Tracking and access system

• US 10,417,850 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2017
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bohnas Innovations LLC
• Original Assignee: Bohnas Innovations LLC
• Inventors: Johnson, Casey, Bauer, Greg, Thomas, Doran
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Vernal U
• Application Number:
  US15/694,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20170365115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 340 57
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/04 Access control involving a hierarchy in access rights
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/08 With time considerations, e.g. temporary activation, valid time window or time limitations
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

A tracking system includes a plurality of detectors attached to structural features throughout a facility to detect a tracking element. A data store is configured to store information associated with the tracking element. The information includes user ID information and user-specific authorization privileges that define a level of facility access available to a user with the tracking element. One or more processors are communicatively coupled to the plurality of detectors and the data store to: receive tracking element data from the plurality of detectors, control access of the user within the facility, in response to the tracking element data received via one or more lock mechanisms, and monitor parameters of the system, based on the data received. The parameters includes a number of successful accesses to locations or supplies in the facility, and a duration of time spent in the locations or with the supplies.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a plurality of detectors;

a plurality of tracking elements, each tracking element being configured to communicate with at least one of the plurality of detectors;

an emergency switch configured to override a lock mechanism to provide a user with access to a room in a facility, the emergency switch being disposed at an access point for the user to manually actuate to access the room, such that the user has instant accessibility; and

one or more processors configured to;

receive data communicated between one or more of the plurality of tracking elements and one or more of the plurality of detectors, the data including ID information associated with the user to whom a tracking element is assigned, and the ID information being associated with user-specific authorization privileges for the access to the room,

control access, in response to the data received, to the room via control of the lock mechanism,

monitor, periodically, upon a successful access to the room, a localized vicinity of the room to determine whether a tracking element having the user-specific authorization privileges for the access to the room is still present in the localized vicinity,

monitor parameters of the system, based on the data received, the parameters including;

number of successful accesses to the room,

duration of time spent, upon a successful access, in the room, and

number of unsuccessful attempts to access the room, and

monitor actuation of the emergency switch and, in response to the user actuating the emergency switch, the one or more processors further;

execute an alarm,

unlock the lock mechanism to provide the user with access to the room,

scan a predetermined vicinity defined by a physical parameter of the room,

determine whether a tracking element is present that indicates the user has user-specific authorization privileges for access to the room, and

in response to a determination that the tracking element that indicates the user has user-specific authorization privileges for access to the room, is not present in the vicinity;

notify security of the actuation of the emergency switch, and

maintain the lock mechanism unlocked to continue to provide the user with access to the room.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to monitor a time of day at which access is attempted to the room.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the user-specific authorization privileges restrict access to the room during a predetermined time period of the day.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to track a location of the one or more of the plurality of tracking elements within a facility or network of facilities.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a data store to record information obtained via monitoring performed by the one or more processors,

wherein the one or more processors are further configured to analyze the information recorded in the data store to determine an efficiency of usage of the room, by the user,

wherein the efficiency of the usage is determined based, at least in part, on the duration of the time spent accessing the room compared to a predetermined estimate of time expected for a particular usage.

6. The system according to claim 1, where the monitored duration of time spent is a duration of time spent having a gas supply accessed.

7. A system for monitoring user activity in a facility or network of facilities, the system comprising:

at least one detector communicatively coupled to one or more processors;

at least one tracking element configured to be detected by the at least one detector such that, upon detection of the at least one tracking element, the at least one detector receives data including ID information associated with the at least one tracking element; and

an emergency switch configured to override a lock mechanism to provide a user with access to a room, in the facility or network of facilities, the emergency switch being disposed at an access point for the user to manually actuate to access the room, such that the user has instant accessibility,

wherein the ID information is associated further with user-specific authorization privileges for access to the room in the facility or the network of facilities,

wherein the one or more processors control user access, in response to the data received by the at least one detector, to the room via control of the lock mechanism,

wherein the system monitors the user activity, based at least in part on the detection of the at least one tracking element, the user activity including;

number of successful accesses to the room,

duration of time spent, upon a successful access, in the room,

number of unsuccessful attempts to access the room, and

wherein the system further monitors;

a type of supplies accessed, upon a successful access, and

a quantity of supplies accessed, upon a successful access, and

wherein the one or more processors monitor actuation of the emergency switch and, in response to the user actuating the emergency switch, the one or more processors further;

execute an alarm,

unlock the lock mechanism to provide the user with access to the room,

scan a predetermined vicinity defined by a physical parameter of the room,

determine whether the at least one tracking element is present that indicates the user has user-specific authorization privileges for access to the room, and

in response to a determination that the at least one tracking element that indicates the user has user-specific authorization privileges for access to the room, is not present in the vicinity;

notify security of the actuation of the emergency switch, and

maintain the lock mechanism unlocked to continue to provide the user with access to the room.

8. The system according to claim 7, further comprising a data store storing:

a plurality of user IDs, one or more of the user IDs being linked to a particular tracking element, and

a particular set of user-specific authorization privileges defined for the one or more user IDs,

wherein the one or more processors are configured such that, upon the at least one tracking element being detected by the at least one detector, the one or more processors communicates with the data store to;

determine the particular set of user-specific authorization privileges that are associated with the at least one tracking element, and

determine whether to allow access to the room.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein the supplies include at least one of gas used in medical procedures, medical equipment, or medication.

10. The system according to claim 7, wherein the at least one detector includes multiple detectors that are dispersed throughout the facility or network of facilities, the multiple detectors being located, respectively, on a structural location suitable for detecting the at least one tracking element, where suitable structural locations include hallways, adjacent doors, within rooms, or adjacent cabinets.

11. The system according to claim 7, wherein the at least one tracking element includes one or more of a stamp, a fob, a barcode, a card or sheet, a tag, or a bracelet.

12. The system according to claim 7, wherein the at least one detector includes one or more of a proximity-reader, a sensor, a Bluetooth device, a scanner, a wireless internet system component, a camera, or a magnetic and/or electromagnetic detection device.

13. The system according to claim 7, wherein the one or more processors determine, at least in part, whether to allow access to the room, based on a distance between the at least one detector and the at least one tracking element.

14. The system according to claim 7, wherein the at least one detector periodically sends a search signal into a localized vicinity of the at least one detector to detect the at least one tracking element, and

wherein the one or more processors determine, at least in part, whether to allow access to the room, based on an amount of time that passes between sending the search signal by the at least one detector and a subsequent receipt of a signal indicating that the at least one tracking element is detected.

15. A tracking system for tracking user activity in a facility, comprising:

a plurality of detectors configured to be attached to structural features throughout the facility, and configured to detect a tracking element;

a data store configured to store information associated with the tracking element, the information including user ID information and user-specific authorization privileges that define a level of facility access available to a user with the tracking element;

one or more processors communicatively coupled to the plurality of detectors and the data store, the one or more processors configured to;

receive tracking element data from the plurality of detectors,

control access of the user within the facility, in response to the tracking element data received via one or more lock mechanisms, and

monitor parameters of the system, based on the data received, the parameters including;

number of successful accesses to one or more locations or supplies in the facility, and

duration of time spent, upon a successful access, in the one or more locations or with the supplies; and

an emergency switch configured to override the one or more lock mechanisms to provide the user with access to the one or more locations or supplies, the emergency switch being disposed at an access point for the user to manually actuate to access the one or more locations or supplies, such that the user has instant accessibility,

wherein the one or more processors are further configured to;

scan a predetermined vicinity defined by a physical parameter of the one or more locations;

determine whether the tracking element is present that indicates the user has user-specific authorization privileges for access to the one or more locations or supplies, and

in response to a determination that the tracking element that indicates the user has user-specific authorization privileges for access to the one or more locations or supplies, is not present in the vicinity;

notify security of the actuation of the emergency switch, and

maintain the one or more lock mechanisms unlocked to continue to provide the user with access to the one or more locations or the supplies.

16. The tracking system according to claim 15, wherein the tracking element is a user'"'"'s facial features.

17. The tracking system according to claim 15, wherein the tracking element is a user'"'"'s voice.

18. The tracking system according to claim 15, wherein the tracking element is a proximity-sensor based device.

19. The tracking system according to claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are configured to control access of the user such that the user is permitted access to one or more portions of the facility during a limited predetermined time frame.