SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING REAL TIME LOCATING AND GAS EXPOSURE MONITORING

• US 20110037599A1
• Filed: 12/09/2009
• Published: 02/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services GmbH (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Johnson, Ernest K. JR., Davisson, Mark J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,330,605 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/632
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0075 for multiple spatially distributed sensors, e.g. for environmental monitoring transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds

Abstract

A system is described for providing real time locating and gas exposure monitoring. The system may include a memory, interface, and processor. The memory may store an alarm data item including an amount of gas exposure and a location identifier. The processor may receive the alarm data item from a sensor device of a first user. The processor may identify a relative location of the first user based on the location identifier. The processor may determine a second user located within a proximity of the first user. The processor may communicate to the second user the relative location of the first user and the gas exposure of the first user. The processor may receive, from the second user, an indication of whether an emergency responder should be contacted. The processor may initiate communication with an emergency responder if the indication indicates an emergency responder should be contacted.

Claims

1. A gas detection and locating device, comprising:

a gas detector for monitoring an amount of a gas within a proximity of the gas detector, wherein the gas detector generates a gas data item corresponding to the amount of the gas;

a location device operatively connected to the gas detector, wherein the location device generates a location data item for deriving a location of the location device; and

an interface operatively connected to the gas detector and the location device, the interface for wirelessly communicating with a remote server,

wherein the interface communicates the gas data item and the location data item to the remote server when the amount of gas satisfies a criteria or the location device remains motionless for a time interval.

2. The gas detection and locating device of claim 1 further comprising a panic button operatively connected to the interface, wherein the interface communicates the gas data item and the location data item to the remote server when the panic button is pressed.

3. The gas detection and locating device of claim 2 further comprising an alert module for providing a local alert when the amount of gas present satisfies the criteria, the panic button is pressed, or the location device remains motionless for the time interval.

4. The gas detection and locating device of claim 3 wherein the alert comprises at least one of a vibrating alert, an audible alert, or a visible alert.

5. The gas detection and locating device of claim 1 wherein the gas detector and location device are operatively connected via a wired connection.

6. The gas detection and locating device of claim 1 wherein the gas detector and location device are operatively connected via a wireless connection.

7. The gas detection and locating device of claim 6 wherein the wireless connection comprises a Bluetooth connection.

8. The gas detection and locating device of claim 10 wherein the amount of gas present satisfies the criteria when the amount of the gas exceeds a threshold.

9. The gas detection and locating device of claim 1 further comprising a biometric sensor operatively connected to the interface, the biometric sensor for sensing a biometric stimulus and generating a biometric data item corresponding to the biometric stimulus, wherein the interface communicates the biometric data item, the gas data item, and the location data item to the remote server when the amount of gas satisfies the criteria or the location device remains motionless for the time interval.

10. The gas detection and locating device of claim 1 wherein the interface communicates the gas data item and the location data item to the remote server over a network, the network comprising of a plurality of network components, wherein at least one network component is utilized for deriving the location of the location device from the location data item.

11. A computer-implemented method for providing real time locating and gas exposure monitoring, the method comprising:

receiving, by a computer processor, an alarm data item from a sensor device of a first user in a work area, wherein the alarm data item comprises an amount of gas exposure and a location identifier;

identifying a relative location of the first user in the work area based on the location identifier;

determining a second user, wherein the second user is located within a proximity of the first user;

providing, to a computing device of the second user, the relative location of the first user in the work area and the amount of gas exposure of the first user;

receiving, from the computing device of the second user, an indication of whether an emergency responder should be contacted; and

initiating a communication with a communication device of the emergency responder if the indication indicates the emergency responder should be contacted, otherwise closing the alarm data item.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 wherein the sensor device comprises a location device and a gas detector.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 wherein the location device and the gas detector are in communication via a wired connection.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 wherein the location device and the gas detector are in communication via a wireless connection.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 wherein the wireless connection comprises a Bluetooth connection.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 wherein the location device comprises a positioning system.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 wherein the alarm data item is received by the computer processor via a wireless connection with the location device.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 further comprising:

determining whether the location identifier comprises the location of the user; and

retrieving a secondary location identifier from a network infrastructure if the location identifier does not identify the location of the user.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18 wherein the network infrastructure comprises one or more wireless access points and a wireless location server.

20. A computer-implemented method for providing real time locating and motion monitoring, the method comprising:

detecting, by a sensor device, a lack of motion by a user, wherein the sensor device comprises a gas detector and a location device;

providing, by the sensor device, an alert to the user; and

communicating an alarm data item to a computer processor if the user does not respond to the alert, wherein the alarm data item comprises a location identifier and an amount of gas exposure of the user.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 20 wherein the alert comprises at least one of a vibrating alert, an audible alert, or a visible alert.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 20 further comprising:

receiving, by the computer processor, the alarm data item;

identifying a relative location of the first user in the work area based on the location identifier;

determining a second user, wherein the second user is located within a proximity of the first user;

communicating, to a computing device of the second user, the relative location of the first user in the work area and the amount of gas exposure of the first user;

receiving, from the computing device of the second user, an indication of whether an emergency responder should be contacted; and

initiating a communication with a communication device of the emergency responder if the indication indicates the emergency responder should be contacted, otherwise closing the alarm data item.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 22 wherein the sensor device comprises a location device and a gas detector.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 23 wherein the location device and the gas detector are in communication via a wired connection.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 23 wherein the location device and the gas detector are in communication via a wireless connection.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 25 wherein the wireless connection comprises a Bluetooth connection.

27. A system for providing real time locating and gas exposure monitoring, the system comprising:

a memory to store an alarm data item, wherein the alarm data item comprises an amount of gas exposure and a location identifier;

an interface operatively connected to the memory, the interface operative to communicate with a sensor device of a first user in a work area, a computing device of a second user in the work area, and a communication device of an emergency responder; and

a processor operatively connected to the memory and the interface, the processor operative to receive, via the interface, the alarm data item from the sensor device of the first user in the work area, identify a relative location of the first user in the work area based on the location identifier, determine the second user, wherein the second user is located within a proximity of the first user, communicate, via the interface to the computing device of the second user, the relative location of the first user in the work area and the amount of gas exposure of the first user, receive, via the interface from the computing device of the second user, an indication of whether an emergency responder should be contacted, and initiate, via the interface, a communication with a communication device of the emergency responder if the indication indicates the emergency responder should be contacted, otherwise closing the alarm data item.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the sensor device comprises a location device and a gas detector.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the location device and the gas detector are in communication via a wired connection.

30. The system of claim 28 wherein the location device and the gas detector are in communication via a wireless connection.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the wireless connection comprises a Bluetooth connection.

32. The system of claim 28 wherein the location device comprises a positioning system.

33. The system of claim 28 wherein the alarm data item is received by the computer processor via a wireless connection with the location device.

34. The system of claim 27 wherein the processor is further operative to determine whether the location identifier identifies the location of the user and retrieve a secondary location identifier from a network infrastructure if the location identifier does not identify the location of the user.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein the network infrastructure comprises one or more wireless access points and a wireless location server.