Location-based equipment control
First Claim
1. A control method for enabling particular functionality of an item of equipment upon a set of conditions being satisfied, this set of conditions including both a location condition and a personnel condition, the method involving:
- (a) automatically checking the location condition by;
(i) obtaining current-location data representing the current location of the equipment; and
(ii) comparing the current-location data with stored authorized-location data representing a predetermined authorised location or locality for operation of said functionality of the equipment;
(b) automatically checking the personnel condition by checking for the presence at or near the equipment of at least one person fitting stored authorized-personnel data that identifies specified person or persons, or a specified grade of person.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Particular functionality of an item of equipment (70) is enabled upon both a location condition and a personnel condition being satisfied. The location condition is tested for by obtaining current-location data (67) representing the current location of the equipment, and comparing the current-location data with authorized-location data representing a predetermined authorized location or locality for operation of the equipment functionality. The personnel condition is tested for by checking for the presence at or near the equipment of at least one person (77) fitting stored authorized-personnel data (42) that identifies specified person or persons, or a specified grade of person. The location and personnel conditions can be tested for at the equipment (70) or at a remote service system (40).
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A control method for enabling particular functionality of an item of equipment upon a set of conditions being satisfied, this set of conditions including both a location condition and a personnel condition, the method involving:
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(a) automatically checking the location condition by;
(i) obtaining current-location data representing the current location of the equipment; and
(ii) comparing the current-location data with stored authorized-location data representing a predetermined authorised location or locality for operation of said functionality of the equipment;
(b) automatically checking the personnel condition by checking for the presence at or near the equipment of at least one person fitting stored authorized-personnel data that identifies specified person or persons, or a specified grade of person. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An equipment control method wherein particular functionality of an item of equipment is enabled upon a set of conditions being satisfied, this set of conditions including a location condition which is tested for by:
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(a) obtaining current-location data representing the current location of the equipment;
(b) comparing the current-location data with authorised-location data representing a predetermined authorised location or locality for operation of said functionality of the equipment; and
(c) generating a location-match signal upon the comparison step (b) indicating that the equipment is currently located in said authorised location or locality. said set of conditions further including a personnel condition that a specified person or persons, or a specified grade of person, must be at or near the equipment, this personnel condition being tested by obtaining location data on the specified person or persons, or on persons meeting said specified grade, and comparing this data either with the current location of the equipment or with said authorized-location data.
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21. Equipment including particular functionality and a control sub-system for enabling said particular functionality upon both a location condition and a personnel condition being satisfied, the control sub-system comprising:
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a first condition-check arrangement for determining whether the current location of the equipment matches an authorized location or locality for operation of said functionality that is specified in authorized-location data, the authorized-location data being either held locally in the equipment or received at the equipment from a remote service system;
a second condition-check arrangement for determining whether any persons at or near the equipment is amongst persons that are specified individually or by grade in authorized-personnel data and of which at least one is required to be present at or near the equipment for operation of said functionality, the authorized-personnel data being either held locally in the equipment or received at the equipment from a remote service system; and
an arrangement for enabling said functionality when both the location and personnel conditions are found satisfied by said first and second condition-check arrangements.
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22. Equipment including particular functionality and a control sub-system for enabling said particular functionality upon both a location condition and a personnel condition being satisfied, the control sub-system comprising:
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a store for holding authorized-location data representing a predetermined authorized location or locality for operation of said functionality, a communication arrangement for passing the authorized-location data to a remote service system to enable the latter to check whether said location condition is satisfied by the current location of the equipment, the communication arrangement being operative to receive back the result of this condition check;
a condition-check arrangement for determining whether any persons at or near the equipment is amongst persons that are specified individually or by grade in authorized-personnel data and of which at least one is required to be present at or near the equipment for operation of said functionality, the authorized-personnel data being either held locally in the equipment or received at the equipment from the remote service system; and
an arrangement for enabling said functionality when both the location condition is indicated as satisfied by said result passed back from the service system, and the personnel condition is found satisfied by said condition-check arrangement.
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23. Equipment including particular functionality and a control sub-system for enabling said particular functionality upon both a location condition and a personnel condition being satisfied, the control sub-system comprising:
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a store for holding authorized-personnel data that identifies specified person or persons, or a specified grade of person at least one of which is required to be present at or near the equipment for operation of said functionality;
a communication arrangement for passing the authorized-personnel data to a remote service system to enable the latter to check whether personnel condition is satisfied by the persons currently at or near the equipment, the communication arrangement being operative to receive back the result of this condition check;
a condition-check arrangement for determining whether the current location of the equipment matches an authorized location or locality for operation of said functionality that is specified in authorized-location data, the authorized-location data being either held locally in the equipment or received at the equipment from the remote service system; and
an arrangement for enabling said functionality when both the location condition is found satisfied by said condition-check arrangement, and the personnel condition is indicated as satisfied by said result passed back from the service system.
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24. Equipment including particular functionality and a control sub-system for enabling said particular functionality upon both a location condition and a personnel condition being satisfied, the control sub-system comprising
a store for holding both authorized-location data representing a predetermined authorised location or locality for operation of said functionality, and authorized-personnel data that identifies specified person or persons, or a specified grade of person at least one of which is required to be present at or near the equipment for operation of said functionality; -
a communication arrangement for passing the authorized-location data and authorized-personnel data to a remote service system to enable the latter to check whether said location and personnel conditions are satisfied by the current location of the equipment and the persons at or near the equipment, the communication arrangement being operative to receive back the result of the condition checks;
an arrangement for enabling said functionality when said result indicates both conditions are satisfied.
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25. A service system for use in an equipment control method in which both a location condition and a personnel condition are required to be satisfied for particular functionality of an item of equipment to be enabled, the service system comprising:
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a communication sub-system for communicating with the equipment;
a first condition-check arrangement for determining whether the current location of the equipment matches an authorized location or locality for operation of said functionality that is specified in authorized-location data, the authorized-location data being either held locally in the service system or received from the equipment via the communication sub-system;
a second condition-check arrangement for determining whether any persons at or near the equipment is amongst persons that are specified individually or by grade in authorized-personnel data and of which at least one is required to be present at or near the equipment for operation of said functionality, the authorized-personnel data being either held locally in the service system or received from the equipment via the communication sub-system; and
an arrangement for passing an enable signal to the equipment via the communication sub-system when both the location and personnel conditions are found satisfied by said first and second condition-check arrangements.
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26. A service system for use in an equipment control method in which both a location condition and a personnel condition are required to be satisfied for particular functionality of an item of equipment to be enabled, the service system comprising:
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a communication sub-system for communicating with the equipment;
a store for holding authorized-location data representing a predetermined authorized location or locality for operation of said functionality, a retrieval arrangement responsive to a communication received from the equipment via the communication sub-system, to retrieve the authorized-location data from the store and return it to the equipment to enable the latter to check whether said location condition is satisfied by the current location of the equipment;
a condition-check arrangement for determining whether any persons at or near the equipment is amongst persons that are specified individually or by grade in authorized-personnel data and of which at least one is required to be present at or near the equipment for operation of said functionality, the authorized-personnel data being either held locally in the service system or received from the equipment via the communication sub-system, and the condition-check arrangement being operative to return the result of this condition check to the equipment via the communication sub-system.
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27. A service system for use in an equipment control method in which both a location condition and a personnel condition are required to be satisfied for particular functionality of an item of equipment to be enabled, the service system comprising:
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a communication sub-system for communicating with the equipment;
a store for holding authorized-personnel data that identifies specified person or persons, or a specified grade of person at least one of which is required to be present at or near the equipment for operation of said functionality;
a retrieval arrangement responsive to a communication received from the equipment via the communication sub-system, to retrieve the authorized-personnel data from the store and return it to the equipment to enable the latter to check whether said personnel condition is satisfied by persons currently at or near the equipment;
a condition-check arrangement for determining whether the current location of the equipment matches an authorized location or locality for operation of said functionality that is specified in authorized-location data, the authorized-location data being either held locally in the service system or received from the equipment via the communication sub-system; and
the condition-check arrangement being operative to return the result of this condition check to the equipment via the communication sub-system.
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28. A service system for use in an equipment control method in which both a location condition and a personnel condition are required to be satisfied for particular functionality of an item of equipment to be enabled, the service system comprising:
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a communication sub-system for communicating with the equipment;
a store for holding both authorized-location data representing a predetermined authorized location or locality for operation of said functionality, and authorized-personnel data that identifies specified person or persons, or a specified grade of person at least one of which is required to be present at or near the equipment for operation of said functionality; and
a retrieval arrangement responsive to a communication received from the equipment via the communication sub-system, to retrieve the authorized-location data and the authorized-personnel data from the store and return them to the equipment to enable the latter to check whether said location and personnel conditions are satisfied by the current location of the equipment and the persons currently at or near the equipment.
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Specification