Method and apparatus for a wireless tether system

Abstract

Method and apparatus to provide a wireless tether system is described. In one embodiment, one or more wireless tether apparatuses are in wireless communication with one or more base units. A wireless tether apparatus may be configured such that when separated from a base unit greater than a predetermined distance, such a wireless tether apparatus provides information to the user of the wireless tether apparatus to aid a user such as a human, animal, or machine in finding their way back to a desired location. A predetermined distance may be configured to change over time to accommodate different tether distance requirements at different times, e.g., closer to a home location at night and further away from the home location during the day. In one aspect, wireless tether apparatuses and base units communicate using a plurality of different communication modes such that when one mode fails other modes are utilized to reestablish a connection therebetween. In another aspect of the present invention, a plurality of wireless tether apparatuses are wirelessly tethered together such that individual proximities are maintained but still allow a plurality of wireless tether apparatus users to move about in an expanded range. In one aspect, a wireless tether system is employed such that one or more wireless tether apparatuses may be dynamically assigned to a plurality of base stations to allow changes to wireless tether apparatus locations and distances. In another aspect, when wireless tether apparatuses leave a predetermined tether distance, one or more alerts may be broadcast from the wireless tether apparatuses indicative thereof to other wireless signal receivers in proximity thereto not normally used as wireless tether signal receivers Users are located to determine if the user is within, or has departed from at least one bounded area established about a geographic location. The bounded area may be defined by setting one or more distance boundaries from the geographic location. A base station may monitor the location of a wireless device in proximity of the user. If the wireless device departs from a bounded area, a message containing information configured to be understandable and convey meaning to the user and/or a third-party is sent to the wireless device and/or the third-party. For example, the message may be configured to communicate to the user and/or third-party information pertaining to the departure from the bounded area, location information, navigation directions, instructions, etc. The message sent may include text and/or other symbols.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/336,109, entitled “Method And Apparatus For A Wireless Tether System” filed Jan. 20, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,312,711,

While only three perimeters are shown, it is contemplated that virtually any number of communication pairs of wireless tether receivers 100RA-RD may be used to create a virtually unlimited overall distance. Such a chain-link mode is especially useful in rescue missions where rescuers must maintain a distance from one another in a chain. In the case where the distance between each communicating pair of wireless tether receivers 100RA-RD is important, perimeters PA-C may be configured with different perimeters such as shown in FIG. 3, to provide preset distance thresholds. For example, if each communicating pair had an inner perimeter and outer perimeter threshold, an alert may be provided by a wireless tether receiver 100RA-RD when a rescuer moves too close or too far from another rescuer and violates either perimeter threshold.

Illustratively, if one or more communicating pair of wireless tether receivers 100RA-RD move outside their associated perimeters PA-C instructions will be provided to a user. For example as illustrated in FIG. 4, if wireless tether receiver 100RD moves beyond perimeter PC, an alert will be provided to user of wireless tether receiver 100RD.

FIG. 5 is a high-level operational illustration of one embodiment of a wireless tether system 500 in a group-link configuration in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 5, one or more wireless tether receivers 100RB-RD are in communication with each other forming a wireless tether group 502. Wireless tether group 502 may communicate via one or more wireless tether receivers 100RB-RD to wireless tether transmitter 100AT. Illustratively, wireless tether transmitter 100AT is in communication with wireless tether group 502 via tether signal 504. In one aspect, group-link configuration 500 may be configured such that wireless tether receivers 100RB-RD are configured to only receive tether signals from wireless tether group 502 and wireless tether transmitter 100AT, or may be configured for two-way communication to each other and wireless tether transmitter 100AT.

In this operational illustration, wireless tether group 502 has at least one predetermined group perimeter P-G from wireless tether transmitter 100AT. In this mode, there are at least two constraints that are implemented to keep wireless tether group 502 together and within such a group perimeter P-G; at least one wireless tether receiver 100RB-RD must be within a group perimeter P-G, and each wireless tether receiver 100RB-RD must be within a predetermined perimeter relative one another. In one aspect, each wireless tether 100 has their own perimeter associated with one or more other wireless tethers 100 defining such a wireless tether group 502. In one operational aspect, wireless tether receiver 100RB is in communication with wireless tether receiver 100RC via tether signal 506, and wireless tether receiver 100RC is in communication with wireless receiver 100RD via tether signal 508. Illustratively, the maximum distance apart between wireless tether receiver 100RB and wireless tether receiver 100RC is P-B. The maximum distance apart between wireless tether receiver 100RC and wireless tether receiver 100RD is P-C. As long as at least one wireless tether receiver 100RB-RD remain within P-G wireless tether group 502 may move about freely within their respective perimeters P-B and P-D. The maximum distance apart that the group may stray is similar to chain-link mode when wireless tether receivers 100RB-RD are about in a straight-line relative wireless tether transmitter 100AT.

For the case of a limited intellect being such as an animal, the wireless tether group 502 may be used to herd animals. For example, consider the case where sheep are wandering together in a herd. A directional tone or sound could be used to direct such herd of sheep within a predetermined group perimeter P-G. In addition, the group perimeter P-G may be adjusted over time using time mode described herein to slowly corral sheep within a final group perimeter P-G. In one aspect, it is contemplated that animals such as sheep could be moved from place to place by assigning a different wireless tether transmitter 100AT-1 to wireless tether group 502. Thus, in this a group-link configuration 500 wireless tether receivers 100RB-RD may act as “wireless” sheep dogs helping to dynamically herd animals into a plurality of predetermined grazing locations while maintaining a predetermined herd formation size.

In one aspect, in a group communication configuration, where at least one wireless tether receivers 100RB-RD is within a group perimeter P-G, group status may be shared by some or all members of the wireless tether group 502. In this case, if a member of wireless tether group 502 goes beyond its predetermined perimeter, e.g., P-B, members of wireless tether group 502 are alerted and the straying member of wireless tether group 502 may be given instructions such as “return to the group”. In base station communication configuration where at least one wireless tether receivers 100RB-RD is within group perimeter P-G, the status of each wireless tether receivers 100RB-RD of wireless tether group 502 is relayed from the wireless tether receivers 100RB-RD outside P-G though the at least one wireless tether receivers 100RB-RD within group perimeter P-G. In such a mode, base station, i.e., wireless tether transmitter 100AT, may be alerted that a member of wireless tether group 502 is outside its predefined perimeter. In this case, such a straying member may be giving similar instructions as above such as “return to the group”.

In summary, group-link configuration 500 is used to assign an overall group perimeter P-G to a group of wireless tether receivers 100RB-RD where each member of wireless tether group 502 is also required to maintain a preset distance from one or more members of wireless tether group 502, e.g., P-B. Such a mode of operation may be especially useful when a group such as travelers, for example, need to be kept together as they travel from a base area such as a base camp. This mode may also be useful to keep a herd of animals together and moving a desired direction.

FIG. 6 is flow diagram of one embodiment of a method 600 of wirelessly tethering devices together in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention. Method 600 is entered into when for example two or more wireless tether devices 100 are establishing a communication link. At 606, method 600 determines if a base mode has been set to establish one or more base stations as illustrated in FIG. 3 for example. If a base mode is not set, then at 614 link-mode is set to establish a link between tether devices such as shown in FIG. 4 and method 600 proceeds to 610. If at 606, a base mode is set then at 610 a check for one-way communication is made. If communication has been set to one way then method 600 proceeds to 622 described below. If, however, two-way communication is required, then at 610 method 600 moves to 618 and sets two-way communication mode.

At 622, communication thresholds are established. For example, for a wireless tether receiver configuration, communication detection would be the reception of one or more wireless tether signals. For two-way communication, communication detection may include detecting corresponding two-way communication using techniques such as handshake protocols, and the like. At 624, distance thresholds are checked, i.e. distance perimeters. If threshold is maintained, then method 600 returns to 622. If however, at least one distance threshold is not maintained, then at 626 method 600 attempts to determine if at least one perimeter threshold has been exceeded, or if communication has been compromised. Distance thresholds may be determined in a number of ways such as signal strength, Doppler, pulse modulation time differential, phase shifts, and other distance determining methods as are known in the art. Illustratively, as described above, communication may be tested and re-established in a plurality of ways. For example, if tether signals are lost, signal scanning as described above may be used to re-establish a signal connection. At 630, re-establishment of one or more distance thresholds is checked. If one or more distance thresholds are re-established, method 600 proceeds to 622. If one or more distance thresholds are not re-established then method 600 proceeds to 634. At 634, information is provided in response to the inability to reestablish distance threshold. For example, a user moves beyond a predefined perimeter from a base unit (e.g., see FIG. 3, wireless tether receiver 100RD), a signal may be given to the user from the wireless tether receiver 100 indicative thereof. As tether may be terminated between communicating devices, tether termination is checked for at 638. If tether termination has occurred, then method 600 moves to 642 and ends. If however, tether was not terminated then method 600 proceeds to 622.

While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.

Claims

1. A method of utilizing a wireless tether, the method comprising:

determining when an apparatus used to wirelessly tether a being or a machine in proximity thereof to a location has exceeded at least one distance threshold from the location; and

when the apparatus exceeds the at least one distance threshold, providing an alert to the being, or the machine, or another party in proximity thereof, wherein the alert is configured to provide instruction meaningful to the being, or the machine, or the other party, on how to respond to the at least one distance threshold being exceeded.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a portable device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the location comprises a geographic location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the instruction comprises information configured to be understandable to the being intellect or to the machine.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the instruction comprises information conveyed using images, symbols, sound, vibration, light, and combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the instruction comprises information provided by a transmitter operated by a second party.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising after a predetermined time has elapsed after exceeding the at least one distance threshold, providing further instruction to the being, or the machine, or other party.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining after a predetermined time has elapsed if the instruction has been followed by the being, or the machine, or the other party, or a third party.

9. A method of providing at least one wireless boundary about a geographic location, the method comprising:

determine a distance of a position location device from a geographic location; and

when the position location device has exceeded a first distance from the geographic location, and after a predetermined time has elapsed after the position location device exceeded the first distance, providing an instructional alert to a being or machine in proximity of and movable with the position location device, wherein the instructional alert is configured to instruct the being, the machine, or another party in proximity of the position location device how to respond to exceeding the first distance.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the instructional alert comprises intellectually meaningful instructions configured to inform the being or the machine that the position location device has exceeded the first distance, and inform the being or the machine how to move to within the first distance or to another geographic location.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the intellectually meaningful information comprises instructions conveyed using at least one of symbols, sound, vibration light, and combinations thereof.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the instructional alert comprises information received from a transmitter operated by a second party from another geographic location.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the instructional alert comprises information outputted from an output device in proximity of the being, the machine, or to the other party.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the first location comprises a movable second position location device configured to form a wireless tether with the first position location device and establish the geographic location.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a set of code modules which when executed by a processor of a computer system cause the processor to operate a wireless tether, the computer-readable medium comprising:

code for determining when an apparatus used to wirelessly tether a being or a machine in proximity thereof to a location has exceeded at least one distance threshold from the location; and

when the apparatus exceeds the at least one distance threshold, code for providing an alert to the being, or the machine, or another party in proximity thereof wherein the alert is configured to provide instruction meaningful to the being, or the machine, or the other party, on how to respond to the at least one distance threshold being exceeded.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the apparatus comprises a portable device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the location comprises a geographic location.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising code for transmitting an emergency wireless signal over at least one wireless communication channel when the apparatus remains beyond the at least one distance threshold for a predetermined time.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising after a predetermined time has elapsed after exceeding the at least one distance threshold, code for providing further instruction to the being, or the machine, or the other party.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising code for determining after a predetermined time has elapsed if the instruction has been followed by the being, or the machine, or the other party, or a third party.