Geolocationing system and method for use of same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12284400-B2
Application number	US-202318350432-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 11, 2023
Priority date	Feb 5, 2014
Publication date	Apr 22, 2025
Grant date	Apr 22, 2025

Abstract

A geolocationing system and method for providing awareness in a multi-space environment, such as a hospitality environment or educational environment, are presented. In one embodiment of the geolocationing system, a vertical and horizontal array of gateway devices is provided. Each gateway device includes a gateway device identification providing an accurately-known fixed location within the multi-space environment. Each gateway device includes a wireless transceiver that receives a beacon signal from a proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device. The gateway devices, in turn, send gateway signals to a server, which determines an estimated location of the wireless-enabled personal locator device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method for providing awareness in a multi-space environment, the method comprising:
executing instructions stored in memory by a first processor of a gateway device to:
receive a beacon signal from a proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device, the beacon signal including a personal locator device identification, and
transmit a gateway signal, the gateway signal including the personal locator device identification and a gateway device identification providing an accurately-known fixed location; and

executing instructions stored in memory by a second processor of a remote server to:
receive a plurality of gateway signals from a plurality of gateway devices,
process the plurality of gateway signals, and
determine an estimated location of the proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein a wireless transceiver is configured to communicate with a standard selected from a group consisting of infrared (IR), 802.11, 3G, 4G, Edge, WiFi, ZigBee, near field communications (NFC), Bluetooth, and Bluetooth low energy.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the gateway device further comprises a plurality of wireless transceivers.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the gateway device further comprises a thermostat.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the gateway device further comprises a common space gateway device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the gateway device further comprises a gateway service device.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device further comprises a single button personal locator device.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device further comprises a proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the remote server further comprises a cloud-based server.

10. A computer-implemented method for providing awareness in a multi-space environment, the method comprising:
executing instructions stored in memory by a processor of a local server to:
receive a plurality of gateway signals from a plurality of gateway devices,
process the plurality of gateway signals, and
determine an estimated location of a proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device; and

wherein the local server is configured to provide a local mode of operation without access to the Internet.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the local server further comprises a back-office hotel server.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the local server further comprises a monitoring station.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the local server assumes responsibility for the remote server upon access to the Internet ending.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , further comprising executing instructions stored in memory by the processor of the local server to:
render a map view of the multi-space environment, the map view including a graphical representation of the multi-space environment, and
annotate the graphical representation of a room with the estimated location of the proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , further comprising executing instructions stored in memory by the processor of the local server to receive a distress signal from the proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device, thereby enabling an alerts-enabled operation mode.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
receive a plurality of gateway signals from a plurality of gateway devices,
process the plurality of gateway signals, and
determine an estimated location of a proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device;
wherein a beacon signal includes an indication of a physical state of the proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the processor further executes the instructions to render a map view of a multi-space environment, the map view including a graphical representation of the multi-space environment, and annotate the graphical representation of a room with the estimated location of the proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the processor further executes the instructions to annotate the graphical representation of the multi-space environment with an alert notification.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the processor further executes the instructions to receive a distress signal from the proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device, thereby enabling an alerts-enabled operation mode.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device further comprises a device selected from the group consisting of smart watches, smart phones, and tablet computers.

Assignees

• Enseo Llc

Inventors

• Fang William C
• Miller Thomas R
• Ogle Vanessa

Classifications

• G07C1/00

  Registering, indicating or recording the time of events or elapsed time, e.g. time-recorders for work people (registering or indicating the working of machines or vehicles G07C3/00, G07C5/00) · CPC title

• H04N21/4516

  involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available · CPC title

• H04N21/23605

  Creation or processing of packetized elementary streams [PES] · CPC title

• H04N21/42221

  Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF] · CPC title

• H04N21/414

  Specialised client platforms, e.g. receiver in car or embedded in a mobile appliance · CPC title