Terminal for tracking location of article set by individual, and location tracking system and method using terminal for tracking location of article set by individual

• US 10,492,033 B1
• Filed: 07/27/2019
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyungwon Kim
• Original Assignee: Kyungwon Kim
• Inventors: Kim, Kyungwon
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, An T
• Application Number:
  US16/524,013
• Time in Patent Office: 122 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]

Abstract

Disclosed herein are a terminal for tracking the location of an article set by an individual and a location tracking system and method using the terminal. The terminal includes a possession location tracking terminal (100), including: an information input unit (110) to which information required for the selection of an identifier (ID) of one of possession tags (200) provided in possessions possessed by a possessor and a request for tracking of the location of a possession tag (200) provided in a corresponding possession having the tag ID is input; an information output unit (120) which has a liquid crystal display (121); an information storage unit (130) in which per-tag ID information is stored; an information communication unit (140) which performs a communication interface function of transmitting the information; and a control unit (150) which performs control such that the information is input, output, and transmitted.

Claims

1. A terminal for tracking a location of an article set by an individual, the terminal comprising a possession location tracking terminal (100), the possession location tracking terminal (100) comprising:

an information input unit (110) to which information required for a selection of an identifier (ID) of one of possession tags (200) provided in possessions possessed by a possessor and a request for tracking of a location of a possession tag (200) provided in a corresponding possession having the tag ID is input;

an information output unit (120) which has a liquid crystal display (121) on which the information required for the selection of the ID of one of the possession tags (200) provided in the possessions possessed by the possessor is displayed;

an information storage unit (130) in which per-tag ID information which is IDs of the possession tags (200) provided in the possessions possessed by the possessor is stored;

an information communication unit (140) which performs a communication interface function of transmitting the information required for the request for the tracking of the location of the tracking target possession tag of the possession tags (200) provided in the possessions possessed by the possessor; and

a control unit (150) which performs control such that the information required for the selection of the ID of one of possession tags (200) provided in the possessions possessed by the possessor and the request for the tracking of the location of the possession tag (200) provided in the corresponding possession having the tag ID is input, output, and transmitted;

wherein a main body guidance mode in which when the designated one of the possession tags (200) of the possessions possessed by the possessor is detected through the tracking of the location of the designated possession tag (200), the possession location tracking terminal (100) outputs information about detection of the designated possession tag (200) is provided as a mode in which an operation method of the control unit (150) is set;

wherein the information storage unit (130) stores per-received signal strength distance information which is indicative of distances from the possession location tracking terminal (100) having received per-tag ID signals from the possession tags (200) based on detected signal strengths of the received per-tag ID signals so that a distance between the possession tags (200) and the possession location tracking terminal (100) can be determined, and user-designated detection distance information which is information designated by a user and which is indicative of a set distance over which the possession location tracking terminal (100) can detect the possession tag (200) during the tracking of the location; and

wherein the control unit (150), when receiving a per-tag ID signal from one of the possession tags (200) in the main body guidance mode, becomes aware of the corresponding possession tag (200) by reference to the received corresponding per-tag ID signal, detects a signal strength of the received per-tag ID signal, determines a detection distance between the possession location tracking terminal (100) and the possession tag (200) by matching the detected signal strength of the per-tag ID signal against the per-received signal strength distance information stored in the information storage unit (130), and, when the detection distance corresponds to the user-designated detection distance information stored in the information storage unit (130), performs a function of performing control such that the information about the detection of the designated possession tag (200) is output via the information output unit (120).

2. The terminal of claim 1, wherein:

a tag guidance mode in which when the designated one of the possession tags (200) of the possessions possessed by the possessor is detected through the tracking of the location of the designated possession tag (200), the designated possession tag (200) provides guidance on its own location is provided as a mode in which an operation method of the control unit (150) is set; and

the control unit (150), when detecting the designated one of the possession tags (200) of the possessions possessed by the possessor in the tag guidance mode through the tracking of the location of the designated possession tag (200), performs control such that a tag output signal requesting the designated possession tag (200) to provide guidance on its own location is generated.

3. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the information input unit (110) comprises:

tag ID selection buttons (111) which select an ID from among the IDs of the possession tags (200) of the possessions possessed by the possessor; and

a location tracking request button (112) which requests the tracking of the location of the possession tag (200) provided in the corresponding possession having the selected tag ID.

4. The terminal of claim 3, wherein:

the possession location tracking terminal (100) comprises a stationary body (101) on which a circuit substrate, on which the information storage unit (130), the information communication unit (140), and the control unit (150) are mounted, is disposed, and an extension-type movable member (102) which slides into the stationary body (101); and

a main body guidance mode request button (103) which is electrically connected to the circuit substrate and requests setting of the main body guidance mode is disposed at an end of the stationary body (101).

5. A location tracking system using a terminal for tracking a location of an article set by an individual, the location tracking system comprising:

possession tags (200) which are provided in respective possessions possessed by a possessor and transmit per-tag ID signals including tag ID information used to identify the corresponding tags; and

a possession location tracking terminal (100) which, when per-tag ID signals are received from the possession tags (200), checks whether a per-tag ID signal of a tracking target tag of the possession tags (200) provided in the possessions possessed by the possessor is present and provides guidance such that information about detection of the tracking target possession tag (200) is output when the per-tag ID signal of the tracking target tag is present;

wherein the possession location tracking terminal (100) comprises;

an information input unit (110) to which information required for a selection of an identifier (ID) of one of possession tags (200) provided in possessions possessed by a possessor and a request for tracking of a location of a possession tag (200) provided in a corresponding possession having the tag ID is input;

an information output unit (120) which has a liquid crystal display (121) on which the information required for the selection of the ID of one of the possession tags (200) provided in the possessions possessed by the possessor is displayed;

an information storage unit (130) in which per-tag ID information which is IDs of the possession tags (200) provided in the possessions possessed by the possessor is stored;

an information communication unit (140) which performs a communication interface function of transmitting the information required for the request for the tracking of the location of the tracking target possession tag of the possession tags (200) provided in the possessions possessed by the possessor; and

a control unit (150) which performs control such that the information required for the selection of the ID of one of possession tags (200) provided in the possessions possessed by the possessor and the request for the tracking of the location of the possession tag (200) provided in the corresponding possession having the tag ID is input, output, and transmitted and also performs control such that when per-tag ID signals re received from the possession tags (200), whether the per-tag ID signal of the tracking target possession tag of the possession tags (200) provided in possessions possessed by the possessor is present is checked and information about detection of the tracking target possession tag (200) is output when the per-tag ID signal of the tracking target possession tag (200) is present;

wherein the information storage unit (130) stores per-received signal strength distance information which is indicative of distances from the possession location tracking terminal (100) having received per-tag ID signals from the possession tags (200) based on detected signal strengths of the received per-tag ID signals so that a distance between the possession tags (200) and the possession location tracking terminal (100) can be determined, and user-designated detection distance information which is information designated by a user and which is indicative of a set distance over which the possession location tracking terminal (100) can detect the possession tag (200) during the tracking of the location; and

wherein the control unit (150), when receiving a per-tag ID signal from one of the possession tags (200) in the main body guidance mode, becomes aware of the corresponding possession tag (200) by reference to the received corresponding per-tag ID signal, detects a signal strength of the received per-tag ID signal, determines a detection distance between the possession location tracking terminal (100) and the possession tag (200) by matching the detected signal strength of the per-tag ID signal against the per-received signal strength distance information stored in the information storage unit (130), and, when the detection distance corresponds to the user-designated detection distance information stored in the information storage unit (130), performs a function of performing control such that the information about the detection of the designated possession tag (200) is output via the information output unit (120).

6. The location tracking system of claim 5, wherein the information input unit (110) comprises:

tag ID selection buttons (111) which select an ID from among the IDs of the possession tags (200) of the possessions possessed by the possessor; and

a location tracking request button (112) which requests the tracking of the location of the possession tag (200) provided in the corresponding possession having the selected tag ID.

7. The location tracking system of claim 6, wherein:

the possession location tracking terminal (100) comprises a stationary body (101) on which a circuit substrate, on which the information storage unit (130), the information communication unit (140), and the control unit (150) are mounted, is disposed, and an extension-type movable member (102) which slides into the stationary body (101); and

a main body guidance mode request button (103) which is electrically connected to the circuit substrate and requests setting of the main body guidance mode is disposed at an end of the stationary body (101).

8. The location tracking system of claim 5, further comprising:

a user terminal (300) equipped with a possession location tracking app (301) which controls the possession location tracking terminal (100) so that one of the IDs of the possession tags (200) provided in the possessions possessed by the possessor is selected and the tracking of the location of the possession tag (200) provided in the corresponding possession having the tag ID is requested.

9. The location tracking system of claim 8, further comprising:

a per-tag possession detection guidance screen (400) which is a screen which is output to a display unit (310) of the user terminal (300) and which comprises tag ID columns (410) into which the tag IDs used to identify the possession tags (200) are entered and possession name columns (420) into which names of the corresponding possessions provided with the possession tags having corresponding tag IDs are entered.

10. A location tracking method using a terminal for tracking a location of an article set by an individual, the location tracking method comprising:

registering possession tags (200) provided in possessions possessed by a possessor in a possession location tracking terminal (100) (step S300);

becoming aware of, by the possession location tracking terminal (100), a tracking target possession tag of the possession tags (200) provided in the possessions possessed by the possessor (step S320);

transmitting, by the possession tags (200), per-tag ID signals, including tag ID information used to identify the corresponding tags (step S330);

determining, by the possession location tracking terminal (100), which of a tag guidance mode and a main body guidance mode is a set mode (step S340);

when the set mode is a tag guidance mode, controlling, by the possession location tracking terminal (100), the control unit (150) so that the control unit (150) checks whether the per-tag ID signal of the tracking target possession tag of the possession tags (200) provided in the possessions possessed by the possessor is present when per-tag ID signals are received from the possession tags (200) (step S350);

when the per-tag ID signal of the tracking target tag of the possession tags (200) provided in the possessions possessed by the possessor is present in the tag guidance mode, generating and transmitting, by the control unit (150) of the possession location tracking terminal (100), a tag output signal, including the tag ID information of the corresponding possession tag (200), as a signal requesting the corresponding possession tag (200) to provide guidance on a location (step S360);

receiving, by the tracking target possession tag (200), the tag output signal, and performing, by the tracking target possession tag (200), control such that information providing guidance on a location is output when the tag ID information included in the transmitted tag output signal is a same as its own tag ID information (step S370);

when the set mode is a main body guidance mode in determining which of a tag guidance mode and a main body guidance mode is the set mode (step S340), controlling, by the possession location tracking terminal (100), the control unit (150) so that the control unit (150) checks whether the per-tag ID signal of the tracking target possession tag of the possession tags (200) provided in the possessions possessed by the possessor is present when per-tag ID signals are received from the possession tags (200) (step S380); and

when the per-tag ID signal of the tracking target possession tag of the possession tags (200) provided in the possessions possessed by the possessor is present in the main body guidance mode, performing, by the control unit (150) of the possession location tracking terminal (100), control such that information about the detection of the tracking target possession tag (200) is output (step S390);

wherein when the per-tag ID signal of the tracking target possession tag of the possession tags (200) provided in the possessions possessed by the possessor is present in the main body guidance mode, performing, by the control unit (150) of the possession location tracking terminal (100), control such that information about the detection of the tracking target possession tag (200) is output (step S390) comprises;

becoming aware of, by the control unit (150) of the possession location tracking terminal (100), a corresponding possession tag (200) by reference to the received corresponding per-tag ID signal when a per-tag ID signal is received from one of the possession tags (200) in the main body guidance mode (step S391);

detecting, by the control unit (150) of the possession location tracking terminal (100), a signal strength of the received per-tag ID signal in the main body guidance mode (step S392);

determining, by the control unit (150) of the possession location tracking terminal (100), a detection distance between the possession location tracking terminal (100) and the tracking target possession tag (200) by matching the detected signal strength of the per-tag ID signal against preset per-received signal strength distance information in the main body guidance mode (step S393);

checking, by the control unit (150) of the possession location tracking terminal (100), whether the determined detection distance corresponds to predetermined user-designated detection distance information in the main body guidance mode (step S394); and

, when the determined detection distance corresponds to the predetermined user-designated detection distance information in the main body guidance mode, performing, by the control unit (150) of the possession location tracking terminal (100), control such that information about the detection of the tracking target possession tag (200) is output (step S395).

11. The location tracking method of claim 10, further comprising:

setting, by the possession location tracking terminal (100), information about links of the possessions of the possessor for the respective registered possession tags (200) (step S310).

12. The location tracking method of claim 11, wherein a user terminal (300) of the possessor which controls operation of the possession location tracking terminal (100) performs control such that the information about the links of the possessions of the possessor is set for the respective registered possession tags (200).

13. The location tracking method of claim 10, wherein checking, by the control unit (150) of the possession location tracking terminal (100), whether the determined detection distance corresponds to predetermined user-designated detection distance information in the main body guidance mode (step S394) comprises, when the determined detection distance does not correspond to the predetermined user-designated detection distance information in the main body guidance mode, performing, by the control unit (150) of the possession location tracking terminal (100), control such that information about the detection of the tracking target possession tag (200) is prevented from being output (step S396).