METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANAGING A NETWORK OF DISTRIBUTED ENTITIES
First Claim
1. A system for managing a plurality of distributed entities, each entity being associated to a proximity based transceiver, the system comprising:
- a plurality of mobile data processing units being connectable to a server unit by means of telecommunication network, each mobile data processing unit including a proximity based transceiver and being adapted to detect the presence of distributed entities, when the distance is within a predetermined threshold, and to exchange information with the detected entity;
wherein each mobile data processing unit is adapted to perform a sequence of software instructions according to information received from a detected entity.
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Abstract
System architecture for managing a network of distributed entities, including a central server and a plurality of mobile terminals connected with the server. Terminals can communicate and exchange information with the server, but also among each other. Each mobile terminal is adapted to intercept the proximity of network entities having potentially a limited processing capability: in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the entities are RFID Smart Tags, but other kinds of proximity communication protocols could be used instead (e.g. ZIGBee, Bluetooth). A central repository is maintained by the server where all the information collected by the mobile terminals is stored and is made available to the plurality of mobile terminals. The network entities must be capable of transmitting information to the mobile terminals when they are within a predetermined range. Each entity (e.g. an RFID Tag) can be coupled to any physical object and provide information about such object or the category to which the object belongs. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention the entities are also adapted to transmit a workflow or a sequence of instructions to mobile terminals. The mobile terminals include a Task Engine for interpreting and executing such workflow received by the entities. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the mobile terminals are provided with a positioning system to be able to communicate the location of the detected entities to the server.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A system for managing a plurality of distributed entities, each entity being associated to a proximity based transceiver, the system comprising:
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a plurality of mobile data processing units being connectable to a server unit by means of telecommunication network, each mobile data processing unit including a proximity based transceiver and being adapted to detect the presence of distributed entities, when the distance is within a predetermined threshold, and to exchange information with the detected entity; wherein each mobile data processing unit is adapted to perform a sequence of software instructions according to information received from a detected entity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of managing a plurality of distributed entities by means of a system including a plurality of mobile data processing units, each entity being associated to a proximity based transceiver, each mobile data processing unit including a proximity based transceiver and being connectable to a server data processing unit, the method comprising the following steps:
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a first mobile data processing unit detecting the proximity of at least one of the plurality of distributed entities; establishing a communication session between the first mobile data processing unit and the detected entity; the first mobile data processing unit receiving information from the detected entity, the first mobile data processing unit performing a sequence of software instructions according to information received from the detected entity. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification