IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,324,044
Granted Patent B2
US 7,324,044 · App. 10/910,267 · Granted Jan 29, 2008

Object locator

Assignee: Pfizer, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,324,044
App. No.
10/910,267
Granted
Jan 29, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

There is disclosed an object locator system for obtaining information about the location of an individual, animal or moveable object, having a lightweight, attached object locator, that is present in a region served by a two-way paging system and a global positioning satellite system. The object locator may be selectively activated to conserve power or enabled to respond only when beyond a boundary.

Claims (32)

1. A method comprising,

wirelessly transmitting, from a transmitter coupled to an animate object, a notification of the animate object violating a predetermined threshold;

wirelessly receiving a request for location data associated with the animate object; and

in response to at least the location request, automatically activating a receiver coupled to the animate object to receive location signals for determining location data associated with the animate object; and,

automatically deactivating the receiver after determining the location data.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining location data associated with the animate object based, at least in part, on the location signals.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the location signals comprise Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) signals.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the request is received from a user device, the method further comprising transmitting the location data to the user device, wherein at least a portion of the transmission is wireless.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the location data comprises location coordinates.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the violation of a predetermined threshold is determined based, at least in part, on location data.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the request was received from a user device, the notification of the violation is transmitted to the user device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined threshold comprises at least one of a perimeter, a time, a distance, or an altitude.

9. A method, comprising:

wirelessly transmitting a notification of a mobile object violating a predetermined threshold from the mobile object;

wirelessly receiving a request for location data associated with the mobile object; and

in response to at least the location request, automatically activating a receiver in the mobile object to receive satellite signals for determining location data associated with the mobile object; and

automatically deactivating the receiver after determining the location data.

10. The method of claim 9 , the predetermined threshold comprising a perimeter, further comprising:

determining location data associated with the mobile object based, at least in part, on the location signals; and

determining a violation of the perimeter based, at least in part on the location data.

11. A portable device comprising,

a transmitter operable to wirelessly transmit a notification of an animate object violating a predetermined threshold;

a first receiver operable to wirelessly receive a request for location data associated with the animate object;

a controller operable to automatically activate, in response to at least the location request, a second receiver operable to receive location signals for determining location data associated with the animate object, and further operable to automatically deactivate the second receiver after determining the location data,

wherein the portable device is coupled to the animate object.

12. The portable device of claim 11 , wherein the second receiver is operable to determine location data associated with the animate object based, at least in part, on the location signals.

13. The portable device claim 11 , wherein the location signals comprise GPS signals.

14. The portable device of claim 12 , wherein the request is received from a user device, the transmitter operable to transmit the location data to the user device.

15. The portable device of claim 12 , wherein the location data comprises location coordinates.

16. The portable device of claim 12 , wherein the violation of a predetermined threshold is determined based, at least in part, on location data.

17. The portable device of claim 16 , wherein the request was received from a user device, the transmitter operable to transmit the notification of the violation to the user device.

18. The portable device of claim 11 , wherein the predetermined threshold comprises at least one of a perimeter, a time, a distance, or an altitude.

Assignments (7)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 22, 2006
From: GPS TRACKS, LLC
To: PFIZER INC.
Reel/Frame 017664/0299 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 22, 2006
From: GPS ACQUISITION, LLC
To: GPS TRACKS, LLC
Reel/Frame 017664/0177 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 14, 2005
From: DANBECK HOLDINGS, INC.
To: GPS ACQUISITION, LLC
Reel/Frame 015711/0278 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 17, 2004
From: GPS ACQUISITION, LLC
To: SUNTRUST BANK, NASHVILLE
Reel/Frame 015468/0673 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 17, 2004
From: DANBECK HOLDINGS, INC.
To: GPS ACQUISITION, LLC
Reel/Frame 015467/0679 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 13, 2004
From: DURST, JENNIFER
To: DANBECK HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 015451/0004 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 13, 2004
From: FOWLER, EUGENE F.; MCALEXANDER, JOSEPH C.
To: DURST, JENNIFER
Reel/Frame 015450/0934 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 1018728700 · Jul 16, 2002
Continuation 0967834500 · Oct 3, 2000
Continuation 0936278800 · Jul 28, 1999
Provisional Application 6014004000 · Jun 18, 1999
Related Publication 20050073409A1 · Apr 7, 2005