POSITIONING TAG WITH ALERT FUNCTION

• US 20140273917A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AiRISTA Flow, Inc. (AiRISTA, LLC), AiRISTA International Oy (AiRISTA, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Ekahau Oy
• Inventors: Kalliovaara, Timo
• Granted Patent: US 10,397,732 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

A mobile data processing device configured to assist in locating a user. The device comprises an enclosure and an attachment base for attaching the device to a garment, lanyard or strap wearable by a user. The attachment base moves between a first (“normal”) position and a second (“alert”) position with respect to the enclosure in response to an external force acting on the enclosure. The device further comprises a detector system for detecting removal of the attachment base from the normal position, and an alert signal generator configured to send an alert signal in response to said detection. The alert signal can be generated quickly by grabbing the enclosure and pulling the device downwards.

Claims

1. A mobile data processing device, comprising:

an enclosure and a power source;

a memory system for storing program instructions;

a processing system for executing the program instructions;

a transmission system for communicating with at least one communication system, wherein the at least one communication system comprises or cooperates with a positioning system for positioning the mobile data processing device;

wherein the transmission system is configured to send at least one alert signal in response to fulfillment of a first set of predetermined alert conditions;

an attachment base for attaching the mobile data processing device to a garment, lanyard or strap that is wearable by a user;

wherein the attachment base is configured to move between a first position and a second position with respect to the enclosure in response to an external force,

wherein when the mobile data processing device is suspended from the attachment base, a force exceeding a threshold and pulling the enclosure downwards moves the attachment base to the second position with respect to the enclosure;

a detector system for detecting removal of the attachment base from the first position;

an alert signal generator having an input coupled to the detector system and an output coupled to the transmission system, wherein the alert signal generator is configured to cause transmission of at least one alert signal in response to a detected removal of the attachment base from the first position.

2. The mobile data processing device according to claim 1, further comprising a reception system for receiving messages.

3. The mobile data processing device according to claim 2, further comprising a display system for displaying the received messages.

4. The mobile data processing device according to claim 1, further comprising a sleep mode circuitry for putting the mobile data processing device to a power save mode in response to fulfillment of a second set of predetermined conditions.

5. The mobile data processing device according to claim 4, further comprising a wake-up circuitry for putting the mobile data processing device to active mode in response to fulfillment of a third set of predetermined conditions.

6. The mobile data processing device according to claim 4, wherein the sleep mode circuitry is configured to control power to the reception system, wherein after sending the at least one alert signal, the sleep mode circuitry keeps the reception system powered until an acknowledgement to the at least one alert signal is received.

7. The mobile data processing device according to claim 1, wherein the mobile data processing device with the attachment base in the second position is visually different from the mobile data processing device with the attachment base in the first position.

8. The mobile data processing device according to claim 7, wherein the first position and the second position constitute local energy minima for the attachment base, and there is at least one local energy maximum between the first position and the second position.

9. The mobile data processing device according to claim 8, wherein the detector system does not detect said removal of the attachment base from the first position before the attachment base has proceeded beyond the local energy maximum.

10. The mobile data processing device according to claim 1, wherein the enclosure, when suspended from the attachment base, has a horizontal width of not more than 10 cm.

11. The mobile data processing device according to claim 1, wherein the enclosure, when suspended from the attachment base, has a horizontal width of not less than 4 cm.

12. The mobile data processing device according to claim 1, wherein the mobile data processing device is configured to resist pulling of the attachment base from the first position to the second position by a first force which is about 15-35N.

13. The mobile data processing device according to claim 12, wherein the first force is about 20-28N.

14. The mobile data processing device according to claim 12, wherein the mobile data processing device is configured to resist detachment of the attachment base from the enclosure by a second force which is greater than the first force and about 40-60N.

15. The mobile data processing device according to claim 14, wherein the second force is about 50N.

16. The mobile data processing device according to claim 1, further comprising structural elements dimensioned in such a manner that the mobile data processing device withstands, without breaking or detecting removal of the attachment base from the first position, a force of at least 150N acting on the attachment base and in parallel with a normal of a largest surface of the enclosure, against a corresponding counterforce acting on the largest surface of the enclosure.