Patent Issued for Wearable Electronic Navigation System (USPTO 10,852,154)

2020 DEC 15 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- A patent by the inventors Knas, Michal (Monson, MA); John, Jiby (Suffield, CT), filed on October 24, 2018, was published online on December 14, 2020, according to news reporting originating from Alexandria, Virginia, by NewsRx correspondents.

Patent number 10,852,154 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: “As location and movement-tracking technology allows for more efficient tracking and monitoring user locations, more people rely on technologies for indoor and outdoor navigation. However, several technological shortcomings have also been identified and have created a new set of challenges. Existing and conventional navigation systems do not provide an accurate identification of obstacles and hazardous areas. Conventional indoor and/or outdoor navigation systems use a retroactive methodology where a navigation device identifies an obstacle after the navigation device (or the user operating the navigation device) has made contact with the obstacle. For instance self-driven robotic devices, such as robotic vacuum cleaners or other household items, identify obstacles after detecting an impact with the obstacle. Subsequently, the self-driven robotic devices change course to avoid another impact. As expected, these navigation systems may not be suitable for human users with disabilities, such as visually impaired users.”

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 for an accurate system and navigation method, which would proactively and accurately identify obstacles and hazardous areas and proactively warn users to avoid contact with the identified obstacles and hazardous.

“Disclosed herein are systems and methods for utilizing multiple electronic sensors (e.g., beacons, accelerometers, infrared thermal imaging cameras, sonar cameras, gyroscope, compass, ambient light sensor, altimeter, and the like) to identify a user’s location and direction, velocity, and acceleration of movements. The disclosed systems and methods also utilize multiple electronic sensors (e.g., thermal imaging cameras, infrared cameras, and ultrasonic cameras) to identify any obstacles or hazardous areas/materials. Furthermore, the disclosed systems and methods may proactively determine whether a user is within a predetermined proximity to a hazardous area/material and may proactively notify/warn the user utilizing an electronic navigation device, which, in some environments, can be a wearable device. The warning notification may be auditory, visually, haptic, and the like.

“In an embodiment, a method comprises periodically monitoring, by a server, location of a wearable electronic user device by periodically receiving, via the wearable electronic user device, at least one unique identifier associated with one or more beacons; periodically receiving, by the server, obstacle data from one or more electronic sensors, the obstacle data corresponding to an image of one or more obstacles within a first predetermined proximity to the location of the wearable electronic user device monitored via the one or more beacons; upon determining an obstacle within a second predetermined proximity to the location of the wearable electronic user device monitored via the one or more beacons: generating, by the server, an instruction to present a warning notification, wherein the warning notification corresponds to a proximity value between the location of the wearable electronic user device and the obstacle; and transmitting, by the server, the instruction to the wearable electronic user device, whereby upon receiving the instruction, wearable electronic user device presents the warning notification.

“In another embodiment, a computer system comprises one or more beacons configured to transmit unique identifiers; one or more electronic sensors configured to capture and transmit image data; a wearable electronic user device configured to receive unique identifiers from the one or more beacons and further configured to present a warning notification; and a server in communication with the one or more beacons and the one or more electronic sensors, the server configured to: periodically monitor location of the wearable electronic user device by periodically receiving, via the wearable electronic user device, at least one unique identifier associated with one or more beacons; periodically receive obstacle data from one or more electronic sensors, the obstacle data corresponding to an image of one or more obstacles within a first predetermined proximity to the location of the wearable electronic user device monitored via the one or more beacons; upon determining an obstacle within a second predetermined proximity to the location of the wearable electronic user device monitored via the one or more beacons: generate an instruction to present a warning notification, wherein the warning notification corresponds to a proximity value between the location of the wearable electronic user device and the obstacle; and transmit the instruction to the wearable electronic user device, whereby upon receiving the instruction, wearable electronic user device presents the warning notification.

“In another embodiment, a method comprises periodically monitoring, by a server, location of a wearable electronic user device by periodically receiving, via the wearable electronic user device, at least one unique identifier associated with one or more beacons; upon determining the location of the wearable electronic user device, retrieving, by the server, a hazard within a proximity of the location of the wearable electronic user device where the server identifies at least one beacon associated with the hazard; upon receiving, via the wearable electronic user device, a unique identifier of at least one beacon associated with the hazard and upon determining that the location of the wearable electronic user device is within a predetermined proximity to the hazard: generating, by the server, an instruction to present a warning notification, wherein the warning notification corresponds to a proximity value between the location of the wearable electronic user device and the hazard; and transmitting, by the server, the instruction to the wearable electronic user device, whereby upon receiving the instruction, wearable electronic user device presents the warning notification.

“In another embodiment, a computer-implemented method comprises periodically monitoring, by a server, location of an electronic user device by periodically receiving, via the electronic user device, at least one unique identifier associated with one or more beacons; retrieving, by the server, a location of a hazard associated with the identified location of the electronic user device; periodically monitoring, by the server, location of an obstacle by periodically receiving, via one or more electronic sensors associated with the identified location of the electronic device, navigation data; upon determining that a location of the electronic user device is within a predetermined proximity to the location of the obstacle or the location of the hazard: generating, by the server, an instruction to present a warning notification, wherein the notification corresponds to a proximity value between the location of the user device and the location of the hazard or the location of the obstacle; transmitting, by the server, the instruction to the electronic user device, whereby upon receiving the instruction, electronic user device presents the notification.

“In another embodiment, a computer system comprises one or more beacons configured to transmit unique identifiers; one or more electronic sensors configured to capture and transmit navigation data; an electronic user device configured to receive unique identifiers from the one or more beacons and further configured to present a warning notification; and a server in communication with the one or more beacons and the one or more electronic sensors, the server configured to periodically monitor location of the electronic user device by periodically receiving, via the electronic user device, at least one unique identifier associated with the one or more beacons; retrieve a location of a hazard associated with the location of the electronic user device; periodically monitor location of an obstacle by periodically receiving, via one or more electronic sensors associated with the location of the electronic user device, navigation data; upon determining that a location of the electronic user device is within a predetermined proximity to the location of the obstacle or the location of the hazard: generate an instruction to present a warning notification, wherein the warning notification corresponds to a proximity value between the location of the user electronic device and the location of the hazard or the location of the obstacle; and transmit the instruction to the electronic user device, whereby upon receiving the instruction, electronic user device presents the warning notification.

“In another embodiment, a computer method comprises periodically monitoring, by a server, location of a user mobile device by periodically receiving, via an application executing on the user mobile device, at least one unique identifier associated with one or more beacons; retrieving, by the server, a location of a hazard associated with the identified location of the user mobile device; periodically monitoring, by the server, location of an obstacle by periodically receiving, via one or more electronic sensors associated with the identified location of the user mobile device, navigation data; upon determining that a location of the user mobile device is within a predetermined proximity to the location of the obstacle or the location of the hazard: generating, by the server, an instruction to present a warning notification, wherein the notification corresponds to a proximity value between the location of the user mobile device and the location of the hazard or the location of the obstacle; transmitting, by the server, the instruction to a wearable electronic device associated with the user, whereby upon receiving the instruction, wearable electronic device presents the notification.

“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 the disclosed systems and methods for providing beacon-based navigation system.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“What is claimed is:

“1. A method comprising: periodically monitoring, by a server, location of a wearable electronic user device by periodically receiving, via the wearable electronic user device, at least one unique identifier associated with one or more beacons; periodically receiving, by the server, obstacle data from one or more electronic sensors, the obstacle data corresponding to an image of one or more obstacles within a first predetermined proximity to the location of the wearable electronic user device monitored via the one or more beacons; upon determining an obstacle within a second predetermined proximity to the location of the wearable electronic user device monitored via the one or more beacons: generating, by the server, an instruction to present a warning notification, wherein the warning notification corresponds to the second predetermined proximity value between the location of the wearable electronic user device and the obstacle; and transmitting, by the server, the instruction to the wearable electronic user device, whereby upon receiving the instruction, wearable electronic user device presents the warning notification.

“2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: retrieving, by the server from a third-party location tracking application executing on the wearable electronic user device, location of the wearable electronic user device.

“3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more electronic sensors are in communication with the wearable electronic user device.

“4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more electronic sensors comprise at least one of an infrared thermal imaging camera, a sonar camera, an ambient light sensor, and a proximity sensor.

“5. The method of claim 1, wherein the wearable electronic user device is a wristband worn by a user.

“6. The method of claim 1, when the wearable electronic user device is a ring worn by a user.

“7. The method of claim 1, wherein the warning notification further corresponds to a direction of movement associated with the wearable electronic user device.

“8. The method of claim 1, wherein the warning notification comprises at least one of a haptic notification, a visual notification, and an auditory notification.

“9. A computer system comprising: one or more beacons configured to transmit unique identifiers; one or more electronic sensors configured to capture and transmit image data; a wearable electronic user device configured to receive unique identifiers from the one or more beacons and further configured to present a warning notification; and a server in communication with the one or more beacons and the one or more electronic sensors, the server configured to: periodically monitor location of the wearable electronic user device by periodically receiving, via the wearable electronic user device, at least one unique identifier associated with one or more beacons; periodically receive obstacle data from one or more electronic sensors, the obstacle data corresponding to an image of one or more obstacles within a first predetermined proximity to the location of the wearable electronic user device monitored via the one or more beacons; upon determining an obstacle within a second predetermined proximity to the location of the wearable electronic user device monitored via the one or more beacons: generate an instruction to present a warning notification, wherein the warning notification corresponds to a proximity value between the location of the wearable electronic user device and the obstacle; and transmit the instruction to the wearable electronic user device, whereby upon receiving the instruction, wearable electronic user device presents the warning notification.

“10. The computer system of claim 9, further comprising: retrieving, by the server from a third-party location tracking application executing on the wearable electronic user device, location of the wearable electronic user device.

“11. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the one or more electronic sensors are in communication with the wearable electronic user device.

“12. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the one or more electronic sensors comprise at least one of an infrared thermal imaging cameras, a sonar cameras, an ambient light sensor, and a proximity sensor.

“13. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the wearable electronic user device is a wristband worn by a user operating the wearable electronic user device.

“14. The computer system of claim 9, when the wearable electronic user device is a ring worn by a user operating the wearable electronic user device.

“15. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the warning notification further corresponds to a direction of movement associated with the wearable electronic user device.

“16. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the warning notification comprises at least one of a haptic notification, a visual notification, and an auditory notification.

“17. A method comprising: periodically monitoring, by a server, location of a wearable electronic user device by periodically receiving, via the wearable electronic user device, at least one unique identifier associated with one or more beacons; upon determining the location of the wearable electronic user device, retrieving, by the server, a hazard map within a first proximity of the location of the wearable electronic user device where the server identifies at least one beacon associated with the hazard; upon receiving, via the wearable electronic user device, a unique identifier of at least one beacon associated with the hazard and upon determining that the location of the wearable electronic user device is within a second proximity to the hazard: generating, by the server, an instruction to present a warning notification, wherein the warning notification corresponds to the second proximity value between the location of the wearable electronic user device and the hazard; and transmitting, by the server, the instruction to the wearable electronic user device, whereby upon receiving the instruction, wearable electronic user device presents the warning notification.

“18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: retrieving, by the server from a third-party location tracking application executing on the wearable electronic user device, location of the wearable electronic user device.

“19. The method of claim 17, wherein the wearable electronic user device is a wristband worn by a user operating the electronic user device.

“20. The method of claim 17, when the wearable electronic user device is a ring worn by a user operating the electronic user device.”

URL and more information on this patent, see: Knas, Michal; John, Jiby. Wearable Electronic Navigation System. U.S. Patent Number 10,852,154, filed October 24, 2018, and published online on December 14, 2020. 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=10,852,154.PN.&OS=PN/10,852,154RS=PN/10,852,154

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