Portable Position Determining Device

A system for locating an animate object beyond a designated area, comprising:

• a wireless bidirectional communication system;
• a first transceiver operable as a base station in said communication system to receive and display location information and transmit command signals;
• and
• a locating device enclosed in a housing configured to be attached to said animate object and operable as a mobile station in said communication system to respond to said commands and, upon activation, to automatically obtain location information and transmit said location information to said first transceiver, said locating device further comprising:
• a controller having an input for location data and a first communication port;
• a satellite navigation system receiver coupled to a first antenna and having a location data output coupled to said location data input of said controller;
• and
• a second transceiver coupled to a second antenna for receiving and transmitting communications between said locating device and said first transceiver and having a second communication port coupled to said first communication port of said controller, and,
• a data entry device operatively associated with said base station for enabling entry of said commands, data or information related to locating said mobile object beyond said designated area, said commands, data or information communicated via said first transceiver to said controller,
• wherein said controller is automatically activated, in response to a received command signal, to obtain location information of said animate object;
• and, transmit, via said second transceiver device, said location information to said first transceiver when a location of said animate object is determined to exceed said designated area.

A method for locating an animate object beyond a designated area, comprising:

• providing a first transceiver device operable as a base station in a wireless bidirectional communication system, said base station for receiving and displaying location information and transmitting commands;
• and
• attaching, to said animate object, a locating device enclosed in a housing configured and operable as a mobile station in said communication system to respond to said commands,
• said locating device further comprising:
• a controller having an input for location data and a first communication port;
• a satellite navigation system receiver coupled to a first antenna and having a location data output coupled to said location data input of said controller;
• and
• a second transceiver coupled to a second antenna for receiving and transmitting communications between said locating device and said first transceiver and having a second communication port coupled to said first communication port of said controller, and,
• entering, via a data entry device operatively associated with said base station, commands, data or information related to locating said mobile object beyond said designated area;
• and,
• communicating to said controller, via said first transceiver device and said communication system, said commands, data or information related to locating said mobile object beyond said designated area;
• and,
• automatically activating said controller, in response to a received command signal, to obtain location information of said animate object;
• and,
• automatically transmitting, via said second transceiver device, said location information to said first transceiver when a location of said animate object is determined to exceed said designated area.