Patent Issued for Location-Based Warning Notification Using Wireless Devices (USPTO 10,657,792)
2020 JUN 03 (NewsRx) -- By a
The assignee for this patent, patent number 10,657,792, is
Reporters obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: “Large buildings, such as office campuses, can be disorienting and confusing to navigate. This problem is particularly acute when many buildings and floors look the same, which can be troublesome for clients/employees unfamiliar with the building(s). Furthermore, many building may have hazardous and dangerous conditions such as employees operating heavy machinery and other dangerous equipment. Current warning methods involves manually locating and tracking people within the path of these heavy equipment and verbally warning them, which has proven to be inaccurate, inefficient, and cumbersome.”
In addition to obtaining background information on this patent, NewsRx editors also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent: “For the aforementioned reasons, there is a need to utilize indoor positioning systems for better management, guidance, and warning of individuals navigating within buildings. There is a need for an efficient and accurate computer system and method to manage indoor navigation and automatically generate notifications to warn individuals regarding hazardous conditions within the building. The systems and methods disclosed herein attempt to address the above-mentioned shortcomings in the art and provide a variety of other benefits. The systems and methods described herein can create, maintain, transmit, and utilize data from receiving devices and beacons.
“In an embodiment, a method comprises receiving, by a server, a first device identifier and first location information from a first receiving device, the first location information being associated with a first location of the first receiving device received from a plurality of beacons, wherein the first device identifier comprises a distinctive combination of at least one of numbers and characters uniquely identifying the first receiving device. The method comprises determining, by the server, a location associated with the first receiving device based at least on one of the first location information and the first device identifier. The method comprises receiving, by the server, a destination location from the first receiving device. The method comprises determining, by the server, a path associated with the first receiving device, wherein the path corresponds to the location associated with the first receiving device and the destination location. The method comprises receiving, by a server, a second device identifier and second location information from a second receiving device, the second location information being associated with a second location of the second receiving device received from a plurality of beacons, wherein the second device identifier comprises a distinctive combination of at least one of numbers and characters uniquely identifying the second receiving device. The method comprises determining, by the server, a location associated with the second receiving device based at least on one of the second location information and the second device identifier. The method comprises determining, by the server, whether the location associated with the second receiving device is within a predefined zone relative to the location of the first receiving device. The method comprises determining, by the server, whether the path associated with the first receiving device is within a predefined zone relative to the location of the second receiving device. The method comprises, upon at least one of the location associated with the second receiving device being within a predefined zone relative to the location of the second receiving device and the path associated with the first receiving device being within the predefined zone relative to the location of the second receiving device, generating by the server, a notification comprising at least one of a warning message. The method further comprises transmitting, by the server, the notification to the second receiving device.
“In another embodiment, a computer system comprises a server, which is configured to receive a first device identifier and first location information from a first receiving device, the first location information being associated with a first location of the first receiving device received from a plurality of beacons, wherein the first device identifier comprises a distinctive combination of at least one of numbers and characters uniquely identifying the first receiving device. The server is configured to determine a location associated with the first receiving device based at least on one of the first location information and the first device identifier. The server is configured to receive a destination location from the first receiving device. The server is configured to determine a path associated with the first receiving device, wherein the path corresponds to the location associated with the first receiving device and the destination location. The server is configured to receive a second device identifier and second location information from a second receiving device, the second location information being associated with a second location of the second receiving device received from a plurality of beacons, wherein the second device identifier comprises a distinctive combination of at least one of numbers and characters uniquely identifying the second receiving device. The server is configured to determine a location associated with the second receiving device based at least on one of the second location information and the second device identifier. The server is configured to determine whether the location associated with the first receiving device is within a predefined zone relative to the location of the second receiving device. The server is configured to determine whether the path associated with the first receiving device is within a predefined zone relative to the location of the second receiving device. The server is configured to upon at least one of the location associated with the first receiving device being within a predefined zone relative to the location of the second receiving device and the path associated with the first receiving device being within the predefined zone relative to the location of the second receiving device, generate a notification comprising warning message. The server is further configured to transmit the notification to the second receiving device.
“A beacon is small, battery-friendly device that sends out a low-voltage signal, such as Bluetooth Low-Energy (BLE), for a programmable distance between about a few cm to 40-50 m. In addition, some smartphones can act as beacons. The frequency of sending the signal can also be programmable; for example, a signal can be sent every 100-400 milliseconds. Beacons can be placed strategically indoors or outdoors to perform many actions.
“Beacons can transmit small packets of data or data packets. Here the term ‘Beacon’ applies to any device, mobile or fixed, that is capable of transmitting a data packet. A data packet can be the same as defined in the Bluetooth specification or any other data packet that transmits a unique identifier. Currently, beacons repeatedly transmit data packets in set intervals. The iBeacon system (implemented by Apple.RTM.) utilizes iBeacons (a form of beacon) to transmit a data packet consisting mainly of three pieces of information--a Universally Unique Identifier (UUID), a major field, and a minor field. And an iBeacon typically transmits that packet over and over again. Further information about beacons can be found in the Supplement to the Bluetooth Core Specification, Version 5, which is incorporated by reference herein.
“In one use case, retailers use these beacons or transmitters as a hyper-local device tracking mechanism, i.e., to locate smartphones within the proximity. Non-limiting examples of transmitters include an iBeacon, AltBeacon, and EddyStone, a wireless router, a cellular phone, a tablet, a workstation, or any other suitable computing or other electronic device. Location-based information is provided to a clients’/consumers’ personal device based on its receipt a packet from a beacon. One or more mobile applications on receiving devices can use the data packet to assess current location or other information. For instance, the one or more applications can transmit information, such as a UUID, contained in the data packet, to a server to retrieve information associated with the data packet. These data packets also allow for delivery of specific content to users based on location. For example, an iBeacon located in aisle 3 of a personal goods store transmits its UUID to consumers’/clients’ mobile devices. If a consumer has a smartphone that contains the application for the personal goods store, then the store can transmit special offers for products sold in aisle 3. The UUID portion of the data packet is associated with the personal goods store while the major and minor field identifies specific section and aisle of the personal goods store. The iBeacon devices are little power-efficient sensor-like devices that do not receive anything, but transmit an identity in a given proximity, about a 30-foot range.
“Additional information can be gleaned from BLE signals, including an approximate distance between the beacon and the receiving device. Beacons can be programmed to broadcast their signals at different power levels, known as the ‘Broadcasting Power.’ The BLE beacon can transmit its
“The term ‘beacon’ as used herein refers to any device configured to transmit a data packet, which is used by a receiving device to identify the transmitting device and compute the relative distance between the transmitting device and the receiving device. Beacons can be physical devices or virtual beacons. Beacons transmit small packets of data. Currently, beacons repeatedly transmit data packets in set intervals. There are several types of beacons and associated protocols available in the market such as iBeacon system (implemented by Apple.RTM.), AltBeacon (provided by Radius Networks), and EddyStone.RTM. (from Google.RTM.). The iBeacons and AltBeacons broadcast a data packet consisting mainly of following pieces of information--a Universally Unique Identifier (UUID), a major number, a minor number, and a transmission power level known as the ‘Broadcasting Power.’ These formats require external databases to give meaning to the beacon data packets. Receiving devices can approximate distance from the beacon by comparing the
“One embodiment includes beacons or transmitters at fixed locations, such that a user walking by can receive data packets from the transmitters, and the data packets have different distance granularities associated with them. For instance, users may not walk closely enough to transmitters that transmit only a short range, e.g., 1 m diameter. However, a transmitter that transmits with a larger diameter, e.g., 10 m, may be able to cover an entire hallway or corridor, and therefore a user could not avoid receiving a data packet from that transmitter if they went through the hallway or corridor.
“In addition to tracking which transmitters a user passed, one or more applications on the receiving device may make additional uses of the data packets from the transmitters. For example, an application on the receiving device may offer the user information about the area around the beacon, such as how far it is from the user’s destination, whose offices are nearby the beacon, how far the beacon is from various destinations, such as the cafeteria or coffee shop, the name of the building of location of the building. Buildings are often described in a grid format, with rows and columns having letters or numbers, respectively. Therefore, the data packet can either contain the row and column of the transmitter or the application can get that information using the transmitter’s unique identifier.
“Some embodiments allow for inter-application communication. For instance, a user may have a list of action items to accomplish, such as visit a co-worker’s desk, drop off a computer at the information technology office, or stop at corporate nurse for evaluation. Such information could be stored in the same application on a user’s receiving device as the one tracking the user’s position, or it could be stored in a separate application.
“In another use case, a receiving device (e.g., a smartphone or any other device configured to communicate with a beacon) can also transmit a data packet, acting as a beacon, which can be received by another receiving device, fixed or mobile. In either case, fixed or mobile, this reception serves to notify the receiver that the mobile transmitter is nearby. As an example, a mobile application could instruct a mobile device to transmit a data packet associated with a social network identity which, upon reception at another device, fixed or mobile, could indicate the proximity of a social network user. In this embodiment, receiving devices could be placed throughout a building. These receiving devices would monitor the receiving devices location to track where the user has been. The system of this embodiment could then store the information of which transmitters the user went past, and the user can use an application to retrieve this information. This embodiment has the disadvantage of using the user’s device as a beacon, which could drain the battery more quickly than using it simply as a receiving device. Nonetheless, this embodiment has advantages because there need not be transmitters constantly broadcasting throughout the building, and depending on the number of transmitters needed, there could be significant cost/complexity savings using this method.
“Some embodiments can use RSSI or triangulation to assess more accurately the location of a receiving device. For instance, the receiving device may receive signals from more than one source or of more than one type, e.g., Wi-Fi, BLE, and GPS. By relying on more than once source, these embodiments are more reliable and more accurate.
“One problem with current beacon technology is that they are single use, and therefore do not present accurate granular location information. Embodiments of the present invention solve this problem by allowing one or a plurality of beacons to transmit information at different ranges to provide more granular location information.
“Additional features and advantages of an embodiment will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description. The objectives and other advantages will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the exemplary embodiments in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory, and are intended to provide further explanation of embodiments as claimed.”
The claims supplied by the inventors are:
“What is claimed is:
“1. A method comprising: periodically monitoring, by a server, location of a receiving device by periodically receiving location information from the receiving device traversing from a first location to a second location, wherein the location information is broadcasted by a plurality of beacon devices, captured by the receiving device, and periodically transmitted to the server by the receiving device, identifying, by the server, at least the first location and the second location associated with the receiving device; receiving, by the server from the receiving device when the receiving device is located at the second location, a request to display a traversed path; and displaying, by the server on a graphical user interface of the receiving device, instructions to reach the first location, wherein the server notifies the receiving device when a second receiving device is located within the traversed path.
“2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: monitoring, by the server, the receiving device after displaying the instructions to reach the first location.
“3. The method of claim 2, further comprising: transmitting, by the server, a notification to the receiving device when the receiving device is not located along the traversed path.
“4. The method of claim 1, wherein the server identifies a location of the receiving device based on a strength of a signal received, by the receiving device, from the plurality of beacons.
“5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting, by the server, a notification to the receiving device when the server determines that the receiving device is located at the first location.
“6. The method of claim 1, wherein the server further displays a point of interest associated with the receiving device’s location.
“7. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving device is a cellular phone.
“8. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving device is a wearable electronic device.
“9. The method of claim 1, wherein the server identifies the location of the receiving device based on its unique identifier.
“10. A beacon management system comprising: a plurality of beacon devices, wherein each beacon from the plurality of beacons is configured to broadcast location information; a receiving device configured to receive location information from the plurality of beacons and transmit the location information to other electronic devices and servers; a server in communication with the plurality of beacons and the receiving device, where the server is configured to: periodically monitor location of the receiving device by periodically receiving location information from the receiving device traversing from the first location to the second location, wherein the location information is broadcasted by the plurality of beacon devices, captured by the receiving device, and periodically transmitted to the server by the receiving device, wherein the server identifies at least a first location and a second location associated with the receiving device; receive, from the receiving device when the receiving device is located at the second location, a request to display for a traversed path; display, on a graphical user interface of the receiving device, instructions to reach the first location, wherein the server notifies the receiving device when a second receiving device is located within the traversed path.
“11. The system of claim 10, wherein the server is further configured to: monitor the receiving device after displaying the instructions to reach the first location.
“12. The system of claim 11, wherein the server is further configured to: transmit a notification to the receiving device when the receiving device is not located along the traversed path.
“13. The system of claim 10, wherein the server identifies a location of the receiving device based on a strength of a signal received, by the receiving device, from the plurality of beacons.
“14. The system of claim 10, wherein the server is further configured to: transmit a notification to the receiving device when the server determines that the receiving device is located at the first location.
“15. The system of claim 10, wherein the server further displays a point of interest associated with the receiving device’s location.
“16. The system of claim 10, wherein the receiving device is a cellular phone.
“17. The system of claim 10, wherein the receiving device is a wearable electronic device.
“18. The system of claim 10, wherein the server identifies the location of the receiving device based on its unique identifier.”
For more information, see this patent: Knas, Michal; John, Jiby. Location-Based Warning Notification Using Wireless Devices.
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