Communication system and method

• US 10,165,413 B1
• Filed: 08/10/2018
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: High, Donald R., McHale, Brian Gerard, Atchley, Michael Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Mahendra
• Application Number:
  US16/100,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20180352382A1
• Time in Patent Office: 137 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561, 4554141, 455422, 455406, 705 1453, 705 35, 348159, 348131
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/30 Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]

Abstract

A communication system comprises a mobile reporting device and a server. The mobile reporting device comprises a signal receiver configured to receive data usable to determine the location of the reporting device; a communication module configured to transmit data to and receive data from a server, the data including location data from the location determiner; a display including a user interface. The server comprises a database with a location module configured to store a default room location for a plurality of personnel; a server communication module configured to transmit data to and receive data from the reporting device; an information module configured to provide information on the personnel; a controller configured to determine, based on the location data, which personnel default locations are within a predetermined distance of the reporting device, to control the server communication module to transmit to the reporting device information from the information module regarding the personnel associated with the default locations within the predetermined distance for display on the user interface.

Claims

1. A communication method for use with a communication system, comprising:

configuring a location signal receiver of the communication system to receive data usable to determine a location of a mobile reporting device;

configuring a communication module of the communication system to transmit data to and receive data from a computer server, the data including location data from the location signal receiver;

displaying from the location data a two dimensional (2D) or three dimensional (3D) map indicating a current location of the mobile reporting device and a default location for a person of interest within a predetermined distance of the mobile reporting device;

outputting by the communication module a selected personal identifier to the computer server, and in response receiving information for display; and

adjusting the predetermined distance of the mobile reporting device dynamically over time according to the distance to a nearest communication device, or maintaining by the mobile reporting device a number of communication devices below a predetermined threshold.

2. The communication method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring the mobile reporting device to display an image of any personnel of a plurality of personnel within the predetermined distance whereby an individual image can be selected by a user to view information associated with a specified person.

3. The communication method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing in the computer server a default room location for a plurality of personnel;

configuring the server to include an information module that provides information on the personnel;

determining, based on the location data, which personnel default locations are within a predetermined distance of the reporting device, to control the server to transmit to the reporting device information from the information module regarding the personnel associated with the default locations within the predetermined distance for display on the mobile reporting device.

4. The communication method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining by a controller configured to, based on the location data, which mobile communication device locations are within a predetermined distance of the reporting device, to control the server to transmit to the reporting device information from the information module regarding the personnel associated with the reporting devices within the predetermined distance.

5. The communication method of claim 1, wherein the mobile reporting device is configured to display an image of any personnel within the predetermined distance and whereby an individual image can be selected by a user to view information associated with a specified person.

6. The communication method of claim 1, wherein each mobile reporting device is classified as a leader device or a non-leader device, wherein the leader device searches for personnel of interest at a location within a general location, the non-leader device transmits location data to the computer server, and the leader device displays an identifier related to the non-leader device when the leader device is a predetermined distance from the non-leader device.

7. The communication method of claim 6, wherein the computer server is configured to provide to the leader device a map indicating where a user of the non-leader device is located relative to the current location of the leader device.

8. The communication method of claim 6, wherein the computer server generates information about the default locations and about other devices that are combined together so that the leader device displays for a user both default locations and device locations associated with the personnel at the same time.

9. The communication method of claim 1, further comprising:

emitting, by a plurality of modulated visible light emitters, visible light having a unique identification detected by the mobile reporting device; and

generating by the mobile reporting device a modulation signal to determine a location of the mobile reporting device relative to the default location.

10. A communication method for use with a communication system, comprising:

storing a default location for a plurality of people;

transmitting by a computer server of the communication system data to and receive data from a mobile reporting device, including location data of the mobile reporting device, and to provide information on the plurality of people;

determining by a controller of the communication system, based on the location data, which default locations of a general location are within a predetermined distance of the mobile reporting device, to control the computer server to transmit to the mobile reporting device information regarding the people associated with the default locations within the predetermined distance for display on the mobile reporting device; and

receiving by the mobile reporting device a source of light emitted by at least one light emitter of a plurality of light emitters, wherein the at least one light emitter emits light with a unique modulation for receipt by the mobile reporting device, which generates a modulation signal that is processed by the computer server to determine a location of the mobile reporting device within the general location;

storing by the computer server mapping information including a 2D or 3D map of the general location and the positioning of the light emitters within the general location;

outputting by the mobile reporting device a selected personal identifier to the computer server, and in response receiving information for display; and

adjusting the predetermined distance of the mobile reporting device dynamically over time according to the distance to a nearest communication device, or maintaining by the mobile reporting device a number of communication devices below a predetermined threshold.

11. The communication method of claim 10, wherein the computer server comprises an information module that storing by the computer server the information regarding the people and outputs the information regarding the people to the mobile reporting device under control by the controller.

12. The communication method of claim 10, wherein the computer server generates information about the default locations and about other devices that are combined together so that the mobile reporting device displays for a user both default locations and device locations associated with the people at the same time.

13. A communication method for use with a communication system, comprising:

receiving by a signal receiver of the communication system data usable to determine the location of the reporting device;

exchanging location data with a mobile reporting device of the plurality of mobile reporting devices, wherein each mobile reporting device is classified as a leader device or a non-leader device;

searching by the leader device for personnel of interest at a location within a general location;

transmitting by the non-leader device location data to a computer server;

outputting by a mobile reporting device of the plurality of mobile reporting devices a selected personal identifier to the computer server, and in response receiving information for display;

displaying by the leader device an identifier related to the non-leader device when the leader device is a predetermined distance from the non-leader device;

emitting by a light emitter of a plurality of light emitters light with a unique modulation for receipt by the mobile reporting device;

generating by the mobile reporting device a modulation signal that is processed by the computer server to determine a location of the mobile reporting device within the general location; and

adjusting the predetermined distance of the mobile reporting device dynamically over time according to the distance to a nearest communication device, or maintaining by the mobile reporting device a number of communication devices below a predetermined threshold.

14. The communication method of claim 13, further comprising:

storing by the computer server mapping information including a 2D or 3D map of the general location and the positioning of the light emitters within the general location.

15. The communication method of claim 13, wherein the light emitters are modulated visible light emitters that emit visible light with a unique modulation detected by a camera of the mobile reporting device.

16. The communication method of claim 13, further comprising:

monitoring by the computer server information regarding users of the plurality of mobile reporting devices; and

outputting the information regarding the personnel to the leader device.

17. The communication method of claim 13, wherein the computer server generates information about the default locations and about other devices that are combined together so that the mobile reporting device displays for a user both default locations and device locations associated with the people at the same time.

18. The communication method of claim 13, further comprising:

dynamically adjusting the predetermined distance over time according to the distance to a nearest communication device or maintaining a number of communication devices below a predetermined threshold; and

configuring the mobile reporting device to display an image of any personnel of a plurality of personnel within the predetermined distance whereby an individual image can be selected by a user to view information associated with a specified person.