Electronic asset location identification and tracking system with receiver clustering
First Claim
1. A computer implemented method for registering a specific area within a location in connection with a specific position of a receiver cluster defined by two or more wireless radio, sound and/or light-based receivers within the location for use by an electronic location identification and tracking system to determine the presence of an individual or asset at the location, said method comprising the steps of:
- a. installing a plurality of wireless radio, sound and/or light-based receivers (“
Receivers”
) at a location;
b. electronically selecting two or more receivers but not all receivers from the plurality of installed Receivers to represent a specific area or specific spot within the location, wherein the selected two or more receivers defining a receiver cluster for use in determining a presence of a person or asset having a wireless beacon attached;
c. electronically entering configuration or identification information for the two or more receivers selected for the receiver cluster and information regarding the specific area or specific spot within the location that the two or more receivers are installed at;
d. electronically entering information regarding a minimum beacon signal strength threshold for each of the receivers in the receiver clustere. electronically entering information regarding a minimum time duration that a receiver must receive a beacon signal exceeding a beacon signal strength threshold for each of the receivers in the receiver cluster in order for a receiver to be considered to have a receive a valid signal from a beacon associated with an asset or person; and
f. storing the entered minimum time duration for each receiver, the entered minimum signal strength threshold for each receiver and the configuration or identification information for each receiver in the receiver cluster in an electronic database;
wherein steps b. through e. are performed by an electronic location identification and tracking system in communication with the electronic database.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for determining the presence of an asset or person at a particular spot within a location. The asset or person is provided with a beacon transmitting a beacon signal. A plurality of receivers are disposed throughout the location. In one embodiment, two or more adjacent or nearby receivers are grouped together to define a receiver cluster. The receiver cluster having the highest average signal strength from the signal being transmitted from the beacon of the asset or person as determined by an electronic identification and location tracking system determines the particular area within the location where the asset or person is present at.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A computer implemented method for registering a specific area within a location in connection with a specific position of a receiver cluster defined by two or more wireless radio, sound and/or light-based receivers within the location for use by an electronic location identification and tracking system to determine the presence of an individual or asset at the location, said method comprising the steps of:
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a. installing a plurality of wireless radio, sound and/or light-based receivers (“
Receivers”
) at a location;b. electronically selecting two or more receivers but not all receivers from the plurality of installed Receivers to represent a specific area or specific spot within the location, wherein the selected two or more receivers defining a receiver cluster for use in determining a presence of a person or asset having a wireless beacon attached; c. electronically entering configuration or identification information for the two or more receivers selected for the receiver cluster and information regarding the specific area or specific spot within the location that the two or more receivers are installed at; d. electronically entering information regarding a minimum beacon signal strength threshold for each of the receivers in the receiver cluster e. electronically entering information regarding a minimum time duration that a receiver must receive a beacon signal exceeding a beacon signal strength threshold for each of the receivers in the receiver cluster in order for a receiver to be considered to have a receive a valid signal from a beacon associated with an asset or person; and f. storing the entered minimum time duration for each receiver, the entered minimum signal strength threshold for each receiver and the configuration or identification information for each receiver in the receiver cluster in an electronic database; wherein steps b. through e. are performed by an electronic location identification and tracking system in communication with the electronic database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for determining a presence of an asset or person at a particular area within a location by an electronic location identification and tracking system, said method comprising the steps of:
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a. electronically receiving a beacon signal from a beacon associated with a particular asset or person by one or more wireless radio, sound and/or light-based receivers of a plurality of wireless radio, sound and/or light-based receivers, wherein two or more receivers of the plurality of receivers form a receiver cluster associated with a specific area or spot within the location, wherein each receiver of the plurality of receivers only associated with one receiver cluster; b. electronically determining whether the beacon signal is from a known beacon; c. for each signal from a known beacon, electronically determining a signal strength for the signal received by the one or more receivers; d. averaging the signal strength received by each receiver in a specific receiver cluster and comparing the averaged signal strength to other average signal strengths for all other receiver clusters for the location; e. wherein for the receiver cluster having a highest average signal strength as determined in step d. electronically determining by an electronic location identification and tracking system that a specific spot are area associated with the receiver cluster having the highest average signal strength is the location where the asset or person is present.
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6. A method for determining a presence of an asset or person at a particular area within a location by an electronic location identification and tracking system, said method comprising the steps of:
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a. electronically receiving a beacon signal from a beacon associated with a particular asset or person by one or more wireless radio, sound and/or light-based receivers of a plurality of wireless radio, sound and/or light-based receivers, wherein two or more receivers of the plurality of receivers form a receiver cluster associated with a specific area or spot within the location, wherein each receiver of the plurality of receivers only associated with one receiver cluster; b. electronically determining a signal strength for the signal received by the one or more receivers; c. electronically determining if a beacon signal was received by each wireless radio, sound and/or light-based receiver associated with a particular receiver cluster; d. wherein if a signal was not received or a received signal was below the preconfigured minimum signal strength by each receiver associated with the particular receiver cluster further comprising the step of either (i) using a static value for each receiver who did not receive a signal or received a signal below the minimum signal strength when calculating an average signal strength for the particular cluster, or (ii) calculating the average signal strength only from the receivers who received a signal having a signal strength above the preconfigured minimum signal strength. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for determining a presence of an asset or person at a particular area within a location by an electronic location identification and tracking system, said method comprising the steps of:
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a. electronically receiving one or more signals containing identification information from at least one wireless beacon associated with a particular asset or person by one or more wireless radio, sound and/or light-based receivers running an electronic location identification and tracking system application (“
App”
);b. electronically determining by the App whether each beacon signal received is from a beacon whose identifier is previously programmed into the App; c. for each known beacon signal received by the App, electronically querying a database to electronically receive asset or person properties for each known beacon and to electronically receive location properties for the one or more receivers, wherein the location properties include information on the number and identity of wireless radio, sound and/or light-based receivers grouped as a particular cluster of receivers for the particular area within the location; d. electronically determining by the App if a signal was received from each wireless radio, sound and/or light-based receiver associated with the particular cluster of receivers; e. wherein if a signal was received by each wireless radio, sound and/or light-based receiver associated with the particular cluster of receivers in step (d), electronically determining a signal strength for each beacon signal received by the one or more receivers; f. electronically determining an average signal strength from all of the signal strengths received in step (e); and g. electronically comparing the average signal strength to a preconfigured minimum signal strength value for the particular area or particular cluster of receivers. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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Specification