Object Location Tracking Using Mobile Communication Device

Abstract

An object location tracking system may include an object, a mobile communication device, and a data storage system. The object may include a wireless short range communication system that wirelessly transmits object identification information over a short range that uniquely identifies the object. The mobile communication device may have a location detection system that generates location information indicative of the location of the wireless communication device; a wireless short range communication system that wirelessly receives the object identification information from the object when the object is in close proximity to the mobile communication device; and a wireless data communication system that wirelessly communicates the location information and the object identification information to a data storage system. The data storage system may receive and store the location information and the object identification from the wireless data communication system in the mobile communication device.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . An object location tracking system comprising:
 an object that includes a wireless short range communication system that wirelessly transmits object identification information over a short range that uniquely identifies the object;   a mobile communication device having:
 a location detection system that generates location information indicative of the location of the wireless communication device; 
 a wireless short range communication system that wirelessly receives the object identification information from the object when the object is in close proximity to the mobile communication device; and 
 a wireless data communication system that wirelessly communicates the location information and the object identification information to a data storage system; and 
   a data storage system that receives and stores the location information and the object identification from the wireless data communication system in the mobile communication device.   
     
     
         2 . The object location tracking system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the wireless short range communication system included with the device includes an NFC tag; and 
 the wireless short range communication system included with the mobile communication device includes an NFC initiator. 
 
     
     
         3 . The object location tracking system of  claim 2  wherein:
 the data storage system has a network address; 
 the NFC tag that is included with the object wirelessly transmits a URL that includes the network address of the data storage system and the object identification information when in close proximity to the mobile communication device. 
 
     
     
         4 . The object location tracking system of  claim 3  wherein:
 the wireless data communication system in the mobile communication device:
 wirelessly sends a communication to the data storage system using the URL; 
 in response, wirelessly receives from the data storage system a request for the location information; and 
 wirelessly delivers the location information to the data storage system in response to the request for the location information; and 
 
 the data storage system delivers the request for the location information to the mobile communication device in response to receipt of the communication from the mobile communication device. 
 
     
     
         5 . The object location tracking system of  claim 1  wherein the data storage system stores the approximate time it receives the location information. 
     
     
         6 . The object location tracking system of  claim 1  wherein, in response to receipt of the location information, the data storage system delivers promotional information to the mobile communication device that is keyed to the location information that it receives from the mobile communication device. 
     
     
         7 . The object location tracking system of  claim 1  wherein the object is a promotional object. 
     
     
         8 . The object location tracking system of  claim 1  wherein the object includes a location-tracking indicator that visually indicates that the object includes a location tracking device. 
     
     
         9 . An object that includes a wireless short range communication system that, when in close proximity to a mobile communication device that has a compatible wireless short range communication system, wirelessly transmits a URL that includes a network address of a data storage system and object identification information that uniquely identifies the object. 
     
     
         10 . The object of  claim 9  wherein the wireless short range communication system is an NFC tag. 
     
     
         11 . The object of  claim 9  wherein the object is a promotional object. 
     
     
         12 . The object of  claim 9  wherein the object includes a location-tracking indicator that visually indicates that the object includes a location tracking device. 
     
     
         13 . A data storage system that:
 receives communications from multiple wireless mobile communication devices, each communication including object identification information that uniquely identifies an object that has been brought in close proximity to the wireless communication device;   in response to each communication from a mobile communication device:
 sends a request back to the mobile communication device for location information indicative of the location of the mobile communication device; 
 receives the location information indicative of the location of the mobile communication device; and 
 stores the received object identification information and the location information. 
   
     
     
         14 . The data storage system of  claim 13  wherein, in response to each communication from a mobile communication device, the data storage system stores the approximate time when the data storage system received the location information. 
     
     
         15 . The data storage system of  claim 13  wherein, in response to receipt of location information, the data storage system delivers promotional information to the mobile communication device that sent the location information that is keyed to the location information that it receives. 
     
     
         16 . An object location tracking system comprising:
 an object that includes a wireless short range communication system that wirelessly transmits object identification information over a short range that uniquely identifies the object;   a communication device having:
 a wireless short range communication system that wirelessly receives the object identification information from the object when the object is in close proximity to the mobile communication device; and 
 a wireless data communication system that wirelessly communicates location information indicative of the location of the communication device and the object identification information to a data storage system; and 
   a data storage system that receives and stores the location information and the object identification from the data communication system in the mobile communication device.