Electronic identification, location tracking, communication and notification system with beacon clustering

• US 10,121,299 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2018
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Collateral Opportunities Of Nevada, LLC
• Original Assignee: Collateral Opportunities, LLC
• Inventors: Kusens, Bruce Howard, Kusens, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Blouin, Mark
• Application Number:
  US15/897,114
• Publication Number:
  US 20180232980A1
• Time in Patent Office: 265 Days
• Field of Search: 340 561
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00388 code verification carried out according to the challenge/response method
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00865 remotely by wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/02 Access control comprising means for the enrolment of users
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/08 With time considerations, e.g. temporary activation, valid time window or time limitations
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/64 using a proximity sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00817 where the code of the lock can be programmed
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A method and system that allows authorized individuals access into controlled access locations and the ability to grant temporary and limited access to guests into these locations. The method and system allows for navigational services to be provided to members and guests, and real-time tracking and confirmation to members and administrators that guests have arrived at their destination and did not enter any unauthorized areas. The method preferably can work through a system of wireless radio, sound and/or light-based beacons communicating with member and guest'"'"'s electronic devices. Members and administrators can send one or more temporary electronic access keys to a guest'"'"'s smartphone or other electronic device. Wireless radio, sound and/or light-based beacons provide an access control and location tracking system with real-time data about the member and guest whereabouts, allowing for the confirmation and tracking. Also provided is a system and method for identifying a customer'"'"'s location at a business and provide notification to a company representative upon arrival of the customer at the business location. Real-time location determinations for the customer and customer location tracking can be provided. One or more wireless beacons communicate with the customer'"'"'s electronic device. The beacons provide the system with real-time data about the customer'"'"'s whereabouts, allowing for the confirmation and tracking of the customer at the location. A first non-limiting example of use, include a company that provides food and beverage allowing the customer to place an order for food and beverages on their electronic device and having the order delivered to the person at their current location as determined by the system. Another non-limiting example includes a company using the notification system to have assigned staff members notified of the customer'"'"'s arrival.

Claims

1. A method for determining a current location of an individual at a particular geographical area, said method comprising the steps of:

a. receiving one or more wireless signals by an electronic device on the possession of the individual sent by one or more wireless beacons, said electronic device having and running an electronic identification, location tracking, communication and notification app (“

App”

), each wireless signal of the one or more wireless signals associated with a specific one beacon from the one or more wireless beacons, each of the signals of the one or more wireless signals having an unique identifier identifying the specific one beacon from the one or more wireless beacons that the signal was transmitted from, each of the one or more beacons located at a different spot within the particular geographical area; and

b. electronically forwarding at least some of the one or more wireless signals by the electronic device to an electronic identification, location tracking, communication and notification system (“

System”

) to determine the current location of the individual at the particular geographical area.

2. The method for determining of claim 1 further comprising the steps of determining by the App running on the individual'"'"'s electronic device the signal strength for each of the received wireless signals and electronically forwarding only signals having signal strengths above a preconfigured signal strength threshold.

3. The method for determining of claim 1 further comprising the step of querying an electronic identification, location tracking, communication and notification database (Database”

) by the System and receiving configuring information by the System from the Database for each of the beacons from the one or more wireless beacons.

4. The method for determining of claim 3 wherein the configuring information including minimum signal strength thresholds for the wireless signal transmitted by each beacon in order for the beacon to be considered in a determination for a current location of the individual.

5. The method for determining of claim 4 further comprising the step of disregarding wireless signals received by the individual'"'"'s electronic device having a signal strength that are below the minimum signal strength threshold for their associated beacon.

6. The method for determining of claim 5 further comprising the step of determining the current location for the individual within the particular geographic area by the System using only wireless signals received by the individual'"'"'s electronic device having signal strengths above the minimum signal strength threshold.

7. The method for determining of claim 1 wherein the particular geographical area is a hospitality location.

8. The method for determining of claim 1 further comprising the steps of identifying the received wireless signal with a highest signal strength from the received one or more wireless signals, obtaining location information for the associated beacon which sent the signal with the highest signal strength from an electronic identification, location tracking, communication and notification database (“

Database”

) and selecting the location of the beacon which sent the wireless signal with the highest signal strength as a current location for the individual within the particular geographical area.

9. The method for determining of claim 7 further comprising the step of electronically sending notification to an electronic device of a staff member employed at the hospitality location regarding a presence and a current location of the individual within the hospitality location.

10. The method for determining of claim 2 wherein the one or more beacons are a plurality of beacons and further comprising the steps of grouping two or more of the plurality of beacons into a plurality of beacon clusters, with each beacon cluster containing beacons not in any of the other beacon clusters and obtaining an average signal strength value for each beacon cluster based on the beacons contained in each cluster.

11. The method for determining of claim 10 wherein an average signal strength for a beacon cluster is determined by (i) averaging signal strengths for the received signals for all of the beacons in the beacon cluster, (ii) assigning a dummy value for signal strengths below the preconfigured signal strength threshold sent from a beacon in the beacon cluster and then averaging all signal strengths above the threshold and the dummy value assigned, or (iii) averaging only signal strengths above the preconfigured signal strength threshold from beacons in the beacon cluster.

12. The method for determining of claim 11 wherein the received signals having a signal strength over the preconfigured threshold are only electronically forwarded by the App to the System only where the signal strength remains above the preconfigured signal strength threshold for a preconfigured duration of time.

13. The method for determining of claim 10 wherein each beacon cluster defining a specific location within the particular geographic area and the beacon cluster having the highest average signal strength identifies the specific location of the individual within the particular geographic area.

14. A method for determining a current location of an individual at a particular geographical area, said method comprising the steps of:

a. receiving a wireless signal sent from an electronic device on the possession of the individual by one or more wireless beacons, said electronic device having and running an electronic identification, location tracking, communication and notification app (“

App”

), each beacon of the one or more beacons having a receiver for receipt of the wireless signals, each of the one or more beacons located at a different spot within the particular geographical area; and

b. electronically forwarding a wireless signal by each beacon of the one or more beacons to an electronic identification, location tracking, communication and notification system (“

System”

), each wireless signal sent by the beacon to the System containing information identifying the individual assigned to the electronic device, a unique identifier for the beacon and the signal strength of the wireless signal received by the beacon from the electronic device to allow the System to determine the current location of the individual at the particular geographical area.

15. The method for determining of claim 14 further comprising the step of querying an electronic identification, location tracking, communication and notification database (Database”

) by the System and receiving configuring information by the System from the Database for each of the beacons from the one or more wireless beacons.

16. The method for determining of claim 15 wherein the configuring information including minimum signal strength thresholds for the wireless signals received by each beacon from the electronic device in order for the beacon to be considered in a determination for a current location of the individual.

17. The method for determining of claim 16 further comprising the step of determining the current location for the individual within the particular geographic area by the System using only wireless signals received by the beacons having signal strengths above the minimum signal strength threshold.

18. The method for determining of claim 14 further comprising the steps of identifying the received wireless signal with a highest signal strength from the wireless signals received by the one or more beacons, obtaining location information for the beacon who received the sent the signal with the highest signal strength from an electronic identification, location tracking, communication and notification database (“

Database”

) and selecting the location of the beacon which received the wireless signal with the highest signal strength as a current location for the individual within the particular geographical area.

19. The method for determining of claim 18 further comprising the step of electronically sending notification to an electronic device of a staff member employed at the particular geographical area regarding a presence and the current location of the individual within the particular geographical area.