Methods and apparatus to facilitate proximity detection and location tracking

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10068116-B2
Application number	US-201715407873-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 17, 2017
Priority date	Jul 25, 2014
Publication date	Sep 4, 2018
Grant date	Sep 4, 2018

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to facilitate proximity detection and location tracking. An example method includes receiving messages collected by a badge in an environment, the messages including signal strength and a timestamp. The example method also includes assigning a location in the environment to the badge based on a first subset of the messages. The example method also includes identifying an asset in a second subset of the messages. The example method also includes updating a current location associated with the asset based on a relative proximity of the asset to the badge, wherein the current location corresponds to a first time and the updated location corresponds to a second time, and wherein a change in location between the current location and the updated location indicates movement of the asset in the environment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method to facilitate proximity detection and location tracking in an environment, the method comprising:
initiating, at a badge including a processor, a batch timer;
storing one or more reader messages in a memory at the badge, each reader message tagged with a mobile-location type identifier or a fixed-location type identifier to enable identification of mobile-asset reader messages and aggregation by a location server;
comparing, using the processor, a value of the batch timer to a batch threshold;
when the value satisfies the batch threshold, initiating a connection between the badge and a location server;
transmitting the one or more reader messages from the badge to the location server via the connection; and
resetting the batch timer,
wherein, when the mobile-location type identifier is associated with a reader message, the mobile-location type identifier is to be used with signal strength information to enable the location server to analyze the one or more reader messages to classify a location of an asset relative to the badge.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more reader messages include one or more beacon messages received by the badge.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more beacon messages are associated with location information.

4. The method of claim 2 , further including forming the one or more reader messages by combining with badge information with the one or more beacon messages.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the badge information includes at least one of a) badge identifying information, b) timestamp information, c) signal strength information, or d) channel identifying information.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the batch threshold provides a periodic transmission interval for the badge based on the batch timer.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitting the one or more reader messages from the badge to the location server via the connection further includes transmitting the one or more reader messages from the badge to the location server using web service calls via the connection.

8. An apparatus to facilitate proximity detection and location tracking in an environment, the apparatus comprising:
a badge including:
a receiver;
a memory;
a transmitter; and
a processor, the processor adapted to:
initiate a batch timer;
store one or more reader messages in the memory, each reader message tagged with a mobile-location type identifier or a fixed-location type identifier to enable identification of mobile-asset reader messages and aggregation by a location server;
compare a value of the batch timer to a batch threshold;
when the value satisfies the batch threshold, initiate a connection between the badge and a location server;
transmit the one or more reader messages from the badge to the location server via the connection; and
reset the batch timer,

wherein, when the mobile-location type identifier is associated with a reader message, the mobile-location type identifier is to be used with signal strength information to enable the location server to analyze the one or more reader messages to classify a location of an asset relative to the badge.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the one or more reader messages include one or more beacon messages received by the badge.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the one or more beacon messages are associated with location information.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the processor is to form the one or more reader messages by combining with badge information with the one or more beacon messages.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the badge information includes at least one of a) badge identifying information, b) timestamp information, c) signal strength information, or d) channel identifying information.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the batch threshold provides a periodic transmission interval for the badge based on the batch timer.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor is to transmit the one or more reader messages from the badge to the location server via the connection by transmitting the one or more reader messages from the badge to the location server using web service calls via the connection.

15. A tangible machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to at least:
initiate a batch timer;
store one or more reader messages in the memory, each reader message tagged with a mobile-location type identifier or a fixed-location type identifier to enable identification of mobile-asset reader messages and aggregation by a location server;
compare a value of the batch timer to a batch threshold;
when the value satisfies the batch threshold, initiate a connection between the badge and a location server;
transmit the one or more reader messages from the badge to the location server via the connection; and
reset the batch timer,
wherein, when the mobile-location type identifier is associated with a reader message, the mobile-location type identifier is to be used with signal strength information to enable the location server to analyze the one or more reader messages to classify a location of an asset relative to the badge.

16. The storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the one or more reader messages include one or more beacon messages received by the badge.

17. The storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the one or more beacon messages are associated with location information.

18. The storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the instructions cause the machine to form the one or more reader messages by combining with badge information with the one or more beacon messages.

19. The storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the badge information includes at least one of a) badge identifying information, b) timestamp information, c) signal strength information, or d) channel identifying information.

20. The storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the batch threshold provides a periodic transmission interval for the badge based on the batch timer.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Good Brandon Stephen
• Theurer Charles Burton
• Liu Shaopeng
• Wallace Robert Lee

Classifications

• G16Z99/00

  Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass · CPC title

• G16H40/40

  for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades · CPC title

• G01S5/0289

  of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks · CPC title

• G16H40/63

  for local operation · CPC title

• H04L43/106

  using time related information in packets, e.g. by adding timestamps · CPC title