Multi-user global position tracking system and method

A computerized system for determining the location of a portable location unit wherein a system subscriber maintains a remote computer terminal, said system comprising:

• a web host connected to a wide area web network, said web host having a computer readable medium;
• a location unit for being carried by one of an individual and other moving object for calculating the location of the unit at any given time and transmitting a low power digital location data packet having location data, wherein the data packet includes only protocol data, a personal code number as an identifier, and GPS data, including latitude and longitude;
• and
• a computer program having instructions embodied in computer readable code residing on said web host for receiving a tracking request from the subscriber, transmitting a tracking call to said location unit, receiving back the low power digital location data packet having location data from said location unit representing the current position of the unit automatically in response to said tracking request, and transmitting the location data regarding the current position of the unit to said subscriber whereby the location of the unit is displayed at the subscriber's terminal.

A system for determining the geographical location of a portable location unit carried by one of an individual and other moving object by a system subscriber to whom the location unit is assigned wherein said location unit calculates the location of the unit at any given time, wherein said location unit includes a processor and transmitter to transmit a low power digital location data packet having location data, and a memory for storing a plurality of previous position readings, said processor operative for automatically retrieving position readings stored in memory upon receipt of a tracking request, said system comprising:

• a web host connected to a wide area web network, said web host having a computer readable medium;
• said web host being accessible by the subscriber from a remote computer terminal;
• a computer program residing on said web host for receiving a tracking request from the subscriber and transmitting a tracking call to the location unit;
• and
• said computer program including instructions embodied in computer readable code for automatically transmitting said tracking call, receiving the lower power digital location data packet having location data, including retrieved position readings stored in memory, from the location unit in response to said tracking call, and transmitting location data regarding the current position of the unit to the subscriber's terminal where the current location of the unit is displayed and a prior path or track of the location unit.

A method of locating a portable location unit carried by one of an individual and, other moving object by system subscribers having a computer terminals with a display, said method comprising:

• providing a web host connectable to a plurality of the subscriber's computer terminals concurrently;
• providing a plurality of location units assigned to respective system subscribers;
• receiving a tracking request at said web host initiated at one of the subscriber's terminal seeking the present location of the assigned location unit;
• transmitting a tracking call to the location unit whose location is desired in response to receiving said tracking request;
• receiving a low power digital location data packet having location, wherein the data packet includes only protocol data, a personal code number as an identifier, and GPS data, including latitude and longitude, data at said web host from the location unit representing the current location of the unit in response to said tracking call;
• and
• transmitting said location data to the computer terminal of the subscriber for display of the current location of the unit on the subscriber's terminal display.

A method of locating a portable location unit carried by one of an individual and other moving object, said method comprising:

• establishing a subscription to a web host accessible from a subscriber's computer terminal;
• assigning a location unit to the subscriber wherein said location unit includes a processor and transmitter operable for transmitting a low power digital location data packet having location data, and a memory for storing a plurality of previous position readings, said processor operative for automatically retrieving position readings stored in memory upon receipt of a tracking request;
• receiving a tracking request initiated at said subscriber's terminal at said web host whereby a tracking call is transmitted from said web host to the location unit assigned to the subscriber, and a low power digital packet having location data representing the location of the vehicle is received from the location unit by said web host;
• and
• transmitting said location data, including retrieved position readings stored in memory to said subscriber's terminal so that the location of the unit may be displayed on the subscriber's terminal display or a prior path or track of the location unit.

In an Internet based system for tracking the location of one of an individual and other moving object wherein the system includes a web host and a system subscriber who maintains a remote subscriber computer terminal, a portable location unit comprising:

• an enclosure;
• a GPS location chip carried within the enclosure for receiving raw Geo-position information;
• a processor included in said location unit for automatically processing said raw Geo-position information to generate a low power digital location data packet which includes protocol data, a personal code number as an identifier, and GPS location data in response to a tracking call;
• a low power transceiver receiving the tracking call from the web host for transmitting said low power digital location data packet to said web host, said low power transceiver having a capacity for transmitting only digital data without any audio component;
• a processor controlling said transceiver to transmit said location data packet in response to automatically answering said tracking call from said web host;
• and
• a power supply for supplying power to said processor and low power transceiver.