Positioning tag with alert function

• US 10,397,732 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 08/27/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AiRISTA Flow, Inc. (AiRISTA, LLC), AiRISTA International Oy (AiRISTA, LLC)
• Original Assignee: AiRISTA Flow, Inc. (AiRISTA, LLC)
• Inventors: Kalliovaara, Timo
• Primary Examiner(s): Shedrick, Charles T
• Application Number:
  US13/803,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20140273917A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,357 Days
• Field of Search: 4554042, 34053913
• 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 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

A mobile data processing device configured to assist in locating a user. The device comprises an enclosure and an attachment base for attaching the device to a garment, lanyard or strap wearable by a user. The attachment base moves between a first (“normal”) position and a second (“alert”) position with respect to the enclosure in response to an external force acting on the enclosure. The device further comprises a detector system for detecting removal of the attachment base from the normal position, and an alert signal generator configured to send an alert signal in response to said detection. The alert signal can be generated quickly by grabbing the enclosure and pulling the device downwards.

Claims

1. A mobile data processing device, comprising:

an enclosure and a power source, the enclosure comprising at least one formation, each of the at least one formation comprising a first recess and a second recess;

a memory system for storing program instructions;

a processing system for executing the program instructions;

a transmission system for communicating with at least one communication system, wherein the at least one communication system comprises or cooperates with a positioning system for positioning the mobile data processing device;

wherein the transmission system is configured to send at least one alert signal in response to fulfillment of a first set of predetermined alert conditions;

an attachment base configured to move between a first position and a second position with respect to the at least one formation of the enclosure in response to an external force, wherein the attachment base is configured to move between the first position and the second position when the external force exceeds a first threshold pulling the enclosure away from the attachment base, a first portion of the attachment base being external to the enclosure and a second portion of the attachment base being internal to the enclosure, the attachment base comprising at least one spring that is configured to engage the first recess of the at least one formation of the enclosure in the first position and the second recess of the at least one formation of the enclosure in the second position in response to the external force;

a tag removably attached to the attachment base for suspending the mobile data processing device from a garment, lanyard, or strap that is wearable by a user, wherein the tag comprises a latch configured to open when the external force pulling the tag away is greater than a second threshold, and wherein the tag is configured to be detached from the attachment base when the external force pulling the tag away from the attachment base exceeds the second threshold, and wherein the second threshold is greater than the first threshold;

a detector system for detecting removal of the attachment base from the first position, wherein the detector system comprises circuitry and a sensor that is configured to detect when the at least one spring of the attachment base repositions from the first recess and the second recess of the at least one formation of the enclosure; and

an alert signal generator having an input coupled to the detector system and an output coupled to the transmission system, wherein the alert signal generator is configured to detect an alert condition and thereby cause transmission of at least one alert signal in response to a detected removal of the attachment base from the first position, wherein the alert signal generator is further configured to continuously detect the alert condition if the attachment base is completely detached from the enclosure.

2. The mobile data processing device according to claim 1, further comprising a reception system for receiving messages.

3. The mobile data processing device according to claim 2, further comprising a display system for displaying the received messages.

4. The mobile data processing device according to claim 1, further comprising a sleep mode circuitry for putting the mobile data processing device to a power save mode in response to fulfillment of a second set of predetermined conditions.

5. The mobile data processing device according to claim 4, further comprising a wake-up circuitry for putting the mobile data processing device to active mode in response to fulfillment of a third set of predetermined conditions.

6. The mobile data processing device according to claim 4, wherein the sleep mode circuitry is configured to control power to the reception system, wherein after sending the at least one alert signal, the sleep mode circuitry keeps the reception system powered until an acknowledgement to the at least one alert signal is received.

7. The mobile data processing device according to claim 1, wherein the mobile data processing device with the attachment base in the second position is visually different from the mobile data processing device with the attachment base in the first position.

8. The mobile data processing device according to claim 7, wherein the first position and the second position constitute local energy minima for the attachment base, and there is at least one local energy maximum between the first position and the second position.

9. The mobile data processing device according to claim 8, wherein the detector system does not detect said removal of the attachment base from the first position before the attachment base has proceeded beyond the local energy maximum.

10. The mobile data processing device according to claim 1, wherein the enclosure, when suspended from the attachment base, has a horizontal width which is between 4 cm and 10 cm.

11. The mobile data processing device according to claim 1, wherein the mobile data processing device is configured to resist pulling of the attachment base from the first position to the second position by a first force which is between 15 N and 35 N.

12. The mobile data processing device according to claim 11, wherein the first force is between 20 N and 28 N.

13. The mobile data processing device according to claim 11, wherein the mobile data processing device is configured to resist detachment of the attachment base from the enclosure by a second force which is greater than the first force and between 40 N and 60 N.

14. The mobile data processing device according to claim 13, wherein the second force is 50 N.

15. The mobile data processing device according to claim 1, further comprising structural elements dimensioned in such a manner that the mobile data processing device withstands, without:

breaking or detecting removal of the attachment base from the first position, a force of at least 150 N acting on the attachment base and in parallel with a normal of a largest surface of the enclosure, against;

a corresponding counterforce acting on the largest surface of the enclosure.

16. The mobile data processing device according to claim 1, wherein the positioning system uses observations of signal strength in the communication system to position the mobile data processing device.

17. The mobile data processing device according to claim 1, wherein the attachment base further comprises an elongated shaft that extends into the enclosure, the elongated shaft comprising a magnet that is positioned adjacent to the sensor of the detector system when then attachment base is in the first position,

wherein the sensor of the detector system is a Hall-effect sensor that is configured to detect a change in a magnetic field of the magnet of the elongated shaft of the attachment base, the change in the magnetic field of the magnet of the elongated shaft from the first position to the second position causing the transmission of the at least one alert signal.

18. A device for mobile data processing, the device comprising an attachment base, an enclosure, a tag, a processor, and a memory storing computer instructions executable by the processor, wherein the memory with the computer instructions and the processor are configured to cause the device to at least:

(a) transmit an alert signal in response to the attachment base moving from a first position to a second position relative to at least one formation of the enclosure, wherein movement of the attachment base occurs when an external force exceeding a first threshold pulls the attachment base away from the enclosure,

wherein each of the at least one formation of the enclosure comprises a first recess and a second recess,

wherein a first portion of the attachment base is external to the enclosure and a second portion of the attachment base being internal to the enclosure, the attachment base comprising at least one spring that is configured to engage the first recess of the at least one formation of the enclosure in the first position and the second recess of the at least one formation of the enclosure in the second position in response to the external force,

the device further comprising a detector circuit having a sensor that is configured to detect when the at least one spring of the attachment base repositions from the first recess and the second recess of the at least one formation of the enclosure, and

wherein the tag is removably attached to the attachment base and is operable to detach from the attachment base when the external force exceeding a second threshold pulls the tag and the attachment base away from the enclosure, and wherein the second threshold is greater than the first threshold, wherein the tag comprises a latch configured to open when the external force pulling the tag away is greater than the second threshold.

19. The device for mobile data processing according to claim 18, wherein the attachment base further comprises an elongated shaft that extends into the enclosure, the elongated shaft comprising a magnet that is positioned adjacent to the sensor of the detector circuit when then attachment base is in the first position,

wherein the sensor of the detector circuit is a Hall-effect sensor that is configured to detect a change in a magnetic field of the magnet of the elongated shaft of the attachment base, the change in the magnetic field of the magnet of the elongated shaft from the first position to the second position causing the transmission of the alert signal.