IP Library Granted Patent US 12713207
Granted Patent B2
US 12713207 · App. 18/454,745 · Granted Aug 18, 2026

Systems and methods for monitoring of entities

Inventor: Wilfred I. Tucker (Centennial, CO)
Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc.
H04W4/029H04W4/021
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12713207
App. No.
18/454,745
Granted
Aug 18, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods for monitoring an entity within a threshold distance of a mobile device are disclosed. The method includes receiving, such as via a user interface of the mobile device, information indicative of a boundary around the mobile device. The method includes receiving a set of signals from a second device, wherein each of the set of signals comprise a location of the second device. Upon determining that a current location of the second device is within a boundary buffer value from the boundary around the mobile device, the method may include transmitting a response signal to the second device, wherein the response signal is capable of providing feedback to an entity associated with the second device. The feedback may deter the entity from moving beyond the boundary around the mobile device and may comprise at least one of an audio signal, a video signal, or a haptic signal.

Claims (57)

1 . A system for monitoring an entity within a threshold distance of a mobile device, the system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memories configured to store instructions that when executed by the one or more processors perform operations comprising:

receiving, via a user interface of the mobile device, information indicative of a boundary around the mobile device;

identifying a second device communicatively coupled to the mobile device;

receiving a set of signals from the second device, wherein each of the set of signals comprise a location of the second device;

upon determining that a current location of the second device is within a boundary buffer value from the boundary around the mobile device, transmitting a response signal to the second device,

wherein the response signal provides feedback to the entity that is associated with the second device,

wherein the feedback deters the entity from moving beyond the boundary around the mobile device, and

wherein the feedback comprises at least one of an audio signal, a video signal, or a haptic signal;

identifying one or more drones communicatively coupled to the mobile device;

upon determining that the current location of the second device is within the boundary buffer value from the boundary around the mobile device, transmitting instructions, to the one or more drones, to move to the current location of the second device; and

transmitting instructions, to the one or more drones, to detect, using one or more Time of Flight (ToF) sensors, relative to the current location of the second device, distance to the mobile device,

wherein the one or more ToF sensors are disposed in the one or more drones.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: communicatively coupling to a telecommunications network that administers a tracking service, wherein the mobile device is subscribed to the tracking service, and wherein in response to determining the entity is lost, transmit a notification of the lost entity to a set of trusted users received from the tracking service.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: communicatively connecting to multiple devices to track the entity, wherein the multiple devices are subscribed to the tracking service, and wherein one or more visual sensors are disposed in the multiple devices; and receive from the tracking service the entity was recognized.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: in response to detecting a presence of an additional entity, generating a first request to a user, wherein the first request comprises the information indicative of the boundary; and receiving, via the user interface of the mobile device, information indicative of a new boundary around the mobile device.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: detecting a new location of the second device based on the set of signals from the second device; and updating, based on the current location of the second device, the boundary, wherein a new boundary buffer value is determined based on a change in location of the second device.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: receiving, via the user interface of the mobile device, a list of locations, wherein each location in the list of locations comprises a corresponding predetermined boundary; and upon determining that the current location of the second device is located at a first location on the list of locations, updating the boundary buffer value based on the corresponding predetermined boundary.

7 . A method for monitoring an entity within a threshold distance of a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving, via a user interface of the mobile device, information indicative of a boundary around the mobile device;

receiving a set of signals from a second device, wherein each of the set of signals comprise a location of the second device;

upon determining that a current location of the second device is within a boundary buffer value from the boundary around the mobile device, transmitting a response signal to the second device,

wherein the response signal provides feedback to the entity that is associated with the second device,

wherein the feedback deters the entity from moving beyond the boundary around the mobile device, and

wherein the feedback comprises at least one of an audio signal, a video signal, or a haptic signal;

identifying one or more drones communicatively coupled to the mobile device;

upon determining that the current location of the second device is within the boundary buffer value from the boundary around the mobile device, transmitting instructions, to the one or more drones, to move to the current location of the second device; and

transmitting instructions, to the one or more drones, to detect, using one or more Time of Flight (ToF) sensors, relative to the current location of the second device, distance to the mobile device, wherein the one or more ToF sensors are disposed in the one or more drones.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises: communicatively coupling to a telecommunications network that administers a tracking service, wherein the mobile device is subscribed to the tracking service, and wherein in response to determining the entity is lost, transmit a notification of the entity to a set of trusted users received from the tracking service.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises: communicatively connecting to multiple devices to track the entity, wherein the multiple devices are subscribed to the tracking service, and wherein one or more visual sensors are disposed in the multiple devices; and receiving from the tracking service the entity was recognized.

10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises: in response to detecting a presence of an additional entity, generating a first request to a user, wherein the first request comprises the information indicative of the boundary; and receiving, via the user interface of the mobile device, information indicative of a new boundary around the mobile device.

11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises:

detecting a new location of the second device based on the set of signals from the second device; and

updating, based on the current location of the second device, the boundary,

wherein a new boundary buffer value is determined based on a change in location of the second device.

12 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises: receiving, via the user interface of the mobile device, a list of locations, wherein each location in the list of locations comprises a corresponding predetermined boundary; and upon determining that the current location of the second device is located at a first location on the list of locations, updating the boundary buffer value based on the corresponding predetermined boundary.

13 . A non-transitory computer-readable media containing instructions which when executed by a processor, perform a method for monitoring an entity within a threshold distance of a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving, via a user interface of the mobile device, information indicative of a boundary around the mobile device;

receiving a set of signals from a second device, wherein each of the set of signals comprise a location of the second device;

upon determining that a current location of the second device is within a boundary buffer value from the boundary around the mobile device, transmitting feedback to the entity that is associated with the second device,

wherein the feedback deters the entity from moving beyond the boundary around the mobile device, and

wherein the feedback comprises at least one of an audio signal, a video signal, or a haptic signal;

identifying one or more drones communicatively coupled to the mobile device;

upon determining that the current location of the second device is within the boundary buffer value from the boundary around the mobile device, transmitting instructions, to the one or more drones, to move to the current location of the second device; and

transmit instructions, to the one or more drones, to detect, using one or more Time of Flight (ToF) sensors, relative to the current location of the second device, distance to the mobile device,

wherein the one or more ToF sensors are disposed in the one or more drones.

14 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises: communicatively coupling to a telecommunications network that administers a tracking service, wherein the mobile device is subscribed to the tracking service, and wherein in response to determining the entity is lost, transmit a notification of the entity to a set of trusted users received from the tracking service.

15 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises: communicatively connecting to multiple devices to track the entity, wherein the multiple devices are subscribed to the tracking service, and wherein one or more visual sensors are disposed in the multiple devices; and receiving from the tracking service the entity was recognized.

16 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises: in response to detecting a presence of an additional entity, generating a first request to a user, wherein the first request comprises the information indicative of the boundary; and receiving, via the user interface of the mobile device, information indicative of a new boundary around the mobile device.

17 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises detecting the presence of the additional entity by:

capturing, using one or more imaging sensors, a plurality of images; and

inputting the plurality of images into a machine learning configured to detect the additional entity.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises: receiving, via the user interface of the mobile device, a list of locations, wherein each location in the list of locations comprises a corresponding predetermined boundary; and upon determining that the current location of the second device is located at a first location on the list of locations, updating the boundary buffer value based on the corresponding predetermined boundary.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises:

responsive to detecting a change in value of a biometric sensor, automatically adjusting the boundary buffer value.

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises: responsive to detecting a change in value of a biometric sensor, prompting a user to adjust the boundary buffer value.