Location-Based Alert System for Personal Item Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for an integrated location-based service and item tracking system that can be used for both personal and commercial purposes, as existing solutions primarily focus on commercial applications and neglect consumer needs.
Innovation Solution
A system that utilizes GPS and RFID technologies, along with mobile devices and tracking modules, to track personal items using tags, providing location awareness and notification capabilities, and offering a managed service for data storage and communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If location-based services are integrated with item tracking systems, then tracking capability and user awareness of item location is improved, but system complexity and infrastructure requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a notification server as an intermediary component that mediates between tracking modules and mobile devices. This server receives location data from tracking modules and manages notification delivery to users' mobile devices, thereby simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining reliable tracking capability. The intermediary handles the complexity of data management and communication protocols centrally, reducing the burden on individual tracking modules and mobile devices.
2Measurement precision
If GPS and RFID technologies are deployed for tracking personal items, then location awareness and tracking precision are improved, but cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the tracking system into distinct functional components: GPS-based tracking modules for location-aware items, RFID tags for proximity detection, and a centralized notification server. This segmentation allows different tracking technologies to be deployed based on specific item requirements and user needs, rather than requiring all items to have full-featured tracking capabilities. The system can selectively activate appropriate tracking methods for different items, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining high location awareness where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The notification server provides universal functionality by handling multiple types of tracking data (GPS coordinates, RFID proximity signals) and delivering various notification types (push notifications, SMS, email) through a single platform. This multi-functional approach consolidates the complexity of managing different tracking technologies and communication channels into one unified system, reducing the need for separate infrastructure for each tracking method.
3Loss of information
If tracking modules continuously monitor item locations, then real-time location information is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic monitoring where tracking modules update item locations at predetermined time intervals rather than continuously. The notification server manages these periodic updates and only communicates with mobile devices when location changes occur or when notification conditions are met. This periodic action maintains real-time location information availability while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous monitoring, as tracking modules can enter low-power states between update cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The notification server implements feedback mechanisms by monitoring location changes and only triggering notifications when specific conditions are met (e.g., item moves beyond a threshold distance, item enters a geofenced area). This feedback-based approach allows the system to maintain accurate real-time location tracking while minimizing unnecessary communications and energy expenditure by acting only when relevant changes occur.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables effective tracking and notification of personal items, reducing the inconvenience of lost items and providing valuable insights into item location and usage patterns, enhancing both personal and commercial tracking scenarios.
Implementation Method 1
A tracking module, including a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver
Implementation Method 2
although various exemplary embodiments are described with respect to radio frequency identification (RFID)-based messaging
Data Source
AI summary
An approach is provided for tracking personal items. A triggering event associated with tracking a personal item is detected via a bearer tag coupled to the personal item. Sensing of the bearer tag is initiated in response to the detection of the triggering event. A determination of whether location of the personal item satisfies a predetermined criterion is made. A notification is generated if the criterion is satisfied.