Wireless tracking device

Abstract

An apparatus and method for a tracking device to inconspicuously track a person to be monitored (such as a child or at-risk adult) are presented. Some embodiments of the present invention combine a positioning receiver (e.g., a GPS receiver) and a locking mechanism to act as a tracking device, which attaches to an article of clothing or fabric wearable by the person to be monitored. Some embodiments of the present invention keep a positioning receiver and a radio frequency identification tag (RFID tag) or other RF tag, which are physically separate but in RF proximity of each other.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tracking system for wirelessly tracking a person, the tracking system comprising:
 a radio frequency tag (RF tag) fixable to the person; and   electronic circuitry physically unattached to the RF tag, the electronic circuitry comprising   a positioning receiver;   a wireless transmitter;   a personal area network receiver (PAN receiver) coupled to the RF tag with PAN communication; and   a processor with memory, coupled to the positioning receiver, wireless transmitter and the PAN receiver to report a determined position.   
     
     
         2 . The tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless transmitter is a wide area network (WAN) transmitter. 
     
     
         3 . The tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein the RF tag fixable to the person comprises one of a bracelet or an anklet. 
     
     
         4 . The tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein the RF tag fixable to the person comprises an passive radio frequency identification tag (passive RFID tag). 
     
     
         5 . The tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein the positioning receiver comprises Global Positioning System receiver (GPS receiver). 
     
     
         6 . The tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless transmitter comprises a mobile radio transceiver. 
     
     
         7 . The tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein the PAN receiver comprises a radio frequency identification transceiver (RFID transceiver) and the RF tag comprise a passive RF device. 
     
     
         8 . The tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein the PAN receiver comprises a Bluetooth-type transceiver. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic circuitry further comprises at least one of:
 a tamper detection circuit;   an inertial sensor;   a panic button;   at least one auxiliary button; and   a display.   
     
     
         10 . A method for wirelessly tracking, the method comprising:
 attaching a radio frequency tag (RF tag) to a person to be monitored;   placing a tracking device into a pocket in proximity to the RF tag, wherein the tracking device including electronic circuitry, and wherein the tracking device and RF tag form a personal area network (PAN);   receiving positioning signals at the electronic circuitry;   estimating a position estimate from the positioning signals; and   reporting the position estimate over a wireless network.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the wireless network is a wide area network (WAN). 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein attaching the RF tag to the person comprises inserting the RF tag into a shoe. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein attaching the RF tag to the person comprises wearing the RF tag as one of a bracelet or a anklet. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein reporting the position estimate over the wireless network comprises reporting a cause, and wherein estimating the position estimate is a result of the cause. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the cause comprises detecting a geo-fence violation. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the cause comprises detecting a tampering. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the cause comprises detecting excessive inertia. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the cause comprises detecting the RF tag is not within the PAN. 
     
     
         19 . A tracking system for wirelessly tracking a person, the tracking system comprising:
 means for attaching a radio frequency tag (RF tag) to one of a wrist, angle or shoe of the person;   means for tracking configured for placement in proximity to the RF tag, wherein the means for tracking includes electronic circuitry, the electronic circuitry comprising:
 means for communicating between the RF tag and the electronic circuitry over a personal area network (PAN); 
 means for receiving positioning signals at the electronic circuitry, 
 means for estimating a position estimate from the positioning signals; and 
 means for determining the RF tag is not within the PAN; and 
   means for reporting the position estimate over a wireless network in response to determining the RF tag is not within the PAN.   
     
     
         20 . The tracking system of  claim 19 , wherein the means for communicating between the electronic circuitry and the RF tag over a personal area network (PAN) comprises a personal area network receiver (PAN receiver) coupled to the RF tag via PAN communication. 
     
     
         21 . The tracking system of  claim 20 , wherein the means for determining the RF tag is not within the PAN comprises a processor with memory coupled to the PAN receiver. 
     
     
         22 . The tracking system of  claim 19 , wherein the means for receiving positioning signals comprises a Global Positioning System receiver (GPS receiver). 
     
     
         23 . The tracking system of  claim 22 , wherein the means for estimating a position estimate from the positioning signals comprises a processor with memory coupled to the GPS receiver. 
     
     
         24 . The tracking system of  claim 19 , wherein the means for reporting the position estimate over a wireless network in response to determining the RF tag is not within the PAN comprises a processor with memory coupled to a wide area network (WAN) transmitter. 
     
     
         25 . A non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause one or more processors of one or more components of a tracking system to:
 communicate between a radio frequency tag (RF tag) and electronic circuitry over a personal area network (PAN); and   detect a cause, and in response to the cause,
 receive positioning signals at the electronic circuitry, 
 estimate a position estimate from the positioning signals, 
 determine the RF tag is not within the PAN; and 
 report the position estimate and the cause over a wireless network in response to a determination that the RF tag is not within the PAN. 
   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the wireless network is a wide area network (WAN). 
     
     
         27 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 25 , wherein the cause comprises detecting a geo-fence violation. 
     
     
         28 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 25 , wherein the cause comprises detecting a tampering. 
     
     
         29 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 25 , wherein the cause comprises detecting excessive inertia. 
     
     
         30 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 25 , wherein the cause comprises the determination that the RF tag is not within the PAN.