Patent ID: 8797210

Claim:
A method for monitoring a remote tracking device using a monitoring center in a remote tracking system, the remote tracking device worn by a wearer and including a location determining mechanism, a wireless communication mechanism, and a processor, the method comprising: monitoring a status of the remote tracking device using the processor; generating location information about the location of the remote tracking device using the location determining mechanism; determining, at the remote tracking device, a reporting interval for sending the status and location information to the monitoring center; transmitting the status information and location information to the monitoring center at the reporting intervals using the wireless communication mechanism; comparing, at the remote tracking device, the location information to a set of one or more pre-programmed rules stored at the remote tracking device; and the remote tracking device automatically initiating a two-way voice communication between the remote tracking device and the monitoring center based on the remote tracking device determining that the location information indicates that the remote tracking device is in violation of at least one of the set of one or more pre-programmed rules because the remote tracking device has left an inclusion zone, the remote tracking device being enabled to receive a call initiated from the monitoring center and also being enabled to automatically initiate the voice communication in response to the result of the comparison of the location information to the set of one or more programmed rules stored at the remote tracking device, wherein the automatic initiation of the two-way communication includes the remote tracking device using the cellular transceiver to place a call to the monitoring center by dialing a telephone number associated with the monitoring center.