Method and Apparatus for Managing Remote Devices and Accessing Remote Device Information

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016117458-A1
Application number	US-201514683973-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 10, 2015
Priority date	Oct 27, 2014
Publication date	Apr 28, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method, apparatus, system, and computer program product are disclosed to track beacons utilizing a device management infrastructure. The method includes registering, by a device management server, at least a first detection device associated with a first location and a second detection device associated with a second location with a device management infrastructure, receiving a beacon identifier associated with a beacon detected by the first detection device, storing a first time stamp associated with detection of the beacon by the first detection device, receiving the beacon identifier associated with the beacon as detected by the second detection device, determining, based on the first time stamp and a second time stamp associated with detection of the beacon by the second detection device, an elapsed time between detection of the beacon by the first detection device and detection of the beacon by the second detection device, and reporting the elapsed time to a healthcare information system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for tracking beacons utilizing a device management infrastructure, the method comprising:
registering, by a device management server, at least a first detection device associated with a first location and a second detection device associated with a second location with a device management infrastructure; receiving, via the device management infrastructure and from the first detection device, a beacon identifier associated with a beacon detected by the first detection device; storing a first time stamp associated with detection of the beacon by the first detection device; receiving, via the device management infrastructure and from the second detection device, the beacon identifier associated with the beacon as detected by the second detection device; determining, based on the first time stamp and a second time stamp associated with detection of the beacon by the second detection device, an elapsed time between detection of the beacon by the first detection device and detection of the beacon by the second detection device; and reporting the elapsed time to a healthcare information system.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the beacon comprises a wristband provided to a patient of a healthcare organization associated with the healthcare information system.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first location is a hospital registration desk and the second location is a hospital treatment room.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the beacon is a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacon.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first detection device and the second detection device are tablet computers.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the tablet computers are configured to communicate with a management server via a device management infrastructure.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the tablet computers communicate with the device management infrastructure via a wireless Internet connection.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the wireless Internet connection comprises a publicly available wireless connection provided by a healthcare organization, a private wireless connection provided by the healthcare organization, and a cellular network.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing the elapsed time to the second detection device for display on a display coupled to the second detection device.

10 . An apparatus for tracking beacons utilizing a device management infrastructure, the apparatus comprising:
a device management server configured to: register at least a first detection device associated with a first location and a second detection device associated with a second location with a device management infrastructure; receive, via the device management infrastructure and from the first detection device, a beacon identifier associated with a beacon detected by the first detection device; store a first time stamp associated with detection of the beacon by the first detection device; receive, via the device management infrastructure and from the second detection device, the beacon identifier associated with the beacon as detected by the second detection device; determine, based on the first time stamp and a second time stamp associated with detection of the beacon by the second detection device, an elapsed time between detection of the beacon by the first detection device and detection of the beacon by the second detection device; and report the elapsed time to a healthcare information system.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the beacon comprises a wristband provided to a patient of a healthcare organization associated with the healthcare information system.

12 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first location is a hospital registration desk and the second location is a hospital treatment room.

13 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the beacon is a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacon.

14 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first detection device and the second detection device are tablet computers.

15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the tablet computers are configured to communicate with a management server via a device management infrastructure.

16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the tablet computers communicate with the device management infrastructure via a wireless Internet connection.

17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the wireless Internet connection comprises a publicly available wireless connection provided by a healthcare organization, a private wireless connection provided by the healthcare organization, and a cellular network.

18 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the device management server is further configured to provide the elapsed time to the second detection device for display on a display coupled to the second detection device.

19 . A method for tracking beacons utilizing a device management infrastructure, the method comprising:
registering, by a detection device, with a device management infrastructure via a wireless Internet connection; detecting a presence of a beacon via a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) protocol; determining an identifier associated with the beacon; and reporting, via the device management infrastructure, the detected presence of the beacon.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising displaying the detected presence of the beacon on a display coupled to the detection device.

21 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising displaying, on the display coupled to the detection device, an elapsed time associated with the presence of the beacon.

22 . An detection device for tracking beacons utilizing a device management infrastructure, the detection device configured to:
register with a device management infrastructure via a wireless Internet connection; detect a presence of a beacon via a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) protocol; determine an identifier associated with the beacon; and report, via the device management infrastructure, the detected presence of the beacon.

23 . The detection device of claim 22 , wherein the detection device further comprises a display and wherein the detection device is further configured to display the detected presence of the beacon on the display.

24 . The detection device of claim 22 , wherein the detection device is further configured to display, on the display, an elapsed time associated with the presence of the beacon.

Assignees

• Zih Corp

Inventors

• Hermans Sebastiaan Antonius Hendrikus Maria
• Beinat Euro

Classifications

• G06F19/3406 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• G16H40/20 Primary

  for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms · CPC title

• G06Q10/08

  Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management · CPC title

• G16H40/63 Primary

  for local operation · CPC title

• G16H40/00 Primary

  ICT specially adapted for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities; ICT specially adapted for the management or operation of medical equipment or devices · CPC title