Method of Location Coordination Via Wireless Protocol Between Multiple Devices

• US 20150170504A1
• Filed: 12/16/2013
• Published: 06/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Jooste, Sarel Kobus
• Granted Patent: US 9,504,425 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6802 Sensor mounted on worn items
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0269 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact location of child or item using a navigation satellite system, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0288 Attachment of child unit to child/article
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

Systems and methods for location coordination between multiple devices are provided. In one example, a method includes receiving by a wearable device, a location signal from a positioning device having location-determining capabilities indicative of the location of the positioning device and calculating a first location of the wearable device based, at least in part, on the location of the positioning device and the strength of the location signal received by the wearable device. The wearable device may include at least one sensor configured to measure at least one physiological parameter.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a wearable device, a location signal from a positioning device having location-determining capabilities indicative of a location of the positioning device, wherein the wearable device includes at least one sensor configured to measure at least one physiological parameter; and

calculating, a first location of the wearable device based, at least in part, on the location of the positioning device and a strength of the location signal received by the wearable device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first location of the wearable device is further calculated based, at least in part, on a direction of the location signal received by the wearable device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to loss of the location signal at the wearable device:

storing the first location of the wearable device; and

storing wearable device movement data received from one or more movement sensors on the wearable device and a timestamp associated with the wearable device movement data, wherein the wearable device movement data is indicative of movement of the wearable device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more movement sensors on the wearable device comprise one or more of a compass, an accelerometer, an inertial measurement unit, an altitude meter, and a gyroscope.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the wearable device movement data includes one or more of direction, altitude, speed, and acceleration.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising, in response to reestablishing the location signal at the wearable device:

receiving, by the wearable device, an updated location signal from the positioning device and a timestamp associated with the updated location signal, wherein the updated location signal is indicative of one or more updated locations of the positioning device;

correlating the wearable device movement data and the updated location signal based, at least in part, on their associated timestamps; and

calculating an updated location of the wearable device based, at least in part, on the wearable device movement data correlated with the updated location signal, a strength of the updated location signal received by the wearable device, and the first location of the wearable device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the updated location of the wearable device is further calculated based, at least in part, on positioning device movement data received from the positioning device indicative of movement of the positioning device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting, by the wearable device, whether the wearable device is within range of the positioning device.

9. A wearable device, comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

at least one sensor configured to measure at least one physiological parameter;

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the wearable device to perform functions, the functions comprising;

receiving, by the wireless transceiver, a location signal from a positioning device having location determining capabilities indicative of a location of the positioning device; and

calculating a first location of the wearable device based, at least in part, on the location of the positioning device and a strength of the location signal received by the wearable device.

10. The wearable device of claim 9, wherein the first location of the wearable device is further calculated based, at least in part, on a direction of the location signal received by the wearable device.

11. The wearable device of claim 9, wherein the functions further comprise, in response to loss of the location signal at the wearable device:

storing the first location of the wearable device; and

storing wearable device movement data received from one or more movement sensors on the wearable device and a timestamp associated with the wearable device movement data, wherein the wearable device movement data is indicative of movement of the wearable device.

12. The wearable device of claim 11, wherein the one or more motion sensors on the wearable device comprise one or more of a compass, an accelerometer, an inertial measurement unit, an altitude meter and a gyroscope.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the wearable device movement data includes one or more of direction, altitude, speed, and acceleration.

14. The wearable device of claim 11, wherein the functions further comprise, in response to reestablishing the location signal at the wearable device:

receiving an updated location signal from the positioning device and a timestamp associated with the updated location signal, wherein the updated location signal is indicative of one or more updated locations of the positioning device;

correlating the wearable device movement data and the updated location signal based, at least in part, on their associated timestamps; and

calculating an updated location of the wearable device based, at least in part, on the wearable device movement data correlated with the updated location signal, a strength of the updated location signal received by the wearable device, and the first location of the wearable device.

15. The wearable device of claim 9, wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to communicate using a wireless protocol comprising one of:

a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) protocol, a Bluetooth protocol, a Wi-Fi protocol and a Zigbee protocol.

16. The wearable device of claim 9, wherein functions further comprise detecting whether the wearable device is within range of the positioning device.

17. A positioning device, comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

a location-determining system;

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the positioning device to perform functions, the functions comprising;

determining a location of the positioning device using the location-determining system; and

transmitting, via the transceiver, a location signal to a wearable device having at least one sensor configured to measure at least one physiological parameter, wherein the location signal is indicative of the location of the positioning device.

18. The positioning device of claim 17, wherein the transceiver is configured to communicate using a wireless protocol comprising one of:

a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) protocol, a Bluetooth protocol, a Wi-Fi protocol and a Zigbee protocol.

19. The positioning device of claim 17, wherein the location-determining system comprises a satellite navigation system.

20. The positioning device of claim 17, wherein the functions further comprise, in response to loss of the location signal at the wearable device:

determining whether the positioning device is moving based, at least in part, on movement data received from one or more movement sensors on the positioning device; and

in response to determining that the positioning device is moving, determining and storing one or more updated locations of the positioning device using the location-determining system.

21. The positioning device of claim 20, wherein the one or more movement sensors on the positioning device comprise one or more of an accelerometer, an inertial measurement unit, an altitude meter and a gyroscope.

22. The positioning device of claim 20, wherein the functions further comprise, in response to reestablishing the location signal at the wearable device:

transmitting, via the transceiver, an updated location signal to the wearable device, wherein the updated location signal is indicative of one or more updated locations of the positioning device, the updated location signal including a timestamp.

23. The positioning device of claim 17, wherein the functions further comprise detecting whether the wearable device is within range of the positioning device.