Method and system for monitoring location based service emitter infrastructure

• US 7,283,093 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2004
• Issued: 10/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Holdings Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Do, Phuc K., Pierce, Justin M., Kirk, Charles R., Maximilien, Eugene M., Shryock, Richard S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza; Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Nga X.
• Application Number:
  US10/975,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20060087474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 342/32, 342/37, 342/53, 342/386, 342/464, 342/463, 455/526, 340/568.5, 701/208, 701/209
• US Class Current: 342/386
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/024 of beacon transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/68 Marker, boundary, call-sign, or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/7034 Mounting or deployment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/7038 Signal details
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2201/01 adapted for specific applications or environments
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices

Abstract

A system and method for monitoring location based service emitter infrastructure. Beacon data is stored, the beacon data transmitted by beacons in an area and detected by a client device that is moved along a path at the location. The beacon data along the path of the client device is analyzed to determine whether any of the detected beacons have failed.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring the infrastructure of a location based service, the method comprising:

storing beacon data transmitted by a plurality of beacons in an area and detected by a client device that is moved along a path of locations in the area, the beacon data indicating detected locations on the path of the client device in the area; and

analyzing the detected locations on the path of the client device as represented by the detected beacon data, the analyzing including comparing the detected locations to location data that represents the locations of the path in the area, the comparison indicating whether any beacons along the path of the client device have failed.

2. The method claim 1 wherein the beacon data is detected by the client device and provided to a server to be stored.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the beacon data is provided from the client device to the server using wireless signals.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein analyzing the detected locations on the path includes determining whether any detectable beacons are failing intermittently, and whether any beacons have failed permanently.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein comparing the detected locations to location data includes comparing the detected beacon data on the path of the client device to a predefined normal set of beacon data corresponding to the path of the client device to determine whether any beacons along the path of the client device have failed.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of client devices detect the beacon data from the beacons, each client device moving along a path in the area, and wherein analyzing the detected locations on the path includes analyzing detected locations on paths of the plurality of client devices to determine whether any beacons along the paths of the client devices have failed.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein comparing the detected locations to location data includes comparing the detected beacon data from a path of a client device to beacon data detected from the same path at a different time by the same client device or a different client device.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein determining whether any detectable beacons are failing intermittently includes comparing the detected beacon data to beacon data detected on the path at a plurality of later times.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein analyzing the detected locations on the paths is performed periodically, after a predetermined time period, when beacon data has been stored over the predetermined time period from the plurality of client devices.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the beacon data includes a unique identification of the beacon transmitting the data.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the failure of a beacon includes batteries providing insufficient power to the beacon.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the area is a retail store, and wherein the client device is coupled to a shopping cart moved with a customer in the retail store.

32. The method of claim 1 wherein a lack of detecting a beacon at one or more particular locations of the location data is used for indicating whether any beacons along the path of the client device have failed.

13. A system for monitoring the infrastructure of a location based service, the system comprising:

at least one client device that is moveable along at least one path of locations in an area and which can detect beacon data transmitted from each of a plurality of beacons provided in the area, the beacon data indicating detected locations on the path of the client device in the area; and

a server that receives the beacon data from the at least one client device, the server including a storage device that stores the beacon data, wherein the server analyzes the detected locations on the path of the client device as represented by the detected beacon data, wherein the detected locations are compared to location data that represents the locations of the path in the area, the comparison indicating whether any beacons along the path of the client device have failed.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the beacons use infrared signals to transmit the beacon data, and wherein the at least one client device includes an infrared detector that receives the infrared signals.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the client device includes a wireless transmitter and the server includes a wireless receiver, such that the client device can send the beacon data to the server using wireless signals.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the server analyzing the beacon data includes the server comparing the detected beacon data on the path of the client device to a predetermined normal set of beacon data corresponding to the path of the client device to determine whether any beacons along the path of the client device have failed.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the at least one client device is a plurality of client devices, and wherein the plurality of client devices detect the beacon data from the beacons, each client device moving along at least one path in the area, and wherein the server analyzes the detected locations on the paths of the plurality of client devices to determine whether any beacons along the paths of the client devices have failed.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the server analyzing the detected locations on the path includes the server comparing the detected beacon data from a path of a client device to data detected from the same path at a different time by the same client device or a different client device.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the server analyzes the detected locations on the paths periodically, after a predetermined time period, when beacon data has been stored over the predetermined time period from the plurality of client devices.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein the beacon data includes a unique identification of the beacon transmitting the data.

21. The system of claim 13 wherein the area is a retail store, and wherein the client device is coupled to a shopping cart moved with a customer in the retail store.

33. The system of claim 13 wherein a lack of detecting a beacon at one or more particular locations of the location data is used for indicating whether any beacons along the path of the client device have failed.

22. A computer readable medium including program instructions to be implemented by a computer, the program instructions for monitoring the infrastructure of a location based service, the program instructions implementing steps comprising:

storing beacon data transmitted by a plurality of beacons in an area and detected by a client device that is moved along a path of locations in the area, the beacon data indicating detected locations on the path of the client device in the area; and

analyzing the detected locations on the path of the client device as represented by the detected beacon data, the analyzing including comparing the detected locations to location data that represents the locations of the path in the area, the comparison indicating whether any beacons along the path of the client device have failed.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 22 wherein the beacon data was detected by the client device and provided to a server to be stored.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 23 wherein the beacon data is provided from the client device to the server using wireless signals.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 22 wherein analyzing the detected locations on the path includes determining whether any detectable beacons are failing intermittently, and whether any beacons have failed permanently.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 22 wherein comparing the detected locations includes comparing the detected beacon data on the path of the client device to a predetermined normal set of beacon data corresponding to the path of the client device to determine whether any beacons along the path of the client device have failed.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 22 wherein a plurality of client devices detect the beacon data from the beacons, each client device moving along a path in the area, and wherein analyzing the detected locations on the path includes analyzing detected locations on paths of the plurality of client devices to determine whether any beacons along the paths of the client devices have failed.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 27 wherein comparing the detected locations includes comparing the detected beacon data from a path of a client device to beacon data detected from the same path at a different time by the same client device or a different client device.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 25 wherein determining whether any detectable beacons are failing intermittently includes comparing the detected beacon data to beacon data detected on the path at a plurality of later times.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 27 wherein analyzing the detected locations on the paths is performed periodically, after a predetermined time period, when beacon data has been stored over the predetermined time period from the plurality of client devices.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 22 wherein the area is a retail store, and wherein the client device is coupled to a shopping cart moved with a customer in the retail store.