Communication system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10091623-B2
Application number	US-201815877742-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 23, 2018
Priority date	Jul 17, 2015
Publication date	Oct 2, 2018
Grant date	Oct 2, 2018

Abstract

A communication system comprises a mobile reporting device and a server. The mobile reporting device comprises a signal receiver configured to receive data usable to determine the location of the reporting device; a communication module configured to transmit data to and receive data from a server, the data including location data from the location determiner; a display including a user interface. The server comprises a database with a location module configured to store a default room location for a plurality of personnel; a server communication module configured to transmit data to and receive data from the reporting device; an information module configured to provide information on the personnel; a controller configured to determine, based on the location data, which personnel default locations are within a predetermined distance of the reporting device, to control the server communication module to transmit to the reporting device information from the information module regarding the personnel associated with the default locations within the predetermined distance for display on the user interface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A communication system, comprising:
a mobile reporting device comprising:
a location signal receiver configured to receive data usable to determine the location of the reporting device;
a communication module configured to transmit data to and receive data from a server, the data including location data from the first location signal receiver;
a display including a user interface that displays from the location data a two dimensional (2D) or three dimensional (3D) map indicating a current location of the mobile reporting device and a default location for a person of interest within a predetermined distance of the mobile reporting device, wherein the predetermined distance is adjusted dynamically over time according to the distance to a nearest communication device, or to maintain a number of communication devices below a predetermined threshold, and wherein the mobile reporting device is configured to display an image of any personnel within the predetermined distance and whereby an individual image can be selected by a user to view information associated with a specified person.

2. The mobile reporting device of claim 1 , wherein the location signal receiver includes a camera.

3. The mobile reporting device of claim 1 , wherein the communication module outputs a personal identifier selected at the display to the computer server, and in response receives information for display.

4. The mobile reporting device of claim 1 , wherein the mobile reporting device is a lap top computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a tablet, a mobile phone, a smart watch, or smart glasses.

5. A communication system comprising:
a plurality of mobile reporting devices, each mobile reporting device comprising:
a signal receiver configured to receive data usable to determine the location of the reporting device;
a communication module configured to transmit data to and receive data from a server, the data including location data from the location determiner; and

a computer server configured to transmit data to and receive data from a mobile reporting device of the plurality of mobile reporting devices, including location data of the mobile reporting device, and to provide information on a plurality of personnel, wherein each mobile reporting device is classified as a leader device or a non-leader device, wherein the leader device searches for personnel of interest at a location within a general location, the non-leader device transmits location data to the computer server, and the leader device displays an identifier related to the non-leader device when the leader device is a predetermined distance from the non-leader device;
a plurality of modulated visible light emitters that emit visible light having a unique identification detected by a camera of the mobile reporting device, wherein the computer server is configured to provide to the leader device a map indicating where a user of the non-leader device is located relative to the current location of the leader device.

6. The communication system of claim 5 , wherein the computer server comprises an information module that stores the information regarding users of the plurality of mobile reporting devices, and outputs the information regarding the personnel to the leader device.

7. The communication system of claim 5 , wherein the computer server generates information about the default locations and about other devices that are combined together so that the leader device displays for a user both default locations and device locations associated with the personnel at the same time.

8. A communication system comprising:
a controller configured to identify default locations of people that are within a predetermined distance of a mobile device so that information regarding the people associated with the default locations is received by the mobile device; and
a plurality of modulated light emitters, wherein each light emitter emits light having a unique identification for detection by the mobile device, which generates a modulation signal that is processed to determine a location of the mobile device relative to the default locations, wherein the predetermined distance is adjusted dynamically over time according to the distance to a nearest communication device, or to maintain a number of communication devices below a predetermined threshold, and wherein the mobile reporting device is configured to display an image of any personnel within the predetermined distance and whereby an individual image can be selected by a user to view information associated with a specified person.

9. The communication system of claim 8 , further comprising a communication device that includes data representing a map of the location and the positioning of the emitters within the location to determine the location of the mobile device within the location.

10. The communication system of claim 9 , wherein the communication device and the mobile device communicate over a Bluetooth™ communication channel.

11. A communication system comprising:
a database configured to store a default location for a plurality of people;
a computer server configured to transmit data to and receive data from a mobile reporting device, including location data of the mobile reporting device, and to provide information on the plurality of people;

a controller configured to determine, based on the location data, which default locations of a general location are within a predetermined distance of the mobile reporting device, to control the computer server to transmit to the mobile reporting device information regarding the people associated with the default locations within the predetermined distance for display on the mobile reporting device; and
a plurality of light emitters, wherein each light emitter emits light with a unique modulation for receipt by the mobile reporting device, which generates a modulation signal that is processed by the computer server to determine a location of the mobile reporting device within the general location, wherein the computer server is configured to store mapping information including a 2D or 3D map of the general location and the positioning of the light emitters within the general location.

12. The communication system of claim 11 , wherein the light emitters are modulated visible light emitters that emit visible light with a unique modulation detected by a camera of the mobile reporting device.

13. The communication system of claim 11 , wherein the computer server comprises an information module that stores the information regarding the people and outputs the information regarding the people to the mobile reporting device under control by the controller.

14. The communication system of claim 11 , wherein the computer server is configured to provide to the mobile reporting device a map indicating where the located person is located relative to the current location of the reporting device.

15. The communication system of claim 11 , wherein the computer server generates information about the default locations and about other devices that are combined together so that the mobile reporting device displays for a user both default locations and device locations associated with the people at the same time.

16. The communication system of claim 11 , wherein the computer server determines the position of the mobile reporting device using the light emitters.

Assignees

• Wal Mart Stores Inc
• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• High Donald R
• Mchale Brian Gerard
• Atchley Michael Dean

Classifications

• G06Q10/063114

  Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group · CPC title

• G06Q10/105 Primary

  Human resources · CPC title

• G06Q10/063112

  Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task · CPC title

• H04L67/306

  User profiles · CPC title

• H04W4/029

  Location-based management or tracking services · CPC title