# US 12,762,939 B2 · Distributed security system using position tracking > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,762,939 B2 - Document ID: US12762939B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/654,496 - Filed: 2024-05-03 - Published: 2024-08-22 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2016-11-29 - Applicants: Jerry M. Miniard - Inventors: Jerry M. Miniard - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12762939B2 ## CPC - G08B 21/0227: {System arrangements with a plurality of child units} - G08B 21/0261: {System arrangements wherein the object is to detect trespassing over a fixed physical boundary, e.g. the end of a garden} - H04W 4/023: {using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds} - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Systems, methods, and computer program products for securing a device or an asset attached thereto. The positions of a plurality of devices are monitored, and based on the positions, a determination is made as to whether a threshold condition has been violated. If the threshold condition has been violated, a notification signal is transmitted from a monitored device to one or more of the other devices to alert a responder that the monitored device is at risk of being lost. In response to the threshold condition being violated, the monitored device may also record and/or transmit data for display to the responder to help prevent the loss, or facilitate the recovery of the monitored device and/or an asset attached to the monitored device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: a first device that is part of a group of devices and is configured to: determine at least one of a position, a velocity, an acceleration, and an orientation of the first device, determine a distance between the first device and a next closest device in the group of devices, determine if the at least one of the position, the velocity, the acceleration, and the orientation of the first device causes a violation of a threshold condition that includes the distance between the first device and the next closest device exceeding a threshold distance, and in response to the at least one of the position, the velocity, the acceleration, and the orientation of the first device causing the violation of the threshold condition, transmit a notification signal; and a second device that is part of the group of devices and is in communication with the first device and configured to: receive the notification signal, and generate an alert signal in response to receiving the notification signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein: the first device determines a distance between the first device and a center of gravity of the group of devices, and violating the threshold condition includes the distance between the first device and the center of gravity of the group of devices exceeding a maximum distance. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein: the first device determines the acceleration of the first device, and the violation of the threshold condition includes detecting an acceleration profile of the first device that matches the acceleration profile of a dropped device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein: the first device determines a distance between the first device and a predetermined route, and violating the threshold condition includes the distance between the first device and the predetermined route exceeding a threshold distance. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein: the first device determines a distance between the first device and a waypoint of a predetermined route, violating the threshold condition includes the distance between the first device and the waypoint exceeding a threshold distance, and the threshold distance depends on one or more of a time of day, an estimated time of arrival, and an estimated time of departure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first device is further configured to: in response to receiving an input from a user, enter into a stay mode, and while in the stay mode, violating the threshold condition includes detecting movement of the first device away from a current position of the first device. ### Claim 7 A method, comprising: determining at least one of a position, a velocity, an acceleration, and an orientation of a first device that is part of a group of devices including a second device; determining a distance between the first device and a next closest device in the group of devices, determining if the at least one of the position, the velocity, the acceleration, and the orientation of the first device causes a violation of a threshold condition that includes the distance between the first device and the next closest device exceeding a threshold distance; in response to the at least one of the position, the velocity, the acceleration, and the orientation of the first device causing the violation of the threshold condition, transmitting a notification signal; receiving the notification signal at the second device; and generating an alert signal in response to receiving the notification signal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising determining a distance between the first device and a center of gravity of the group of devices; determining if the distance between the first device and the center of gravity of the group of devices exceeds a maximum distance; and determining the threshold condition has been violated if the distance between the first device and the center of gravity of the group of devices exceeds the maximum distance. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising: determining the acceleration of the first device; comparing the acceleration of the first device to an acceleration profile of a dropped device; and determining the threshold condition has been violated if the acceleration of the first device matches the acceleration profile of the dropped device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising: determining a distance between the first device and a predetermined route; and determining the threshold condition has been violated if the distance between the first device and the predetermined route exceeds a threshold distance. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising: determining a distance between the first device and a waypoint of a predetermined route; and determining the threshold condition has been violated in response to the distance between the first device and the waypoint exceeding a threshold distance, wherein the threshold distance depends on one or more of a time of day, an estimated time of arrival, and an estimated time of departure. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising: in response to receiving an input from a user, causing the first device to enter into a stay mode at a current position of the first device; and while in the stay mode, determining the threshold condition has been violated in response to detecting movement of the first device away from the current position. ### Claim 13 A computer program product, comprising: a non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing program code that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to: determine at least one of a position, a velocity, an acceleration, and an orientation of a first device that is part of a group of devices including a second device; determine a distance between the first device and a next closest device in the group of devices; determine if the at least one of the position, the velocity, the acceleration, and the orientation of the first device causes a violation of a threshold condition that includes the distance between the first device and the next closest device exceeding a threshold distance; in response to the at least one of the position, the velocity, the acceleration, and the orientation of the first device causing the violation of the threshold condition, transmit a notification signal; receive the notification signal at the second device; and generate an alert signal in response to receiving the notification signal.