Method and apparatus for enhanced privacy while tracking mobile workers
AssigneeOmnitracs, LLC
InventorThomas Doyle
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Abstract
A wireless communication device transmits location information associated with a mobile worker at a first interval when the worker is assigned to a work task. When the worker is not working on the work task, the wireless communication device does not transmit location information, or transmits the location information less persistently. In this manner, business value of tracking mobile worker location is achieved while also allowing for enhanced privacy for the mobile worker when not working on a work task.
Claims19
A method for tracking the location of a mobile worker, comprising:
- providing the worker with a wireless communication device having a location detection component;
- determining that the worker is assigned to be working on a work task;
- tracking, at a first periodic interval, the location of the wireless communication device when the worker is assigned to be working on a work task;
- determining that the worker is not assigned to be working on a work task;
- and
- discontinuing tracking the location of the wireless communication device at the first periodic interval when the worker is not assigned to be working on a work task.
A wireless communication device, comprising:
- a wireless transmitter/receiver component operable to send/receive signals from a wireless base station, the received signals modulated to include task information related to at least one work task, the wireless transmitter/receiver further being operable to demodulate the received signals and to output the task information;
- a GPS receiver operable to determine a location of the wireless communication device and output location information;
- and
- a control processor coupled to the wireless transmitter/receiver and the GPS receiver, and operable to receive the task information and the location information, and further operable to periodically provide the location information to the transmitter/receiver to be modulated and transmitted to the wireless base station when the task information indicates an assignment to a work task.
A tangible data storage medium comprising executable data capable of causing a programmable device to perform:
- determining that a worker is assigned to be working on a work task;
- transmitting location information related to the worker at a first periodic interval when the worker is assigned to be working on the work task;
- and
- discontinuing said transmitting when it is determined that the worker is no longer assigned to be working on the work task.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.