Patent ID: 7932812

Claim:
A wide area object tracking system comprising: at least one primary base station and a pair of secondary base stations; each of said pair of secondary base stations being so coupled to said primary base station as to define a tag detecting cell; each of said primary and two secondary base stations being configured to receive a tag signal broadcast from a tag attached to an object to be tracked, yielding three received signals indicative of the location of said tag within said cell; whereby a plurality of overlapping said tag detecting cells in a given space would allow tracking objects at any place within said given space; a central server coupled to said at least one primary base station; and a tag recovery apparatus coupled to said central server wherein said tag recovery apparatus includes a device to input a tag unlocking code, a tag depository compartment for receiving tags, and a guarantee ticket distributor to provide a guarantee ticket in exchange for a tag provided in said tag depository compartment.