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Patent No. 6236358 Mobile object locator (Durst, et al., May 22, 2001)
Abstract
There is disclosed a method and apparatus for an object locator system (10) for requesting and obtaining information about the location of a mobile object, having attached thereon a lightweight object locator (42), operable in a region served by a two-way paging system (12) and a global positioning satellite system (50). The object locator (42) may be selectively activated to conserve power or enabled to respond only when beyond or within a boundary. Further, the object locator system (10) may provide the location information in several forms including rectangular or polar coordinates referred to a base station (18) or origin, position on a map display, etc. In alternate embodiments the two-way paging system (12) may be substituted by a direct wireless link or a satellite relay communications link; the location information may be translated into human readable form either before or after transmission from the object locator; the location information may be presented at an output as selectable text, spoken message or graphic display including a map; the location information may have associated therewith other information such as time the location was determined, the status of the object locator, the condition of the battery, position of the object locator relative to a boundary or electronic fence or to indicate an alarm condition; or the location information may be accessed or delivered by dial-up or automatic means.
Notes:
TECHNICAL
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present disclosure pertains generally to electronic personal locating devices
for determining the location or position of a mobile object or animal, and more
particularly, a device for determining the location or position of a mobile
object or animal by utilizing the capabilities of two-way paging systems or
other wireless communication means and global positioning satellite systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Tracking the location of an individual or an object or even an animal such as
a domesticated animal or a pet that can move in unknown directions over a considerable
range of territory has been a concern for a number of years. A number of systems
have been proposed which employ existing wireless communication capabilities
but which tend to be cumbersome, bulky, expensive or all of the above. With
the advent of global positioning satellite system (GPS) services, it has been
possible to provide relatively inexpensive location systems for determining
the location of a moving object. These have typically been utilized on trucks
to provide location information for companies that have large fleets of trucks
in use at any one particular time. The position of an individual truck is determined
by the coincident reception of signals from at least three of the GPS satellites
by a satellite receiver, which position can then be stored or can be transmitted
to a central receiving station via some sort of wireless link. Moreover, the
wireless link can be a two-way communication link wherein the positioning information
is only transmitted in response to receiving a request. However, the global
positioning system (GPS) has some disadvantages in that it is relatively slow
in acquiring the location data and it is strongly dependent upon the target
object being in an open area where it is in a line of sight position relative
to at least three GPS satellites. A further disadvantage, particularly in a
small, portable unit, is that the GPS receiver that must be included in a locating
device requires the use of substantial electrical energy during the period in
which the location information is being acquired and developed from the GPS
system. Further, a small portable object locator, in addition to minimizing
the use of electrical power while being subject to less than ideal orientations
to enable quick and efficient location by the GPS system, must also be very
simple and easy to use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object locator described in the present disclosure and claimed herein comprises
the steps of attaching a mobile communications unit having at least one antenna
coupled thereto to the mobile object; accessing transmissions of a GPS system
from the mobile communications unit to obtain location coordinates of the mobile
communications unit; communicating the location coordinates from the mobile
communication unit via a paging network to a base station; and outputting the
location coordinates in human readable form.
In one aspect of the present disclosure a mobile object locator is mounted on
a collar along with at least one antenna for receiving GPS signals and communicating
with a base station. The collar is placed around the body or neck of the animal
or object to be tracked or located.
In another aspect of the present disclosure a GPS receiver in the mobile object
locator is activated and the GPS location coordinate data processed to determined
the location of the mobile object locator wearing the mobile object locator.
In another aspect of the present disclosure the mobile object locator communicates
with a base station via a paging network to process a request for location information
and the return transmission containing the location information in answer to
the request.
In another aspect of the present disclosure the coordinate data obtained from
the GPS system may be translated to human readable form in the base station
or paging network following transmission from the mobile object locator.
In another aspect of the present disclosure the coordinate data obtained from
the GPS system is translated in the mobile object locator prior to transmission
to the paging network or base station from the mobile object locator.
In another aspect of the present disclosure the mobile object locator communicates
with the base station via any suitable direct or satellite wireless link whereby
translation of the coordinate data obtained from the GPS system may be performed
before or after its transmission to the base station.
In yet another aspect of the present disclosure, the output of the location
information may be provided in text, spoken or graphic forms, via a loudspeaker
or a display as may be selectable by the user.
In another aspect of the present disclosure, the object locator system may plot
the location information on a map or permit the user to manually plot the location
information or identify the location of the mobile object locator from the location
information message.
In another aspect of the present disclosure, the output of the location information
may be forwarded from the base station or paging network or other intermediate
station to another remote station.
In yet another aspect of the present disclosure, other information may be associated
with and transmitted with or in conjunction with the output of a location information
including the time the location data was acquired, the status of the mobile
object locator, the condition of the battery in the mobile object locator, whether
the mobile object locator is within a predetermined range or has passed a boundary
or electronic fence, or the annunciation of an alarm condition.
In another aspect of the present disclosure, the mobile object locator system
may automatically determine the location information, transmit it to the base
station or dial up a user location to report the location information.
And in yet another aspect of the present disclosure, the mobile object locator
may transmit the location information to a monitoring service and either store
the location information for later retrieval or report the location information
on receipt to the user.
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Although
the preferred embodiment has been described in detail, it should be understood
that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made therein without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended
claims.