System and method for inferring a set of characteristics of an environment with location-capabledevices

• US 20030214410A1
• Filed: 05/14/2002
• Published: 11/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Krizik, Mark A., Perkins, Matthew R., Johnson, Mark J., Bancroft, Timothy J., Patwari, Neal K., OʼDea, Robert J.
• Application Number:
  US10/145,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20030214410A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.4
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/20 Checking timed patrols, e.g. of watchman
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0211 Combination with medical sensor, e.g. for measuring heart rate, temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0227 System arrangements with a plurality of child units
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0294 Display details on parent unit

Abstract

A set of characteristics of an environment is inferred by obtaining at least a first location estimate of a first device at a first time and a second location estimate of the first device at a second time. A first path traveled (240) by the first device is established based on at least the first location estimate of the first device at the first time and the second location estimate of the first device at the second time. At least one characteristic of the environment is inferred based on the first path traveled by the first device.

Claims

1. A method of inferring a set of characteristics of an environment comprising the steps of:

obtaining at least a first location estimate of a first device at a first time and a second location estimate of the first device at a second time;

establishing a first path traveled by the first device based on at least the first location estimate of the first device at the first time and the second location estimate of the first device at the second time; and

inferring at least one characteristic of the environment based on the first path traveled by the first device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first location estimate is different from the second location estimate.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of inferring at least one characteristic of the environment based on a second path traveled by a second device.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of displaying the second path traveled by the second device.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the second path traveled by the second device is established by obtaining at least a first location estimate of the second device at a first time and a second location estimate of the second device at a second time.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of displaying the first path traveled by the first device.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of displaying the at least one characteristic of the environment.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one characteristic inferred from the first path is selected from a group consisting of:

a navigable path through the environment, a non-navigable path in the environment, an obstacle in the environment, an identification of a passageway, a structure of the environment, and a structural change of the environment.

9. A method of inferring a set of characteristics of an environment comprising the steps of:

measuring a first location estimate and a first environmental parameter;

measuring a second location estimate and a second environmental parameter;

inferring a set of characteristics of the environment based on the comparison of the first environmental parameter and the second environmental parameter.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the first environmental parameter is associated with the first location estimate.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the second environmental parameter is associated with the second location estimate.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein a third location estimate is established based on the first location estimate, the second location estimate, and a timing relationship between the measurements of the first location estimate, the second location estimate, and the first environmental parameter, and wherein the first environmental parameter is associated with the third location estimate.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the first and second location estimates and the first and second environmental parameters are measured by a common device at different times.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the first location estimate and first environmental parameters are measured by a first device and the second location estimate and second environmental parameter are measured by a second device.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein the environmental parameter is one of the following:

temperature, moisture, smoke, gas, fire, hydrocarbon, humidity, viruses, chemical composition, barometric pressure, biological data, an electromagnetic phenomenon, an acoustic phenomenon, an optical phenomenon, vibration, an effect on propagation of a signal, and motion.