WO2009124108A1

WO2009124108A1 - System and method for preventing the loss of property

Info

Publication number: WO2009124108A1
Application number: PCT/US2009/039079
Authority: WO
Inventors: John Decosmo; Howard L. Frank; Brian M. Gleason; Kenneth W. Pabst
Original assignee: Ulta-Lit Tree Co.
Priority date: 2008-04-02
Filing date: 2009-04-01
Publication date: 2009-10-08

Abstract

A method for monitoring the proximity of at least one portable article to reduce the risk of loss or theft, includes, transmitting a first signal between a cellular telephone and a first wireless device. The first wireless device has an associated predetermined proximity threshold, which is a predetermined distance from the cellular telephone. The method also includes using the first signal to determine whether the first wireless device is within the predetermined proximity threshold and generating an alarm on the cellular telephone if the first wireless device is not within the predetermined proximity threshold. The method further includes transmitting a second signal between at least one wireless tracking device and the cellular telephone. Each of the at least one wireless tracking device has an associated programmed proximity threshold, which is a programmed distance from the cellular telephone. The method further includes using the second signal to determine whether each of the at least one wireless tracking device is within the associated programmed proximity threshold, and generating an alarm on the cellular telephone if any of the at least one wireless tracking device is not within the programmed proximity threshold.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FORPREVENTING THE LOSS OF PROPERTY

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/072,722, filed April 02, 2008, entitled "System And Method For Preventing The Loss Of Property," which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The following disclosure relates generally to wireless systems for protecting personal articles against loss and theft. More specifically, the following disclosure relates to a personal article loss prevention system having multiple levels of protection.

BACKGROUND

[0003] The loss of personal possessions is a problem that has been addressed by many diverse solutions. Personal possessions, especially small personal articles, such as cell phones, laptops, PDAs, car keys, personal music players, briefcases, and other small articles may be easily lost if carelessly misplaced, accidentally left behind, or even stolen.

[0004] One solution to the problem is embodied by the numerous locator systems that have been devised. When an article is lost, a signal is broadcast from a base unit to activate and sound an alarm on an alarm tag attached to the article. The article may then be found by locating the sound of the alarm tag.

[0005] While locator systems can be useful to find lost articles, locator systems are typically used in reaction to a loss and not in a manner to prevent the loss. Additionally, typical locator systems require the operator to manually initiate an action to find the lost article, thus, providing no protection against theft.

[0006] Instead of locating an article after it is lost, it is often preferable to prevent the loss in the first place. Thus, a loss prevention system that alerts an operator when an article is left behind or removed from a certain area, is desirable to help in preventing the personal article from becoming lost or stolen.

[0007] Many conventional loss prevention systems provide one master unit that monitors or tracks one or more slave tags affixed to various personal articles. Typically, when a slave tag is removed from the master by a threshold distance, the master sounds an alarm. However, these systems are only effective as long as the master unit is not lost or stolen. For example, a conventional loss prevention system may include a master unit and slave tags attached to a laptop and a portable music player. If the operator leaves behind a backpack containing the master unit, laptop, and portable music player, the operator is never alerted that these articles were going to be lost because the slaves remained within the threshold distance of the master while the operator walked away. Thus, a loss prevention system that simultaneously prevents the loss of a master unit as well as the tagged personal articles is needed.

SUMMARY

[0008] A method for monitoring the proximity of at least one portable article to reduce the risk of loss or theft includes transmitting a first signal between a cellular telephone and a first wireless device. The first wireless device has an associated predetermined proximity threshold, which is a predetermined distance from the cellular telephone. The method also includes using the first signal to determine whether the first wireless device is within the predetermined proximity threshold and generating an alarm on the cellular telephone if the first wireless device is not within the predetermined proximity threshold. The method further includes transmitting a second signal between at least one wireless tracking device and the cellular telephone. Each of the at least one wireless tracking device has an associated programmed proximity threshold, which is a programmed distance from the cellular telephone. The method further includes using the second signal to determine whether each of the at least one wireless tracking device is within the associated programmed proximity threshold, and generating an alarm on the cellular telephone if any of the at least one wireless tracking device is not within the programmed proximity threshold.

[0009] A system for monitoring the proximity of at least one portable article to reduce the risk of loss or theft includes a cellular telephone, a first wireless device, and at least one wireless tracking device affϊxable to the at least one portable article. The first wireless device is in communication with the cellular telephone to determine when the first wireless device is outside a predetermined proximity threshold, which is a distance from the cellular telephone. The cellular telephone generates an alarm if the first wireless device is not within the predetermined proximity threshold. The at least one wireless tracking device is in communication with the cellular telephone to determine when any of the at least one wireless tracking device is outside of a programmed proximity threshold, which is a distance from the cellular telephone. The cellular telephone generates an alarm if any of the at least one wireless tracking device is not within the programmed proximity threshold.

[0010] The above summary of the present invention is not intended to represent each embodiment or every aspect of the present invention. The detailed description and Figures will describe many of the embodiments and aspects of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] FIG. 1 is a personal article loss prevention system in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of a personal article loss prevention system operating procedure in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention.

[0013] While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] FIG. 1 illustrates a loss prevention system 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The system 10 includes a first wireless device 12, a cellular telephone 14, and at least one wireless tracking device 16 inserted in or attached to ("tagged" to) a personal article 18 to be monitored such as, for example, keys, a wallet, a laptop computer, a briefcase, a camera, an IPOD, a PDA, a purse, or a car.

[0015] During operation, an operator 20 uses the cellular telephone 14 to individually associate each wireless tracking device 16 with one of a plurality of programmed proximity thresholds. The cellular telephone 14 communicates with each wireless tracking device 16 and determines whether each wireless tracking device 16 is within the associated programmed proximity threshold. If the cellular telephone 14 determines that at least one wireless tracking device 16 is outside the associated programmed proximity threshold, the cellular telephone 14 generates a primary alarm alerting the operator 20 that at least one personal item tagged with a wireless tracking device 16 is at risk of becoming lost or stolen. Thus, the programmed proximity threshold is the maximum permissible distance that an associated wireless tracking device 16 can be removed from the cellular telephone 14 before a primary alarm is generated.

[0016] The first wireless device 12 is sized and shaped to be conveniently worn or carried by an operator 20. For example, the first wireless device 12 may be a watch, necklace, earring, cufflink, credit-card sized device, lapel pin, pendant, or device embedded within an article of clothing. Alternatively, the first wireless device 12 may be a small device that is attached to a personal article that is carried or worn by the operator 20. It is contemplated that the first wireless device 12 may even be surgically implanted underneath the skin of the operator 20.

[0017] The cellular telephone 14 communicates with the first wireless device 12 and determines whether the first wireless device 12 is within a predetermined proximity threshold. If the cellular telephone 14 determines that the first wireless device 12 is outside the predetermined proximity threshold, the cellular telephone 14 generates a secondary alarm alerting the operator 20 that the cellular telephone 14 is at risk of becoming lost or stolen. Thus, the predetermined proximity threshold is the maximum permissible distance that the first wireless tracking device 12 can be removed from the cellular telephone 14 before a secondary alarm is generated. Because the first wireless device 12 is carried or worn by the operator 20, a secondary alarm is effectively generated if the cellular telephone 14 is removed from the operator 20 by more than the predetermined proximity threshold.

[0018] Accordingly, the system 10 simultaneously provides dual layers of protection. The first layer protects against the loss of a personal article 18 tagged with a wireless tracking device 16. The second layer protects against the loss of the cellular telephone 14. Thus, the system 10 accounts for the deficiencies of conventional loss prevention systems by preventing a system breakdown due to the loss of the master unit or the cellular telephone 14.

[0019] The primary and secondary alarms may be mechanical (e.g., vibrations), auditory, visual, or combinations thereof. Generally, auditory alarms should be of sufficient volume to alert an operator 20 to the risk of loss or theft. Specifically, an auditory secondary alarm may be of sufficient volume to alert an operator 20 located at a distance from the cellular telephone 14 that equals or exceeds the predetermined proximity threshold. For example, if the predetermined proximity threshold was 10 feet, the auditory secondary alarm may be of sufficient volume to alert the operator 20 located at least 10 feet from the cellular telephone 14. It is contemplated that an auditory secondary alarm may increase in volume with each successive alarm iteration to continue providing sufficient volume to alert an operator 20 moving away from the cellular telephone 14.

[0020] The primary and/or secondary alarms may be implemented using existing cellular telephone ringer circuitry and components. Alternatively, the primary and/or secondary alarms may be implemented with additional circuitry and components that are separate and distinct from the cellular telephone ringer circuitry and components.

[0021] In alternative embodiments, the first wireless device 12 includes circuitry and components suitable to generate the secondary alarm. According to these embodiments, the cellular telephone 14 may or may not also generate a secondary alarm when the first wireless device 12 exceeds the predetermined proximity threshold. Providing an alarm on the first wireless device 12, which is carried or worn by the operator 20, increases the likelihood that the operator 20 is alerted to the potential loss or theft of the cellular telephone 14. Additionally, in some instances the operator 20 may desire a more discrete secondary alarm. A discrete secondary alarm may be possible if the secondary alarm is generated on the first wireless device 16 that is carried or worn by the operator 20 instead of on the cellular telephone 14, which is located beyond the predetermined proximity threshold from the operator 20.

[0022] The system 10 may utilize any suitable radio frequency communication technology for communicating between the cellular telephone 14 and the first wireless device 12 or the cellular telephone 14 and the wireless tracking devices 16 including, but not limited to, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), combinations thereof, or the like. In a system 10 utilizing RFID technology, for example, the cellular telephone 14 may comprise a RFID tag reader/interrogator and the first wireless device 12 and the wireless tracking devices 16 may comprise radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. The RFID tags may comprise passive RFID tags, semi-passive RFID tags, active RFID tags, or combinations thereof.

[0023] An operating procedure 30 for the system 10 in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 2. Once the system 10 is enabled at block 32, the cellular telephone 14 periodically or continuously scans for the first wireless device 12 and the wireless tracking devices 16 by transmitting a locating signal(s) at block 34. The first wireless device 12 and the wireless tracking devices 16 receive the locating signal(s), at block 36, and transmit return signals, at block 38, which are received by the cellular telephone 14 at block 40. The cellular telephone 14 determines whether the first wireless device 12 is within the predetermined proximity threshold, at block 42, and whether a wireless tracking device 16 is within an associated programmed proximity threshold, at block 44, based on at least one characteristic of the return signal or the absence of a return signal(s). If the cellular telephone 14 determines that at least one device is not within an associated proximity threshold at block 42 or block 44, the cellular telephone 14 generates an alarm at block 46. Depending on whether the system 10 has been set to continuously scan or periodically scan, the cellular telephone 14 may pause (e.g., 1 minute) at block 48 before transmitting the next locating signal(s) at block 34. The operating procedure 30, according to the illustrated embodiment in FIG. 2, is repeated until the system 10 is disabled (not shown).

[0024] While FIG. 2 illustrates block 42 being preformed prior to block 44, it is contemplated that the cellular telephone 14 may make a proximity threshold determination for the first wireless tracking device 12 or a wireless tracking device 16 in any order or substantially simultaneously as long as a determination is made for each device in the system 10 before the next scan is initiated.

[0025] According to some embodiments, each wireless tracking device 16 may have a unique identification code associated with the wireless tracking device 16. The unique identification code of a particular wireless tracking device 16 may be included in the return signal transmitted by that wireless tracking device 16. Likewise, the first wireless device 12 has a unique identification code that may be included in the return signal transmitted by the first wireless device 12 to the cellular telephone 14. The unique identification codes allow the cellular telephone 14 to uniquely identify each device responding to a locating signal transmitted by the cellular telephone 14. It is contemplated that the cellular telephone 14 may perform a collision avoidance algorithm to distinguish between return signals received substantially simultaneously from more than one wireless tracking device 16 or the first wireless device 12.

[0026] The distance between the cellular telephone 14 and the first wireless device 12 or the wireless tracking devices 16 may be determined by the cellular telephone 14 using a variety of methods. For example, the cellular telephone 14 may make the determination based upon the strength of a return signal received by the cellular telephone 14. Many cellular telephones currently include received signal strength indicator (RSSI) circuitry that is suitable to determine the distance to the source of a received signal. Alternatively, the determination may be based upon the time lapse between transmission of a locating signal and reception of a return signal by the cellular telephone 14.

[0027] According to some embodiments, each device in the system 10 may include global positioning satellite (GPS) technology. Upon receiving a locating signal, the first wireless device 12 and each wireless tracking device 16 transmit a return signal including the GPS coordinates of the transmitting device. Using the GPS coordinates of the cellular telephone 14 and the GPS coordinates received via a return signal, the cellular telephone 14 determines the distance from the cellular telephone 14 to the source of the return signal. It is contemplated that the GPS coordinates of a particular device may be acquired by that device continuously, periodically (e.g., every 5 minutes), or upon request (e.g., upon transmitting or receiving a locating signal).

[0028] In some embodiments, if a return signal for a particular device in the system 10 is not received by the cellular telephone 14, the distance between the cellular telephone 14 and that device is determined to be outside of the relevant proximity threshold by default. In other embodiments, a device is determined to be outside of the relevant proximity threshold by default only if a return signal is not received after a predetermined number of attempts.

[0029] To implement many of the various functions contemplated by the system 10, the cellular telephone 14 includes a keypad 22 and a display 24. The keypad 22 may be used, for example, to enable or disable the system 10, add or remove wireless tracking devices 16 to be monitored, individually select programmed proximity thresholds associated with each wireless tracking device 16, manually initiate a scan by the cellular telephone 14, select the frequency of automatic scans (e.g., scan every 1 minute, scan every 5 minutes, etc.), mute an alarm once the operator 20 has been alerted, individually activate or deactivate specific wireless tracking devices 16, individually select alarm volumes or alarm tones for each wireless tracking device 16, and to perform other functions as needed. The display 24 may, for example, provide the operator 20 with navigable option menus or information about a particular alert, such as which wireless tracking device 16 is outside the associated programmed proximity threshold and which particular article 18 that wireless tracking device was associated with. In some embodiments, the keypad 22 and the display 24 may comprise a touch screen.

[0030] To manage the first wireless device 12 and the various wireless tracking devices 16 in the system 10, the cellular telephone 14 includes a memory to store a database. The database may include any information relating to the devices in the system 10 such as, for example, the unique identification codes of and the programmed proximity threshold associated with each wireless tracking device 16. Additionally, the database may include a description associated with the wireless tracking device 16 provided by the operator 20. For example, the operator 20 may select from a navigable option menu on the display 24 or enter via the keypad 22 the description of "laptop" for a wireless tracking device 16 attached to a laptop to be monitored. The database may further store any other relevant or necessary information such as, for example, the activation/deactivation status of each wireless tracking device 16.

[0031] Individual wireless tracking devices 16 may be added to or removed from the system 10 by any suitable means. For example, the operator 20 may manually initiate an "acquisition" scan for all wireless tracking devices 16 within the operating range of the cellular telephone 14. For each return signal received by the cellular telephone 14, a unique identification code associated with the source of the return signal is stored in the memory. Alternatively, the operator 20 may manually add or remove a wireless tracking device 16 by inputting associated unique identification codes using the keypad 22.

[0032] In some embodiments, the cellular telephone 14 may assign unique identification codes to the wireless tracking devices 16, which are configured to store the unique identification code received from the cellular telephone 14 during an acquisition scan. In other embodiments, a unique identification code may be associated with the wireless tracking device 16 at the time of manufacture.

[0033] Upon running the acquisition scan, the cellular telephone 14 may determine that unknown wireless tracking devices 16 have responded or previously known wireless tracking devices 16 did not responded. For each unknown wireless tracking device 16 identified by the cellular telephone 14, the operator 20 may be prompted via the display 24 for acceptance of the wireless tracking device 16 and/or additional information relating to the wireless tracking device 16 such as, for example, the desired programmed proximity threshold or a description of the article 18 to which the wireless tracking device 16 is associated. For each wireless tracking device 16 previously known but not responding, the operator 20 may be prompted to decide, for example, whether the cellular telephone 14 should continue to monitor this wireless tracking device 16 and/or whether the operator 20 would like to temporarily deactivate the wireless tracking device 16.

[0034] Upon acquisition of a wireless tracking device 16 by the cellular telephone 14, the operator 20 may be prompted via the display 24 to assign the newly acquired wireless tracking device 16 a numerical identifier. In some embodiments, the numerical identifier may simply alert the operator 20 as to which device is generating an alarm. For example, in addition to an auditory alarm, the display 24 on the cellular telephone 14 may flash a "2" when a wireless tracking device 16 designated as "2" by the operator 20 is outside the associated programmed proximity threshold.

[0035] In other embodiments, the numerical identifier may serve other functions as well. For example, using the keypad 22 the operator 20 may utilize the numerical identifiers to individually activate and deactivate specific wireless tracking devices 16 in the system 10. In one such embodiment, the operator 20 enters "*3" to activate and "#3" to deactivate the wireless tracking device 16 associated with the numerical identifier "3." Additionally, it is contemplated that the wireless tracking devices 16 may be individually or collectively activated and deactivated by any other suitable means including selections from a navigable option menu provided on the display 24 of the cellular telephone 14.

[0036] The keypad 22 and display 24 are further utilized to allow the operator 20 to individually associate a programmed proximity threshold with each wireless tracking device 16 in the system 10. The programmed proximity thresholds may be a distance selected from a predefined set of proximity threshold options (e.g., the operator 20 can select 25 ft., 50 ft., or 75 ft. for each wireless tracking device 16) or may be a distance dynamically inputted using the keypad 22 (e.g., the operator 20 can enter any integer as the programmed proximity threshold). According to some embodiments, the predetermined proximity threshold may also be selected or dynamically inputted using the keypad 22 and display 24. However, it is contemplated that in other embodiments the predetermined threshold may be a fixed distance that cannot be varied or altered.

[0037] It is contemplated that according to some embodiments of the present invention, a first cellular telephone of a first system may be configured to pass a wireless tracking device(s) of the first system to a second cellular telephone of a second system. For example, the operator of the first system may navigate a menu on the first cellular telephone to select a "pass" function. The operator may then be prompted via the display of the first cellular telephone to enter the telephone number of the second cellular telephone. The pass may be completed by the second cellular telephone requesting the operator of the second cellular telephone to accept the pass. It is contemplated that any other suitable means may be utilized for transferring a wireless tracking device from being monitored by a first cellular telephone to being monitored by a second cellular telephone.

[0038] It is further contemplated that in some embodiments of the present invention, removing the cellular telephone 14 from the first wireless device 12, and thus the operator 20, by a distance greater than the predetermined proximity threshold disables certain functionalities of the cellular telephone 14. For example, it may be desirable to disable the ability of the cellular telephone 14 to make outgoing calls or access contact information stored in the cellular telephone 14 when the cellular telephone 14 is not within the predetermined proximity threshold of the operator 20.

[0039] The circuitry for performing the various operations by the cellular telephone 14 described herein may include any combination of software, firmware and/or logic circuitry operating with a processing system.

[0040] According to some aspects of the present concepts, the cellular telephone 14 includes a storage means suitable to store one or more wireless tracking devices 16 when not attached to personal articles 18. For example, the cellular telephone 14 may include a removable cover similar to a battery cover that encloses a compartment that is sized and shaped to hold five wireless tracking devices 16. A means for storing the wireless tracking is desirable to allow an operator to conveniently reconfigure the loss protection system 10 by attaching/detaching wireless tracking devices 16 to/from personal articles 18 at any given time or location.

[0041] While the present invention has been described with reference to one or more particular embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that many changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Each of these embodiments and obvious variations thereof is contemplated as falling within the spirit and scope of the claimed invention, which is set forth in the following claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A method for monitoring the proximity of at least one portable article to reduce the risk of loss or theft, comprising: transmitting a first signal between a cellular telephone and a first wireless device, said first wireless device having an associated predetermined proximity threshold, said predetermined proximity threshold being a predetermined distance from said cellular telephone; using said first signal to determine whether said first wireless device is within said predetermined proximity threshold; generating an alarm on said cellular telephone if said first wireless device is not within said predetermined proximity threshold; transmitting a second signal between at least one wireless tracking device and said cellular telephone, each of said at least one wireless tracking device having an associated programmed proximity threshold, said programmed proximity threshold being a programmed distance from said cellular telephone; using said second signal to determine whether each of said at least one wireless tracking device is within said associated programmed proximity threshold; and generating an alarm on said cellular telephone if any of said at least one wireless tracking device is not within said programmed proximity threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising selecting via said cellular telephone said programmed proximity threshold from a plurality of proximity thresholds for each of said at least one wireless tracking device, said plurality of proximity thresholds being a plurality of distances from said cellular telephone.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising operating said cellular telephone to activate and deactivate selected ones of said at least one wireless tracking device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said alarm is auditory and increases in volume over time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said first wireless device is a surgically implanted device.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating an alarm on said first wireless device if said cellular telephone determines that said first wireless device is outside said predetermined proximity threshold.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first wireless device is worn or carried by a user

8. A system for monitoring the proximity of at least one portable article to reduce the risk of loss or theft, comprising: a cellular telephone; a first wireless device configured to be worn or carried by a user, said first wireless device being in communication with said cellular telephone to determine when said first wireless device is outside a predetermined proximity threshold, said predetermined proximity threshold being a distance from said cellular telephone, said cellular telephone generating an alarm if said first wireless device is not within said predetermined proximity threshold; and at least one wireless tracking device affϊxable to said at least one portable article, said at least one wireless tracking device being in communication with said cellular telephone to determine when any of said at least one wireless tracking device is outside of a programmed proximity threshold, said programmed proximity threshold being a distance from said cellular telephone, said cellular telephone generating an alarm if any of said at least one wireless tracking device is not within said programmed proximity threshold.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said cellular telephone is configured to select said programmed proximity threshold from a plurality of proximity thresholds for each of said at least one wireless tracking device, said plurality of proximity thresholds being a plurality of distances from said cellular telephone.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said cellular telephone is configured to activate and deactivate selected ones of said at least one wireless tracking device.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein said cellular telephone sends a locating signal to said first wireless device and said at least one wireless tracking device, said first wireless device sends a return signal to said cellular telephone in response to said first wireless device receiving said locating signal, and each of said at least one wireless tracking device sends a return signal to said cellular telephone in response to said at least one wireless tracking device receiving said locating signal.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said first wireless device and each of said at least one wireless tracking device have an associated unique identification code, said return signal of said first wireless device and said return signal of each of said at least one wireless tracking device including said associated unique identification code.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein said return signal of said first wireless device or said at least one wireless tracking device includes the GPS coordinates of said first wireless device or said at least one wireless tracking device.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein said alarm is an auditory alarm increasing in volume over time.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein said first wireless device is a surgically implanted device.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein said first wireless device is configured to generate an alarm if said cellular telephone determines that said first wireless device is outside said predetermined proximity threshold.

17. The system of claim 8, wherein said cellular telephone includes a storage compartment configured to store at least one wireless tracking device therein.

18. The system of claim 8, wherein said wireless tracking devices comprise radio frequency identification tags.