Patent ID: 8049617

Claim:
A tracking system comprising: a portable tracking device operable to be physically associated with a movable object of interest, the portable tracking device including, a transmitter operable to output electromagnetic signals at an output frequency corresponding to a first frequency range associated with communication with at least one relatively proximate stationary, geographically limited wireless transceiver of a dispersed plurality thereof, wherein each of the plurality has an identifiable fixed location in an associated tracking area, a receiver including an input operable to receive electromagnetically propagated signals along a first input frequency range corresponding to the first frequency range, the receiver further including an input operable to receive electromagnetically propagated signals along a second input frequency range unique to the first input frequency range, a data storage inclusive of an ID memory location operable to store identification data corresponding to the portable tracking device; the data storage further inclusive of a device status memory location operable to store status data corresponding to an operational status of the portable tracking device, the transmitter further operable to transmit signals representative of the identification data; and wherein the transmitter further operable to transmit signals representative of the device status.