Method and apparatus for tracking persons
First Claim
1. A method of determining the location of a person, said method comprising the steps of:
- (1) said person carrying a wireless transmitting device adapted to transmit a signal at intervals;
(2) detecting said signal with a plurality of detectors positioned in different locations and determining the strength of said signal received at each of said plurality of detectors;
(3) estimating a position of said person based on said strengths of said received signal at said plurality of detectors;
(4) repeating steps (3) and (4) each time said wireless transmitting device transmits said signal; and
(5) tracking said person'"'"'s movement by storing said estimates over a multiplicity of said intervals.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In accordance with the principles of the invention, one or more individuals carry a wireless beaconing device that transmits a signal on a regular basis, such as every five seconds, that can be detected by a plurality of wireless receivers positioned at various locations in a household or other area. The receivers form nodes of a wireless network that further includes a control node. Each wireless receiver records the signal strength at which it receives the signal from the beaconing device and sends that information to the control node. The control node correlates this information and uses it to estimate the location of the individual. In this manner, the controller can track the location and movement of a person and provide that information to a caregiver or further process the data to analyze it for particular traits that might indicate that an individual is injured or otherwise in need of assistance. Such traits might include a lack of movement for an extended period of time, failure to go to a particular place in the household, such as the bathroom, on a reasonably regular basis, etc.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of determining the location of a person, said method comprising the steps of:
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(1) said person carrying a wireless transmitting device adapted to transmit a signal at intervals;
(2) detecting said signal with a plurality of detectors positioned in different locations and determining the strength of said signal received at each of said plurality of detectors;
(3) estimating a position of said person based on said strengths of said received signal at said plurality of detectors;
(4) repeating steps (3) and (4) each time said wireless transmitting device transmits said signal; and
(5) tracking said person'"'"'s movement by storing said estimates over a multiplicity of said intervals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus for tracking the movement of a person comprising:
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a beaconing device adapted to wirelessly transmit a signal at intervals;
a plurality of anchor devices each adapted to be positioned at various locations throughout a space to be monitored, said anchor devices further adapted to detect said signal transmitted by said beaconing device and determine a strength of said signal as received by the anchor device, said anchor devices further adapted to wirelessly transmit said signal strength;
a controller adapted to receive said signal strengths transmitted from said plurality of anchor devices and, based on said signal strengths, estimate a position of said beaconing device and further adapted to track movement of said beaconing device based on said estimates over a multiplicity of said signals transmitted by said beaconing device. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification