarm condition to the monitoring center upon the initial indication of the alarm condition.

19. The electronic tracking system of claim 15, wherein the voice communication based on determining that the location information indicates that the remote tracking device is in violation of at least one of the set of one or more pre-programmed rules is initiated by the processor.

20. The electronic tracking system of claim 15, wherein the remote tracking device is also enabled to initiate a voice communication when the wearer presses a button on the remote tracking device.

21. The electronic tracking system of claim 17, wherein the particular status is based at least in part on location information of the remote tracking device other than location information indicating that the remote tracking device has left the inclusion zone.

22. The electronic tracking system of claim 15, wherein a subsequent two-way communication is initiated by a third party administrator.

23. The electronic tracking system of claim 22, wherein the third party administrator, through a web application, instructs the monitoring center to establish the subsequent two-way communication.

24. The electronic tracking system of claim 23, wherein the monitoring center conferences the third party administrator into the subsequent two-way communication with the remote tracking device.

25. The electronic tracking system of claim 24, wherein the subsequent two-way communication comprises a three way communication between the administrator, the monitoring center and the remote tracking device and wherein the administrator is remotely located from the monitoring center.

26. The electronic tracking system of claim 15, wherein the remote tracking device is enabled to identify and block communication calls that do not originate from the monitoring center.

27. The electronic tracking system of claim 15, wherein the telephone number is a first telephone number and wherein the automatic initiation of the two-way communication includes the remote tracking device dialing a secondary telephone number associated with the monitoring center in response to obtaining an unsuccessful result after dialing the first telephone number associated with the monitoring center.

28. The electronic tracking system of claim 15, wherein the automatic initiation of the two-way voice communication is part of an escalating alarm condition in which the remote tracking device sends notice to the monitoring center of the particular status of the remote tracking device prior to initiating the two-way voice communication with the monitoring center.

29. One or more hardware storage device having stored computer-executable instructions which, when executed by at least one processor of an electronic tracking system that includes a remote tracking device and a monitoring center, causes the electronic tracking system to implement a method that includes:

monitoring a status of a remote tracking device using the at least one processor;

generating location information about the location of the remote tracking device using the location determining mechanism;

determining, at the remote tracking device, a reporting interval for sending the status and location information to the monitoring center;

transmitting the status information and location information to the monitoring center at the reporting intervals using the wireless communication mechanism;

comparing, at the remote tracking device, the location information to a set of one or more pre-programmed rules stored at the remote tracking device; and

the remote tracking device automatically initiating a two-way voice communication between the remote tracking device and the monitoring center based on the remote tracking device determining that the location information indicates that the remote tracking device is in violation of at least one of the set of one or more pre-programmed rules because the remote tracking device has left an inclusion zone, the remote tracking device being enabled to receive a call initiated from the monitoring center and also being enabled to automatically initiate the voice communication in response to the result of the comparison of the location information to the set of one or more programmed rules stored at the remote tracking device, wherein the automatic initiation of the two-way communication includes the remote tracking device using the cellular transceiver to place a call to the monitoring center by dialing a telephone number associated with the monitoring center.

30. The one or more hardware storage device of claim 29, wherein the remote tracking device is also enabled to automatically initiate the voice communication in response to detecting a particular status of the remote tracking device, the particular status of the remote tracking device comprising an alarm condition and wherein the remote tracking device sends an indication of the alarm condition to the monitoring center upon the initial indication of the alarm condition.

31. The one or more hardware storage device of claim 30, wherein the particular status is based at least in part on location information of the remote tracking device other than location information indicating that the remote tracking device has left the inclusion zone.

32. The one or more hardware storage device of claim 29, wherein the voice communication based on determining that the location information indicates that the remote tracking device is in violation of at least one of the set of one or more pre-programmed rules is initiated by the processor.

33. The one or more hardware storage device of claim 29, wherein the remote tracking device is also enabled to initiate a voice communication when the wearer presses a button on the remote tracking device.

34. The one or more hardware storage device of claim 29, wherein a subsequent two-way communication is initiated by a third party administrator.

35. The one or more hardware storage device of claim 34, wherein the monitoring center conferences the third party administrator into the subsequent two-way communication with the remote tracking device and wherein the subsequent two-way communication comprises a three way communication between the administrator, the monitoring center and the remote tracking device, with the administrator being remotely located from the monitoring center.

36. The one or more hardware storage device of claim 29, wherein the remote tracking device is enabled to identify and block communication calls that do not originate from the monitoring center.

37. The one or more hardware storage device of claim 29, wherein the telephone number is a first telephone number and wherein the automatic initiation of the two-way communication includes the remote tracking device dialing a secondary telephone number associated with the monitoring center in response to obtaining an unsuccessful result after dialing the first telephone number associated with the monitoring center.

38. The one or more hardware storage device of claim 29, wherein the automatic initiation of the two-way voice communication is part of an escalating alarm condition in which the remote tracking device sends notice to the monitoring center of the particular status of the remote tracking device prior to initiating the two-way voice communication with the monitoring center.