Systems and methods for converting an electronic device into a tracking device

A method of converting an electronic device into a tracking device that is part of a system of tracking devices distributed throughout a geographic area to track signal emitting devices travelling through the geographic area, the method comprising:

• providing an electronic device, the electronic device positioned in the geographic area;
• communicatively coupling a converter with the electronic device, wherein the converter has a memory device with location tracking software stored thereon;
• uploading the tracking software from the converter to the electronic device so as to convert the electronic device into a converted tracking device having the tracking software, wherein the converted tracking device becomes part of the system of tracking devices distributed throughout the geographic area to track the signal emitting devices travelling through the geographic area;
• receiving, at the converted tracking device, unique identifiers corresponding to at least one of the signal emitting devices travelling through the geographic area, at least one of the unique identifiers having been previously received by at least one of the tracking devices of the system prior to being received at the converted tracking device, and the receipt of the unique identifier being indicative of a proximity of the converted tracking device to the signal emitting devices based on a range of signals upon which the unique identifier is received;
• and
• tracking, by the system of tracking devices distributed throughout the geographic area, the translocation of the signal emitting devices as the signal emitting devices travel through the geographic area based at least in part on the unique identifiers received at the converted tracking device and the proximity of the converted tracking device to the signal emitting devices determined by the range of the signals upon which the unique identifier is received at the converted tracking device from the signal emitting devices.