Patent ID: 6515619
Filing Date: 2003-02-04
Classification: G01S,H04B,Y02D

Abstract:
For use in conjunction with a GPS satellite system and a two way satellite communication system, an object locating system comprising:a mobile unit physically connected to the object to be located, said mobile unit comprising a satellite communication transceiver capable of receiving and transmitting encoded signals, decoding means associated with said satellite communication transceiver for decoding a unique signal associated with said mobile unit and for generating an activation signal upon receipt of said unique signal, a GPS receiver, means for activating said GPS receiver in response to said activation signal so that said GPS receiver generates a current position signal representative of the position of said mobile unit, and means for connecting said current position signal as an input signal to said satellite communication transceiver so that said satellite communication transceiver transmits said position signal, wherein said connecting means comprises means for storing a position signal, means for comparing the current position signal with a previously stored position signal means for generating a difference signal representative thereof and for connecting said current position signal as an input signal to said satellite communication transceiver only when said difference signal exceeds a preset threshold, and means for storing the current position signal as said previously stored position signal, and a base station comprising means for selectively transmitting said unique signal to said communications satellite, means for receiving said position signal from said satellite communication transceiver, and means for creating a display representative of the location of said mobile unit.