Patent Issued for Path storage and recovery using wireless devices (USPTO 11146917): Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company

2021 NOV 01 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- A patent by the inventors John, Jiby (Suffield, CT, US), Knas, Michal (Monson, MA, US), filed on May 8, 2019, was published online on October 12, 2021, according to news reporting originating from Alexandria, Virginia, by NewsRx correspondents.

Patent number 11146917 is assigned to Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (Springfield, Massachusetts, United States).

The following quote was obtained by the news editors 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). Current methods of locating or tracking people are manual and cumbersome. Currently, people must train each other to navigate new spaces, which has proven inefficient for many institutions with new employee or employees working from different office locations. Visitors often make one-way trips into office buildings for a particular purpose. Therefore, such visitors can travel to and from two points using the same path. However, most visitors unfamiliar with the building get lost trying to go back to the point of origin.”

In addition to the background information obtained for this patent, NewsRx journalists also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent: “For the aforementioned reasons, there is a need to integrate indoor positioning systems for better management/guidance of individual navigation. There is a need for a more efficient computer system and method to manage indoor navigation and automatically generate notifications to guide individuals to their desired destination. 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 device identifier and a first location information from a receiving device, the first location information being associated with a location of the receiving device received from a plurality of beacons, wherein the device identifier comprises a distinctive combination of at least one of numbers and characters uniquely identifying the receiving device. The method comprises determining, by the server, a first location associated with the receiving device based at least on one of the first location information and the device identifier. The method comprises generating, by the server, a first instruction to record the first location associated with the receiving device. The method comprises transmitting, by the server, the first instruction to a database, wherein the database is configured to store a plurality of records associated with the receiving device. The method comprises receiving, by a server, second location information from the receiving device, the second location information being associated with a location of the receiving device received from the plurality of beacons. The method comprises determining, by the server, a second location associated with the receiving device based on the second location information and the device identifier. The method comprises generating, by the server, a second instruction to record the second location associated with the receiving device. The method comprises transmitting, by the server, the second instruction to the database. The method comprises receiving, by the server, from the receiving device, a request for a traversed path, wherein the traversed path is associated with the second location. The method comprises generating, by the server, a graphical user interface configured to display instructions to reach the first locations in relation to the second location. The method further comprises transmitting, by the server, the graphical user interface to the receiving device.

“In another embodiment a computer system comprises a server, which is configured to receive a device identifier and a first location information from a receiving device, the first location information being associated with a location of the receiving device received from a plurality of beacons, wherein the device identifier comprises a distinctive combination of at least one of numbers and characters uniquely identifying the receiving device. The server is configured to determine a first location associated with the receiving device based at least on one of the first location information and the device identifier. The server is configured to generate a first instruction to record the first location associated with the receiving device. The server is configured to transmit the first instruction to a database, wherein the database is configured to store a plurality of records associated with the receiving device. The server is configured to receive a second location information from the receiving device, the second location information being associated with a location of the receiving device received from the plurality of beacons. The server is configured to determine a second location associated with the receiving device based on the second location information and the device identifier. The server is configured to generate a second instruction to record the second location associated with the receiving device. The server is configured to transmit the second instruction to the database. The server is configured to receive from the receiving device, a request for a traversed path, wherein the traversed path is associated with the second location. The server is configured to generate a graphical user interface configured to display instructions to reach the first locations in relation to the second location. The server is further configured to transmit the graphical user interface to the 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®) 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.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A method comprising: periodically monitoring, by a server, a location of an electronic device based on capturing unique beacon identifiers in proximity of the electronic device indicating a presence of one or more beacons, where the one or more beacons are configured to broadcast the unique beacon identifiers; identifying, by the server based on the periodic monitoring of the location of the electronic device capturing unique beacon identifiers, a traversed path corresponding to a path travelled by the electronic device from a first location to a current location of the electronic device; displaying, by the server on the electronic device, instructions corresponding to a shortest path to reach the first location from the current location of the electronic device; and in response to identifying that the electronic device is located away from the shortest path, outputting, by the server, a notification on the electronic device.

“2. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique beacon identifiers are received from an application executing on the electronic device.

“3. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique beacon identifiers are received from the electronic device on the electronic device.

“4. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique beacon identifiers are received from the one or more beacons and server identifies the location of the electronic device based on strength of signals communicated between at least one beacon and the electronic device.

“5. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification is at least one of auditory, visual, or textual.

“6. The method of claim 1, wherein the server further displays one or more points of interest associated with the shortest path.

“7. The method of claim 1, wherein each unique identifier comprises a distinctive combination of at least one of numbers and characters uniquely identifying each beacon.

“8. The method of claim 1, wherein the server further displays a fastest path to the first location.

“9. The method of claim 1, wherein the server further displays a path to the first location where the path is associated with a predetermined location.

“10. A computer system comprising: a server in communication with one or more beacons configured to broadcast unique identifiers and an electronic device configured to capture the unique identifiers indicative of a presence of one or more beacons in a proximity of the electronic device; wherein the server comprises a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions, wherein when the processor executes the instructions, the processor: periodically monitors a location of the electronic device using the unique identifiers; identifies, based on the periodic monitoring of the location of the electronic device capturing unique beacon identifiers, a traversed path corresponding to a path travelled by the electronic device from a first location to a current location of the electronic device; displays, on the electronic device, a second instruction corresponding to a shortest path to reach the first location from the current location of the electronic device; and in response to identifying that the electronic device is located away from the shortest path, outputs a notification on the electronic device.

“11. The system of claim 10, wherein the unique identifiers are received from the one or more beacons and the server identifies the location of the electronic device based on strength of signals communicated between at least one beacon and the electronic device.

“12. The system of claim 10, wherein the unique beacon identifiers are received from the electronic device on the electronic device.

“13. The system of claim 10, wherein the unique beacon identifiers are received from an application executing on the electronic device.

“14. The system of claim 10, wherein the notification is at least one of auditory, visual, or textual.

“15. The system of claim 10, wherein when the processor executes the instructions, the processor further displays one or more points of interest associated with the shortest path.

“16. The system of claim 10, wherein each unique identifier comprises a distinctive combination of at least one of numbers and characters uniquely identifying each beacon.

“17. The system of claim 10, wherein when the processor executes the instructions, the processor displays a fastest path to the first location.

“18. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to display a path to the first location where the path is associated with a predetermined location.”

URL and more information on this patent, see: John, Jiby. Path storage and recovery using wireless devices. U.S. Patent Number 11146917, filed May 8, 2019, and published online on October 12, 2021. Patent URL: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=11146917.PN.&OS=PN/11146917RS=PN/11146917

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