System for monitoring a person's location in a defined area

• US 7,205,889 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2004
• Issued: 04/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gula Consulting Limited Liability Company (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Christina L. Howe, Paul E. Howe Jr
• Inventors: Howe, Paul E. Jr., Howe, Christina L.
• Primary Examiner(s): TWEEL JR, JOHN ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US11/007,762
• Publication Number:
  US 20060132300A1
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.13, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/573.1, 340/572.1, 340/825.49, 235/375
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2011/02 related to amusement parks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0275 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS] tag technology used for parent or child unit, e.g. same transmission technology, magnetic tag, RF tag, RFID
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons

Abstract

A system for monitoring a person'"'"'s location in a defined area (“monitoring system”) according to the present invention includes a plurality of ID badges remote from a plurality of ID readers and a CPU. Each ID badge includes a badge transmitter and a badge receiver; each ID reader includes a reader transmitter and a reader receiver. An alarm and a plurality of kiosks are preferably included. The respective ID readers detect the presence of the ID badges and communicate their respective positions to the CPU. If an ID badge exits the defined area or is disabled, the alarm is activated. The kiosks may be used to add interactivity to the monitoring system, and the ID badges may also include interactive elements. The CPU may perform various additional functions, such as directing a wearer of an ID badge to a destination and conveying information to the kiosks.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a person'"'"'s location in a defined area, comprising:

a plurality of ID readers, each respective ID reader having a reader transmitter and a reader receiver for transmitting and receiving signals, respectively, each respective ID reader having a predetermined reader transmission identifier different from a predetermined reader transmission identifier of any other said ID reader, each respective ID reader including means for including a respective reader transmission identifier in a respective signal;

a plurality of ID badges remote from said plurality of ID readers, each respective ID badge having a badge receiver for receiving query signals from a respective ID reader and a badge transmitter for transmitting reply signals to a respective ID reader, each respective badge transmitter baying a predetermined badge transmission identifier different from a predetermined badge transmission identifier of any other said badge transmitter, each respective ID badge including means for including a respective badge transmission identifier in a respective reply signal;

a CPU in communication with a data storage unit for maintaining ID badge information, said CPU including means for recognizing a respective badge transmission identifier and means for associating said respective badge transmission identifier with a corresponding ID badge, said CPU including means for recognizing a respective reader transmission identifier and means for associating said respective reader transmission identifier with a corresponding ID reader;

means for communicating between said CPU and said plurality of ID readers;

a plurality of kiosks remotely positioned in a spaced-apart relationship relative to said CPU for allowing a respective wearer of a respective ID badge to access information from said CPU pertinent to said wearer;

means for communicating between said CPU and said plurality of kiosks;

wherein respective ID reader is positioned adjacent at least one attraction; and

wherein said CPU includes means for determining a wait time at said at least one attraction based upon the number of said ID badges detected at said at least one attraction.

2. The system as in claim 1, wherein:

said plurality of ID readers is a plurality of RFID readers; and

said plurality of ID badges is a plurality of RFID badges.

3. The system as in claim 2, wherein each said RFID badge is an active RFID badge having a power source for powering said respective ID badge transmitter.

4. The system as in claim 3, wherein each respective RFID badge includes a microcontroller and a display in communication with said microcontroller for conveying information to a wearer of said respective RFID badge.

5. The system as in claim 1, wherein each respective ID badge includes a microcontroller in communication with a plurality of LEDs and a power source for conveying information to a wearer of said respective ID badge.

6. The system as in claim 1 wherein:

each respective ID badge includes means for transmitting an alarm signal when said respective ID badge is removed or disabled;

said CPU is electrically connected to an alarm; and

said CPU includes means for actuating said alarm when said CPU receives a respective alarm signal.

7. The system as in claim 1, wherein said CPU is in communication with a data input device for inputting data to said CPU.

8. The system as in claim 1, wherein each respective kiosk includes a kiosk input device and a kiosk display.

9. The system as in claim 1, wherein:

at least one said kiosk includes a money acceptor;

said CPU includes means for associating a respective amount of money with a respective ID badge; and

said CPU includes means for updating a respective amount of money associated with a respective ID badge according to an amount of money accepted by said money acceptor.

10. The system as in claim 1, wherein a respective ID reader is positioned adjacent each respective kiosk for detecting the presence of a respective ID badge.

11. The system as in claim 1, wherein said means for communicating between said CPU and said plurality of ID readers includes an electrical connection between said CPU and said plurality of ID readers.

12. The system as in claim 1, wherein:

said means for communicating between said CPU and said plurality of kiosks includes an electrical connection between said CPU and said plurality of kiosks; and

said means for communicating between said CPU and said plurality of ID readers includes an electrical connection between said CPU and said plurality of ID readers.

13. A system for monitoring people in a defined area, comprising:

a plurality of ID readers, each respective ID reader having a reader transmitter for transmitting unprocessed signals including query signals and a reader receiver for receiving reply signals, alarm signals, and processed signals;

a plurality of ID badges remote from said plurality of ID readers, each respective ID badge having a badge receiver for receiving said query signals from a respective ID reader and a badge transmitter for transmitting said reply signals and said alarm signals, each respective badge transmitter having a predetermined badge transmission identifier different from a predetermined badge transmission identifier of any other said badge transmitter, each respective ID badge including means for including a respective badge transmission identifier in respective reply and alarm signals;

a CPU in communication with a data storage unit for maintaining ID badge information, a CPU transmitter for transmitting processed signals, and a CPU receiver for receiving unprocessed signals, said CPU including means for recognizing a respective badge transmission identifier included in respective reply and alarm signals and means for associating said respective badge transmission identifier with a corresponding ID badge;

a plurality of kiosks remotely positioned in a spaced-apart relationship relative to said CPU for allowing a respective wearer of a respective ID badge to access information from said CPU pertinent to said wearer, each respective kiosk having a kiosk transmitter for transmitting said unprocessed signals and a kiosk receiver for receiving said processed signals;

wherein each respective kiosk includes a kiosk input device and a kiosk display;

wherein each respective ID badge has a microcontroller in communication with a plurality of LEDs and a power source for conveying information to a wearer of said respective ID badge; and

wherein said CPU includes means for guiding an ID badge wearer to a destination determined by said wearer at a respective kiosk, said means for guiding including means for selectively actuating respective LED.

14. The system as in claim 13, wherein:

said plurality of ID readers is a plurality of RFID readers; and

each said ID badge is an active RFID badge having a power source for powering said respective ID badge transmitter.

15. The system as in claim 13, wherein said CPU includes means for selectively associating together respective ID badges for allowing a wearer of one associated ID badge to locate a wearer of another associated ID badge.

16. The system as in claim 13, wherein:

said ID badge LEDs are positioned in an array to indicate direction, each respective LED having a respective position in said array indicative of a respective direction; and

said means for guiding includes means for selectively actuating a respective LED according to said position of the respective LED in said array.