Wireless tracking and monitoring system

This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/DE2008/001218 filed Jul. 28, 2008, which designated the United States, and claims the benefit under 35 USC §119(a)-(d) of German Application No. 10 2007 037 180.4 filed Aug. 7, 2007, the entireties of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The invention relates to a wireless tracking and monitoring system.

WO 2003/023326 A1 discloses a wireless tracking and monitoring system having at least one mobile unit and at least one central unit, wherein each mobile unit has a communication component for communication with the central unit, wherein each mobile unit has a sensor, and wherein position finding can be carried out via a position finding system by at least the sensors.

The invention is based on the object of developing a wireless tracking and monitoring system, which allows quick, error-free and manipulation-proof location of mobile units and data communication with mobile units.

The wireless tracking and monitoring system according to the invention has at least one mobile unit which has a second communication component for communication with the central unit or with a target unit, wherein the first and the second communication components can be operated at the same time. This makes it possible to initiate a data transmission and/or data reception of the first communication component in each case via the second communication component, or to receive or transmit data in parallel with a communication that is taking place, on a further radio path. Data transfers or data requests can therefore be handled without any time delay via the second communication component, independently of any data transmission which is taking place via the first communication component. A data transfer via the second communication component takes place, for example, for configuration and/or for transmission of initial data for fast position finding, wherein the data is transmitted on an encrypted transmission path, which cannot be manipulated. Forced position transmission from the mobile unit to the central unit takes place at selected target units, wherein the position transmission is initiated by means of the second encrypted transmission, which cannot be manipulated and is independent of the transmission component for monitoring and tracking the moving mobile unit. The use of two communication components makes it possible to ensure that the mobile unit can be actuated at all times, since the data transmission to the central unit takes place exclusively via the first communication component. This leads to short reaction times and to the capability to track the mobile unit with minimal delay.

Transmission of exact position data to the mobile unit via the second communication component, always allows better position finding, by means of which the current satellite data can also be monitored.

The invention also provides for a key to be transmitted via the second communication component, by means of which data which has been transmitted or received via the first communication component can be encrypted or decrypted. This allows the security to be enhanced further, since no key for future actions, and which can be used for manipulation, need be stored in the mobile unit.

The invention also provides for a key to be transmitted via one of the communication components, in order to initiate a secure action on the transmission path of the other communication component. This likewise makes it considerably more difficult to manipulate the mobile unit.

Finally, the invention provides communication with the second communication component, which takes place via a short-range radio link. This results in particular manipulation security since the mobile unit can be manipulated only if this can be done from within a short distance of the mobile unit.

Further details of the invention will be described with reference to exemplary embodiments which are illustrated schematically in the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a wireless tracking and monitoring system; and

FIG. 2 shows a plan view, in the form of a further schematic illustration, of the wireless tracking and monitoring system.

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a wireless tracking and monitoring system 1 . The wireless tracking and monitoring system 1 has a central unit ZE, two target units Z 1 and Z 2 , two mobile units ME 1 and ME 2 , and a position finding system POS. The central unit ZE and the target units Z 1 and Z 2 are positioned physically separated from one another. The mobile units ME 1 and ME 2 can move freely and, for example, are linked to a person or a vehicle. The mobile unit ME 1 has two communication components K 1 and K 2 and two sensors S 1 and S 2 . The sensor S 1 is in the form of a so-called GPS receiver, and is used to receive satellite signals SG from the position finding system POS, which is in the form of the so-called GPS system. By way of example, the second sensor S 2 can be used to detect the ambient temperature. Data can be interchanged via the communication components K 1 and K 2 , with there being a bidirectional radio link between the communication component K 1 and the central unit ZE. The communication component K 2 of the mobile unit ME 1 is likewise linked for communication purposes to the central unit ZE in FIG. 1 . The dashed-line arrows indicate that a communication link to the target unit Z 1 is also possible, depending on the location of the mobile unit ME 1 . Whether the communication component K 2 can communicate, and with which, unit ZE, Z 1 and Z 2 is dependent on its current position, since the communication component K 2 for short-range radio links is, for example, in the form of an infrared radio link and/or a Bluetooth radio link. From the point of view of the communication component K 1 , transmission data SD 1 is transmitted to the central unit ZE, and received data ED 1 is received from the central unit ZE. From the point of view of the communication component K 2 , transmission data SD 2 is transmitted to the central unit ZE or to one of the target units Z 1 and Z 2 , and received data ED 2 is received from the central unit ZE or from one of the target units Z 1 or Z 2 . Initial data for fast position finding by means of the position finding system POS is configured and/or transmitted by the central unit ZE or by one of the target units Z 1 or Z 2 to the communication component K 2 . If the mobile unit ME 1 can be moved in transmission areas SZ 1 and SZ 2 , respectively, of the target units Z 1 and Z 2 (see FIG. 2 ), received data ED 2 can be transmitted to the communication component K 2 , for example causing the mobile unit ME 1 to transmit data relating to the route that has been traveled on as transmission data SD 1 to the central unit ZE. In order to protect the transmission, the invention provides, for example, for the target unit Z 1 to also transmit a key for encryption to mobile unit ME 1 for the transmission data SD 1 to the central unit ZE. The second mobile unit ME 2 is equipped in a corresponding manner to the first mobile unit ME 1 .

The invention is not restricted to the illustrated or described exemplary embodiments. In fact, it covers developments of the invention within the scope of the patent claims. In particular, it is envisaged that the wireless tracking and monitoring system will be used for tracking and monitoring the people working on a factory site.

1 Wireless tracking and monitoring system

ED 1 Received data of (K 1 )

ED 2 Received data of (K 2 )

K 1 First communication component

K 2 Second communication component

ME 1 Mobile unit

POS Position finding system

SD 1 Transmission data of (K 1 )

SD 2 Transmission data of (K 2 )

SG Satellite signal

SZ 1 Transmission area of Z 1

SZ 2 Transmission area of Z 2

S 1 , S 2 Sensor

ZE Central unit