Electronic location identiication and tracking system with beacon clustering

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10115253-B2
Application number	US-201815876758-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 22, 2018
Priority date	Aug 15, 2014
Publication date	Oct 30, 2018
Grant date	Oct 30, 2018

Abstract

A system and method for determining the presence of an individual at a particular spot within a location preferably based on the strength of signals received from beacons assigned to the particular spot by a software application (“App”) running on an electronic device of the individual. In one embodiment, certain presence calculations are performed by the App. In another embodiment, the App forwards information regarding the received beacon signals to an electronic identification and location tracking system and the presence calculations are performed by the system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for determining a presence of a user at a particular area within a location by an electronic location identification and tracking system, said method comprising the steps of:
a. electronically receiving one or more signals containing identification information from at least one wireless beacon associated with a particular area within a location by a user's portable electronic device running an electronic location identification and tracking system application (“App”);
b. electronically determining by the App whether each beacon signal received is from a beacon whose identifier is previously programmed into the App;
c. for each known beacon signal received by the App, electronically querying a database to electronically receive location properties for each known beacon, wherein the location properties include information on the number and identity of beacons grouped as a particular cluster of beacons for the particular area within the location; and
d. electronically determining by the App if a signal was received from each beacon associated with the particular cluster of beacons.

2. The method for determining a presence of a user of claim 1 wherein if a signal was received from each beacon associated with the particular cluster of beacons in step (d) further comprising the steps of:
(e) electronically receiving a signal strength for each beacon signal received;
(f) electronically determining an average signal strength from all of the signal strengths received in step (e); and
(g) electronically comparing the average signal strength to a preconfigured minimum signal strength value for the particular area or particular cluster of beacons.

3. The method for determining a presence of a user of claim 2 wherein if the average signal strength is above the preconfigured minimum signal strength value the user is considered present at the particular area within the location associated with the particular cluster of beacons.

4. The method for determining a presence of a user of claim 2 wherein where the average signal strength is above the preconfigured minimum signal strength value further comprising the step of electronically determining if the average signal strength remains above the preconfigured minimum signal strength value for a preconfigured period of time.

5. The method for determining a presence of a user of claim 1 wherein if a signal was not received from each beacon associated with the particular cluster of beacons in step (d) further comprising the step of either (i) using a static value for the missing beacon(s) when calculating an average signal strength for the beacon signals of the beacons associated with the particular cluster of beacons, or (ii) calculating the average signal strength from the beacon signals received from the beacons associated with the particular cluster of beacons.

6. The method for determining a presence of a user of claim 3 further comprising the step of storing a determined location for the user in an electronic database.

7. A method for determining a presence of a user at a particular area within a location by an electronic location identification and tracking system, said method comprising the steps of:
a. electronically receiving one or more signals containing identification information from at least one wireless beacon associated with a particular area within a location by a user's portable electronic device running an electronic location identification and tracking system application (“App”);
b. electronically determining by the App whether each beacon signal received is from a beacon whose identifier is previously programmed into the App;
c. for each known beacon signal received by the App, electronically forwarding identifying information for the beacon and signal strength information by the App to an electronic identification and location tracking system;
d. electronically querying an electronic database by the electronic identification and location tracking system to electronically receive location properties for each known beacon, wherein the location properties include information on the number and identity of beacons grouped as a particular cluster of beacons for the particular area within the location; and
e. electronically determining by the electronic identification and location tracking system if a signal was received by the App from each beacon associated with the particular cluster of beacons.

8. The method for determining a presence of a user of claim 7 wherein if a signal was received from each beacon associated with the particular cluster of beacons in step (e) further comprising the steps of:
(f) electronically receiving a signal strength for each beacon signal received;
(g) electronically determining an average signal strength from all of the signal strengths received in step (f) by the electronic identification and location tracking system; and
(h) electronically comparing the average signal strength to a preconfigured minimum signal strength value for the particular area or particular cluster of beacons by the electronic identification and locating tracking system.

9. The method for determining a presence of a user of claim 8 wherein if the average signal strength is above the preconfigured minimum signal strength value the user is considered present at the particular area within the location associated with the particular cluster of beacons.

10. The method for determining a presence of a user of claim 8 wherein where the average signal strength is above the preconfigured minimum signal strength value further comprising the step of electronically determining if the average signal strength remains above the preconfigured minimum signal strength value for a preconfigured period of time.

11. The method for determining a presence of a user of claim 7 wherein if a signal was not received from each beacon associated with the particular cluster of beacons in step (e) further comprising the step of either (i) using a static value for the missing beacon(s) when calculating an average signal strength for the beacon signals of the beacons associated with the particular cluster of beacons, or (ii) calculating the average signal strength from the beacon signals received from the beacons associated with the particular cluster of beacons.

12. The method for determining a presence of a user of claim 9 further comprising the step of storing a determined location for the user in an electronic database by the electronic identification and location tracking system.

13. A method for registering a location for use by an electronic location identification and tracking system to determine the presence of an individual at the location, said method comprising the steps of:
a. installing a plurality of wireless beacons at a location;
b. electronically selecting two or more beacons from the plurality of wireless beacons to represent a specific spot in the location, wherein the selected two or more beacons form a beacon cluster used for determining presence by an individual at the specific spot;
b. electronically entering configuration information for each beacon in the beacon cluster and the specific spot assigned to the beacon cluster through an electronic location identification and tracking system; and
d. electronically storing the beacon configuration and specific spot assigned to the beacon cluster information in an electronic database in communication with the electronic location identification and tracking system.

14. The method for registering a location of claim 13 further comprising the steps of electronically entering information regarding a mini

Assignees

• Collateral Opportunities Llc

Inventors

• Kusens Bruce Howard
• Kusens Michael

Classifications

• G07C9/28

  the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence · CPC title

• G07C2209/63

  Comprising locating means for detecting the position of the data carrier, i.e. within the vehicle or within a certain distance from the vehicle · CPC title

• H04W64/00

  Locating users or terminals {or network equipment} for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management · CPC title

• G06F16/9535

  Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation · CPC title

• G07C2009/00388

  code verification carried out according to the challenge/response method · CPC title