Ulllted States Patent
`
`
`Gaukel
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`[19]
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`[11] Patent Number:
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`[45] Date of Patent:
`
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`6,072,396
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`
`Jun. 6, 2000
`
`US006072396A
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`......................... .. 340/990
`8/1994 Simms et al.
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`.. 340/573.1
`5/1995 Baumann ...... ..
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`5/1995 Stlitman et al
`600/300
`8/1995 Wllk ...................................... .. 600/425
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`ISLI(:)l;lI£1iegI(:I.........................
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`333333133
`31332 IY§§f1‘..."ff.‘.....
`‘E536/555%
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`5,528,248
`6/1996 Steiner et al.
`342/357
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`5,541,845
`7/1996 Klein . . . . . . . . . . . .
`. . . .. 701/207
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`5,544,661
`8/1996 Davis et al.
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`128/904
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`5,552,772
`.. 340/573.4
`9/1996 J k
`t
`l.
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`5,559,497
`...... 340/573.1
`9/1996 iiafjng
`.........
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`5,568,119
`340/825.37
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`10/1996 Schipper et al.
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`5,652,570
`.. 340/573.4
`7/1997 Lepk0fl<er ..... ..
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`3/1998 Layson, Jr.
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`5,731,757
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`Primary Exammer_G1en Swann
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`Attorney, Agent,
`or Firm—Zarley, McKee, Thomte
`Vnnrnees & sense; Dennis L. Tnnrnte
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`5,334,974
`5,416,468
`5,416,695
`5,437,278
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`ABSTRACT
`[57]
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`An apparatus and method of monitoring mobile objects or
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`persons nsing the nnnzes the Global positioning system
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`satellites and cellular telephone communications. The appa-
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`ratus may include first and second remote units adapted to be
`Worn on the monitored person or object. These remote units
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`would comprise the position and data sensors as Well as the
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`transmitter device to transmit the information back to a
`central tracking station. The remote units may be operative
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`to monitor [nany data items Such as System integrity’ [notion
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`temperature, audio, and the like in addition to position. This
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`data would then be transmitted back to a central monitoring
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`station operative to process and display the information. The
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`Sysaam 15 a15° adapted 1‘? m°F“F°r P"r5°.“5 1“ hazardous
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`€HV1f0Hm€Hts
`such as fad10aCt1V1tY Of P01s0H011s gases 0r
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`even to monitor inanimate objects such as automobiles.
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`41 Claims, 15 Drawing Sheets
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`[54] APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR
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`CONTINUOUS ELECTRONIC MONITORING
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`AND TRACKING OF INDIVIDUALS
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`John J. Gaukel, Omaha, Nebr.
`Inventor:
`[75]
`[731 Asssgnssr Advanced Business
`Omaha»
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`Neb“
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`[21] Appl. No.: 08/840,057
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`[22]
`Filedi
`APE 24, 1997
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`Related U.S. Application Data
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`[63]
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`[56]
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`§Z8nTi;1$i:ti0n—in—part of application No. 08/367,057, Dec.
`
`9
`7
`[51]
`................................................... .. G08B 21/00
`Int. Cl.
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`................. .. 340/573.4; 340/539; 340/693.5;
`[52] U.s. Ci.
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`340/825.32; 340/825.49; 342/357, 364/449.6;
`379/38
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`_
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`[58] Field of Search ............................... .. 340/573.4, 539,
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`340/6935, 8253, 82531, 82532, 825-49>
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`82554; 342/357; 364/449-6; 379/38
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`References Cited
`
`
`
`Us. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`M011l'1t
`
`6/1987 Kotoh
`---- -- 342/51
`
`
`
`
`5/1988 Malone .
`
`
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`4/1989 Halavais
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`340/573.4
`.
`12/1989 Pauley et al.
`
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`5/1991 Schoolman ............................ .. 342/457
`
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`8/1991 Darnell et al.
`........................ .. 342/357
`
`
`
`
`
`9/1992 Ghaem et a1.
`342/419
`
`
`
`
`
`3/1993 Burrell et al.
`..... .. 343/895
`
`
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`
`
`5/1994 Vercellotti et al.
`.............. .. 340/825.54
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`.............................. ..
`
`
`4,673,936
`
`4,741,245
`
`4,819,053
`
`4,885,571
`
`5,019,828
`
`5,043,736
`
`5,145,231
`
`5,198,831
`
`5,317,309
`
`
`
`
`
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`sane|2d
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`42
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`
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`A
`
`TE L.CO.
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`
`I AS 400
`
`
`
`, APPLICATIONS
`
`| GRAPHICS
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`CELLULAR‘
`
`PHONE ' CELLULAR
`
`I/BNDEM
`BAG
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`44
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`Page 1 of 31
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`NOVATEL EXHIBIT 1027
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`Page 1 of 31
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`NOVATEL EXHIBIT 1027
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`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 6,2000
`
`Sheet 1 of 15
`
`6,072,396
`
`____
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`F
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`_ulI.ll.||IJ
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`Page 2 of 31
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`Page 2 of 31
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jun. 6,2000
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`Sheet 2 of 15
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`6,072,396
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`FIG. 2
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`Page 3 of 31
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`Page 3 of 31
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jun. 6,2000
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`Sheet 3 of 15
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`6,072,396
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`FIG. 3
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`Page 4 of 31
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`Page 4 of 31
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jun. 6, 2000
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`Sheet 4 of 15
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`6,072,396
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`35
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`56
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`32
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`FIG. 4
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`Page 5 of 31
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`Page 5 of 31
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jun. 6,2000
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`Sheet 5 of 15
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`6,072,396
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`////-82
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`Page 6 of 31
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`Page 6 of 31
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jun. 6,2000
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`Sheet 6 of 15
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`6,072,396
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`Page 7 of 31
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`Page 7 of 31
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jun. 6, 2000
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`Sheet 7 of 15
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`6,072,396
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`Jun. 6,2000
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`Sheet 8 of 15
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`6,072,396
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`Sheet 10 of 15
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`6,072,396
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`Sheet 11 of 15
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`6,072,396
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`Jun. 6,2000
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`6,072,396
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`Sheet 14 of 15
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`6,072,396
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`6,072,396
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`1
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`APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR
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`CONTINUOUS ELECTRONIC MONITORING
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`AND TRACKING OF INDIVIDUALS
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`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
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`
`APPLICATION
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`This is a continuation-in-part application of Ser. No.
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`08/367,057 filed Dec. 30, 1994.
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`TECHNICAL FIELD
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`10
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`The apparatus and method of the present invention relate
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`generally to position monitoring. More specifically,
`the
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`invention relates to a method and apparatus for tracking the
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`position of an individual, monitoring selected bits of data
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`regarding that person, and for real
`time notification of
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`non-compliance with predetermined parameters.
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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`The present invention has great utility in many varied
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`settings. For example, the apparatus may be used in the
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`“house arrest” or “home parole” setting. In that case, it is
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`critical that the person remain at home or within prescribed
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`geographical limits. Alternatively, the whereabouts or medi-
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`cal condition of elderly or infirm persons might be moni-
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`tored. The present invention provides such a device which is
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`capable of monitoring position as well as certain health
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`related parameters such as heart rate, blood pressure or the
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`like. The present invention is not however limited to the
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`monitoring of individuals, rather it is applicable to moni-
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`toring any mobile object. For example, the present invention
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`can be used to detect and track stolen cars.
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`The term “environmental information” will be used herein
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`to refer to information which may be gleaned from the
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`person or object wearing the device, or his/its surroundings.
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`Examples of such environmental data may be, but are not
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`limited to, sound, temperature, motion, and the like.
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`There is a current move in our nation to stem the growth
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`in the crime rate by building more prisons and hence
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`incarcerating more people. Part of this stems from pressure
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`from the public to keep hard core or habitual criminals
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`locked up for the full length of their sentence. This pressure
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`is balanced against an even stronger push by the public to
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`keep cost of government down.
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`One recent solution to this dilemma has been “house
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`arrest” technology, which allows minor offense sentences to
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`be carried out
`in the home. The system consists of a
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`transponder which the convicted person must wear, which
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`must be present when that person is called by the police to
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`verify presence at home or work. One severe drawback of
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`this process involves use of man-hours and the associated
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`cost of doing on-site inspections to ensure that the monitored
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`persons are actually where they say they are. Additionally,
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`there are several ways to fool the system if this manual
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`checking is not implemented. Consequently, there is some
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`risk that a prisoner could get loose. The cost of “house
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`arrest” is balanced against the cost of housing low risk
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`prisoners. While a net savings is realized, it is not large, and
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`the funding must be justified separately.
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`Thus, there is a great need for an apparatus which would
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`reduce, eliminate, or postpone the need for more prisons.
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`Such an apparatus would accomplish tightened security of
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`prisoner tracking, with virtually no risk of fooling the
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`system, and would allow limited freedom of prisoners to
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`rehabilitate themselves via controlled community interac-
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`tion and limited freedom of travel. To state the obvious, a
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`2
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`working taxpaying prisoner who is effectively restrained at
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`little cost
`to the taxpayer is preferable to incarceration,
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`where no true rehabilitation is accomplished and costs are
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`becoming astronomical. Such a system is implemented with
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`the present invention.
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`Additionally, some elderly or infirm persons need con-
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`stant monitoring of their location and/or of certain medical
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`parameters. Such parameters might include blood pressure,
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`heart rate or the like. The present invention provides a means
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`for accomplishing such a monitoring without the need for
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`constant supervision and for providing immediate “real
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`time” notification of the proper medical authorities. The
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`system also provides a means for monitoring the status of an
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`automobile in order to provide a deterrent to theft. For
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`example, the apparatus can be attached to the car in some
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`“hidden” spot to avoid or decrease the potential for removal.
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`The motion, temperature, and position monitoring functions
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`can then be used to detect theft or attempted theft of the auto.
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`For example, the occurrence of motion or the detection of
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`rising temperature might be indicative of the unauthorized
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`starting of the car. With the position determining function, if
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`the car is stolen, it can be tracked.
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`The invention disclosed herein overlaps several technical
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`areas involving not only the provision of positioning data
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`remotely of the sensor, but also of providing additional
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`remote monitoring of other environmental factors such as
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`temperature, audio signals, blood pressure, heart rate and the
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`like.
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`One example of a prior art device providing relative
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`positioning information is Kotoh, U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,936
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`issued Jun. 16, 1987. Kotoh discloses a rescue transmitter
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`apparatus adapted to be worn on a person’s wrist. Kotoh’s
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`transmitter transmits a microwave signal which may be
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`received by a search and rescue craft. Relative position may
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`be determined by using a directional antenna to determine
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`the direction of the strongest signal. No absolute positioning
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`or other, environmental information is available.
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`Another prior art device is illustrated in Darnell et. al.
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`U.S. Pat. No. 5,043,736 issued Aug. 27, 1991. Unlike the
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`Kotoh device, Darnell’s transmits absolute, (i.e. geographi-
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`cal latitude and longitude), position information. Darnell
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`discloses a hand held apparatus which contains both a GPS
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`receivers as well as a cellular telephone transmitter. The
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`hand held unit receives the GPS signals, generates a refer-
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`ence timing signal, and identifies the time difference ther-
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`ebetween. As is well understood in the art, this time differ-
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`ence is indicative of the distance between the receiver and
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`the GPS satellite. Thus, from knowing the time differences
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`from a series of satellites, an absolute position may be
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`determined. This time difference information, determined by
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`the hand held unit, is transmitted to a remotely located base
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`unit. This base unit then uses the time difference information
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`to determine the position of the remote unit. While the
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`Darnell system is adapted to determine and transmit absolute
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`positioning information, no other environmental informa-
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`tion is detected or transmitted.
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`Several prior art devices have been proposed in the field
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`of prisoner monitoring in the house arrest scenario. One of
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`these is Pauley et. al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,885,571 issued Dec. 5,
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`1989. Pauley discloses a device (a “tag”) which is adapted
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`to be worn on the person subject to the house arrest. The
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`device transmits periodically to a field unit which then
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`communicates with a remotely positioned central processing
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`unit. The communication of information from the “tag” to
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`the field unit consists of an identification signal which is an
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`encoded message identifying the “tag” from which the
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`Page 17 of 31
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`6,072,396
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`3
`signal is sent. No other positional or other data is sent.
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`Verification that the person is remaining within the pre-
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`scribed limits imposed is inferred simply by the fact that the
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`signal from the “tag” is being received by the field unit.
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`Since the “tag” has a limited transmission range, reception
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`is2::
`of the signal
`transmitted therefrom by the field unit
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`possible only when the field unit
`is within the “tag s
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`transmission range. Thus, no absolute or even relative posi-
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`tioning data is available with the Pauley apparatus. Rather,
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`a simple in-range/out-of-range indication is available.
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`U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,694 discloses a fast response system
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`for a fleet of vehicles. At a selected time, a central station
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`broadcasts an interrogation signal requesting that selected
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`vehicles in a selected group respond with the present loca-
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`tion and status of each vehicle. The central station then
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`ceases its broadcasts and waits a certain time interval for the
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`vehicle responses. Using a protocol known by the central
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`station and by each of the vehicle transceivers, each vehicle
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`replies with the requested information during a particular
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`consecutive time slot. Each transceiver has listened to the
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`central station’s interrogation signal and knows (1) whether
`it was one of the transceivers queried, and (2) if it has been
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`queried, what
`its numerical position in the queue for
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`responding to the query. If a particular transceiver is not
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`among those queried, the transceiver ignores the interroga-
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`tion signal and waits for the next interrogation signal. In this
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`way, only transceivers whose numbers are broadcast or
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`otherwise identified respond to the central station, and each
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`such transceiver responds only in its allocated time slot.
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`When the central station receives a call
`requiring
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`assistance, it broadcasts an incident message that includes
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`the location of the incident and whatever is known about the
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`incident. Each vehicle message unit receives the incident
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`message, determines its present location and the distance
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`from that vehicle to the site of the incident, determines if that
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`vehicle can respond to the incident, and replies to the
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`incident message by transmitting its present location and
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`other pertinent information. The vehicle message unit trans-
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`mits this reply if and only if the distance is less than a
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`predetermined distance to the incident site.
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`U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,248 to Steiner et al. discloses a
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`personal digital location apparatus for displaying the con-
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`sumer’s location on a map. The device is a hand held
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`apparatus having a GPS antenna and receiver to provide
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`location information, and is capable of using standard oper-
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`ating systems to run existing applications, and is capable of
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`running programs written in high level languages to provide
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`the consumer with a display of his location and relative
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`locations and the attributes of map features proximate to the
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`consumer. Nothing is this patent relates to the continuous
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`monitoring and tracking of an individual remote unit by a
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`central control station.
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`U.S. Pat. No. 5,541,845 to Klein discloses methods for
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`monitoring the adherence of a vehicle to a planned route
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`and/or planned time schedule, within a selected corridor in
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`location and time, where the vehicle follows a selected
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`route. The invention may use GPS, or other location deter-
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`mination system, positioned on the vehicle, to determine and
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`store the present location of the vehicle. The vehicle com-
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`municates its present location, route status (on route or off
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`route), schedule status (on schedule, ahead or behind
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`schedule), and other relevant information, to a central station
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`from time to time. The processor in the vehicle attempts to
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`locate the vehicle on the route by correlating the route and
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`schedule data with the current
`time of day and current
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`vehicle position. A snap-to-route command is provided to
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`identify the location on the assigned route that is closest to
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`Page 18 of 31
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`4
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`the vehicle’s present location as determined by the on-board
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`location determination system. It should be noted in FIGS.
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`4 and 5, steps 39 and 49, that non-adherence to the specified
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`route or failure to meet a specified time schedule will cause
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`the vehicle system to notify the central station.
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`While this patent discloses an on-board computer which
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`continuously tracks the location of the vehicle within a
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`time/location schedule, and notifies a central station of any
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`“violation” of either the time or location schedule, there is
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`no provision for uploading particular parameters from the
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`central station as to the route or “corridor” to be followed.
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`Second, there is no provision for storage of a “map” of the
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`track of the vehicle throughout
`the course of a day or
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`selected time period, which is subsequently downloaded to
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`the central control station so as to map out the specific time
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`and location of the vehicle along the route.
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`U.S. Pat. No. 5,552,772 to Janky et al. discloses a location
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`determination system used to determine the present location
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`of a firefighter at a fire site or the like. In one embodiment,
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`the firefighter carries a unit that receives signals from a
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`group of sources. A central station interrogates one or more
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`of the units, each selected unit automatically responding by
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`transmitting its location to the central station for further
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`processing, storage or display. The system can accumulate
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`and report on the accumulated time a firefighter is present in
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`one or more designated sub-regions at a site, and can advise
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`a person at the control station that a particular worker should
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`leave a sub-region when an accumulated time exceeds a
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`selected threshold.
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`The patent discloses another polling type system which
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`requires the central station to interrogate the remote units to
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`determine the location of a firefighter. The remote units do
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`not have processors which can store location data, nor
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`upload parameters, nor download map information showing
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`past locations.
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`U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,119 to Schipper et al. discloses a
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`method and apparatus for monitoring the current location of
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`a remote unit. The current
`location of the unit can be
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`checked at selected time intervals. The device is particularly
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`addressed to “house arrest” situations where an arrestee
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`wears a location determining (LD) unit that receives signals
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`allowing determination of the current location of the LD unit
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`and arrestee. The signal sources may be GPS type systems
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`or ground base systems. In one embodiment of the invention
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`the remote unit processes the information to determine the
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`present location of the arrestee and transmits this informa-
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`tion to a central station. In another embodiment, the remote
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`unit does not process the information, but rather transmits
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`the information to the central station for further processing
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`to determine the present location of the arrestee. The central
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`station compares the present location of the arrestee with the
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`designated site in its boundary to determine if the arrestee is
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`staying on the designated site. If the arrestee has moved off
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`the site without prearranged permission, or if no intelligible
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`the
`response signal
`is received at
`the designated times,
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`central station promptly notifies the appropriate authorities.
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`The remote unit may contain a tamper detection circuit that
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`transmits an alarm if tampering is detected. Optionally, the
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`remote unit may transmit the present position information in
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`encrypted form.
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`FIGS. 6 and 7 both show flow charts of a procedure used
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`to determine the present location of an arrestee, and which
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`include the initial step requiring the central station to trans-
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`mit an interrogation signal to the remote unit. Thus, these
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`flow charts disclose a polling type system, which polls the
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`remote units at desired intervals. The remote units transmit
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`Page 18 of 31
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`6,072,396
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`5
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`location information, and the central station processes,
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`stores and/or displays the location of the remote unit.
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`This patent also discloses the periodic modification of
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`parameters to provide “corridors” or timed schedules, which
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`the arrestee must follow. This information is processed at the
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`central control station and alarms or warnings are transmit-
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`ted from the central station for failure to comply with these
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`parameters.
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`U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,390 to Hoshen discloses a locator
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`device useful for house arrests and stalker detection. This
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`device relies on a “polling” type apparatus, wherein a
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`polling message is sent from a central location to remote
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`units, to determine the location of the remote units at the
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`time of “polling”. There is no disclosure of any capability of
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`Hoshen to upload parameters to the remote unit, store
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`accumulations of location data as a “map” in the remote unit,
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`nor to download a stored “map” to a central station. In
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`addition, since the Hoshen apparatus is a polling type
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`device, there is no “real time” alarm for violations of preset
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`parameters.
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`U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,695 to Stutman et al. discloses a
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`method and apparatus for alerting patients and medical
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`personnel of emergency medical situations. The patent dis-
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`closes the use of host connected by a telephone network to
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`a “subscriber” unit, and receives information from a remote
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`patient by a “telemetry” device. The remote telemetry device
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`on the patient collects location information (via GPS) as
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`well as medical information and transmits the information to
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`the host computer. Parameters in the host computer are set,
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`updated, or otherwise changed by the subscriber via the
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`communications network. When the information transmitted
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`from the patient exceeds these set parameters, a warning is
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`sent both to the subscriber and to the patient.
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`A panic button is provided on the telemetry device
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`permitting the patient to directly contact the host computer
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`and thereby transmit an alert. It is noted that the typical
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`method of providing information from the patients to the
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`host computer is by “periodic polling” of all of the sources
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`by the host computer. (See column 6, lines 3-5).
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`U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,468 to Baumann discloses a plurality
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`of individual remote units on persons, which transmit the
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`location of that person to a “field unit” at periodic intervals.
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`If the information is not received at the field unit within a
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`predetermined time range, an alarm may be triggered. The
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`remote units may include “detectors” which sense environ-
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`mental conditions and may transmit this data in addition to
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`the location data to the field unit.
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`However,
`the Baumann remote unit can only transmit
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`information, and does not know whether it was received by
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`the field unit. Since no information may be received by the
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`remote unit, it cannot receive any instructions as to differing
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`parameters or the like. Finally, the remote unit does not store
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`tracked accumulated information.
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`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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`Consequently, it is a primary objective of the present
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`invention to provide an apparatus and method of determin-
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`ing and displaying the absolute position of an individual
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`remotely therefrom.
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`It is a further objective to provide an apparatus capable of
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`sensing and transmitting environmental data such as audio,
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`temperature, blood pressure, heart rate and the like.
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`An additional objective is to provide an apparatus capable
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`of monitoring and transmitting medical data concerning an
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`individual.
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`10
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`15
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`20
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`25
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`30
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`35
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`40
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`45
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`50
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`55
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`60
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`65
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`Page 19 of 31
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`6
`It is another objective to provide an apparatus which may
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`be secured to an automobile in some “hidden” location and
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`utilized to provide a deterrent to theft and a means for
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`detecting a theft or attempted theft and tracking the vehicle
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`thereafter.
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`A further objective is to provide an apparatus capable of
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`use on persons in hazardous environments to monitor their
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`position as well as the environment surrounding the person
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`such as the level of radioactivity or the presence of poison-
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`ous gases or the like.
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`Yet another objective is to provide an apparatus which is
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`capable of tracking military individuals carrying classified
`information between military sites such as missile silos and
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`the like.
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`An additional objective of the present invention is to
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`provide a method and apparatus for monitoring and tracking
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`an individual, which will report non-compliance with pre-
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`determined parameters in real time.
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`Still a