Patent Liability Analysis -Krithika Iyer Autonomous Rescue Vehicle Ruiyang Lin Vipul Bhat Julia Liston Krithika Iyer

Project Overview ARV is a prototype of a robot intended to find a lost person and lead him or her back to a safe location :  GPS to track the lost person and the robot  Transmit location information using RF signals  PWM controlled DC motors to drive the vehicle  Ultrasonic range finders to find the distance to the nearest obstacle and avoid it

Patent #1  Systems and methods for using gps tracking data  United States Patent A1  Filing Date: November 21, 2011  Abstract:  GPS tracking unit secured to a person or asset that’s uses a GPS tracking device.  When the asset/person moves out of an predetermined area, alert signal is sent.

Patent #1: Literal Infringement ClaimsARV and/or Rescue-point transceiver A location tracking system comprising a location tracking device configured to transmit location information through a network communication device. The rescue point transceiver tracks the location of the lost person and transmits the information to the ARV using RF module. The location tracking device comprises a global positioning system (GPS) device. ARV and rescue point transceiver both use GPS (Seems Obvious) A location tracking system wherein the system further comprises a device configured to interrupt operation of a vehicle based on a response to location information programmed in the management system. ARV is guided (not interrupted) by the location information received

Patent #2  Robot having an obstacle detection unit and method of controlling the same  United States Patent  Filing Date: October 13, 2009  Abstract:  A robot that includes a navigation mechanism comprising of obstacle detection.  The robot includes a main body, a driving unit, an auxiliary body, and a control unit.  The robot is driven so as to maintain a predetermined distance to the obstacle

Patent #2: Doctrine of Equivalents ClaimsARV The robot comprises a distance detection unit which detects a distance between an outside surface of the main/ auxiliary body and the obstacle. ARV uses ultrasonic sensors to detect the distance to the nearest obstacle. The robot has a distance detection unit to detect a distance from an obstacle located in front of the main body and a second distance detection unit to detect a distance from an obstacle located beside the main body. ARV uses three ultrasonic sensors that one that detects the obstacle in front of it and the other two to detect the obstacle at an angle beside it. The control unit controls the robot such that the robot changes its direction of movement when the obstacle is detected in front of the main body such that the robot maintains a predetermined distance from the obstacle ARV changes its direction of motion to avoid the obstacle.

Patent #3  Portable Tracking/ Location System, Method, And Application  United States Patent 2011/ A1  Filing Date: February 1, 2011  Abstract:  A method to track any device like smartphone equipped with RF communication link  A mechanism to transmit location information using RF like xbee(zigbee)

Patent #3: Literal Infringement ClaimsARV and/or Rescue-point transceiver A tracking system that comprises of a the tracked device comprises a position determination sub-system and a tracked radio transmitter. The rescue point transceiver consist of a GPS (location tracking subsystem) and and RF transmitter. The base station communicates with the RF receiver through data communication port. ARV uses UART. The tracked radio transmitter transmits the positional information to the base radio receiver in Xbee band standard ARV and rescue point transmitter use Xbee band standard. Tracked device is sized and shaped to be small and light enough to be attached to a child or household pet. Seems Obvious.

Actions Recommended  Patent #1 is about transmitting location information using a network communication device  Vague  Patent #2 is about using range finders to maintain a predetermined distance to an obstacle  ARV uses the range finders only to detect the existence of an obstacle  License the patent  Patent #3 is about using RF to transmit GPS data.  Use another RF module other than Xbee (eg. HAC-UM96ultra Low Power Data Radio Module)  GSM Communication  License the patent

Questions ?