Accurate tracking information system

• US 10,228,441 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2015
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Barajas Gonzalez, Emmanuel, Harrington, Shaun E., McGregor, Harry, Moore, Christopher B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chuong P
• Application Number:
  US14/829,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20170052246A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,302 Days
• Field of Search: 342450, 342451
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/02 using radio waves G01S19/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/022 Means for monitoring or calibrating
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/021 Calibration, monitoring or correction G01S5/0252 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0294 Trajectory determination or predictive filtering, e.g. target tracking or Kalman filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/04 Position of source determined by a plurality of spaced direction-finders

Abstract

Embodiments for accurately tracking objects in three-dimensional space by at least one processor device. Inter-device communications are sent between a plurality of stationary radio frequency elements to triangulate a three-dimensional position between the plurality of stationary radio frequency elements and a tracking element registerable to a user, the tracking element also in radio frequency communication with the plurality of stationary radio frequency elements. The tracking element moves, and is tracked by, the plurality of stationary radio frequency elements through the three-dimensional space.

Claims

1. A method for accurately tracking objects in three-dimensional space by at least one processor device, comprising:

sending inter-device communications between a plurality of stationary radio frequency elements to triangulate a three-dimensional position of a tracking element registerable to a user between the plurality of stationary radio frequency elements when using a global positioning system (GPS) by the plurality of stationary radio frequency elements is unavailable, the tracking element also in radio frequency communication with the plurality of stationary radio frequency elements through a same network protocol using the inter-device communications, wherein the tracking element moves, and is tracked by, the plurality of stationary radio frequency elements through the three-dimensional space.

2. The method of claim 1, further including, sending, by at least one of the plurality of stationary radio frequency elements, information to the tracking element to establish a three-dimensional map of the three-dimensional space on the tracking element.

3. The method of claim 1, further including performing a calibration function between at least one of the plurality of stationary radio frequency elements and the tracking element in the three-dimensional space.

4. The method of claim 1, further including communicating, by the tracking element, with an additional tracking element according to a predetermined level of access.

5. The method of claim 1, further including providing an access to the tracking element through an Application Programming Interface (API), wherein the API is accessible by an external user according to a predetermined level of access.

6. The method of claim 1, further including receiving, by the user, feedback information in the tracking element to adjust for a previous location determination by the tracking element in the three-dimensional space.

7. The method of claim 6, further including, subsequent to receiving the feedback information, applying at least one real-time analytic against the feedback information to determine a usefulness of the feedback information.

8. A system for accurately tracking objects in three-dimensional space, comprising:

at least one processor;

a plurality of stationary radio frequency elements incorporating the at least one processor; and

a tracking element, registerable to a user, in radio frequency communication with the plurality of stationary radio frequency elements through a same network protocol as used by the plurality of stationary radio frequency elements;

wherein;

the plurality of stationary radio frequency elements send inter-device communications therebetween to triangulate a three-dimensional position of the tracking element between the plurality of stationary radio frequency elements when using a global positioning system (GPS) by the plurality of stationary radio frequency elements is unavailable, while the tracking element moves, and is tracked by, the plurality of stationary radio frequency elements through the three-dimensional space.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one of the plurality of stationary radio frequency elements sends information to the tracking element to establish a three-dimensional map of the three-dimensional space on the tracking element.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the tracking element performs a calibration function between the tracking element and at least one of the plurality of stationary radio frequency elements in the three-dimensional space.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the tracking element communicates with an additional tracking element according to a predetermined level of access.

12. The system of claim 8, further including an Application Programming Interface (API) for providing an access to the tracking element therewith, wherein the API is accessible by an external user according to a predetermined level of access.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the tracking element receives, by the user, feedback information to adjust for a previous location determination by the tracking element in the three-dimensional space.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one processor, subsequent to receiving the feedback information, applies at least one real-time analytic against the feedback information to determine a usefulness of the feedback information.

15. A computer program product for accurately tracking objects in three-dimensional space by at least one processor device, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion that sends inter-device communications between a plurality of stationary radio frequency elements to triangulate a three-dimensional position of a tracking element registerable to a user between the plurality of stationary radio frequency elements when using a global positioning system (GPS) by the plurality of stationary radio frequency elements is unavailable, the tracking element also in radio frequency communication with the plurality of stationary radio frequency elements through a same network protocol using the inter-device communications, wherein the tracking element moves, and is tracked by, the plurality of stationary radio frequency elements through the three-dimensional space.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further including a second executable portion that sends, by at least one of the plurality of stationary radio frequency elements, information to the tracking element to establish a three-dimensional map of the three-dimensional space on the tracking element.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, further including a second executable portion that performs a calibration function between at least one of the plurality of stationary radio frequency elements and the tracking element in the three-dimensional space.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, further including a second executable portion that communicates, by the tracking element, with an additional tracking element according to a predetermined level of access.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, further including a second executable portion that provides an access to the tracking element through an Application Programming Interface (API), wherein the API is accessible by an external user according to a predetermined level of access.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, further including a second executable portion that receives, by the user, feedback information in the tracking element to adjust for a previous location determination by the tracking element in the three-dimensional space.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, further including a third executable portion that, subsequent to receiving the feedback information, applies at least one real-time analytic against the feedback information to determine a usefulness of the feedback information.