LOCATION-BASED RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

• US 20180109936A1
• Filed: 12/15/2017
• Published: 04/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Imprivata Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Alain Slak, David Ting, Jason Mafera
• Inventors: TING, David, MALEZIS, Gus, MAFERA, Jason, SLAK, Alain, MIRI, Aaron, ORAMASIONWU, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 11,363,424 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/30 Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

In various embodiments, the predicted location of a user within an institutional space is associated with a node at or near that location, and a virtual desktop is prepared before a user has actually logged on and authenticated. Although users are not accorded access to applications and sensitive data until they have properly authenticated themselves, the virtual desktop and associated data are assembled and retrieved in the background in order to eliminate delay following log-on.

Claims

1. A method of anticipatory provisioning of resources for a mobile user in an institutional space, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a database storing records for a plurality of users, each of the records specifying information about one of the users;

acquiring a current location of a user having a record in the database;

based on the acquired location and the information about the user in the corresponding database record, predicting (i) a future location of the user and (ii) stored data required by the user at the future location;

causing a device at the predicted location to electronically retrieve the stored data but suppress display thereof; and

following detection of the user'"'"'s presence at the predicted location, displaying the retrieved data on the device at the predicted location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the retrieved data is displayed only following authentication of the user at the device at the predicted location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein authentication comprises communication of data to an authentication server.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein authentication satisfies a security policy specific to the retrieved data.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of causing the device at the predicted location to launch an application to display the retrieved data.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, following detection of the user'"'"'s presence at the predicted location:

predicting (i) a second future location of the user different from the predicted location and (ii) stored data required by the user at the second future location;

causing a device at the second predicted location to electronically retrieve the stored data but suppress display thereof; and

following detection of the user'"'"'s presence at the second predicted location, displaying the retrieved data on the device at the second future location.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored data is determined by the predicted location and an individual currently at the predicted location.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein information about the user comprises information relevant to a security policy.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the information comprises a clinical role of the user and a list of patients assigned to the user.

10. A system for anticipatory provisioning of resources for a mobile user in an institutional space, the system comprising:

a plurality of devices at different locations in the institutional space;

a location server in operative communication with the devices via a network and including;

computer storage defining a user location database that itself includes records for a plurality of users, each of the records including data indicative of a current location of the user and information about the user; and

a prediction module for predicting, based on a location and the information about the user in the corresponding database record, (i) a future location of the user and (ii) stored data required by the user at the future location; and

a desktop server in operative communication with the devices and the location server via the network, the desktop server being configured to cause a device at the predicted location to electronically retrieve the stored data but suppress display thereof and, following detection of the user'"'"'s presence at the predicted location, to display the retrieved data.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising an authentication server for receiving user log-on credentials and thereupon signaling the device at the predicted location display the retrieved data.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the user log-on credentials satisfy a security policy specific to the retrieved data.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the stored data is determined by the predicted location and an individual currently at the predicted location.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein information about the user comprises information relevant to a security policy.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the information comprises a clinical role of the user and a list of patients assigned to the user.

16. A system for managing location-based events in an institutional space, the system comprising:

a plurality of tracking sensors at different locations in the institutional space, each of the tracking sensors being configured to detect a proximate presence of an individual or a device and to produce signals indicative thereof;

a plurality of application host devices distributed within the institutional space, each of the application host devices running an application; and

a location server in operative communication with the tracking sensors and the application host devices via a network, the location server further including computer storage defining;

(i) a user location database that stores records for a plurality of users, each of the records including a current location of the user based on signals from the tracking sensors;

(ii) a device location database that stores records for a plurality of devices, each of the records including a current location of the device; and

(iii) a subscription database that stores records for a plurality of applications each running on a different device, each of the records specifying an application and one or more location events to which the application has subscribed,

wherein the location server is configured to receive signals from the tracking sensors, interpret the received signals as events, and notify applications upon occurrence of events to which they subscribe.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising an authentication server including a stored security policy accessible thereto, the security policy specifying authentication events required to access at least some of the applications, wherein the authentication server is in communication with the application host devices to control access to applications running thereon.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein at least some of the required authentication events are based on a location of the associated application host device.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the security policy specifies actions to be taken in response to walk-up events consisting of an individual'"'"'s entry within a monitored geospatial zone and walk-away events consisting of an individual'"'"'s departure from a monitored geospatial zone.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the authentication server is configured to receive notifications of the walk-away events from applications subscribing thereto and responsively take action based on the security policy.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the action is closing or prevent access to the applications.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the security policy relaxes authentication requirements based on the location of the associated application host device.