Patent ID: 7970534

Claim:
A handheld device, comprising: at least one mapping module; at least one tracking module interoperative with said at least one mapping module; at least one communications module interoperative with each of said at least one tracking module and said at least one mapping module; and at least two antennae communicatively connected via said at least one communications module to at least one central processing unit, at least one of said at least two antennae is suitable for communicating using at least two distinct communication modes, the at least two distinct communication modes includes at least two of an Iridium satellite communication mode, a general packet radio service (GPRS) communication mode, an emergency locating beacon, a global system for mobile communications (GSM) communication mode, a short message service (SMS) communication mode, or a 9-1-1 communication mode, the at least one communications module is configured to determine which communication mode from the at least two distinct communication modes to use based on a status of an asset collocated with the handheld device.