AUTOMATIC TOUCH IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM AND METHOD THEREOF

• US 20130048718A1
• Filed: 10/26/2012
• Published: 02/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Technology Innovators, Inc.
• Inventors: TESSIER, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,668,145 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07 with integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07743 External electrical contacts
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0013 by galvanic contacts, e.g. card connectors for ISO-7816 compliant smart cards or memory cards, e.g. SD card readers connectors in general H01R13/00; connectors for SIM cards used in mobile phones or the like H04B1/3816
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/01 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/08 by means detecting the change of an electrostatic or magnetic field, e.g. by detecting change of capacitance between electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10326 the antenna being of the very-near field type, e.g. capacitive
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0453 worn on the body to detect health condition by physiological monitoring, e.g. electrocardiogram, temperature, breathing detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0461 integrated or attached to an item closely associated with the person but not worn by the person, e.g. chair, walking stick, bed sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/245 Reminder of hygiene compliance policies, e.g. of washing hands
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

An automatic identification system for communicating identifying information by coupling signals through the human body is provided. The system includes a battery powered identification device that transmits an identifying signal via a modulated carrier. The identification device is coupled to the body of the user via a coupling plate. The signal from the identification device is received by a reading device that is also coupled to the body of the user via a coupling plate. The reading device may display and/or enunciates the identifying information to the user. The coupling technique, carrier frequency, and construction of the devices are such that the identification information is not inadvertently radiated or coupled to unintentional users or receivers.

Claims

1. An identification system for transmitting or receiving information via a user, comprising:

an identification device for transmitting identifying information via the user, wherein the identification device includes a first coupling module configured to couple the identification device to the user by a capacitive type connection or a galvanic type connection, and

a reading device for receiving the identifying information from the identification device via the user, wherein the reading device includes a second coupling module configured to couple the reading device to the user by a capacitive type connection or a galvanic type connection,

wherein size or shape of a coupling plate of the first coupling module or the second coupling module, and a carrier frequency used to transmit the identifying information to the reading device via the user are selected such that communication between the identification device and the reading device is based on a capacitive type connection or a galvanic type connection to the user without relying upon radiation of a communication signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the identification device further comprises:

a controller for determining a transmission period, duration and content of the identifying information.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the identification device further comprises:

a touch detector for determining if the user has touched or is in close proximity with the identification device, wherein the touch detector is connected to the controller.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the reading device further comprises:

a display and enunciating module for;

displaying the identifying information received from the identification device on a visual display, or

enunciating the identifying information received from the identification device through a speaker or headphones.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the reading device is adapted to derive information from the identifying information received from the identification device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the reading device further comprises:

a display and enunciating module for;

displaying the identifying information received from the identification device or the information derived from the identifying information on a visual display, or

enunciating the identifying information received from the identification device or the information derived from the identifying information through a speaker or headphones.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the reading device is adapted to communicate over a network, the reading device further comprises:

a communication module for communicating with a computing device over a network, wherein the computing device or the reading device is configured to derive information from the identifying information received from the identification device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the reading device is integrated with a personal digital assistant (PDA);

and

the network is a wireless LAN.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the reading device is integrated with a cell phone;

and

the network is a cell phone infrastructure.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the reading device is integrated with a real-time locating system (RTLS) tag;

and

the network is a RTLS infrastructure.

11. A method of verifying identifying information from an identification device, the method comprising:

coupling an identification device to a user via one or more of a capacitive coupling and a galvanic connection using a first coupling module;

coupling a reading device to the user via one or more of a capacitive coupling and a galvanic connection using a second coupling module;

transmitting, by the first coupling module, identifying information from the identification device to the reading device via the user such that the communication is based on a capacitive type connection or a galvanic type connection to the user without relying upon radiation of a communication signal; and

receiving, at the reading device, the identifying information transmitted by the identification device via the user.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

establishing a network connection between the reading device and a computing device; and

sending, by the reading device, the identifying information to the computing device over the network connection.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

using, by the computing device, the identifying information for an application;

or

storing the identifying information in an electronic storage.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

sending, by the computing device, the identifying information to the reading device via the network connection.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

establishing a network connection between the reading device and a computing device;

deriving information from the identifying information received from the identification device using the reading device or the computing device, and

sending, by the reading device, the identifying information or the information derived from the identifying information by the reading device to the computing device over the network connection.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

using, by the computing device, the identifying information or the information derived from the identifying information for an application;

or

storing the identifying information or the information derived from the identifying information in an electronic storage.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

sending, by the computing device, the identifying information or the information derived from the identifying information to the reading device via the network connection.

18. An identification device for transmitting identifying information via a user, comprising:

a coupling module configured to;

couple the identification device to the user by a capacitive type connection or a galvanic type connection,

couple the identification device to surrounding environment by a capacitive type connection or a galvanic type connection, and

transmit identifying information via the user using a carrier frequency,

wherein communication by the identification device is based on a capacitive type connection or a galvanic type connection to the user without relying upon radiation of a communication signal.

19. A reading device for receiving identifying information via the user, comprising:

a coupling module configured to;

couple the reading device to the user by a capacitive type connection or a galvanic type connection,

couple to surrounding environment by a capacitive type connection or a galvanic type connection, and

receive identifying information via the user at a predetermined carrier frequency,

wherein communication to the reading device is based on a capacitive type connection or a galvanic type connection to the user without relying upon radiation of a communication signal.

20. A method for using an automatic identification system to control a door entry system, the method comprising:

coupling an identification device or a reading device to a user via one or more of a capacitive coupling or a galvanic connection using a coupling module;

coupling a reading device to a computing device;

transmitting identifying information from the identification device to the reading device via the user when the user establishes one or more of a capacitive coupling or a galvanic connection with a complementary reading device or identification device;

transmitting, by the reading device, the identifying information received from the identification device to the computing device;

determining whether the identifying information is authorized to open the door; and

sending an activating signal to the door entry system allowing the door to be opened if it is determined that the identifying information is authorized to open the door.

21. A method for using an automatic identification system to control a hand washing monitoring system, the method comprising:

coupling an identification device or a reading device to a user via one or more of a capacitive coupling or a galvanic connection using a coupling module;

coupling a reading device to a computing device;

transmitting identifying information from the identification device to the reading device via the user when the user establishes one or more of a capacitive coupling or a galvanic connection with a complementary reading device or identification device;

transmitting, by the reading device, the identifying information received from the identification device to the computing device;

transmitting subsequent identifying information by the reading device as the user comes in contact with one or more complementary reading devices or identification devices;

determining based on the subsequent identifying information whether the user came in contact with a dirty object;

if it is determined that the user came in contact with the dirty object, determining, based on the subsequent identifying information, whether the user washed hands prior to touching a clean object or prior to an end of a preset timeout period;

if it is determined that the user washed hands prior to touching the clean object or prior to the end of the preset timeout period, logging an event indicating proper procedure by the user;

if it is determined that the user did not wash hands prior to touching the clean object or prior to the end of the preset timeout period, logging an event indicating improper procedure by the user.

22. A method for using an automatic identification system to control an activity monitoring system, the method comprising:

coupling a reading device to a user via one or more of a capacitive coupling or a galvanic connection using a coupling module;

coupling a reading device to a computing device;

locating one or more identification devices on, or integrating the identification devices into, one or more objects;

transmitting identifying information from the identification device to the reading device via the user when the user establishes one or more of a capacitive coupling or a galvanic connection with at least one of the one or more identification devices;

transmitting, by the reading device, the identifying information received from the at least one of the one or more identification devices to the computing device; and

transmitting, by the computing device, the identifying information received from the at least one of the one or more identification devices to a remote monitoring and response service.