METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TRACKING AND MANAGING LOCATIONS OF WORKERS IN A PARK

• US 20180268346A1
• Filed: 03/20/2017
• Published: 09/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2017
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: CRONIN, John, BODKIN, Joseph, IINO, Masayuki
• Application Number:
  US15/463,598
• Publication Number:
  US 20180268346A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063116 Schedule adjustment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information

Abstract

In a method for tracking workers in a park, work areas for the workers are defined, respectively, which include a first work area defined for a first worker. The defined work areas are transmitted to worker devices, respectively, which include a first worker device provided for the first worker. When it is determined that the location of the first worker device is outside of the first work area, the first user is prompted to input or select a report, and when the report is acquired by the first worker device, the report is wirelessly transmitted from the first worker device to the management server. An action in response to the transmitted report is determined, and assistance information corresponding to the determined action is wirelessly transmitted from the management server to one or more of the worker devices.

Claims

1. A method for tracking workers in an amusement park, the method comprising:

defining work areas for the workers, respectively, and storing the defined work areas in a work area database of a management server, the work areas including a first work area defined for a first worker;

transmitting the defined work areas to worker devices, respectively, the worker devices including a first worker device provided for the first worker;

determining whether or not a location of the first worker device is within the first work area defined for the first worker;

when it is determined that the location of the first worker device is outside of the first work area, prompting the first user to input or select a report, and when the report is acquired by the first worker device, wirelessly transmitting the report from the first worker device to the management server; and

determining an action in response to the transmitted report, and wirelessly transmitting assistance information corresponding to the determined action from the management server to one or more of the worker devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first worker device determines whether or not the location of the first worker device is within the first work area defined for the first worker.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the management server determines whether or not the location of the first worker device is within the first work area defined for the first worker.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the action includes finding at least one second worker located adjacent to the first work area,

the assistance information includes instructions for the second worker to help the first worker, and

the assistance information is wirelessly transmitted to a second worker device provided for the second worker.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the action further includes redefining, by the management server, a second work area that has been defined for the second worker so as to include the location of the first worker device, and

the assistance information further includes the redefined second work area.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein:

one or more second workers are found,

the action further includes redefining, by the management server, one or more second work areas that have been defined for the one or more second workers so that the redefined one or more second work areas cover the first work area, and removing the first work area from the first worker,

the assistance information includes first assistance information to be sent to the first worker device including removal information of the first work area and second assistance information to be sent to one or more second worker devices including the redefined one or more second work areas, respectively.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the action further includes determining, by the management server, a route from a location of the second worker device to the location of the first worker device, and

the assistance information further includes the determined route.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein, when the report is not acquired by the first worker device for a predetermined time duration, an alert message is wirelessly transmitted from the first worker device to the management server.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the prompting the first user to input or select the report includes displaying on a display of the first worker device a list of response candidates.

10. A method for tracking workers in an amusement park, the method comprising:

defining work areas for the workers, respectively, the work areas including a first work area defined for a first worker;

wirelessly receiving, by a server, a communication from a first worker device assigned to and carried by the first worker;

based on the communication, finding a second worker located adjacent to the first work area, revising a second work area for the second worker and determining assistance information; and

wirelessly transmitting, by the server, the revised second work area and the assistance information to a second worker device assigned to and carried by the second worker.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the assistance information includes instructions for the second worker to help the first worker.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the revising the second work area includes revising the second work area so as to include a location of the first worker device, and

the assistance information further includes the location of the first worker device.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein:

one or more second workers are found,

the method further includes redefining, by the server, one or more second work areas that have been defined for the one or more second workers so that the redefined one or more second work areas cover the first work area, and removing the first work area from the first worker,

the assistance information includes first assistance information to be sent to the first worker device including removal information of the first work area and second assistance information to be sent to one or more second worker devices including the redefined one or more second work areas, respectively.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the method further includes determining, by the server, a route from a location of the second worker device to a location of the first worker device, and

the assistance information further includes the determined route.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the method further includes determining a response and wirelessly transmitting the response to the first worker device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the response include information with respect to the second worker.

17. A work area management system comprising:

a management server including a management-side computer and a management-side non-transitory storage medium storing a management program; and

a plurality of worker devices, including a first worker device assigned to a first worker, the first worker device including a device-side computer and a device-side non-transitory storage medium storing a device program, wherein;

the management program, when executed by the management-side computer, causes the management server to perform operations comprising;

defining a plurality of work areas for the plurality of workers, respectively;

storing the defined plurality of work areas in the management-side non-transitory storage medium, the plurality of work areas including a first work area defined for the first worker;

transmitting the defined plurality of work areas to the plurality of worker devices, respectively,

the device program, when executed by the device-side computer, causes the first worker device to perform operations comprising;

when it is determined, by the first worker device or the management server, that the location of the first worker device is outside of the first work area, prompting the first user to input or select a report, and when the report is acquired by the first worker device, wirelessly transmitting the report to the management server, and

the management program, when executed by the management-side computer, further causes the management server to perform operations comprising;

receiving the report from the first worker device;

determining an action in response to the report; and

wirelessly transmitting assistance information corresponding to the determined action to one or more of the plurality of worker devices.

18. The work area management system of claim 17, wherein:

the action includes finding at least one second worker located adjacent to the first work area,

the assistance information includes instructions for the second worker to help the first worker, and

the assistance information is wirelessly transmitted to a second worker device provided for the second worker.

19. The work area management system of claim 17, wherein:

the action further includes redefining, a second work area that has been defined for the second worker so as to include the location of the first worker device, and

the assistance information further includes the redefined second work area.

20. The work area management system of claim 17, wherein:

one or more second workers are found,

the action further includes redefining one or more second work areas that have been defined for the one or more second workers so that the redefined one or more second work areas cover the first work area, and removing the first work area from the first worker,

the assistance information includes first assistance information to be sent to the first worker device including removal information of the first work area and second assistance information to be sent to one or more second worker devices including the redefined one or more second work areas, respectively.