Systems and methods for monitoring altitude sensing beacons

• US 10,097,952 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2016
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: B.I. Incorporated (Geo Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: B.I. Incorporated (Geo Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Buck, Jr., James J., Brooks, Cady Lyn, Newell, Joseph P., Miller, Jr., Richard Wallace
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DANH C
• Application Number:
  US15/159,966
• Publication Number:
  US 20170339519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561, 455457, 4555501, 4554565, 34235731, 34243913
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/00 Checking or monitoring of signalling or alarm systems; Prevention or correction of operating errors, e.g. preventing unauthorised operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/12 Access point controller devices

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present inventions are related to monitoring physical location of a monitored target, but not limited to, use of beacon location information.

Claims

1. A location monitoring system, the system comprising:

a beacon device including;

an altitude determination circuit operable to determine an altitude value corresponding to an altitude of the beacon device;

a wireless transmitter circuit operable to transmit beacon information including beacon location data derived from the altitude value;

a target monitor including;

an attachment apparatus configured to attach the target monitor to a target wherein the attachment apparatus is a strap operable to wrap around a portion of the target, and wherein the strap includes tamper detection capability;

a wireless receiver circuit operable to receive the beacon information; and

a wireless transmitter circuit operable to transmit an alert level to a recipient device, wherein the alert level is generated based at least in part on the beacon location data, and wherein the recipient device is separate from the target.

2. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the altitude determination circuit is a barometric pressure sensing circuit, and wherein the altitude value is an indication of a barometric pressure around the beacon device.

3. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the altitude value is a first altitude value corresponding to a first time, wherein the altitude determination circuit is further operable to determine a second altitude value corresponding to an altitude of the beacon device at a second time, and wherein beacon device further comprises:

a controller circuit operable to;

compare the first altitude value with the second altitude value;

generate an altitude change indication when a difference between the first altitude value and the second altitude value is greater than a threshold value; and

wherein the altitude change indication is included in the beacon location data, and wherein the alert level is generated based at least in part on the altitude change indication.

4. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the beacon location data includes the altitude value, and wherein target monitor further comprises:

a controller circuit operable to;

store the altitude value at a first time as a baseline value in a memory;

receive the altitude value at a second time as an updated value;

compare the updated value with the baseline value; and

generate the alert level based at least in part on the result of the comparison of the updated value with the baseline value.

5. The monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the alert level indicates a change in altitude of the beacon device when the magnitude of a difference between the updated value and the baseline value exceeds a threshold value.

6. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the target monitor further comprises:

an altitude determination circuit.

7. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the beacon device further comprises:

a power loss indication circuit operable to generate a power loss indication when the beacon device stops receiving power from a fixed power source.

8. The monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the beacon device further comprises:

a motion sensing circuit operable to generate a motion indication when the beacon device moves.

9. The monitoring system of claim 8, wherein the beacon information further includes the motion indication and the power loss indication, and wherein the alert level is generated based at least in part on a combination of the beacon location data, the motion indication, and the power loss indication.

10. The monitoring system of claim 8, wherein the beacon device further comprises:

a Wi-Fi signature circuit operable to detect a change in Wi-Fi access points visible to the beacon device and to generate a Wi-Fi signature change indication, wherein the beacon information further includes the Wi-Fi signature change indication; and

wherein the alert level is generated based at least in part on a combination of the beacon location data, the motion indication, the power loss indication, and the Wi-Fi signature change indication.

11. The monitoring system of claim 8, wherein the target monitor device further comprises:

a Wi-Fi signature circuit operable to detect a change in Wi-Fi access points visible to the target monitor when the target monitor is in range of the beacon device and to generate a Wi-Fi signature change indication; and

wherein the alert level is generated based at least in part on a combination of the beacon location data, the motion indication, the power loss indication, and the Wi-Fi signature change indication.

12. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the alert level indicates a likelihood that the beacon device was moved from a baseline position.

13. A beacon device, the beacon device comprising:

a beacon identification value associated with a physical location of the beacon device;

an altitude determination circuit operable to determine an altitude value corresponding to an altitude of the beacon device;

a wireless transmitter circuit operable to transmit the beacon identification value and an altitude data derived from the altitude value; and

wherein the wireless transmitter circuit is further operable to transmit a motion indication indicating motion of the beacon and a power loss indication indicating disconnection of the beacon from a fixed power source, and wherein an alert level is generated based at least in part on a combination of the beacon altitude data, the motion indication, and the power loss indication.

14. The beacon device of claim 13, wherein the altitude determination circuit is a barometric pressure sensing circuit, and wherein the altitude value is an indication of a barometric pressure around the beacon device.

15. The beacon device of claim 13, wherein the beacon device further comprises:

a power loss indication circuit operable to generate a power loss indication when the beacon device stops receiving power via the fixed power source connection; and

wherein the wireless transmitter circuit is further operable to transmit the power loss indication.

16. The beacon device of claim 13, wherein the beacon device further comprises:

a motion sensing circuit operable to generate a motion indication when the beacon device moves; and

wherein the wireless transmitter circuit is further operable to transmit the motion indication.

17. The beacon device of claim 13, wherein the beacon device further comprises:

a Wi-Fi signature circuit operable to detect a change in Wi-Fi access points visible to the beacon device and to generate a Wi-Fi signature change indication.

18. The beacon device of claim 13, wherein the beacon device further comprises:

a Wi-Fi signature circuit operable to detect a change in Wi-Fi access points visible to the beacon device and to generate a Wi-Fi signature change indication, wherein the wireless transmitter circuit is further operable to transmit the Wi-Fi signature change indication; and

wherein the alert level is generated based at least in part on a combination of the beacon location data, the motion indication, the power loss indication, and the Wi-Fi signature change indication.

19. The beacon device of claim 13, wherein the target monitor device further comprises:

a Wi-Fi signature circuit operable to detect a change in Wi-Fi access points visible to the target monitor when the target monitor is in range of the beacon device and to generate a Wi-Fi signature change indication; and

wherein the alert level is generated based at least in part on a combination of the beacon location data, the motion indication, the power loss indication, and the Wi-Fi signature change indication.

20. A location monitoring system, the system comprising:

a beacon device including;

an altitude determination circuit operable to determine an altitude value corresponding to an altitude of the beacon device;

a wireless transmitter circuit operable to transmit beacon information including the altitude value;

a target monitor including;

an attachment apparatus configured to attach the target monitor to a target;

a wireless receiver circuit operable to receive the beacon information;

a wireless transmitter circuit operable to transmit an alert level to a recipient device, wherein the alert level is generated based at least in part on the beacon information, and wherein the recipient device is separate from the target; and

a controller circuit operable to;

store the altitude value at a first time as a baseline value in a memory;

receive the altitude value at a second time as an updated value;

compare the updated value with the baseline value; and

generate the alert level based at least in part on the result of the comparison of the updated value with the baseline value.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the alert level indicates a change in altitude of the beacon device when the magnitude of a difference between the updated value and the baseline value exceeds a threshold value.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the altitude value is a first altitude value corresponding to a first time, wherein the altitude determination circuit is further operable to determine a second altitude value corresponding to an altitude of the beacon device at a second time, and wherein the controller circuit is further operable to:

compare the first altitude value with the second altitude value;

generate an altitude change indication when a difference between the first altitude value and the second altitude value is greater than a threshold value; and

wherein the altitude change indication is included in the beacon location data, and wherein the alert level is generated based at least in part on the altitude change indication.