Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02607236 2013-08-21
SYS*1.
and Method for frrachlug.,.: IVIenitoring,,Chinithinicating and.
ItcapaudIng tgribeiVinvement otiudIViduals andAwta
Field of Ole- Invention,
1004 The -.y.zsteiti and method of the present invention is In-
determining the position
of an inalvidgat usIiigGPS signals and Q611 photo, Icioatioti *Win.olOgio: tar
bOti):1001.#ie.41-14
later comparison Wiiiii)4004:0Prs=VidVrovicli4ttialtePtiollat
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traCkint device, assodated With the indiVidnal,, and PrOVidhig :a regOitsm
<1,dres'i:
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packgroudoffht Inventiop.
(0002] at .deviees
and ay-stems am Idiom to tooaiot, the position aii4 Apyomots of
ItdiVidUalS. :Employers use devices talnonitor employees: std
diversion from work-related
location!, and :sto devicos *to be Installed iiwqrlç. osi 000104
to. -ao0Aoffos; 0401 AC
'eOrnlititei4 orcornprise other :GPS:vnabled, devices, land/110On, in the case
of honaei.arrost, the
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T46;_tooltotiiigbt
individuals may titIcereigior _actl:ve: or passive tonna. An aefivesyatem will
compgeltslocation:
With ongoing restrictions to detect Violations, Such -a violation may occur by
either coming into
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1004On:determination and mapping against both permitted and e?tcluslOnlonea:
Ajtogaiiyolyi,
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CA 02607236 2007-11-05
WO 2006/122004 PCT/US2006/017678
3!:]1 11:..111.3 !!!
11,01111_1lb 8
t000.5] 11 many devices have been proposed and employed foRglYs . 2AWo9g
annost
common are multi-component systems. Such systems typically include a wearable
radio
frequency (RF) bracelet that communicates with some type of base device. This
may be a fixed
base system with access to a telephone line that places a telephone call to a
monitoring service
anytime the RF signal is not detected. Alternatively, it may be a portable
base equipped with
GPS location technology that detects the presence of the bracelet RF signal
and also tracks
movements and periodically communicates, typically through wireless phone
technology, to
report those locations. These devices may also have the capability of
displaying text messages
from the monitoring officer or agency on an LCD screen. Some base attachments
have
attempted to utilize voice recognition technology to provide verification of
the identity of a
person present and responding to a phone call placed through the base unit.
[0004] Generally absent from these systems is the ability for real time or
near real time
communication directly between a remote system and the locator device
associated with the
individual. In addition, the component costs of custom devices is
unnecessarily high compared
to the prices available for mass market cellular telephone and GPS technology.
Many systems
require dedicated phone lines, require the monitored individual to wear or
carry obtrusive
hardware, require additional hardware for monitoring personnel, lack adequate
battery life for
multi-day usage, are subject to drift due to GPS signal errors, and lack a
method for confirming
receipt of messages sent between monitoring personnel and a monitored
individual.
[0005] Accordingly, there is a need for an individual tracking system that can
be deployed with
software capable of running on a wide variety of devices and is therefore
largely device agnostic.
2
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co' " õ, .. !!! 11indivi ,3 cooltracki 11,;,ng system
gaglioU ot4eqtagiegge of
'I0 061 Tnere is also a need tor an dual
dedicated phone lines or obtrusive hardware. There is also a need to provide
real time or active
tracking and active notification to monitoring personnel.
[0007] There is a further need for a system with easily configurable rules and
with easily
updated and connected location data.
[0008] There is an additional need to provide a method for shorter response
times to alarm
conditions than can be economically provided by municipal police and private
security services.
Summary of the Invention
[0009] Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a largely
device agnostic system
for monitoring of individuals.
[00010] It is further an object of the invention to implement individual
tracking capability
without the necessity of obtrusive hardware or dedicated phone lines.
[00011] It is yet another object of the invention to provide an individual
tracking system that
does not require specialized hardware for monitoring personnel.
[00012] It is a further object of the invention to provide active or real time
location information
concerning monitored individuals and to provide active notification to
monitoring personnel.
[00013] It is another object of the invention to provide a method for
confirmed
communications between monitoring personnel and a monitored individual.
[00014] It is yet a further object of the invention to provide an easily
adjustable and tamper
resistant wearable tracking device.
[00015] It is an additional object of the invention to provide a system that
allows the
implementation of many rules, and which is easily updated with location data,
and can self
correct location data.
3
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'.,ti, '.,''i1 ii rit6 tis furtera lona o jc o t e
invention
nti
on to Aglai sX N A, to
provide assistance to monitored individuals signaling an alarm condition.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[00017] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the communication paths of
components
utilized in the invention.
[00018] Figure 2 is a block diagram of the functional architecture of an
administrative hub
server.
[00019] Figure 3 is a functional architecture diagram of an administrative hub
portal server.
[00020] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram reflecting the processing of
communications by a
portable device according to the present invention.
[00021] Figure 5 is a functional architecture diagram of a wearable tracking
device according
to the present invention.
[00022] Figure 6 is a high level electrical block diagram of a wearable
tracking device
according to the present invention.
[00023] Figure 7A is a perspective view of a tamper resistant strap for use
with a wearable
tracking device according to the present invention.
[00024] Figure 7B is a perspective view of a wearable device according to the
invention with
strap affixed.
[00025] Figure 7C is a perspective view of a locking pin utilized to hold the
strap of Figure 7B
in place.
[00026] Figure 7D is a rear perspective view of a monitoring device according
to the present
invention.
[00027] Figure 7E is a perspective view showing the method of attaching a
monitoring device
of the present invention to the wearer's leg with the device, attached strap
and lock bracket.
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vuuzzi Figure 7 is a perspective view of a lock bracket base according to the
present
invention in isolation.
[00029] Figure 8 is a schematic and flow chart reflecting a confirmed
communication protocol
that may be implemented according to the invention.
[00030] Figure 9A is a screen display of a graphical location history map that
may be
generated with location data provided by the invention.
[00031] Figure 9B is a pop up text window reflecting the graphical data of
Figure 9A.
[00032] Figure 10A is a screen display of graphical map of an inclusion zone
defined
according to the present invention.
[00033] Figure 10B is a schematic representation of inclusion and exclusion
zones.
[00034] Figure 11 is a screen display of a status report for individuals being
monitored
according to the present invention.
[00035] Figure 12 shows a screen display of a data entry template for a new
individual to be
monitored according to the present invention.
[00036] Figure 13 is a screen display of a representative violation report
that may be generated
when utilizing the invention of the present system to monitor offenders
subject to restrictions.
[00037] Figure 14 is a screen display of a representative device report for
devices being
monitored according to the present invention.
1000381 Figure 15 shows a screen display of a management function template for
editing
schedules.
[00039] Figure 16 depicts a screen display of a management schedule for
automatic
notification procedures.
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t:fm010-. 4.01P ' a=
isp ay of an administrative Eggirk424114 11-Ning
a new user on the system.
[00041] Figure 18 is a schematic illustration of the implementation of a
response network.
[00042] Figure 19 is a schematic illustration of communication paths of users
of a system
implementing the invention.
[00043] Figure 20 is a flow chart of a method of adding and removing sensors
to report alarm
conditions at a physical location.
[00044) Figure 21 is a flow chart of a process of arming and disarming sensors
at a physical
location.
1000451 Figure 22 is a flow chart of a process of implementing a response to a
monitored
individual's alarm condition.
Detailed Description of the Invention
[00046] Turning then to Figure 1, a schematic overview of the communication
path utilized in
the present invention is illustrated. Control of the invention is preferably
maintained at one or
more administrative hubs 10 running application server 11 functionality and
portal server 12
functionality. The portal server 12 will communicate through gateways 13,
generally routers or a
location aggregator, with the Internet 14 or some combination of public
networks 15, possibly
including the Internet, and telephone networks. Communications are then
directed to and/or
from a wide variety of devices with respect to the administrative hub 10. For
instance, an RFID
reader 20 may detect and report the presence of an RFID tag. The
administrative hub 10 may
generate a message to a controllable device user at facility 19 and receive a
confirming
acknowledgement. A user of the invention may obtain information via personal
computer 21,
laptop computer 22, cell phone 23, Blackberry 24, Palm Pilot 25 or other
digital communication
device. The tracking device may be in a wearable ankle bracelet box 26,
installed in a vehicle
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/7, 'or operated. on GPS enabled mobile communications deRgsYcPa? IIP EWiPt
25,
Blackberrys 24, cell phones 23, or even on appropriately configured laptop
computers 22. If the
tracking software is installed on these or similar devices, then location
information generated
from GPS satellite 17 and confirmed by assisted GPS location data for cell
tower triangulation,
together with any other types of data collected by the mobile communication
device, is
periodically transmitted to the administrative hub 10. A user of the system
with access via a web
enabled device is able to graphically display a variety of tracking device
information utilizing
web client 16. In addition, the user may generate messages to the
administrative hub 10 or to
any of the described communication enabled devices. Because the system is
implemented in a
device agnostic fashion, it is contemplated that the system will operate with
a plurality of types
of devices employed by both users who access data and by monitored persons.
[00047] Turning then to an examination of the system components in greater
detail, the logical
architecture of a representative administrative hub application server 11 is
shown in Figure 2.
This server has a standard administration 41 and security 42 functionality.
The three principal
categories of the services provided by the application server 11 are data
services 43, core
services 46, and communications services 55. Data services 43 include data
housed in OLTP
(Online Transaction Processing) or OLAP (Online Analytical Processing)
relational or
multidimensional databases 45 and data access objects (DAO) 44 to allow data
access
mechanisms to change independently of the code that uses the data. Core
services 46 principally
comprise message processor 47 for parsing and either acting upon or forwarding
incoming
messages for action and building and formatting outgoing messages in
appropriate packet
format; reporting services 48 for building reports from event logs stored in
data services 43 and
organizing the data for transmission to portal server 12; remote parameters
management 49 for
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C: Int :;,"11Eit uch ... 011,3
gtOringi-and ininaging parameters s as time intervals for a mSigµlf4
taNgioQkes
and for initiating communications with administrative hub 10, and intervals
for battery charge
testing and reporting and battery charge requirements; notification/alerts 50
for configuring
conditions that will generate alerts and reports, including persons to be
notified for types of
events, immediate or delayed timing for those notifications, and the
communication methods to
be employed in notifications; system configuration services 51 to hold
parameters defining the
system and user preferences which may include language choice, time zone, and
the like;
location services 54 to convert data from mobile units to position, and
geocoding to or from a
particular address, as well as performing assisted GPS location calculations
and any necessary
drift correction; scheduling services 53 for managing times including regular
schedules for
exclusion and inclusion zones, as well as special permissions or allowed
variations from usual
schedule, and required appointments at particular addresses; and monitoring
services 52 for
comparing reported locations against rules for the monitored individual's
locations and
generating appropriate information to the notification/alerts module 50 in the
event of violations.
The communication services component 55 includes inbound and outbound message
queues 57,
58; communication adapters 56 to allow messaging with a variety of devices;
data bridge 59 to
permit data from core services to be formatted into outbound messages, and
inbound messages to
be formatted for access by core services 46; and personalization 68 to permit
users to specify
custom reports and preferred screen displays. Finally, an interface 61 such as
XML protocol for
accessing web services is provided.
[00048] Figure 3 shows a similar logical architecture of an administrative hub
portal server 12
which once more has standard administrative 70, security 71 and interface 99
modules. The
principal functionality of portal server 12 may be .divided into data services
72, system services
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ei ,.ii11315 .;:11,. Art. 7113
47"143143;1d1c: !!! 111:1111õ:1111iio S 2W06/1)1Q.
76, 6.ppliCation services 85 and a browser 98. Data services 72 APilaYy uomp e
a repusaory
for data needed to reply to inquiries from users accessing the system using
their web client 16
(shown in Figure 1).
[00049] Principal components of data services 72 include system metadata
repository 73
holding information with respect to the system components so that they may be
accessed when
needed to carry out actions; workflow repository 74 queuing the actions to be
carried out; and
OLTP/OLAP storage 75. System services provide a number of modules
corresponding to core
services on the application server including reporting services 80,
notification alerts 84, and
location services 82. In addition, system services provide mapping services 83
for rendering
locations on graphical maps, workflow executive 72 for parsing actions in the
workflow
repository 74 and commencing execution of those actions, data integration 78
for merging
structured and unstructured data into a useful form such as XML for use by the
system, and
digital business identity 79 for holding user management information utilized
by the system's
access control logic. The application services 85 include display related
personalization 92;
search functionality 87; reporting 86; points of interest 89 for assigning
descriptive names to
physical locations in lieu of addresses; subscriptions 90 for allowing users
to specify types of
information to receive, such as whenever a new subscriber or offender is added
for monitoring,
whenever a mobile unit is disabled, or other types of events separate from the
violation type
notification/alerts; directions 88 for facilitating navigation to locations;
and
calendaring/scheduling 91 to communicate schedule information with scheduling
services 53 on
application server 11. Presentation services 93, principally comprising
templates 94, themes 95,
and rendering 97, provide for enhanced screen displays presented in browser
98. Events 96
translates user keystrokes and mouse clicks into workflow actions.
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a, E.- it === It ir!..; = .õ.'' 1,, ji""
[06050 "ti"gure 4 shims an overview of messaging between ap5goYla
?08a(iggiePPvice
100. A message may be generated by application server 12 and then communicated
via Internet
and typically public cellular network 15 to device 100 where it is inserted in
the inbound
message queue 104. Messages are then read into the messaging hub 102 which
corresponds to
communication services 114 shown in Figure 5 and deleted from the inbound
queue 104.
Received messages are then processed for message type and appropriate message
data is
transmitted to embedded application 101 in the device 100. Similarly, the
embedded application
. 101 may generate acknowledgement for messages which are transmitted to
messaging hub 102,
formatted and inserted in outbound message queue 103.
[00051] The logical architecture of a representative device utilized in the
invention is reflected
in Figure 5. A preferred device uses a real time operating system (RTOS) or a
virtual machine
software implementation of a desired CPU and native device drivers 111 to
permit operation of
the system with a wide variety of devices 100. In even the more basic tracking
devices typified
by vehicle tracking 27 or offender tracking 26 devices, there are device
drivers 115 to interface
with much of the hardware shown in Figure 6, systems services 113 to monitor
device status 112
or to generate alerts, and communication services 114 to transmit stored data
and alerts as
described in connection with Figure 8. Wireless business framework 116
implements the
confirmed delivery of messages, as also explained in connection with Figure 8,
while
presentation framework 117 contains dispatch module 118, which effectively is
a calendaring or
scheduling functionality, and messaging 119 which is only available on more
advanced devices
such as handhelds, phones with LED displays, or computers. Monitoring rules
and constraints
120 are implemented to generate active monitoring notifications while location
tracking 121
= generates GPS and assisted GPS location data.
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1006521 Figure 6 is a high level block diagram of a device 0 used in the inven
don.
Typically, the device is based upon a GPS enabled cell phone, principal
components of which
are flash memory 129, CPU 130, data bus 131, cellular modem 132, antenna 133,
GPS receiver
134, display driver 136, speaker 140, and microphone 141. The operating system
or virtual
machine software, as appropriate to the device, may be installed in flash
memory 129 and
operates in connection with CPU 130 to present a standard device profile to
the system.
Communications are transmitted from the CPU through the data bus 131 to
cellular modem 132
and broadcast in the form of digital packets via antenna 133. Similarly,
incoming messages
travel in the reverse sequence.
[00053] The GPS receiver 134 is utilized to generate location information.
Because GPS
location requires line of sight access to GPS satellites 17, and because GPS
location is sometimes
subject to erroneous results due to drift or temporary satellite
misorientation, GPS assist 135 may
be added to the device or the cellular network. Assisted GPS generates
location information
based upon signals received from nearby cellular communication towers 18 and
without
correction is often only accurate to within several hundred feet rather than
the GPS location
accuracy of only several feet. Nonetheless, assisted GPS provides valuable
location confirming
information as well as at least general location information when line of
sight access to GPS
satellites is unavailable.
[00054J Alternatively, location information may be provided by a location
aggregator. The
location aggregation service may be provided by a cellular network provider or
an entity
operating a gateway in connection with the cellular network or other broadcast
communication
provider. Many cellular networks are now capable of determining the location
of GPS enabled
cellular handsets with some degree of accuracy, particularly handsets that
facilitate assisted GPS
11
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such as those using Qualcomm 6050 or 6250 microprocessors wall perm s e ne
work to use
AFLT. While the 6250 microprocessor can operate autonomously to determine the
co-ordinates
of the handset, both of the Qualcomm processors can also operate in response
to a cellular
network query, or by generating a their own location query, to cause the
network to acquire the
GPS data received by the cellular handset, and to utilize Advanced Forward
Link Triangulation
(AFLT) or other cellular network information, to produce an assisted GPS
geolocation for the
handset.
[00055] In a further refinement, the GPS and cellular network data may be
processed by the
location aggregation service for accuracy. For instance, location information
data may be
processed utilizing noise processing theorems to correct for bad data such as
drift caused by a
GPS satellite wobble, or the effects of changes in signal reflection and
absorption caused by
varying conditions such as locations in urban canyons, the woods, or beneath
heavy cloud cover,
and atmospheric ionization changes from day and night. Information as to the
geolocation of
the handset is then communicated by the location aggregator to the
administrative hub, and in
appropriate instances may also be communicated to the handset.
[00056] While the display driver 136, microphone 141 and speaker 140 may be
disabled or
removed from vehicle location 27 or offender bracelet 26 constructions, other
hardware may be
added. For instance, in the case of an offender bracelet 26, tamper detector
139 and LED driver
137 and LED emitter receiver 138 are added to provide redundant tamper
indicators as explained
below in connection with Figure 7.
[00057] A preferred offender tracking device 26 is illustrated in Figures 7A ¨
7F. The
principal components of tracking device 26 are lock bracket 144 as shown in
isolation in Figure
7F, a strap 150 shown in isolation in Figure 7A, and main housing 170 shown in
bottom view in
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Pigure 713 and top phantom view in Figure 7B. Turning first tfo3tLie strap 1 o
igure iA, a
representative strap 150 might he manufactured from plastic molded over
optical cable 151 and
light guide 153. The strap will preferably have a light guide/connector 152,
apertures 154 to
accept fasteners, and
apertures 155 to receive locking posts. An alternative strap design
includes a flexible battery within the strap. Optical cable 151 may still be
included in the strap
150, and significant power resources for the device can be located within the
strap. This results
in the main housing 170 no longer having to contain the entire power supply,
and by utilizing a
smaller battery within the housing, the size of the housing may be reduced,
resulting in a device
that is more easily worn.
1000581 An exemplary battery technology that may be employed in such a strap
is a thin
flexible battery using NECs organic radial battery technology. Turning then to
Figure 7D, it can
be seen that fasteners 156 have been received through apertures 154 of strap
150 and thereby
fasten the strap 150 to bottom of main housing 170. As shown in Figure 7B,
main housing 170
contains recharge connector 180, tamper sensor switch 181, battery 182,
antenna 183, and
generally the components 184 reflected in Figure 6. When used without a power
strap, the
battery 182 is preferably a long life battery which has a life of up to
approximately 21 to 30 days
when used for offender monitoring in monitoring units having current efficient
circuitry and
antenna design, and effective power management algorithms to minimize the
number and
duration of transmissions from the unit and the intensiveness of calculations
carried out in the
mobile unit. This permits monthly visits to a probation officer with the
necessity of recharging
the battery by the offender only once, if at all.
(00059] When used with a power strap, the battery in the strap 150 preferably
has these long
lived characteristics, and the battery 182 within the housing 170 may be
simply a short term
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PQ 1
11 1
baCk-uP' i5OWer 'supply, to operate the device temporarily if fE pOW r strap
is amage. or
disconnected. The storage in device 100 is sufficient to store messages and
GPS location
recordings for up to about two weeks depending upon the frequency with which
GPS location
readings are recorded.
[00060] The bottom of main housing 170 in Figure 7D shows a variety of
features including
opening 171 for tamper sensor 181, opening 172 for recharge connector 180,
rearward facing
hooks 173, lens opening 174 to transmit light from a diode to the light guide
connector 172 of
strap 150 and forward lip 175 defining cavity 176. The side walls for cavity
176 have apertures
177 to receive locking pin 160 shown in Figure 7C.
[00061] To attach the device 26 as shown in Figure 7E, the lock bracket 144 is
placed on the
offender 190. Accordingly, the bottom surface of the lock bracket 144 is
preferably made with
comfortable to wear surface. The top surface of lock bracket 144 has an outer
flange 146 to
receive housing 170 and a plurality of upstanding pins. At one end are two
relatively short pins
145 that interface in the strap openings 154 that receive fasteners 156. At
the opposite side of
the face of lock bracket 144 are two taller pins 148 that are received in
apertures 155 of strap 150
after it encircles the offender's arm or leg 190. These taller pins 148 have
lateral apertures 165
to receive the locking pin 160. Also shown is pin 149 that is received in
aperture 171 to activate
the tamper sensor switch 181.
[00062] Thus, to fit the device 26 to the offender, lock bracket 144 is placed
on the offender's
leg 190. The light guide connector 152 end of the strap 150 is secured to the
housing 170 as by
screws 156. The strap 150 is placed so that the unattached end is received
over posts 145, 148.
The strap is then wrapped around the offender's leg 190, and the main housing
hooks 173 are
received in flange recesses 147 on lock bracket 144, while posts 148 extend
upward into cavity
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1.76. inen locking pin 160 is passed through openings 177 and pin holes 165 so
that the pin head
163 extends from one side of front lip 175 and base 161 extends from the other
side with lateral
section 162 extending therebetween. In the event that the offender should
attempt to remove the
pin 160, it will break at breakpoint 164 and the tamper detector will be
activated. Similarly, if
the optical cable 151 of strap 150 is cut, the tamper detector will be
activated. Finally, if the
main housing 170 is removed from lock bracket 144, the tamper sensor switch
181 will be
activated. In any of these instances, the device 26 will generate a message to
the administrative
hub 10 advising of the tampering event.
[00063] An effective tamper detector to ascertain whether there has been a
breach of the
housing 170 may combine a light sensor that is activated when light enters the
housing and an
electromagnetic field sensor that is activated if metal components of the
housing are dislocated.
A sophisticated tamper detector used with the optical cable may utilize an LED
driver 137 and
one or more LEDs to emit at least two different frequencies of light in
alternating or random
sequence through the lens opening 174 into the light guide connector 152 and
outbound on a first
length of optical cable 151 to light guide 152 and back inbound on the second
length of optical
cable 151. Simultaneously, the LED receiver is informed of the frequency being
emitted, and if
either no light or the wrong frequency light is detected inbound, then a
tamper alert is generated.
100064] It will be appreciated that in securing the device 26 to an offender,
it is not necessary
to cut strap 150. Instead, the strap will fit a substantial range of offender
leg sizes and requires
no special tools to secure the unit on the offender's leg. Prior art devices
have generally required
the strap be cut to length and in the event that optical cable is utilized for
tamper indication, the
difficulties of accurately splicing the cable not only requires special tools,
but also is likely to be
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mum is
sufficiently defective that false tamper alerts may be generated. m,
removed from an offender, only the pin 160 is destroyed, so that the strap 150
may be reused.
[00065] Turning then to Figure 8, the messaging protocol providing for
confirmed messaging
is illustrated. First, a device 100 generates message 201. This message may be
generated as a
result of an alarm condition such as tampering, low battery, or entry into an
exclusion zone, or
alternatively may be simply a regularly scheduled transmission of location
data as the device will
be configured to take location readings periodically, typically in intervals
of about one to five
minutes, and to transmit those readings in batches, typically about every
thirty minutes,
preferably in a proprietary data packet. Such a data packet preferably has a
header identifying
message type, a security token, and message data. After the device 100
generates message 201,
the message is transmitted 202 and received 203 by administrative hub 10. The
data packet is
parsed 204 to confirm a message type, the sending device, that security
protocols are satisfied,
and to determine that the data is not corrupt. Administrative hub 10 then
sends an
acknowledgement 205 to device 100 which receives the acknowledgement 206 and
deletes the
message from its outbound message queue 207. If the administrative hub
determined the
message was corrupt, it would request that the message be resent. If the
device 100 did not
receive an acknowledgement within a predetermined time period, it would resend
the message.
[00066] It is also possible for messages to be generated at the administrative
hub 10. These
messages might actually be entered by systems personnel at the administrative
hub 10 or by
monitoring personnel interfacing with the administrative hub via user web
client 16 or other
suitably enabled device. Accordingly, a typical message generated might be
from a probation
officer advising an offender with a display equipped monitoring device that he
has a court date at
a particular time and place; or a message from a dispatcher to a
pickup/delivery vehicle advising
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of an additfonll address to include on a route; or an admingauve c ange o
redefine an
exclusion zone or alter a parameter of operation such intervals for taking and
reporting location
readings. Once the message is generated 210, the messaging hub transmits 211
the message
which is received 212 by device 100. The device 100 parses 213 the message for
message type
and confirms appropriate security token is present and that the message is not
corrupt. Then the
device 100 generates an acknowledgement 214 which is sent to messaging hub and
received 215.
The administrative hub 10 then records confirmation that the message was
received by device
100. The device 100 proceeds to process the message data 217.
[00067] When the administrative hub 10 is messaging device 100 with user
display means such
as a LED screen, messages may be sent which request a response. For instance,
probation
officer might ask an offender if he needs a ride to a court hearing. A
dispatcher might ask a
delivery/pickup person if he can make an extra pickup or delivery, and in
either case request a
reply. In the event that the message is received by the device 100 but there
has been no reply, it
is possible for the administrative hub to issue a message recall 220. When
that recall is received
221 by device 100, it parses recall message 222, generates an appropriate
acknowledgement 223,
and proceeds to delete the message. The administrative hub receives the
acknowledgement 224
and records the deletion of the message 225.
[00068) Alternatively, if the device user responds to the message 230, the
response is sent to
the administrative hub 10 and received 231. Then the response is parsed 232
and acknowledged
233, and the administrative hub proceeds to process the data in the response,
perhaps informing a
dispatcher that the requested pickup or delivery has been accepted by the
pickup/delivery driver.
The device 100 receives the acknowledgement 234 and proceeds to delete the
response from its
messaging queue 235. Thus, the invention provides for a robust two-way
messaging system with
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COnfirmedmesS'aging delivery and message recall capability. Teaumirns rative
nu as the
capability of sending inquiries to the device 100 in order to return
information regarding device
status and location information. The message confirmation protocols assure
that a reliable audit
trail can be maintained by the system.
[00069] The administrative hub 10 has the capability of sending alerts to a
variety of devices.
For instance, the hub 10 can provide graphic data and text messages to user
devices with screen
displays; it can send email messages to email accounts; it can send text
messages; it can send fax
reports or alerts; and it can generate voice alerts to be received by
telephone or RF enabled
devices. Thus, a probation officer can receive a voice alert generated by the
system over a
regular telephone when a high priority alarm warrants such communication.
[00070] Figures 9 and 10 display a user web client 16 such as would be
available to a
probation officer or dispatcher utilizing the invention. Figure 9A discloses a
location history
map 300 with indicators 301 showing the locations of a tracked individual over
time. To utilize
this reporting functionality, a location history is selected in the location
menu 311. The target
entity is selected 302 and displayed 303. Starting time 304 and ending time
305 are entered and
display 306 generates the appropriate mapping. The location history can also
be generated in a
text popup screen 315 with text entries 316 corresponding to numbered
indicators 301 on the
map screen 300. The location history may also be overlaid with the location
history of one or
more other monitored individuals for analysis, such as the enforcement of
separation/non-
association orders or to disclose behavioral patterns among offender groups.
The locations and
text route histories may be exported 317 into a digital file or document for
use apart from the
device management and interaction software. As shown in Figure 9A, additional
types of
reporting and functionality are also available. Report menu 307 provides for
the creation of
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device reports that could include items such as battery power, EtgrNh
gP101,Qtgice
tampering attempts, and the like as reflected in greater detail in Figure 14.
An event log may be
created listing a variety of different types of events that may have
transpired; a message report
lists messages between a user and the device; an online/offline report lists
the times that the
device was not within a reporting area; and a proximity report provides data
concerning the
device's proximity to a particular location or another enabled device. A
speeding report
extrapolates the device speed between location reports and lists instances
when the distance
between way points indicates a speed in excess of a user designated limit. A
stops report
indicates locations where the device has remained stationary for a user-
determined interval. A
violation report as shown in Figure 13 lists instances in which the device
wearer has entered
exclusion zones or deviated from established routing. Additional menus 308,
309, 310 are
provided for management and administration functions discussed below.
[00071] Figure 10A shows an inclusion/exclusion zone map 320 with defined
inclusion zone
321. In the manage entity menu 308, new zones may be added and applied to
target entities or
existing zones may be edited. For a stationary zone such as inclusion zone
321, an address is
entered 323 and named 322. Target entity is selected 324 and displayed 325.
The zone has a
starting time 326 and ending time 327 as is appropriate for offenders with a
probationary term.
The zone may be made active on all or selected dates 328, and the radius of
the zone defined
330. In addition, the zone may be defined as inclusion or exclusion type 329.
1000721 Two particular advantages of the present invention are the ability to
define buffer
zones and mobile exclusion or inclusion zones. Relative to mobile zones for
instance, inmates
on a work crew may be assigned to an inclusion zone within a defined radius of
a supervising
corrections department official. The official will carry a device that is
tracked by a
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administrative hub 10 as the official moves about. Any inmate whose device
leaves t e ino usion
zone about the official's device generally causes alerts to be sent with
tracking data so that the
inmate may be apprehended. Similarly, an offender subject to a restraining
order not to come
within a certain radius of a victim may be equipped with a location device 100
and the victim
also equipped with a location device, preferably by simply installing the
necessary software on a
GPS enabled cellular phone. The system then tracks the mobile locations of
both the offender
and the victim and sends appropriate alerts to one or more of the victim, the
offender, and
monitoring officer. In addition, the present invention provides for the
creation of reportable
events that are not explicit violations of rules applicable to an offender,
for instance by allowing
the creation of buffer zones that are not strict inclusion or exclusion zones.
As an example, an
offender might be subject to a 500 foot exclusion order, that creates a 500
foot exclusion zone
around the victim and the victim's home and place of work. The system permits
the definition of
a larger buffer zone, perhaps 1000 feet or a quarter mile in radius, and if
the offender lingers in
the expanded buffer zone beyond a user designated time period, perhaps thirty
minutes or an
hour, notification is sent to a monitoring officer or included in reports.
[00073] In an alternative mode of operation, when the system determines that
an offender or
subscriber is in close proximity to an exclusion zone or similar critical
location, the system can
order the device to operate autonomously to determine its location. In this
mode of operation,
the device becomes location aware by processing GPS coordinates and any
assisted GPS
information that it can obtain to determine its own geolocation, and it may
also apply its own
rule analysis to the determined location. This autonomous operating mode may
also be
implemented if the device loses contact with the system for a predetermined
interval of time. As
an alternative to switching a device to autonomous operation for performing
onboard geolocation
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and 'rule analysis, the administrative hub might alternatively simplr of6er
the a-evice fo CO lect
and transmit GPS and assisted UPS data with increased frequency.
[00074] Two optional features of the invention's geo coding databases also
increase its
effectiveness. The first of these is the ability of the geo coding database to
allow the addition
and publishing of custom information. So, for instance, as shown in Figure
10A, an address is
added for an inclusion zone 321 which might be an offender's home address
where he is required
to remain throughout an evening curfew period. This information would
typically be considered
custom information to an offender monitoring service. However, if custom
information is added
by a subscriber to the system that would be of more widespread interest, such
as the location of a
probation office or a substance abuse treatment facility, or a roadway speed
limit, the subscriber
has the ability to publish that information so that those details will be
available on the public geo
coding databases available to all subscribers to the system. Of course, prior
to allowing the
publishing of information to the public database, there is a review for format
compliance and
accuracy. In addition, web crawlers are utilized to harvest information for
additions to the public
or master geo coding database. Web crawlers are directed to search for
specified criteria and
return a listing of proposed changes to existing geo coding data meeting the
designated criteria,
and potential additions to the geo coding data meeting the program criteria
which are then
reviewed and added by an efficient work process such as single click approval.
[00075] The second geo coding database feature that improves operability of
the system is an
auto correction aspect. Publicly available geo coding databases include
numerous, usually
minor, defects due to errors in data coding as well as the development of new
subdivisions and
new building construction. If the center point for an inclusion or exclusion
zone or other critical
location point is set incorrectly, it can lead to a number of false alerts. In
prior art systems, when
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a monitored offender
generates an alert, the protocol has been follii L.:i(24Y0 ue late o as the
offender to confirm his location and in the event of repeated erroneous
alerts, to send a GPS
reader out to the physical location to recalibrate the geo coding for that
location. However,
according to the invention, the administrative hub monitors new inclusion
zones and other
appropriate critical points for the first few days after their entry into the
system. If it is
determined that an offender's apparent inhome time is not centered within an
inclusion zone, the
inclusion zone can be automatically recentered or recalibrated to the real
location. This auto
configuration is particularly useful for offender monitoring when there is an
incorrect geo coding
or a coding of a mailbox location instead of a house location for a particular
address. Similarly,
new construction sites may have only estimated geolocations and may require
correction once
construction has proceeded sufficiently. In another situation benefiting from
auto correction,
deliveries of shipments of goods that are being tracked may take place at a
loading dock 100
yards or more from the coded geolocation of a facility. The ability to
accurately track the
transportation and delivery of goods to provide exception based reporting of
route deviations
combined with the ability to proactively optimize supply channel efficiencies,
such as loading
dock utilization and minimized waiting times for delivery, will further the
goal of logistics
managers to achieve complete, audited, unattended delivery.
[00076] Figure 10B illustrates inclusion and exclusion zones in operation.
Specifically, an
offender 350 is equipped with tracking device 100. An officer 351 is also
equipped with a
communication device 353 which might be sending communications to an enabled
device
ranging in sophistication from a cell phone 23 to a laptop computer 22, or the
officer 351 may
even be within a corrections facility 356 equipped with a work station 21
running web client 16.
Generally, the corrections facility 356 would be within an inclusion zone 355
to permit the
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Ell gpiofpip6
Offender 350 to report for monthly probation officer meetings.RIPauuition, e o
en er 350
would frequently be provided an inclusion zone 360 on workdays during work
hours for his
place of work. In some instances, the offender 350 would be allowed an
inclusion area 365 for
some leisure activities during selected hours, inclusion zone 370 for his
place of residence and
shopping needs, and if attending classes an inclusion zone 375 to attend
school. An exclusion
zone 380 would be established around the victim's home and possibly the
victim's place of
work. In addition, according to the present invention, victim 352 may carry a
GPS enabled cell
phone or other device running software according to the present invention and
have a mobile
exclusion zone 381 that moves with the victim's location. Thus, if the victim
352 were in one of
the offender's 350 inclusion zones, then the system may generate notices to
any of: the victim
352 to advise of the proximity of offender 350; the offender 350 to advise
that the usual
inclusion zone is not currently permitted; or the officer 351 to alert the
officer to the developing
situation so that corrective action may be taken.
1000771 Figure 11 shows a useful management report 400 for a probation officer
or other
corrections official with monitoring responsibility. The report lists offender
status by user
defined criteria, and in the illustrated case those criteria are of zone
violations, battery status and
recharge scheduling, failure to call in when required, and strap tampering
events.
1000781 Figure 12 shows the new offender data entry template 405 which is
generated by the
new offender item or manage offender menu 308. As shown, the new offender
template has
tabbed 406, 407 pages to permit the entry of personal information, charges,
additional offender
details and notifications. Adding new offenders is typically a user
administrative function that
may be accomplished over user web client 16 shown in Figure 1. From this
description, it will
be appreciated that several databases are employed in the operation of the
system. For instance,
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there is a database of devices that are being monitored by the system or eir
loca ions; ere is a
database of offenders, subscribers or assets that are associated with devices
and rules associated
with those offenders, subscribers or assets; there is a database of clients of
the system and the
users and user rights for each client; and there is a UPS map or location
database that may be
supplemented with additional information by clients and by selective purchases
of data such as
registered sex offender residence data.
[00079] Figure 13 shows a violation report which is produced from report menu
307. After
violation report activity is selected, the user selects the entities or
offenders upon which the
report is to be generated 411 and those entities are displayed 412. The user
also selects the
interval 413 over which the violations are to be displayed. When the report is
run 417, text
report 415 is generated. The report may be exported 416 to a digital file or
document for use
outside the monitoring and tracking system.
[00080] The report menu 307 also permits generation of device report 420 shown
in Figure 14.
From this report, the user can select active or nonactive devices 421 or both,
and a report is
generated showing device ID and type, such as an offender ankle bracelet,
cellular phone, or the
like, and other pertinent device information. A text report 422 can be
generated, and the data in
the report may be exported 423 to a digital file or document for use outside
the tracking system.
[000811 The manage entity or offender menu 308 permits entity schedules to be
edited. Figure
.15 shows the edit schedule template 425 whereby utilizing tabs 426, 427, 428
offenders and their
schedules may be selected and entries for particular days may be edited with
event types 429,
which may be appointments or particular time periods for application of
inclusion or exclusion
zones. In the administration menu 310, authorized administrative personnel may
perform
necessary updates such as managing various agency accounts, authorizing new
agency or
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company users, editing existing user information, adding new agency or company
accounts and
editing account information, and adding new devices or editing device
information
[00082] Figure 16 displays an edit company report showing company notification
defaults 430.
This allows the agency, such as a probation department subscribing to the
service to designated
parameters to the administrative hub 10 specifying communications methods 432
to be employed
upon the occurrence of selected events 436 with respect to the agency 431, to
a responsible
officer for a particular offender 435 and to a victim or other interested
third party. Illustrated
communication methods include by fax, pager, e-mail, and SMS text messaging,
and messages
may be sent immediately 433 and/or provided in summary 434.
[00083] Figure 17 shows another administrative menu 310 section, that of the
new user
template 440. The template collects system identification information such as
user name and
login password 441; the user's role 442 within the company or agency which
will define to some
extent the user's rights to access various aspects of the system, with a
company administrator or
supervisor having a greater rights than a monitoring officer or dispatcher.
User contact
information 443 is also collected, and user preferences 444a, 444b may also be
input.
[00084] The system provides for the monitoring of a wide variety of criteria.
A wearable
device 100 may be equipped with a transdermal sensor for offender alcohol
monitoring and with
a thermometer for body temperature readings. In addition, stationary reporting
devices such as
active RFID readers 20, intrusion or smoke alarms may be placed in facilities
19 and generate
signals to administrative hub 10. Upon obtaining a message from such a fixed
reporting device,
the administrative hub can automatically direct certain actions and make
appropriate
notifications. For instance, a smoke alarm message could lead the
administrative hub 10 to seek
confirmation from user facility staff, and in the absence of rapid
confirmation that there is no
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problem, the appropriate fire department may he notified. An in r usion a arm
may generate a
call to a response network as described below. Similarly, a RFID reader 20 may
signal warning
that an offender is entering a restricted area and cause appropriate action to
be taken. Patients in
assisted living facilities may also be equipped with RFID tags that are read
and generate
messages to the administrative hub 10 that may cause nearby doors to be locked
to prevent
patients from leaving the building or entering restricted areas such as
kitchen and maintenance
facilities, while avoiding the need to maintain the facility in a heavily
supervised or lockdown
mode.
[00085] With reference to Figures 18 ¨ 22, the operation of a response network
useful
primarily outside the offender monitoring marketplace may be explained. For
instance, Figure
18 reflects the operation of the system with administrative hub 510 in
connection with an
individual subscriber running appropriate software to communicate with the
system on cell
phone 523 and subscribing to a security service with administrative node 501,
where the security
service is communication with police dispatch node 503 over a virtual private
network. When
the subscriber with cell phone 523 encounters an alarm condition, as by
holding down the
numeral 9 on the cell phone 523 (see step 530 in Figure 22), the cell phone
transmits a panic
signal 531 to the administrative hub 510. The administrative hub 510
automatically responds by
causing the cell phone 523 to increase the frequency of its location
transmission 532.
Accordingly, rather than generating a signal to collect UPS data and assisted
GPS data from UPS
satellites 517 and cellular radio towers 518 about every two to five minutes,
ephemeral location
data may be collected every 30 seconds and transmitted to administrative hub
510. The
administrative hub 510 or a location aggregator 513 will calculate the
geolocation of the
subscriber 533. If the location is successfully determined 534, and if that
location is also the
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location i'itherein the subscriber previously had a confirmed Egin4"5,2th 1911
Writy
service node 501 will respond by dispatching aid to that physical location
536. The dispatch
may be a private guard service employed by a security service, or in
cooperation with police
authorities the security service may communicate from node 501 to police
dispatch node 503 and
a police unit may be dispatched to the location. Indeed, the dispatch
alternatives are not limited
to private security guards and official police dispatch, but the security
service may contract with
an entire response network which may include off-duty police personnel, police
authorities not
merely from a particular municipality, but also both federal and state police
authorities, and
police authorities from nearby counties and municipalities. In addition,
paramedic and medical
personnel and even qualified volunteers may form part of a response network.
When these
resources, as on-duty police authorities, off-duty police authorities, private
security, and medical
personnel, are available for use by response network, they will activate their
tracking devices and
will be subject to being monitored and plotted on location maps in near real
time. When an
event occurs, the security service collecting the alarm event is then able to
determine the nearest
responder with the appropriate training for the type of alarm condition, and
then attempt to
contact that responder and inform the responder of the location of the event.
If the responder
accepts the engagement, a predetermined fee will be paid (unless an on-duty
police authority)
and the fastest possible response should be achieved. Thus, it will be
appreciated that if the
subscriber alarm in Figure 22 was determined to be a medical alarm, paramedic
or medical
personnel would be dispatched rather than police authorities.
[000861 Returning to Figure 22, however, if the location is determined for the
alarm is not at
the subscriber's previous confirmed location but it is near or inside a
community protected by a
security service 550, then police authorities may be contacted and an agent
responsible for
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"community protection may be contacted 551. In addition, agc9rtaWqe;IPa lcgt
to
distribution lists appropriate to the type of event and the location 537, 552.
Messages may be
sent as text messages, faxes, emails or voice calls, depending upon the
urgency and device-types
of the users to whom the messages are being sent. The subscriber is called or
messaged when
the appropriate action has been implemented 538, 553. Logic also provides that
if the location is
not precisely determined, police or responders are dispatched to the best last
known location 541,
544, 555. Appropriate notifications are sent 542, 546, and a subscriber is
notified of the action
being taken 543, 557.
[00087] Figure 19 shows the integration of many users and services into the
actions
coordinated by administrative hub 510. For a client or subscriber to services
provided by
administrative hub 510, communication is by web enabled device 527 or cell
phone 523.
Administrative users for a client define the authorized users, enroll devices
and identify the rules
and reporting protocols. In a real estate-centric application, survey
information will be added to
geo coding database, builders will add sensors to new buildings, real estate
agents and
contractors will be able to activate and deactivate alarm devices to suit
their needs, and the
administrative hub will maintain appropriate databases with a fully auditable
record of events
and produce appropriate billing information for clients.
[00088] Figure 20 shows a process for adding or removing sensors from a
building, with a
particular focus on new home building. First, builder will place a sensor at a
home 560 and
depress the 5 button on builder's cell phone 561, that cell phone being a
device enrolled with the
administrative hub of the invention. The administrative hub receives the
signal of the 5 button
being depressed and location information is computed either autonomously by
the cell phone or
by a location aggregator or the administrative hub from ephemeral data. The
administrative hub
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first determines whether the location already has sensors installed
an al ows t e unuer to
elect 564 whether to disable existing sensors at the location 565. If the
builder is not at a
geolocation that is identified as a home site 570, then an option is provided
to exit 571 or to
proceed to establish a location 572 and enter a identifying number 573 for the
home site. If the
builder is authorized to place sensors at the site 575, then the builder will
need to provide the
serial numbers of the sensors associated with the location 577, and the
sensors will be enabled
578. If the builder is not in an area where he is authorized to enable
sensors, he will be so
notified 576.
[00089] Figure 21 demonstrates steps by which a real estate arriving at an
alarmed property to
show the property to a prospective purchaser, or a tradesman arriving to
perform work at an
alarmed property, may disarm the alarm while necessary to work and then the
alarm be
reactivated upon departure of the real estate agent or tradesman. For
instance, the agent may
position themselves at the building where the alarm is to be disarmed, and the
3 button on the
agent's cell phone is depressed. The phone transmits the disarm function
together with data
upon which the location aggregator or administrative hub may determine the
location of the
phone 601. If the administrative hub determines that the geolocation is not at
a alarm protected
building 602, a notification is sent to that effect 603, and it is requested
that the identifying
number of the building be entered 604. If the geolocation coordinates are at a
protected building,
the administrative hub determines whether the requester has access to disarm
610, and failing
appropriate authority, a notification is sent 611, and an auditable history is
created for future
reporting 612. If the agent has authority to disarm the alarm sensor, then the
building is
disarmed and an appropriate history record created. The administrative hub
then signals the
requesting phone to increase the frequency of transmission of data for
location determination 621
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so that the administrative hub may determine when the agent has le t
r er to rearm
the alarm system. After the building is disarmed 620, text message is sent
verifying that the
alarm was disarmed 622, and the message recorded for future reporting 623.
[00090] With the frequent reporting of location information 621, the
administrative hub
actively monitors the agent's location 624. So long as the agent is still at
the location of the
disarmed home 625, the system takes no action 626. However, once the agent is
no longer at
that location, the administrative hub rearms the sensors at the building 627.
Also at this time, the
agent's phone is reset to original intervals for location reporting 626 and
records are created of
the time at which sensors were rearmed. If the agent or tradesperson remains
in the building
beyond a predetermined period of time, such as one or two hours, the
administrative hub may
request confirmation that the alarms be maintained in their disarmed status
and failing
confirmation of the need to maintain disarmed status, the alarms would then be
reactivated.
[00091] Alternatively, the agent may depress another phone button such as 7 at
the end of visit
to an alarmed property, to create a signal back to the administrative hub to
reactivate the home
alarm system. Communication between the administrative hub and a home alarm
system is
typically over a POTS connection, however, an appropriately configured home
system may be
communicated with by wireless communications or a fixed line IP connection.
[00092] While the invention has been explained with respect to particular
embodiments,
numerous other location aware reporting applications exist, such as reporting
to judges or
judicial personnel if they are in proximity to monitored offenders, or if
monitored offenders are
in proximity to their residence, or reporting to parents proximity to
residences or physical
locations of monitored or registered sex offenders.
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CA 02607236 2007-11-05
WO 2006/122004 PCT/US2006/017678
$ 2/8/0 8/06
[00093] All publications, patents, and patent documents are incWLU - y O
H re erence Herein as
though individually incorporated by reference. Although preferred embodiments
of the present
invention have been disclosed in detail herein, it will be understood that
various substitutions and
modifications may be made to the disclosed embodiment described herein without
departing
from the scope and spirit of the present invention as recited in the appended
claims.
=
31
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