WO2001095278A1 - Location system - Google Patents

Location system Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2001095278A1
WO2001095278A1 PCT/GB2001/002386 GB0102386W WO0195278A1 WO 2001095278 A1 WO2001095278 A1 WO 2001095278A1 GB 0102386 W GB0102386 W GB 0102386W WO 0195278 A1 WO0195278 A1 WO 0195278A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
unit
location
units
mobile unit
detection system
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB2001/002386
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Janice Glover
Jim Glover
Original Assignee
Janice Glover
Jim Glover
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Janice Glover, Jim Glover filed Critical Janice Glover
Priority to AU2001260461A priority Critical patent/AU2001260461A1/en
Publication of WO2001095278A1 publication Critical patent/WO2001095278A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
    • G01S5/00—Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position line determinations; Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations
    • G01S5/02—Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position line determinations; Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations using radio waves
    • G01S5/0284—Relative positioning
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
    • G01S5/00—Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position line determinations; Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations
    • G01S5/02—Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position line determinations; Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations using radio waves
    • G01S5/0249—Determining position using measurements made by a non-stationary device other than the device whose position is being determined
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
    • G01S5/00—Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position line determinations; Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations
    • G01S5/0009—Transmission of position information to remote stations
    • G01S5/0072—Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to apparatus, which allows the location of a person or persons to be identified and monitored.
  • the described apparatus is intended for use in locating and finding a person or persons who have become lost.
  • the present invention provides a solution to the problem whereby much time can elapse before people who are separated from others can be re-united.
  • the relative location of the parties is often not known and delay can occur even if the parties do know their location and are in communication with each other. This is especially the case if they are in unfamiliar surroundings or one or more of them do not have the means or the mental capacity to describe their whereabouts and agree a process for becoming re-united.
  • During the period of separation parties may be at risk from injury, abduction or suffer mental trauma.
  • the guardian of a lost person can usually only report the person lost to security staff or at a lost person facility.
  • the guardian is reliant on third parties physically searching an area to find the lost person and bring them to the lost person facility.
  • the unsupervised person may suffer mental trauma, injury or be abducted.
  • a detection system for the determination, monitoring and reporting of the location of one or more users, wherein the system comprises a plurality of mobile units, wherein each unit has the capability to transmit information to any other unit, and wherein each unit has the capability to direct its user to the location of another user without the requirement for verbal communication.
  • Preferably information is transmitted by the plurality of mobile units using a radio signal.
  • the mobile units are hand-held.
  • the mobile units are adapted to be worn or fitted to a user.
  • the mobile units are waterproof.
  • the information transmitted by each of the units includes information as to the unique identity and location of that unit.
  • each of the mobile units can determine its own location in two or three dimensions in space.
  • each of the mobile units can improve the accuracy of its determination of its own location in two or three dimensions in space by reference to an enhancing unit.
  • each of the units can transmit information to any or all of the other units, wherein said information includes information regarding that unit's unique identity and location.
  • each of the mobile units may be associated with means for determining whether one or more of the mobile units has been tampered with or removed by an unauthorised user.
  • each of the units has warning means to alert other users that one or more of the units has been tampered or is being tampered with.
  • each of the units has the capability to analyse information received from one or more of the other mobile units, in order to determine the sending unit's unique identity, location and tamper status.
  • each of the units is capable of determining whether information received from the sending unit has been tampered with.
  • the unit receiving the signal will issue a warning to the user.
  • each of the units has the capability to allow a user to analyse the signal from other like units at any particular time, or in response to a warning that the sending unit has been tampered with.
  • each of the units has the capability to allow a user to select any one of the other units for analysis.
  • each of the units can compare the location of one or more other units with its own location.
  • each of the units can display the distance between itself and one or more selected units, and the direction in which a user should travel to reach the location .of the selected unit or units.
  • each of the units can also determine whether it is outside a defined area.
  • each of the units can determine the outline of a defined area by reference to a multiple number of other units expressly positioned at static locations.
  • each of the units can issue a warning if a user within the system moves outwith the defined area.
  • each of the units can continuously store information regarding that unit's location versus time.
  • each of the units can be interfaced with a computer in order to provide an analysis of its movement over time in sequence order or graphically.
  • a mobile data unit for use in the first aspect of the invention, wherein said mobile unit is capable of transmitting information relating to its unique identity and location to one or more identical units, and wherein said mobile unit is also capable of analysing information received from one or more identical mobile units, in order to compare the location of the one or more identical data units with its own location.
  • Figure 1 illustrates a detection system of the present invention, wherein a plurality of mobile units allow two or more users to be reunited in the event of separation.
  • Figure 2 illustrates a detection system of the present invention, wherein a plurality of mobile units are used to warn if a user has left a designated area and allows that user to be located.
  • Figure 3 illustrates a detection system of the present invention, wherein a plurality of mobile units are used to provide a means for analysing the movement of a user over a period of time.
  • the present invention describes a detection system comprising a plurality of mobile units worn or carried by a multiple number of users, with each unit having the capability to determine its own location and send and receive a signal to or from all other units.
  • the signal contains information as to the unique identity of the sending unit and its location and an indication if a tamper device has sensed an attempt to remove the unit from the user or an indication that the sending unit user has left a defined area.
  • Each unit is able to direct its user to the location of any other unit selected by the user for evaluation without verbal communication.
  • Each unit also has the capability of recording the history of its location over time and permitting analysis of that history.
  • Figure 1 shows a unit (1) worn by a first person (4), a mobile unit (2) worn or held by a second person (5) and a second mobile unit (3) worn or held by a third person (6) .
  • the described embodiments relate to the use of the system by one or more persons it is envisaged that the system will have uses in other situations where the units may be attached to animals or inanimate objects.
  • units (1) and (2) are also depicted figuratively in greater detail on the right hand side of Figure 1.
  • Each unit is fitted with a tamper resistant device (7) to prevent unauthorised removal from the user and the unit itself can detect if an attempt to do so is made. For illustration purposes a representation of this feature is shown for unit 1 only.
  • Each unit is able to determine its own location in two or three dimensions and visually display that location (12) . This may, for example, be achieved on an LCD display.
  • One or more enhancing units (13) may be situated within a defined area, with each unit using the enhancing unit as a reference point to improve the accuracy of the location.
  • each of the mobile units can determine its own location in two or three dimensions in space.
  • Each of the mobile units are able to send an automatic signal (8) to each of the other units at all times.
  • this feature is shown from unit 1 to unit 2.
  • the signal will typically contain information about the sending unit including its identity (9) to the exclusion of all other units, its location and the tamper status (10) of its anti-tamper device.
  • the signal may be a radio signal.
  • Each of the mobile units are adapted to receive a signal from all other units at frequent intervals. This is shown as unit 2 receiving a signal from unit 1.
  • the receiving unit is able to create an alarm signal (14) activated by the tamper status element of the signal received.
  • the wearer of each unit In response to the creation of the tamper evident alarm or at any time of their choosing the wearer of each unit is able to evaluate the signal received from any other unit by selecting the other unit on a selection device (15) .
  • a representation of this feature is shown for the wearer of unit 2 evaluating the signal from unit 1 only.
  • Each unit is able, through a process of comparative analysis (16) , to determine the location of another selected unit relative to itself and is also able to visually display (17) the distance between the two units and the direction in which the wearer should travel to reach the wearer of the selected unit.
  • any wearer of any unit is able to determine the location of any other person and be directed to that location if they choose to do so, all without being reliant on verbal communication.
  • the system therefore acts as a mobile "finding" device.
  • any wearer of any unit is able to be alerted to the fact that another wearer's tamper evident device has been interfered with by unauthorised persons and proceed to the location of that person without being reliant on verbal communication.
  • the detection system of Figure 2 also has the capability to warn if a user has left a designated area and allows that user to be located.
  • User (1) wears a unit (4) within an area defined by a line joining up the location of a number of similar units (18) situated in static positions. There may be a multiple number of persons wearing units but for the purposes of illustration, only one person and unit is shown.
  • each unit is able to determine its own location in two or three dimensions, visually display that location (12) , improve the accuracy of determination of its location by reference to an enhancing unit (13) and send a signal (8) to other units containing information as to its unique identity, its location and the status of its tamper device and receive similar signals from all other units.
  • the unit worn by the person is able to receive a signal (19) from each of the static units and is able by comparative analysis to determine if its own location is outside the area defined by the line joining up the locations of the static units. It then sends a signal to a unit (2) worn by an authorised person (5) warning that the user has left the defined area.
  • the authorised person is shown within the defined area but may be outside the defined area. There may be a multiple number of authorised persons but for purposes of illustration, only one authorised person is shown.
  • the authorised person (5) may be a teacher and the user may be a school pupil for whom the teacher is responsible for.
  • the static units may be situated to create a boundary within which the teacher can monitor the pupil. However, should the pupil stray outwith the boundary the teacher will be issued with an automatic warning which will allow him or her to locate and retrieve the pupil before he or she becomes lost.
  • the warning signal is added to the information stream already being transmitted by the unit as described in the first embodiment.
  • the authorised party can respond to the warning signal and be directed by their own unit to the location, whether inside or outside the defined area, of the other wearer as previously described in the description of Figure 1.
  • the detection system is also capable of monitoring and evaluating the movement of a user, as illustrated graphically in Figure 3.
  • Each of the units described in embodiment 1 and embodiment 2 and designated as unit (1) in Figure 3 also has the capability to continuously store information about its location versus time.
  • the unit also has an interface port (20) that can be connected to a computer (21) by the fitting of data transfer cable (22) .
  • a software program (23) loaded on to the computer is able to analyse the movement of unit (1) over time and display that movement in sequence order or graphically on the computer screen (24) . This permits the movement of the unit and therefore the movement of its wearer to be evaluated and analysed by interested third parties.
  • the invention can also be used to locate animals or inanimate objects in all the embodiments described.
  • the described invention could be used in a number of different embodiments.
  • the mobile units could be used in order to monitor queuing.
  • units could be issued to visitors and used to monitor those visitors' movements. It will be appreciated that this could be used to provide useful information relating to which attractions are most popular with visitors or the length of time, which a visitor must wait at any one position.

Abstract

A detection system comprising a plurality of mobile units worn or carried by a multiple number of users, with each unit having the capability to determine its own location and send and receive a signal to or from all other units. The signal (8) contains information as to the unique identity of the sending unit (9) and its location (12) and an indication if a tamper device (7) has sensed an attempt to remove the unit from the user or an indication that the sending unit user has left a defined area. Each unit is able to direct its user to the location of any other unit selected by the user for evaluation (15) without verbal communication. Each unit also has the capability of recording the history of its location over time and permitting analysis of that history.

Description

LOCATION SYSTEM
The present invention relates to apparatus, which allows the location of a person or persons to be identified and monitored. In particular, the described apparatus is intended for use in locating and finding a person or persons who have become lost.
Present means of reuniting people who are separated from each other is often a lengthy process. The relative location of the parties may not be known and even if the relative location is known the parties may not have the means or the mental capacity to communicate this information.
The present invention provides a solution to the problem whereby much time can elapse before people who are separated from others can be re-united. The relative location of the parties is often not known and delay can occur even if the parties do know their location and are in communication with each other. This is especially the case if they are in unfamiliar surroundings or one or more of them do not have the means or the mental capacity to describe their whereabouts and agree a process for becoming re-united. During the period of separation parties may be at risk from injury, abduction or suffer mental trauma.
For example, in a theme park, shopping mall or at a public event the guardian of a lost person can usually only report the person lost to security staff or at a lost person facility. The guardian is reliant on third parties physically searching an area to find the lost person and bring them to the lost person facility. During the time taken to locate the person there is risk that the unsupervised person may suffer mental trauma, injury or be abducted.
As another example, groups of people such as the elderly and those involved in outdoor activities such as trekking, hill climbing or orienteering often find it difficult to be re-united after being separated from others. This can be due to them being unfamiliar with their surroundings or not having the means or the mental capacity to arrange to be re-united or both.
Present means that help people to be re-united after separation are often technically complex to use or physically bulky or time-consuming or rely on a manned central control area or dispatcher. Existing systems for determining if a person has moved outside a pre- determined area usually only generate a warning situation. They do not provide the means for finding the person. This invention provides a means for people to determine the location of others relative to themselves and allows them to be reunited without them being reliant on verbal communication. The invention provides a system for re- uniting people who are separated.
It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus which permits one or more people to quickly determine the location of each other without reliance on verbal communication.
It is a further object to provide a system for allowing one or more parties to be directed to the location of each other.
It is a yet further object to provide a means whereby the movement of people over a period of time can be evaluated by other people.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a detection system for the determination, monitoring and reporting of the location of one or more users, wherein the system comprises a plurality of mobile units, wherein each unit has the capability to transmit information to any other unit, and wherein each unit has the capability to direct its user to the location of another user without the requirement for verbal communication.
Preferably information is transmitted by the plurality of mobile units using a radio signal.
Optionally, the mobile units are hand-held. Alternatively, the mobile units are adapted to be worn or fitted to a user.
Preferably the mobile units are waterproof.
Preferably the information transmitted by each of the units includes information as to the unique identity and location of that unit.
Preferably each of the mobile units can determine its own location in two or three dimensions in space.
Preferably each of the mobile units can improve the accuracy of its determination of its own location in two or three dimensions in space by reference to an enhancing unit.
Preferably each of the units can transmit information to any or all of the other units, wherein said information includes information regarding that unit's unique identity and location.
Preferably, in order to resist tampering, each of the mobile units may be associated with means for determining whether one or more of the mobile units has been tampered with or removed by an unauthorised user.
Preferably each of the units has warning means to alert other users that one or more of the units has been tampered or is being tampered with. Preferably each of the units has the capability to analyse information received from one or more of the other mobile units, in order to determine the sending unit's unique identity, location and tamper status.
Preferably each of the units is capable of determining whether information received from the sending unit has been tampered with.
Most preferably, in the event that the sending unit has been tampered with, the unit receiving the signal will issue a warning to the user.
Preferably each of the units has the capability to allow a user to analyse the signal from other like units at any particular time, or in response to a warning that the sending unit has been tampered with.
Preferably each of the units has the capability to allow a user to select any one of the other units for analysis.
Preferably each of the units can compare the location of one or more other units with its own location.
Preferably each of the units can display the distance between itself and one or more selected units, and the direction in which a user should travel to reach the location .of the selected unit or units.
Preferably each of the units can also determine whether it is outside a defined area. Preferably each of the units can determine the outline of a defined area by reference to a multiple number of other units expressly positioned at static locations.
Preferably each of the units can issue a warning if a user within the system moves outwith the defined area.
Preferably each of the units can continuously store information regarding that unit's location versus time.
Preferably each of the units can be interfaced with a computer in order to provide an analysis of its movement over time in sequence order or graphically.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mobile data unit for use in the first aspect of the invention, wherein said mobile unit is capable of transmitting information relating to its unique identity and location to one or more identical units, and wherein said mobile unit is also capable of analysing information received from one or more identical mobile units, in order to compare the location of the one or more identical data units with its own location.
Example embodiments of the present invention are now described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 illustrates a detection system of the present invention, wherein a plurality of mobile units allow two or more users to be reunited in the event of separation. Figure 2 illustrates a detection system of the present invention, wherein a plurality of mobile units are used to warn if a user has left a designated area and allows that user to be located.
Figure 3 illustrates a detection system of the present invention, wherein a plurality of mobile units are used to provide a means for analysing the movement of a user over a period of time.
The present invention describes a detection system comprising a plurality of mobile units worn or carried by a multiple number of users, with each unit having the capability to determine its own location and send and receive a signal to or from all other units. The signal contains information as to the unique identity of the sending unit and its location and an indication if a tamper device has sensed an attempt to remove the unit from the user or an indication that the sending unit user has left a defined area. Each unit is able to direct its user to the location of any other unit selected by the user for evaluation without verbal communication. Each unit also has the capability of recording the history of its location over time and permitting analysis of that history.
Referring firstly to Figure 1, the relationship between the plurality of mobile units in the detection system are shown. It will be appreciated that whilst three units and users are shown in Figure 1, this number is not limited. Figure 1 shows a unit (1) worn by a first person (4), a mobile unit (2) worn or held by a second person (5) and a second mobile unit (3) worn or held by a third person (6) . Whilst the described embodiments relate to the use of the system by one or more persons it is envisaged that the system will have uses in other situations where the units may be attached to animals or inanimate objects. For illustration purposes units (1) and (2) are also depicted figuratively in greater detail on the right hand side of Figure 1.
Each unit is fitted with a tamper resistant device (7) to prevent unauthorised removal from the user and the unit itself can detect if an attempt to do so is made. For illustration purposes a representation of this feature is shown for unit 1 only.
Each unit is able to determine its own location in two or three dimensions and visually display that location (12) . This may, for example, be achieved on an LCD display. One or more enhancing units (13) may be situated within a defined area, with each unit using the enhancing unit as a reference point to improve the accuracy of the location. Typically, each of the mobile units can determine its own location in two or three dimensions in space.
Each of the mobile units are able to send an automatic signal (8) to each of the other units at all times. In Figure 1, this feature is shown from unit 1 to unit 2. The signal will typically contain information about the sending unit including its identity (9) to the exclusion of all other units, its location and the tamper status (10) of its anti-tamper device. The signal may be a radio signal. Each of the mobile units are adapted to receive a signal from all other units at frequent intervals. This is shown as unit 2 receiving a signal from unit 1. The receiving unit is able to create an alarm signal (14) activated by the tamper status element of the signal received.
In response to the creation of the tamper evident alarm or at any time of their choosing the wearer of each unit is able to evaluate the signal received from any other unit by selecting the other unit on a selection device (15) . For illustration purposes a representation of this feature is shown for the wearer of unit 2 evaluating the signal from unit 1 only.
Each unit is able, through a process of comparative analysis (16) , to determine the location of another selected unit relative to itself and is also able to visually display (17) the distance between the two units and the direction in which the wearer should travel to reach the wearer of the selected unit.
By the above means any wearer of any unit is able to determine the location of any other person and be directed to that location if they choose to do so, all without being reliant on verbal communication. The system therefore acts as a mobile "finding" device. Also by the above means any wearer of any unit is able to be alerted to the fact that another wearer's tamper evident device has been interfered with by unauthorised persons and proceed to the location of that person without being reliant on verbal communication. The detection system of Figure 2 also has the capability to warn if a user has left a designated area and allows that user to be located.
User (1) wears a unit (4) within an area defined by a line joining up the location of a number of similar units (18) situated in static positions. There may be a multiple number of persons wearing units but for the purposes of illustration, only one person and unit is shown.
As previously described in the first embodiment each unit is able to determine its own location in two or three dimensions, visually display that location (12) , improve the accuracy of determination of its location by reference to an enhancing unit (13) and send a signal (8) to other units containing information as to its unique identity, its location and the status of its tamper device and receive similar signals from all other units.
In addition, in this second embodiment the unit worn by the person is able to receive a signal (19) from each of the static units and is able by comparative analysis to determine if its own location is outside the area defined by the line joining up the locations of the static units. It then sends a signal to a unit (2) worn by an authorised person (5) warning that the user has left the defined area. For purposes of illustration the authorised person is shown within the defined area but may be outside the defined area. There may be a multiple number of authorised persons but for purposes of illustration, only one authorised person is shown. As an example, the authorised person (5) may be a teacher and the user may be a school pupil for whom the teacher is responsible for. The static units may be situated to create a boundary within which the teacher can monitor the pupil. However, should the pupil stray outwith the boundary the teacher will be issued with an automatic warning which will allow him or her to locate and retrieve the pupil before he or she becomes lost. The warning signal is added to the information stream already being transmitted by the unit as described in the first embodiment.
The authorised party can respond to the warning signal and be directed by their own unit to the location, whether inside or outside the defined area, of the other wearer as previously described in the description of Figure 1.
The detection system is also capable of monitoring and evaluating the movement of a user, as illustrated graphically in Figure 3.
Each of the units described in embodiment 1 and embodiment 2 and designated as unit (1) in Figure 3 also has the capability to continuously store information about its location versus time. The unit also has an interface port (20) that can be connected to a computer (21) by the fitting of data transfer cable (22) . A software program (23) loaded on to the computer is able to analyse the movement of unit (1) over time and display that movement in sequence order or graphically on the computer screen (24) . This permits the movement of the unit and therefore the movement of its wearer to be evaluated and analysed by interested third parties. Whilst throughout all of the above descriptions reference is made to the units being used to locate people the invention can also be used to locate animals or inanimate objects in all the embodiments described.
It is also envisaged that the described invention could be used in a number of different embodiments. For example, the mobile units could be used in order to monitor queuing. For example, in an amusement park or similar visitor centres, units could be issued to visitors and used to monitor those visitors' movements. It will be appreciated that this could be used to provide useful information relating to which attractions are most popular with visitors or the length of time, which a visitor must wait at any one position.
Further modifications and improvements may be incorporated without departing from the scope of the invention herein intended.

Claims

1. A detection system for the determination, monitoring and reporting of the location of one or more users, wherein the system comprises a plurality of mobile units, wherein each unit has the capability to transmit information to and receive information from any other unit, and wherein each unit has a capability to direct its user to the location of another user without the requirement for verbal communication.
2. A mobile unit for use in the detection system of Claim 1, wherein said unit is capable of transmitting information relating to its unique identity and location to one or more identical unit, and wherein said unit is also capable of analysing information received from one or more identical units, in order to compare the location of the one or more identical units with its own location.
3. A mobile unit as claimed in Claim 2, which is hand- held.
4. A mobile unit as claimed in Claim 2, which is adapted to be worn or fitted to a user.
5. A mobile unit as ' claimed in any one of Claims 2-5, wherein information is transmitted using a radio signal.
6. A mobile unit as claimed in any one of Claims 2-5, which is waterproof.
7. A mobile unit as claimed in any one of Claims 2-5, which can determine its own location in two or three dimensions in space.
8. A mobile unit as claimed in Claim 7, which can improve the accuracy of its determination of its own location in two or three dimensions in space by reference to an enhancing unit.
9. A mobile unit as claimed in any one of Claims 2-8, which can transmit information to any or all of the other units in the detection system, wherein said information includes information regarding that unit's unique identity and location.
10. A mobile unit as claimed in any one of Claims 2-9, which may be associated with means for determining whether one or more of the other mobile units in the detection system has been tampered with or removed by an unauthorised user.
11. A mobile unit as claimed in any one Claims 2-9, having warning means to alert other users that one or more of the units in the detection system has been tampered or is being tampered with.
12. A mobile unit as claimed in any one of Claims 2-9, which has the capability to analyse information received from one or more of the other mobile units in the detection system, in order to determine the sending unit's unique identity, location and tamper status.
13. A mobile unit as claimed in any one of Claims 2-12, having the capability to allow a user to analyse the signal from other like units in the detection system at any particular time, or in response to a warning that the sending unit has been tampered with.
14. A mobile unit as claimed in any one of Claims 2-13, which has the capability to allow a user to select any one of the other units in the detection system for analysis.
15. A mobile unit as claimed in Claims 2-14, which can compare the location of a chosen mobile unit in the detection system to its own location.
16. A mobile unit as claimed in any one of Claims 2-15, which can display the distance between itself and one or more selected units in the detection system, and the direction in which a user should travel to reach the location of the one or more selected units.
17. A mobile unit as claimed in any one Claims 2-16, which can determine whether it is outside a defined area.
18. A mobile unit as claimed in any one of Claims 2-17, which can determine the outline of a defined area by reference to a multiple number of other units in the detection system, expressly positioned at static locations.
19. A mobile unit as claimed in any one of Claims 2-18, which can continuously store information regarding that unit's location at any given time and over a period of time.
20. A mobile unit as claimed in any one of Claims 2-19, which can be interfaced with a computer, in order to provide a analysis of the movement of any or all of the units in the detection system over time in sequence order or graphically.
PCT/GB2001/002386 2000-06-02 2001-05-30 Location system WO2001095278A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2001260461A AU2001260461A1 (en) 2000-06-02 2001-05-30 Location system

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0013289.4 2000-06-02
GB0013289A GB2362978A (en) 2000-06-02 2000-06-02 Location system

Publications (1)

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WO2001095278A1 true WO2001095278A1 (en) 2001-12-13

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PCT/GB2001/002386 WO2001095278A1 (en) 2000-06-02 2001-05-30 Location system

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US10321286B2 (en) 2015-05-29 2019-06-11 Verity Studios Ag Methods and systems for scheduling the transmission of localization signals and operating self-localizing apparatus
US10440533B2 (en) 2015-05-29 2019-10-08 Verity Studios Ag Methods and systems for scheduling the transmission of localization signals and operating self-localizing apparatus
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US9661472B2 (en) 2015-05-29 2017-05-23 Verity Studios Ag Methods and systems for scheduling the transmission of localization signals and operating self-localizing apparatus
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GB2362978A (en) 2001-12-05
GB0013289D0 (en) 2000-07-26
AU2001260461A1 (en) 2001-12-17

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