Two-Piece Wearable Tag and Cellular Device Tracking System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tracking systems for monitored individuals, particularly in parolee monitoring, face issues such as false alarms, inaccurate location reporting, and the inability to track devices once they are out of range, due to the limitations of two-piece systems and the size and power constraints of one-piece devices.
Innovation Solution
A two-piece monitoring device comprising a general-purpose cellular device and a wearable tag with an independent tracker, where the cellular device tracks its own location and the wearable tag's location relative to it, providing enhanced location accuracy and allowing the tracker to be independently located through other devices in case of a 'bracelet gone' alert.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a two-piece tracking system (wearable tag and portable base station) is used, then the monitored individual can be tracked within a limited range, but the system produces false alarms when the individual temporarily moves out of range and cannot track the individual once separated from the base station
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides tracking functionality into two independent components: a wearable tag with its own GPS and a portable base station with GPS. Each component can independently determine its location, allowing the system to maintain tracking continuity even when separated. The wearable tag reports its location directly when out of range, eliminating false alarms while maintaining measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary that receives location data from both the wearable tag and portable base station independently. This mediator reconciles the positions of both components, determining whether separation is intentional or accidental, and maintains continuous tracking by correlating data from both sources rather than relying on direct communication between them.
2Loss of information
If GPS functionality is incorporated into the portable base station, then the system can report location data, but the reported GPS location corresponds to the base station location rather than the monitored individual's actual location
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates GPS functionality into two independent units: the wearable tag retains GPS capability to report its own location directly, and the portable base station also has GPS to report its location. This segmentation ensures that location information is not lost and that the monitored individual's actual location is accurately reported by the wearable tag's GPS, not the base station's GPS.
3Measurement precision
If a one-piece locked anklet design is used, then location accuracy dramatically improves and bracelet gone alerts are eliminated, but device size and power requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the one-piece design into two separate components: a lightweight wearable tag and a portable base station. The wearable tag contains minimal GPS and communication functionality, keeping it lightweight and comfortable for continuous wear. The base station contains the full GPS and processing capabilities, so location accuracy is maintained while the moving object (wearable tag) remains lightweight.
Solution Approach 2:
The portable base station serves multiple functions: it acts as a backup tracker when the wearable tag is out of range, provides independent location verification, and can function as a standalone tracking device if needed. This multi-functionality allows the system to maintain high location accuracy without requiring the wearable component to be a complete tracking system, reducing its weight.
Data Source
AI summary
A tracking system includes a central monitoring location, a tracking device, and first tracking application configured to operate on a cellular device. The tracking device attachable to a limb of monitored person, the tracking device having: first electronic hardware that provides health and status information about the tracking device to the first tracking application when in range; and second electronic hardware that is detectable by a second tracking application when in range, for which the second tracking application can determine relative location information about the tracking device relative to the second tracking application and transmit the relative location information to an independent tracking database, the independent tracking database being part of an ecosystem in which cellular devices cooperating with the ecosystem can detect the second electronic hardware. The first tracking application transmits an alert to the central monitoring location in response to loss of contact conditions between the tracking device and the first application.