GB2398687A

GB2398687A - People tracking

Info

Publication number: GB2398687A
Application number: GB0302099A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Clive A Crosby; Shy Keenan
Original assignee: SKYGUARDIAN Ltd
Current assignee: SKYGUARDIAN Ltd
Priority date: 2003-01-29
Filing date: 2003-01-29
Publication date: 2004-08-25
Also published as: GB0302099D0

Abstract

A tracking system for children, criminals etc comprises <SL> <LI>(1) a chip, implanted under the skin of the person to be tracked, or forming a wrist or ankle bracelet that cannot be removed <LI>(2) a combined GPS / GSM mobile telephone unit that can be removed <LI>(3) a control centre at a parent or probation officer. </SL> The combined unit transmits the position to the control centre regularly, in response to a command from the centre, in response to actuation by the wearer, in response to being in an excluded / forbidden area / zone, or due to the chip being too far from it. Multiple modes of operation, eg quiescent and active, are possible. The control centre may maintain a history of the user's movements. The use of two units ensures that the control centre is informed if the combined unit is removed. Alternatively the chip may be carried by a potential victim, and the control centre informed if the criminal and victim are too close.

Description

TRACKING OF PERSONS

This invention relates to tracking systems and in particular provides a system utilising satellite position technology and which enables the remote tracking of an individual person.

It is desirable to track individuals in at least two situations. One such situation arises with children or other potentially vulnerable people who may, for example, be subject to abduction and another such situation arises with people such as sex offenders or anyone else who are on probation or are otherwise subject to control of or limitations to their freedom of movement in that they may, for example, be excluded from school premises or proximity to play grounds.

Satellite-based technology for determination of geographical position, in terms either of co-ordinates of latitude and longitude or map reference, is already known and is usually referred to as "GPS" (global position system) technology. Mobile telephone systems may also be used for this purpose, based on co-ordinates derived from mobile telephone masts, usually referred to as "GSM" (global standard (or system) for mobiles) technology. Indeed, mobile telephones with incorporated positioning technology are commercially available and enable a person under threat of attack, for example, to make an alarm call which will provide an accurate location fix. There remains a need, however, for a system which can be remotely accessed or initiated to verify the whereabouts or movement history of a person whose whereabouts is required to be tracked or verified, for example for personal safety or public protection reasons.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a tracking system for an individual comprises apparatus incorporating signal-transmission means and equipped with position-determining means, a slave unit in communication with the apparatus and operative to activate the apparatus to transmit a signal under Redefined circumstances and a central control station having input means for signals transmitted by the apparatus, signal processing means and output means for signals from the control station to a responsible person.

Preferably, the control station also includes output means for activation of the apparatus on command by the responsible person.

T he signal-transmission apparatus may comprise a mobile telephone or a pager.

In use, the slave unit, which may for example comprise a chip which may be subcutaneously implanted in the individual or carried for example as part of a wrist or ankle bracelet, remains passive provided that it is in proximity (within a defined range) of the apparatus. However, an alarm condition will be initiated once the defined range is exceeded, which may happen for example if the apparatus has been discarded by the individual, whereupon the apparatus will automatically transmit a time and location signal to the control station which in turn will immediately notify the responsible person. An alarm condition will also be initiated if the individual, while the apparatus and slave unit are in communication with each other, enters an excluded area or zone as determined and programmed into the system using the geofencing or area tracking capability provided by the position-determining means.

The system according to the invention can be programmed so that, in a quiescent mode, the apparatus transmits position information to the control station at regular, albeit infrequent, time intervals, the control station recording such information to provide a profile of movement history of the individual. However, the system can be set to active mode on command from the responsible person through the control station, or at pre-programmed tinge intervals, to maintain a more frequent or even an ongoing dynamic interrogation of position.

Preferably, the apparatus includes means to initiate an alarm condition voluntarily by the individual so that, for example, in the case of a child or other vulnerable person under a perceived threat of attack or abduction, an alarm state can be transmitted to the control station for alerting a police officer as the responsible person or, in the case of a person subject to movement control under a perceived temptation to violate the movement conditions, an alarm state can be transmitted ultimately to the probation officer as the responsible person.

The position-determining means of the signal-transmission apparatus for use in a system according to the invention is preferably based on GPS technology and may be supplemented with GSM technology. Such technology not only enables position fixes to be obtained for transmission to the control station but also can be used to pass activation or passivation commands to the apparatus from the control station.

The invention in another aspect provides a method for tracking an individual, the method comprising the use of signal-transmission apparatus equipped with position-determining means to be voluntarily carried by the individual, a slave unit involuntarily carried by the individual, the slave unit being in communication with the apparatus and operative to activate the apparatus to transmit a position signal under predefined circumstances, and a central control station adapted to receive and process signals transmitted by the apparatus and to output an appropriate signal to a responsible person, whereby the responsible person is notified if the apparatus and slave units are separated by more than a predetermined threshold distance or if position signals transmitted by the apparatus indicate a position within a predetermined exclusion area or zone.

Having been alerted as to an alarm condition transmitted by the apparatus, the responsible person can initiate appropriate action, for example a search beginning at the last transmitted position or, if the apparatus is a telephone still about the person of the individual, a telephone call for example from a probation officer to the individual in an attempt to prevent an offence taking place.

Optionally, using the system according to the invention, slave units may be carried by vulnerable persons to generate an alarm signal in the apparatus when the vulnerable person and the individual come into mutual proximity. Thus, for example, a slave unit carried by a child would initiate an alarm if the child was approached by a paedophile carrying apparatus for use in the inventive system. .

Claims

Claims 1. A tracking system for an individual comprising apparatus

incorporating signal-transmission means and equipped with position-determining means, a slave unit in communication with the apparatus and operative to activate the apparatus to transmit a signal under predefined circumstances and a central control station having input means for signals transmitted by the apparatus, signal processing means and output means for signals from the control station to a responsible person.
2. A tracking system according to claim 1, in which the control station includes output means for activation of the apparatus on command by the responsible person.
3. A tracking system according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the signaltransmission means comprises a mobile telephone or a pager.
4. A tracking system according to any proceeding claim, in which the slave unit comprises a chip.
5. A tracking system according to claim 4, in which the chip is subcutaneously implanted in the individual or carried as part of a wrist or ankle bracelet.
6. A tracking system according to any preceding claim, in which the apparatus includes means for initiating an alarm control once a defined range between the slave unit and the apparatus is exceeded.
7. A tracking system according to any preceding claim, in which the apparatus includes means for initiating an alarm control once the apparatus enters a predetermined excluded area or zone.
8. A tracking system according to claim 7, in which the excluded area or zone is programmed into the system using a geofencing or area tracking capability provided by the position-determining means.
9. A tracking system according to any of claims 6 to 8, in which the apparatus includes means automatically transmitting a time and location signal to the control station which in turn will immediately notify the responsible person once the alarm condition has been initiated.
10. A tracking system according to any preceding claim, in which the apparatus, in a quiescent mode, transmits position information to the control station.
11. A tracking system according to claim 10, in which the control station recording such position information provides a profile of movement history of the individual.
12. A tracking system according to claims 10 or 11, in which the system can be set to active mode on command from the responsible person through the control station, or at pre-programmed time intervals, to maintain a more frequent or ongoing dynamic interrogation of position.
13. A tracking system according to any preceding claim, in which the apparatus includes means to initiate an alarm condition voluntarily by the individual.
14. A tracking system according to any preceding claim, in which the position-determining means of the signal-transmission apparatus is based on GPS technology
15. A tracking system according to any of claims 1 to 13, in which the position-determining means is supplemented with GSM technology.
16. A method for tracking an individual, the method comprising the use of signal-transmission apparatus equipped with position-determining means to be voluntarily carried by the individual, a slave unit involuntarily carried by the individual, the slave unit being in communication with the apparatus and operative to activate the apparatus to transmit a position signal under predefined circumstances, and a central control station adapted to receive and process signals transmitted by the apparatus and to output an appropriate signal to a responsible person, whereby the responsible person is notified if the apparatus and slave units are separated by more than a predetermined threshold distance or if position signals transmitted by the apparatus indicate a position within a predetermined exclusion area or zone.
17.A method according to claim 16, in which the system slave units are carried by vulnerable persons to generate an alarm signal in the apparatus when the vulnerable person and the individual come into mutual proximity.