Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – With particular coupling link
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-18
2001-06-12
Swann, Glen (Department: 2736)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
With particular coupling link
C340S572800, C340S870030, C340S989000, C340S990000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06246323
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method for attaching a tracking device to a target vehicle (“tagging” it) from a distance and monitoring the location of the target vehicle after it has been tagged. The present invention includes a tracking device that when launched will adhere to the target vehicle and emit a tracking signal enabling the monitoring of the tagged target vehicle's location, and a system for tagging a target vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various law enforcement agencies engage in the pursuit of vehicles. Although the majority of drivers cooperate with law enforcement, on many occasions the drivers refuse to do so, and attempt to escape from authorities. These drivers are often chased by authorities attempting to subdue them at high speeds (“hot pursuit”). Although the reasons for fleeing may vary, most often these hot pursuits involve tracking of vehicles which may have been, for example, used in the commission of a crime, may have been stolen, whose occupants may have been engaged in criminal activity and are fleeing a crime scene, etc. A major problem associated with law enforcement's hot pursuit of fleeing vehicles is the risk of injury to police personnel involved in the chase, risk to the occupants of the fleeing vehicle, and more importantly, the risk of injury to the public because these hot pursuits are occurring on public streets and highways. The newsmedia frequently report about individuals who have been killed or injured when they or a vehicle they were in was struck by either a fleeing vehicle, or by the pursuing law enforcement vehicle.
Numerous law enforcement vehicles may simultaneously be pursuing the same vehicle, and they are informed by radio or similar means of communication of the fleeing vehicle's position by the observations of personnel in a pursuing vehicle. A helicopter or other aircraft may monitor the fleeing vehicle's location in some instances and report the location to pursuit vehicles on the ground. A limitation of visual observation, however, is that the fleeing vehicle may be lost if it gets out of sight of the tracking vehicle, the weather is bad and there is poor visibility, or at night.
One product currently being sold under the trademark of LoJack (registered trademark of LoJack Corporation, Dedham, Mass.) does enable police departments which are equipped with their proprietary tracking computers to monitor the location of a vehicle. A transmitter hidden within a vehicle is activated by a radio signal when the vehicle owner reports the vehicle to the police as being stolen. The transmitter then emits a tracking signal which is monitored. This system is limited to vehicles which have been equipped with the proprietary transmitter. Police pursuing a stolen car without this system, or out of the system's coverage area, must still rely on visual contact.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need to minimize the risk of injury to the public and individuals involved in police pursuits. By reducing the need for constant visual contact between the target vehicle and the pursuit vehicles, this risk can be reduced.
The present invention provides a method and device to “tag” a fleeing or “target” vehicle by attaching a tracking device to it from a distance and then monitor the location of that target vehicle without constant visual contact, thereby minimizing the risk to bystanders and the individuals involved in the pursuit.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of “tagging” a target vehicle by attaching a tracking device to it from a distance and then monitor the location of that target vehicle.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that will cause the attachment to or tagging of a vehicle with a tracking device, to enable the vehicle to be tracked.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tracking device that is capable of being attached to or tagging a target vehicle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device that will launch a tracking device from a pursuing vehicle.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a handheld device that will launch a tracking device towards a vehicle.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a system to tag a vehicle with a tracking device and to track the vehicle tagged with the tracking device.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a tracking system whereby the tagged vehicle can be tracked by a plurality of mobile pursuit vehicles.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a tracking system whereby the tagged vehicle can be tracked by personnel at a base station.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a means for keeping the tracking device carrier at a temperature suitable for attachment to a vehicle.
The present invention is a method and system for tagging a target vehicle. The method comprises the steps of sighting the target vehicle, launching a tracking device towards the target vehicle, the tracking device having a carrier and a means for tracking, the means for tracking contained within the carrier; attaching the carrier to the target vehicle, the tracking device within the carrier being attached to the target vehicle, thereby tagging the target vehicle; and causing a tracking signal to be emitted from the means for tracking. The tracking signal is then received, converted into an image of the tagged target vehicle, and then displayed on a display means, the image representing the location of the tagged target vehicle.
The tagging system comprises a tracking device, a launching device, a receiving device and a monitor to display the position of the target vehicle. The tracking device comprises a tracking chip contained in a pliable carrier, and is stored in and launched from a housing mounted in a pursuit vehicle's grill. The launching device includes a firing pad slidably retained within the housing and spring mounted to housing rear end. Pad forks in communication with a solenoid retain the firing pad near the housing rear end until two switches in the pursuit vehicle are sequentially activated, whereupon the tracking device emits a tracking signal, the solenoid is activated, releasing pad forks and thereby launching the tracking device towards the target vehicle. The tracking device is in free flight until it impacts (“tags”) the surface of the fleeing vehicle, to which it adheres by means of carrier. The tagged vehicle thus emits a tracking signal which represents the location of the tagged vehicle, which is received by the receiving device and appears as an image on a monitor within the pursuit vehicle. The system can work with a Global Positioning Satellite system or similar navigational or communications satellites. The present invention reduces the need to maintain constant visual contact, and thereby the risk of injury to the public and parties involved in the hot pursuit of a fleeing vehicle.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5682133 (1997-10-01), Johnson et al.
Appelbaum Benjamin
Law Office of Mitchell P. Novick
Swann Glen
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