# US 9,438,682 B2 · Personal monitoring using a remote timer

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- Number: US 9,438,682 B2
- Document ID: US9438682B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/933,952
- Filed: 2015-11-05
- Published: 2016-05-05
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2014-11-05
- Assignees: Real Agent Guard-IP, LLC
- Applicants: Real Agent Guard-IP, LLC
- Inventors: Justyn P. Hornor; Timothy S. Brasuell
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9438682B2

## CPC

- H04W 4/029: Location-based management or tracking services
- G06F 8/65: Updates (security arrangements therefor G06F21/57)
- G08B 21/02: Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
- G08B 21/0415: {detecting absence of activity per se}
- H04L 9/0861: {Generation of secret information including derivation or calculation of cryptographic keys or passwords}
- H04L 9/14: using a plurality of keys or algorithms
- H04L 9/30: Public key, i.e. encryption algorithm being computationally infeasible to invert or user's encryption keys not requiring secrecy
- H04L 9/32: including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system {or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials}
- H04L 9/3247: {involving digital signatures}
- H04L 9/3263: {involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements (network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823)}
- H04L 9/3265: {using certificate chains, trees or paths; Hierarchical trust model}
- H04L 12/2803: {Home automation networks}
- H04L 12/2814: {Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network (arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08)}
- H04L 12/2823: {Reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network (device-related reporting H04L43/065; arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00)}
- H04L 43/12: Network monitoring probes
- H04L 45/00: Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks (routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00)
- H04L 45/74: Address processing for routing
- H04L 49/254: {Centralised controller, i.e. arbitration or scheduling}
- H04L 61/00: Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
- H04L 63/061: {for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838)}
- H04L 63/083: {using passwords (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226)}
- H04L 67/10: in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network (software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46)
- H04L 67/12: specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
- H04L 67/34: {involving the movement of software or configuration parameters (network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416)}
- H04L 67/52: specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
- H04L 67/535: {Tracking the activity of the user (network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34)}
- H04L 69/165: Combined use of TCP and UDP protocols; selection criteria therefor
- H04L 69/22: Parsing or analysis of headers
- H04W 12/04: Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
- H04W 12/06: Authentication
- H04W 12/069: using certificates or pre-shared keys
- H04W 24/04: Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
- H04W 24/10: Scheduling measurement reports {; Arrangements for measurement reports}
- H04W 40/246: {Connectivity information discovery}
- H04W 52/0212: {managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is leader and terminal is follower}
- H04W 52/383: {power control in peer-to-peer links}
- H04W 60/00: Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
- H04W 72/53: based on regulatory allocation policies
- H04W 76/10: Connection setup
- H04W 76/14: Direct-mode setup
- H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
- H04W 88/02: Terminal devices
- G06F 11/00: Error detection; Error correction; Monitoring (error detection, correction or monitoring in information storage based on relative movement between record carrier and transducer G11B20/18; monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing G11B27/36; in static stores G11C29/00)
- G06F 11/0757: {by exceeding a time limit, i.e. time-out, e.g. watchdogs}
- H04L 12/28: characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks] (wireless communication networks H04W {; arrangements for dividing the transmission path H04W40/00})
- H04L 12/56: {Packet switching systems}
- H04L 43/00: Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
- H04L 61/5038: for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN]
- H04L 63/0823: {using certificates (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263)}
- H04L 2101/604: Address structures or formats
- H04L 2101/659: Internet protocol version 6 [IPv6] addresses
- H04M 7/0084: {Network monitoring; Error detection; Error recovery; Network testing}
- H04W 12/0471: Key exchange
- H04W 80/045: {involving different protocol versions, e.g. MIPv4 and MIPv6}
- H04W 84/18: Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
- H04W 88/04: adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
- H04W 88/06: adapted for operation in multiple networks {or having at least two operational modes}, e.g. multi-mode terminals
- Y02D 30/70: in wireless communication networks
- Y04S 40/18: Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08)
- Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE
- Y04S: SYSTEMS INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO POWER NETWORK OPERATION, COMMUNICATION OR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING THE ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION, MANAGEMENT OR USAGE, i.e. SMART GRIDS

## Abstract

Method and apparatus for monitoring the status and location of personnel using a remote timer. In some embodiments, a method includes logging in, through a network accessible device, a geo position of a subject to initiate a monitored session associated with the subject. A countdown timer of a remote server is initiated to denote a monitored time interval, the remote server in communication with the network accessible device over a network. A notification is generated and transmitted across the network to a monitoring device responsive to a conclusion of the monitored time interval.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A computer implemented method, comprising:
logging in, through executing a subject application (app) on a network accessible device, a geo position of a subject to initiate a monitored session associated with the subject;
initiating a countdown timer of a remote server in communication with the network accessible device over a network responsive to the logging in of the subject to denote a monitored time interval of the monitored session; and
generating a notification of a notification server which is communicated over the network to a monitoring device responsive to a conclusion of the monitored time interval;
generating a map that shows changes in the geo position of the subject during the monitored time interval;
determining whether the subject has logged out of the subject app to terminate the monitored time interval of the monitored session by an individual other than the subject using a device other than the network accessible device; and
if the subject has logged out of the subject app to terminate the monitored time interval of the monitored session by using an unauthorized personal identification (PID) value which provides a false indication that the subject has logged out of the subject app on the network accessible device, continuing to track changes in the geo position of the subject after the logging out of the subject until such time that the subject reinitializes a new log in session using the subject app on the network accessible device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the countdown timer forms a portion of a remote server, and wherein the remote server receives updated geo position data associated with the geo position of the network accessible device during the monitored time interval.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising using an application programming interface (API) key value to associate the network accessible device with the remote server.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising logging out, by the subject through the network accessible device responsive to the notification, to conclude the monitored session.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the subject enters a personal identification (PID) value into the network accessible device to conclude the monitored session.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting an exception condition during the monitored time interval and generating a second notification responsive to the detected exception condition.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the exception condition comprises failure on the part of the subject to enter a personal identification (PID) value at a predetermined time into the network accessible device.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the exception condition comprises an accelerometer reading of an accelerometer system of the network accessible device indicative of a change in acceleration state of the network accessible device above a selected threshold.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the exception condition comprises entry of a failsafe personal identification (PID) value by the subject into the network accessible device, wherein the entry of the failsafe PID value indicates a shutdown of the monitored session at the network accessible device while generating an alarm at the remote server.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the notification to a second network accessible device over the network of a monitor operative to monitor the safety of the subject.

### Claim 11

A system comprising:
a network accessible device comprising a memory that stores a subject application (app), and a programmable processor adapted to, upon execution of the subject app, operate to initiate a monitored session of a subject responsive to a user input to log the subject into the subject app;
a countdown server in communication with the network accessible device over a network and comprising a countdown timer that initiates a monitored time interval responsive to the user input to log the subject into the subject app; and
a notification server in communication with the countdown server which generates a notification which is displayed on a monitor of a monitoring device connected to the network accessible device over the network responsive to a conclusion of the monitored time interval;
wherein the monitoring device generates a map that shows changes in the geo position of the subject during the monitored time interval,
determines whether the subject has logged out of the subject app to terminate the monitored time interval of the monitored session by an individual other than the subject using a device other than the network accessible device, and
if the subject has logged out of the subject app to terminate the monitored time interval of the monitored session by using an unauthorized personal identification (PID) value which provides a false indication that the subject has logged out of the subject app on the network accessible device, continuing to track changes in the geo position of the subject after the logging out of the subject until such time that the subject reinitializes a new log in session using the subject app on the network accessible device.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the programmable processor of the network accessible device is further adapted to, responsive to execution of the subject app, facilitate logging out of the monitored session by the subject on the network accessible device.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the subject app is configured to require entry of a personal identification (PID) value into the network accessible device to conclude the monitored session.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least a selected one of the countdown server or the notification server stores, in a memory, geo position data associated with changes in a geo position of the network accessible device over the monitored time interval.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least a selected one of the countdown server or the notification server is further configured to detect an exception condition during the monitored time interval and to generate a second notification responsive to the detected exception condition.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the exception condition comprises an accelerometer reading of an accelerometer system of the network accessible device indicative of a change in acceleration state of the network accessible device above a selected threshold.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the exception condition comprises entry of a failsafe personal identification (PID) value by the subject into the network accessible device, wherein the entry of the failsafe PID value indicates a shutdown of the monitored session at the network accessible device while generating an alarm at the remote server.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the exception condition comprises failure on the part of the subject to enter a personal identification (PID) value at a predetermined time into the network accessible device.