Method And System Of Electronic Monitoring

Abstract

GPS data can be transmitted from a portable electronic device to a central database using either a cellular network or a satellite RF network. Multiple embodiments are capable of executing tools and techniques that automatically determine the network appropriate for given conditions, maximize GPS data transmission coverage, and minimize cost. Using the described technology, it is possible to detect, differentiate between, and utilize networks according to circumstance.

Accordingly, we claim: 
     
         1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A tracking device for real-time location tracking, the device comprising:
 a housing configured to be carried by a user, the housing holding:
 a global positioning system device (GPS) configured to collect geographic tracking device location data that delineates a physical location of the tracking device; 
 a cellular transceiver; 
 a satellite transceiver; 
 a storage device configured to store the tracking device location data collected by the global positioning system device; 
 a processor configured to:
 cause the cellular transceiver to establish a connection with a remote unit via a cellular network; and 
 send the tracking device location data to the remote unit via the cellular transceiver; 
 detect when the cellular network is unavailable; 
 cause the satellite transceiver to establish a connection with the remote unit when the processor detects that the cellular network is unavailable; and 
 send the tracking device location data to the remote unit via the satellite transceiver. 
 
   
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13  wherein the housing is an ankle monitor housing, the housing further comprising:
 a compartment for storage of a power source for the device. 
 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 13  further comprising:
 a peer to peer transceiver; 
 with the processor further configured to:
 connect the peer to peer transceiver to a specified, paired peer to peer transceiver; and 
 communicate the tracking device location data to the specified, paired peer to peer transceiver. 
 
 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15  wherein the peer to peer transceiver and the specified, paired peer to peer transceiver are Bluetooth transceivers. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 15  wherein the tracking device location data sent to the remote unit includes geographic location data and time data corresponding to times at the geographic locations, and the processor in the tracking device is further configured to:
 receive geographic location data and time data that specifies a geographic location of the specified, paired peer to peer transceiver; 
 retrieve data corresponding to an exclusion zone for maintaining of a spatial, geographic separation of the tracking device from the specified, paired peer to peer transceiver; and 
 determine from the received geographic data and time data of the specified peer to peer transceiver, the tracking device location and time data, and the retrieved data on the exclusion zone whether the tracking device is within the exclusion zone. 
 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17  wherein when the processor in the tracking device determines that the tracking device is within the exclusion zone, the processor generates an alert. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18  wherein the processor causes the generated alert to be sent to the specified paired peer to peer device. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 18  wherein the processor causes the generated alert to be rendered by the tracking device. 
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 13  wherein the device further comprises a peer to peer transceiver, and the processor in the device is further configured to:
 attempt to establish a connection by the peer to peer transceiver with the specified, paired peer transceiver when neither the cellular network nor another cellular network nor a satellite network are connected, and when the peer to peer connection is established, 
 send data to the specified, paired peer transceiver that specifies a geographic location of the tracking device. 
 
     
     
         22 . A method comprising:
 collecting by a portable electronic tracking device carried by a user, location data that specifies location of the tracking device;   storing the collected location data in a storage device on the tracking device;   establishing a connection by a cellular transmitting device with a remote unit via an available cellular network;   periodically transmitting the location data to a central database over the cellular network;   detecting when the cellular network or another cellular network is unavailable;   establishing a connection by a satellite transmitting device with an available satellite network when the cellular network and another cellular network are unavailable; and   automatically transmitting the location data in the storage device to the central database via the satellite network when the cellular network and another cellular network is not available.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising:
 sending by a peer to peer transceiver in the tracking device, the location data to a paired, peer to peer transceiver. 
 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising:
 receiving data that specifies a location of the paired, peer to peer transceiver; 
 retrieving data corresponding to an exclusion zone for separation of the tracking device from the paired, peer to peer transceiver; and 
 determining whether the tracking device is within the exclusion zone. 
 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22  wherein when neither cellular nor satellite networks are available,
 attempting to establish a connection by a Bluetooth transceiver on the tracking device with a specified, paired peer to peer Bluetooth transceiver in a second different electronic device; and when established, 
 sending data that specifies a location of the tracking device to the paired peer to peer Bluetooth transceiver. 
 
     
     
         26 . A system comprising:
 a first portable device configured to be carried by a user for location tracking of the user, the device comprising:
 a first housing configured to be carried by a user, the first housing holding:
 a first global positioning system device (GPS) configured to collect geographic location data that delineates a physical location of the first portable device; 
 a cellular transceiver; 
 a satellite transceiver; 
 a peer to peer transceiver; 
 a storage device configured to store location data collected by the global positioning system device; 
 a first processor configured to:
 cause the cellular transceiver to establish a connection with a remote unit via an available cellular network; 
 automatically send location data to the remote unit via the available cellular transceiver; 
 cause the satellite transceiver to establish a connection with the remote unit when no cellular network is available; 
 automatically send the location data to the remote unit via the satellite transceiver; 
 cause the peer to peer transceiver to establish a connection with a paired, peer to peer transceiver; and 
 send the location data to the paired peer to peer transceiver; 
 
 
   a second device that includes the paired peer to peer transceiver, the second device further including:
 a second global positioning system device (GPS) configured to collect location data that delineates a location of the second device; 
 a second processor configured to:
 receive the location data collected by the first device; and 
 wherein the system is configured to: 
 generate an alert to notify a user of the second device on the relative geographic locations of the first portable device and the second device. 
 
   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the remote unit includes a central database to receive and store the geographic location data collected by the global positioning system device of the first portable device, sent via the cellular transceiver or the satellite transceiver. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the remote unit is configured to:
 determine whether the first portable device is within an established exclusion zone;   send the alert to the second device when the first portable device is within the established exclusion zone.   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the remote unit is configured to:
 cause the second device of the second user to display a map showing detailed information on the relative locations of the first portable device and second device.   
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein at least one of the first and second devices is configured to:
 determine whether the first portable device is within an established exclusion zone;   generate the alert to notify the user of the second device when the first portable device is within the established exclusion zone.   
     
     
         31 . A method comprises:
 collecting location data from a first portable electronic device configured to be carried by a user;   storing the collected location data in a storage device on the first portable electronic device;   causing a cellular transceiver to establish a connection with a remote unit via an available cellular network;   automatically sending location data to the remote unit for the cellular transceiver to automatically communicate with a remote unit;   causing the satellite transceiver to establish a connection with the remote unit when the cellular network or another cellular network is unavailable;   automatically send the location data to the remote unit via the satellite transceiver;   sending the location data stored in the storage device from a first Bluetooth transceiver in the first portable device to a second, paired Bluetooth transceiver device in a second, different device;   receiving by at least a first one of the first and second devices locational data of the other one of the first and second devices; and   determining by a processor in the at least first one of the first and second devices relative positions of the first and second Bluetooth transceiver devices.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the remote unit is a central database to receive and store the location data collected by the global positioning system device, sent via the cellular transceiver or the satellite transceiver. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 determining whether the first portable electronic device is within an established exclusion zone;   sending an alert to the second portable electronic device.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising:
 causing the second portable, electronic device to display a map showing detailed information on relative locations of the first portable, electronic device and the second portable, electronic device.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising:
 causing the second portable, electronic device to alert a user according to changes in relative locations of the first portable, electronic device and the second portable, electronic device.   
     
     
         36 . A monitoring device for real-time location monitoring, the device comprising:
 a housing, the housing holding:
 a global positioning system device (GPS) configured to collect location data that delineates a location of the monitoring device; 
 a peer to peer transceiver configured to establish a peer to peer connection with a specified, paired peer to peer transceiver; 
 a storage device configured to store location data collected by the global positioning system device; 
 a processor configured to:
 receive location data collected by the global positioning system device; 
 receive location data collected by a second, different global positioning system device from a tracking device, the data received, over the peer to peer connection established between the peer to peer transceiver and the specified, paired peer to peer transceiver; 
 retrieve data corresponding to an exclusion zone for separation of the monitoring device from the tracking device; 
 determine from the location data from the monitoring device, the location data from the tracking device and the exclusion zone data whether the tracking device has entered the exclusion zone; and 
 generate an alert to signal a user of the monitoring device that the tracking device has entered the exclusion zone. 
 
   
     
     
         37 . The device of  claim 36  wherein the housing is a smartphone housing and the monitoring device includes a smartphone. 
     
     
         38 . The device of  claim 36  wherein the processor is further configured to:
 display a map showing detailed information on the relative locations of the monitoring and tracking devices. 
 
     
     
         39 . The device of  claim 36  wherein the processor causes the device to generate an audible alert or a vibratory alert.