Wireless location determining device

Abstract

The present invention discloses a system and a method to locate moving objects, such as people, pets and vehicles, over a wide area, by attaching small wireless devices, such as Bluetooth transceivers, to said objects and determining the location of said devices. The location of said wireless devices is determined by achieving ad-hoc short range wireless connectivity between said devices and communication devices such as Bluetooth enabled mobile phones that pass by, where said latter communication devices can be located by other means, such as GPS or network-based techniques.

1. A communication system for determining geographical location of roaming objects in a vicinity of a plurality of communication devices, comprising:
 a) a communication network, consisting of at least said plurality of communication devices, said plurality of communication devices configured to communicate with other communication devices over said communication network, and establishing a short range wireless communication with other wireless devices in the vicinity of said plurality of communication devices, said communication network is configured for obtaining the geographical location of said plurality of communication devices and transmitting data representing said geographical location to a destination, over said communication network; 
 b) a wireless tag, attached to each of said roaming objects, being a wireless device, in which a unique data is stored, said tag is configured for communicating with said plurality of communication devices via said short range and transmitting said unique data to said destination through said plurality of communication devices and over said communication network, 
 wherein said tag comprises:
 a) a short-range wireless transceiver for communicating with said plurality of communication devices being in the vicinity of said tag; 
 b) a memory for storing the unique data; and 
 c) a control circuitry for controlling the communication between said tag and said communication device; and 
 
 c) a control center being linked to said destination, for receiving said unique data from said tag and for using said unique data and the location of the plurality of communication devices, through which said unique data is transmitted, for determining and displaying the geographical location of said tag, wherein the control center communicates with the plurality of communication devices for the presence of tags in their vicinity, according to at least one of the following parameters: a tag's identification; time at which said unique data is transmitted; a geographical region; identification of said plurality of communication devices and a trigger signal generated at the tag or input to the tag. 
 
     
     
       2. A system according to  claim 1 , in which each said plurality of communication devices comprises:
 a) a short-range wireless transceiver for communicating with one or more wireless tags being in the vicinity of said plurality of communication devices; 
 b) a memory for storing multiple unique data transmissions from the same tag, and/or said unique data transmissions from different tags; 
 c) circuitry for transmitting said data to the destination, over the communication network; and 
 d) a control circuitry for controlling the communication between said plurality of communication devices and said tags and the transmission of said unique data over said communication network. 
 
     
     
       3. A system according to  claim 1 , in which each said plurality of communication devices further comprises:
 a) location determining circuitry for determining the geographical location of said communication devices; and 
 b) circuitry for transmitting data representing said location to the destination. 
 
     
     
       4. A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the data representing the location of the plurality of communication devices or the data provided by the tag are affiliated into the control signals that are transmitted from said plurality of communication devices over the communication network. 
     
     
       5. A system according to  claim 3 , wherein the data representing the location of the plurality of communication device is determined by utilizing satellite signals received from a navigation system such as, wherein the navigation system comprises one of Global Positioning System (GPS)or, Galileo, or GLONASS. 
     
     
       6. A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the communication network is a cellular or mobile or wireless network. 
     
     
       7. A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of communication devices are selected from the group: mobile telephones; cellular telephones; wireless telephones; portable computers; PDAs; WAN-LAN gateways or APs (Access Points); WAN-PAN gateways or APs; LAN-PAN gateways or APs. 
     
     
       8. A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the communication between the tag and the plurality of communication devices complies with a communication standards selected from the group: Bluetooth; WiFi; WiMax; HomeRF. 
     
     
       9. A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the data representing the location of the plurality of communication devices is determined either by the communication network or by the plurality of communication devices or by a combination thereof. 
     
     
       10. A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the communication between said tags and said plurality of communication devices is established using unlicensed frequency band. 
     
     
       11. A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the time at which the unique data is transmitted to said plurality of communication devices, is recorded by the plurality of communication devices. 
     
     
       12. A system according to  claim 1 , wherein whenever the plurality of communication device receives a new data signal and its corresponding memory is full, the oldest data stored in said memory is overwritten by said new data. 
     
     
       13. A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the utilization of said plurality of communication devices for locating said tags does not require the subscriber permission or wherein a subscriber that owns or operates said plurality of communication device permits utilizing said plurality of communication devices for locating said tags. 
     
     
       14. A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the data representation of the location of said tag is converted from geographic coordinates to a corresponding physical address. 
     
     
       15. A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the initiation to determine location of said tag comes from said tag and/or said plurality of communication devices and/or said control center, and/or an input to said tag and/or an input to said plurality of communication devices and/or an input to said control center. 
     
     
       16. A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the communication between said tag and said plurality of communication devices is enabled during a specific period of time and/or when said plurality of communication devices and/or said tag are part of a predetermined sub group. 
     
     
       17. A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the location accuracy of the tag is refined by obtaining a distance and/or a direction information related to the relative position between the tag and the plurality of communication devices. 
     
     
       18. A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the roaming object is selected from the following group: persons; animals; vehicles; goods; mailed/delivered items; weapons; ammunition. 
     
     
       19. A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the location accuracy of the tag is refined by extrapolation, when the transmission of the unique data from the tag to the plurality of communication devices and the determination of the location of the plurality of communication devices are performed at different times. 
     
     
       20. A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the control center is a communication device. 
     
     
       21. A system according to  claim 1 , wherein said tag and/or said plurality of communication devices relay/retransmit data that arrives from other tags and/or said plurality of communication devices. 
     
     
       22. A communication system comprising:
 a communication device including:
 a first processor configured to determine a location of the communication device; and 
 a first transceiver operatively coupled to the first processor and configured to
 establish a short range wireless communication link with a tag; and 
 transmit the location of the communication device and identity data corresponding to the tag to a control center; 
 
   the tag, wherein the tag is associated with a roaming object, and further wherein the tag includes:
 a second processor; 
 a short-range wireless transceiver operatively coupled to the second processor and configured to communicate with the communication device; 
 a memory operatively coupled to the second processor and configured to store the identity data corresponding to the tag; and 
 control circuitry operatively coupled to the second processor and configured to control communication between the tag and the communication device; and 
   the control center, wherein the control center is configured to:
 communicate with the communication device to determine whether the communication device is in range of the tag, wherein the determination is based at least in part on the identity data corresponding to the tag; and 
 determine, if the communication device is in range of the tag, a geographical location of the tag based at least in part on the location of the communication device. 
   
     
     
       23. The communication system of claim 22, wherein the communication device further comprises a global positioning system (GPS) receiver for use in determining the location of the communication device. 
     
     
       24. The communication system of claim 22, wherein the short range wireless communication link is established over an unlicensed frequency band. 
     
     
       25. The communication system of claim 22, wherein the first processor is further configured to identify a time at which the identity data is received by the communication device from the tag. 
     
     
       26. The communication system of claim 25, wherein the first transceiver is further configured to transmit the time at which the identity data is received to the control center. 
     
     
       27. The communication system of claim 22, wherein the control center is further configured to convert geographic coordinates of the tag to a corresponding physical address. 
     
     
       28. The communication system of claim 22, wherein a decision to determine the geographic location of the tag originates from the control center or from an input to the control center. 
     
     
       29. The communication system of claim 22, wherein the short range wireless communication link between the tag and the communication device is enabled during one or more specific periods of time. 
     
     
       30. The communication system of claim 22, wherein the communication device and the tag are both members of a sub-group, and further wherein the tag is configured to communicate only with other members of the sub-group. 
     
     
       31. The communication system of claim 22, wherein the geographic location of the tag is further based at least in part on a distance between the tag and the communication device. 
     
     
       32. The communication system of claim 22, wherein the geographic location of the tag is further based at least in part on a relative position of the tag with respect to the communication device. 
     
     
       33. The communication system of claim 22, wherein the tag is associated with a roaming object, and further wherein the roaming object comprises a person, an animal, a vehicle, a weapon, or mail. 
     
     
       34. A tag comprising:
 control circuitry configured to activate an active mode in response to a trigger signal;   a transceiver operatively coupled to the control circuitry and configured to, in response to activation of the active mode, transmit identity data associated with the tag or an object to which the tag is attached to a cellular telephone in a vicinity of the tag, wherein, in response to receipt of the identity data, the cellular telephone is configured to determine a location of the cellular telephone and provide the location and the identity data to a control center, and further wherein the identity data is transmitted to the cellular telephone through one or more short-range wireless signals; and   a memory operatively coupled to the control circuitry and configured to store the identity data.   
     
     
       35. The tag of claim 34, further comprising a timer, wherein the trigger signal originates at the tag based on expiration of the timer. 
     
     
       36. The tag of claim 34, wherein the trigger signal is received from an alarm system. 
     
     
       37. The tag of claim 34, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to establish a short range wireless communication link with the cellular telephone. 
     
     
       38. A communication device comprising:
 a transceiver configured to receive a request to locate a tag from a control center, wherein the request originates from the control center and includes identity data corresponding to the tag; and   a processor operatively coupled to the transceiver and configured to
 establish, in response to the request, a short range wireless communication link with the tag if the tag is in range of the communication device; 
 determine a location of the communication device; and 
   cause the transceiver to provide the location of the communication device to the control center if the tag is in range of the communication device.   
     
     
       39. The communication device of claim 38, further comprising a global positioning system (GPS) receiver for use in determining the location of the communication device. 
     
     
       40. The communication device of claim 38, wherein the short range wireless communication link between the tag and the communication device is enabled during one or more specific periods of time. 
     
     
       41. The communication device of claim 38, wherein the processor is further configured to identify a time at which the short-range wireless communication link is established with the tag. 
     
     
       42. The communication device of claim 41, wherein the transceiver is further configured to transmit the time to the control center. 
     
     
       43. A method comprising:
 receiving identity data at a third communication device from a first communication device, wherein the identity data is associated with a tag or an object to which the tag is attached, and further wherein the identity data originates from the tag and is transmitted from the tag to the first communication device in response to a trigger signal;   receiving, at the third communication device, a location of the first communication device from the first communication device;   determining, at the third communication device, a geographic location of the tag based at least in part on the identity data and the location; and   providing the geographic location of the tag to a second communication device from the third communication device for use by the second communication device in locating the tag.   
     
     
       44. The method of claim 43, wherein the trigger signal originates at the tag based on expiration of a timer. 
     
     
       45. The method of claim 43, wherein the geographic location of the tag is further based at least in part on a distance between the tag and the first communication device. 
     
     
       46. The method of claim 43, wherein the geographic location of the tag is further based at least in part on a relative position of the tag with respect to the first communication device. 
     
     
       47. A method comprising:
 receiving a request to locate a tag from a control center, wherein the request originates from the control center and includes identity data corresponding to the tag;   establishing, in response to the request, a short range wireless communication link with the tag if the tag is in range of a communication device;   determining a location of the communication device; and   providing the location of the communication device to the control center if the tag is in range of the communication device.   
     
     
       48. The method of claim 47, further comprising providing the identity data to the control center. 
     
     
       49. The method of claim 47, further comprising:
 determining a distance between the tag and the first communication device; and   providing the distance to the control center.   
     
     
       50. The method of claim 47, further comprising providing a time at which the short-range wireless communication link is established to the control center. 
     
     
       51. A method comprising:
 activating an active mode in response to a trigger signal at a tag;   establishing, in response to activation of the active mode, a short-range communication link with a communication device in a vicinity of the tag; and   transmitting identity data associated with the tag to the communication device, wherein, in response to receipt of the identity data, the communication device is configured to determine a location of the communication device and provide the location and the identity data to a control center.   
     
     
       52. The method of claim 51, wherein the trigger signal originates at the tag based on expiration of a timer. 
     
     
       53. The method of claim 51, wherein the trigger signal is received by the tag from an alarm system. 
     
     
       54. The communication system of claim 22, wherein the control circuitry causes the tag to enter an inactive mode to conserve power when the tag is not communicating with the communication device. 
     
     
       55. The tag of claim 34, wherein the control circuitry causes the tag to enter an inactive mode to conserve power when the tag is not communicating with the communication device. 
     
     
       56. The method of claim 51, further comprising entering an inactive mode to conserve power when the tag is not in communication with the communication device. 
     
     
       57. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising instructions for:
 receiving identity data at a third communication device from a first communication device, wherein the identity data is associated with a tag or an object to which the tag is attached, and further wherein the identity data originates from the tag and is transmitted from the tag to the first communication device in response to a trigger signal;   receiving, at the third communication device, a location of the first communication device from the first communication device;   determining, at the third communication device, a geographic location of the tag based at least in part on the identity data and the location; and   providing the geographic location of the tag to a second communication device from the third communication device for use by the second communication device in locating the tag.   
     
     
       58. The computer-readable medium of claim 57, wherein the trigger signal originates at the tag based on expiration of a timer. 
     
     
       59. The computer-readable medium of claim 57, wherein the geographic location of the tag is further based at least in part on a distance between the tag and the first communication device. 
     
     
       60. The computer-readable medium of claim 57, wherein the geographic location of the tag is further based at least in part on a relative position of the tag with respect to the first communication device. 
     
     
       61. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising instructions for:
 receiving a request to locate a tag from a control center, wherein the request originates from the control center and includes identity data corresponding to the tag;   establishing, in response to the request, a short range wireless communication link with the tag if the tag is in range of a communication device;   determining a location of the communication device; and   providing the location of the communication device to the control center if the tag is in range of the communication device.   
     
     
       62. The computer-readable medium of claim 61, further comprising instructions for providing the identity data to the control center. 
     
     
       63. The computer-readable medium of claim 61, further comprising instructions for:
 determining a distance between the tag and the first communication device; and   providing the distance to the control center.   
     
     
       64. The computer-readable medium of claim 61, further comprising instructions for providing a time at which the short-range wireless communication link is established to the control center. 
     
     
       65. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising instructions for:
 activating an active mode in response to a trigger signal at a tag;   establishing, in response to activation of the active mode, a short-range communication link with a communication device in a vicinity of the tag; and   transmitting identity data associated with the tag to the communication device, wherein, in response to receipt of the identity data, the communication device is configured to determine a location of the communication device and provide the location and the identity data to a control center.   
     
     
       66. The computer-readable medium of claim 65, wherein the trigger signal originates at the tag based on expiration of a timer. 
     
     
       67. The computer-readable medium of claim 65, wherein the trigger steal is received by the tag from an alarm system. 
     
     
       68. The computer-readable medium of claim 65, further comprising instructions for entering an inactive mode to conserve power when the tag is not in communication with the communication device.