System and method for tracking and monitoring persons subject to restricted movements

Abstract

A tracking and monitoring system and method includes a callback engine in communication with a plurality of GNSS-enabled ankle monitor bracelets via cellular/Wi-Fi internet service or SMS text service, depending on availability of services at each bracelet location. SMS text communication may be routed via a relay service. Bracelet straps form electrical circuits by which open, closed, cut, or shorted conditions are detected and relayed to the callback engine. Bracelets include components for detection of magnetic hacking, physical intrusion, software hacking, and GNSS spoofing. The callback engine may remotely update bracelet setting and cause playback of audio messages; bracelets confirm execution with the callback engine. Bracelets include advanced power saving circuitry and notify the callback engine of low battery levels. An administration application allows efficient management of bracelets by law enforcement authorities and may communicate with bracelet wearers via the callback engine or a mobile phone application.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tracking and monitoring system comprising:
 a callback engine including a server computer hosting a database system and operable to execute a webserver application, a callback script, and a queue script, said webserver application operable to receive an inbound communication to the callback engine and to selectively call said callback script to process the inbound communication; and   an ankle monitor bracelet including a global navigation satellite system module operable to determine a geographical location of the ankle monitor bracelet and a mobile communications module operable to send a status message having coordinates defining the location to the callback engine; wherein   said database system is operable to store data associated with the ankle monitor bracelet defining one or more of the group consisting of an allowed zone, a restricted zone, and a defendant identification, and   said callback script is operable to process the status message to record the coordinates in the database system, to calculate if the location falls outside the allowed zone, to calculate if the location falls inside the restricted zone, and to notify an authority if a geographical violation has occurred.   
     
     
         2 . The tracking and monitoring system of  claim 1  wherein:
 said ankle monitor bracelet is operable to selectively send said status message to said callback engine by sending a first hypertext markup language form command over a cellular data internet connection; and 
 said ankle monitor bracelet is operable to selectively send said status message to said callback engine by sending a short message service text message over a cellular system connection. 
 
     
     
         3 . The tracking and monitoring system of  claim 2  further comprising:
 a relay station operable receive the short message service text message from the ankle monitor bracelet and forward the status message to the callback engine by sending a second hypertext markup language form command over an internet connection. 
 
     
     
         4 . The tracking and monitoring system of  claim 2  wherein said ankle monitor bracelet further comprises:
 a Wi-Fi module operable to selectively send the status message to the callback engine by sending the first hypertext markup language form command over a Wi-Fi internet connection. 
 
     
     
         5 . The tracking and monitoring system of  claim 1  wherein:
 said ankle monitor bracelet further includes a non-volatile memory, an audio module having a plurality of pre-recorded audio messages, and a speaker; 
 said ankle monitor bracelet is operable to store a device password and a plurality of settings that determine operation of the ankle monitor bracelet in the non-volatile memory; 
 said queue script is operable to cause the callback engine to send a command message to the ankle monitor bracelet, the command message including a password and a command; 
 said ankle monitor bracelet is operable to receive the command message and authenticate the command message by comparing the password included in the command message with the device password; 
 
       said ankle monitor bracelet is operable to execute the command by at least one of the group consisting of updating at least one of the plurality of settings in the non-volatile memory and audibly playing by the audio module and the speaker at least one of the pre-recorded audio messages;
 said ankle monitor bracelet is operable to send a confirmation of the execution of the command to the callback engine; and 
 said callback script is operable to process and store in the database system the confirmation. 
 
     
     
         6 . The tracking and monitoring system of  claim 1  wherein:
 said ankle monitor bracelet further includes a battery and an intelligent charge controller; 
 said ankle monitor bracelet is operable to include in the status message a battery voltage indication and a battery charge indication; and 
 said callback script is operable to process the status message to record the battery voltage indication and the battery charge indication in the database system. 
 
     
     
         7 . The tracking and monitoring system of  claim 1  wherein:
 said ankle monitor bracelet further includes a strap defining a first electrical circuit; 
 said ankle monitor bracelet is operable to determine a strap state by measuring a parameter of the first electrical circuit, the strap state being one from the group consisting of open, closed, cut, and shorted; 
 said ankle monitor bracelet further includes a screw cap forming a switch within a second electrical circuit; 
 said ankle monitor bracelet is operable to determine an absence of the screw cap by measuring a parameter of the second electrical circuit; 
 said ankle monitor bracelet further includes a reed switch within a third electrical circuit; 
 said ankle monitor bracelet is operable to determine an external magnetic influence by measuring a parameter of the third electrical circuit; 
 said ankle monitor bracelet is operable to determine a security violation by one or more of the group consisting of the open strap state, the cut strap state, the shorted strap state, the absence if the screw cap, and the external magnetic influence; 
 said ankle monitor bracelet is operable to include in the status message an indication of the security violation; and 
 said callback script is operable to process the status message to record the security violation in the database system and to notify the authority of the security violation. 
 
     
     
         8 . An ankle monitor bracelet comprising:
 a microcontroller having a non-volatile memory and operable to generate a message;   a global navigation satellite system module coupled to the microcontroller and operable to determine a geographical location of the ankle monitor bracelet;   a strap defining a first electrical circuit coupled to the microcontroller, the microcontroller operable to measure a parameter of the first electrical circuit and thereby determine a strap state as one of the group consisting of open, closed, cut, and shorted; and   a mobile communications module coupled to the microcontroller, the microcontroller operable to query the mobile communications module to determine availabilities of a cellular data internet connection and a short message service cellular system connection and to selectively cause the mobile communications module to send the status message over one of the group consisting of the cellular data internet connection and the short message service cellular system connection; wherein   the status message includes coordinates defining the location and an indication of the strap state.   
     
     
         9 . The ankle monitor bracelet of  claim 8  further comprising:
 a Wi-Fi module coupled to the microcontroller, the microcontroller operable to query the Wi-Fi module to determine availability of a Wi-Fi internet connection and to selectively cause the Wi-Fi module to send the status message over the Wi-Fi internet connection. 
 
     
     
         10 . The ankle monitor bracelet of  claim 8  further comprising:
 a visual display coupled to the microcontroller and operable to visually indicate an ankle monitor bracelet status. 
 
     
     
         11 . The ankle monitor bracelet of  claim 8  further comprising:
 an audio module coupled to the microcontroller, the audio module including a plurality of pre-recorded audio messages, the microcontroller operable to selectively cause the audio module to play one of the plurality of pre-recorded audio messages; 
 a speaker coupled to the audio module for producing audible sounds, wherein 
 the status message includes an indication of the one of the plurality of pre-recorded audio messages played. 
 
     
     
         12 . The ankle monitor bracelet of  claim 8  further comprising:
 a battery coupled to the microcontroller, and a battery protection module coupled to the battery, the microcontroller operable to determine a battery voltage level; 
 an intelligent charge controller coupled to the microcontroller, the microcontroller operable to query the intelligent charge controller to determine a battery charge level; and 
 an accelerometer coupled to the microcontroller, the microcontroller operable to query the accelerometer and determine a period of inactivity of motion and selectively place the global navigation satellite system module in a low-power state; wherein 
 the status message includes a battery voltage indication and a battery charge indication. 
 
     
     
         13 . The ankle monitor bracelet of  claim 8  further comprising:
 a screw cap forming a switch within a second electrical circuit, the microcontroller coupled to the second electrical circuit and operable to determine an absence of the screw cap by measuring a parameter of the second electrical circuit; and 
 a reed switch within a third electrical circuit, the microcontroller coupled to the third electrical circuit and operable to determine a presence of an external magnetic influence by measuring a parameter of the third electrical circuit; wherein 
 the status message includes an indication of the absence of the screw cap and the presence of the external magnetic influence. 
 
     
     
         14 . The ankle monitor bracelet of  claim 8  further comprising:
 a magnetic bridge coupled to a universal serial bus of the microcontroller. 
 
     
     
         15 . A tracking and monitoring method comprising:
 steps periodically performed by a microcontroller of an ankle monitor bracelet and repeated at a first frequency, including
 querying an accelerometer of the ankle monitor bracelet to determine if within a period of ankle monitor bracelet inactivity, 
 selectively querying a global navigation satellite system module of the ankle monitor bracelet to determine a location of the ankle monitor bracelet, 
 determining a battery voltage level of a battery of the ankle monitor bracelet, and 
 querying an intelligent charge controller of the ankle monitor bracelet to determine a battery charge level; 
   steps periodically performed by the microcontroller and repeated at a second frequency, including
 measuring an electrical parameter of a strap of the ankle monitor bracelet to determine a strap state, 
 measuring the electrical continuity of a circuit to determine an absence of a screw cap of the ankle monitor bracelet, and 
 detecting actuation of a reed switch of the ankle monitor bracelet to determine a presence of an external magnetic influence; and 
   steps periodically performed by the microcontroller and repeated at a third frequency, including
 querying a at least one of the group consisting of a mobile communications module of the ankle monitor bracelet and a Wi-Fi module of the ankle monitor bracelet to determine availabilities of a data internet connection and a short message service cellular system connection, 
 generating a status message including coordinates defining the location of the ankle monitor bracelet, a timestamp, the strap state, the battery voltage level, the battery charge level, an indication of the absence of the screw cap, and an indication of the presence of the external magnetic influence, and 
   and selectively sending the status message to a callback server via one of the group consisting of the data internet connection and the short message service cellular system connection.   
     
     
         16 . The tracking and monitoring method of  claim 15  further comprising the steps performed by the callback server of:
 receiving said status message from the ankle monitor bracelet; 
 parsing said status message from the ankle monitor bracelet; 
 correlating the status message with a defendant identification; 
 recording the coordinates and the timestamp in a database system of the callback server; 
 recording the battery voltage level and the battery charge level in the database system; 
 recording the strap state, the indication of the absence of the screw cap, and the indication of the presence of the external magnetic influence in the database system; 
 calculating if the location of the ankle monitor bracelet falls outside an allowed zone; 
 calculating if the location of the ankle monitor bracelet falls inside a restricted zone; and 
 selectively notifying an authority if a geographical or security violation has occurred. 
 
     
     
         17 . The tracking and monitoring method of  claim 15  further comprising the steps of:
 sending by the callback server a command message having a password and a command to the ankle monitor bracelet; 
 receiving by the microcontroller of the ankle monitor bracelet the command message; 
 parsing by the microcontroller the command message; 
 authenticating by the microcontroller the command message by comparing the password of the command message with a device password stored in non-volatile memory of the microcontroller; 
 executing by the microcontroller the command of the command message; 
 sending by the ankle monitor bracelet to the callback server a command acknowledgement via one of the group consisting of the data internet connection and the short message service cellular system connection; and 
 receiving by the callback server the command acknowledgement. 
 
     
     
         18 . The tracking and monitoring method of  claim 15  wherein:
 the step of executing by the microcontroller the command comprises a step from the group consisting of
 updating a setting stored in the non-volatile memory of the microcontroller, and 
 playing by an audio module of the ankle monitor bracelet one of a plurality of prerecorded audio messages. 
 
 
     
     
         19 . The tracking and monitoring method of  claim 15  wherein:
 the first frequency falls within a range between one cycle per minute and one cycle per 0.5 seconds; 
 the second frequency falls within a range between one cycle per 500 milliseconds and one cycle per millisecond; and 
 the third frequency falls within a range between one cycle per 0.5 hours and one cycle per minute. 
 
     
     
         20 . The tracking and monitoring method of  claim 15  further comprising the steps of:
 receiving by a relay station the status message from the ankle monitor bracelet via the short message service cellular system connection; and 
 forwarding the status message by the relay station to the callback server via an internet connection.