End to end emergency response

• US 8,400,268 B1
• Filed: 12/31/2008
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RF Technologies, Inc. (Microwave Techniques LLC)
• Original Assignee: Pinpoint Technologies, Inc. (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Inventors: Malik, Ajay, Serceki, Zeljko John, Heinze, Eric T., Gary, Wyndham F. Jr., Jonas, Glenn, Roste, Leslie
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Terrell, Emily C
• Application Number:
  US12/347,785
• Time in Patent Office: 1,539 Days
• Field of Search: 340/8.1, 340/539.12, 340/539.13
• US Class Current: 340/8.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0227 System arrangements with a plurality of child units
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0258 System arrangements wherein both parent and child units can emit and receive
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0277 Communication between units on a local network, e.g. Bluetooth, piconet, zigbee, Wireless Personal Area Networks [WPAN]
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/028 Communication between parent and child units via remote transmission means, e.g. satellite network
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0286 Tampering or removal detection of the child unit from child or article

Abstract

The system comprises a plurality of reference tags affixed to reference locations in a coverage area and configured to form a wireless mesh network. The system also includes a call tag configured to communicate with the plurality of reference tags and to collect data regarding the communication with the plurality of reference tags. The call tag is configured to send a first signal in response to an event. A positioning system is coupled to the wireless mesh network and configured to receive the first signal and the data collected by the call tag. The positioning system is further configured to process the data collected by the call tag to determine the call tag location with respect to the plurality of reference tags. A portable electronic device is configured to communicate with the wireless mesh network and configured to receive call tag location from the positioning system.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a plurality of reference tags affixed to reference locations in a coverage area and configured to form a wireless mesh network;

a call tag configured to communicate with the plurality of reference tags and to collect data regarding the communication with the plurality of reference tags, the call tag being configured to send a first signal in response to an event, wherein the call tag operates in a sleep mode and includes a motion sensor, wherein the motion sensor is active in the sleep mode, wherein the call tag is woken out of the sleep mode on a first periodic basis to communicate with the reference tags and to collect the data, wherein the call tag is woken out of the sleep mode at a second periodic basis in response to a motion signal from the motion sensor, the second periodic basis being more frequent than the first periodic basis;

a positioning system coupled to the wireless mesh network and configured to receive the first signal and the data collected by the call tag, the positioning system being configured to process the data collected by the call tag to determine the call tag location with respect to the plurality of reference tags wherein the data is related to signal strengths of signals from the reference tags to the call tag; and

a portable electronic device configured to communicate with the wireless mesh network and configured to receive the call tag location from the positioning system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the event is the occurrence of an environmental condition.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the event is an actuation of a button on the call tag.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising an access point configured to couple the positioning service to the wireless mesh network.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first signal is transmitted periodically, wherein the portable electronic device is configured to directly receive the first signal when the portable electronic device is within range of the call tag.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the periodic transmission of the first signal is configured to stop when the portable electronic device is within a predetermined range of the call tag.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the periodic transmission of the first signal is configured to continue until deactivated by the portable electronic device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is configured to directly communicate with the call tag when the portable electronic device is within range of the call tag.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the positioning service is configured to provide the portable electronic device with the last known location of the call tag if the call tag can no longer be identified by the positioning service.

10. In a system for use with a plurality of reference tags affixed to reference locations in a coverage area and configured to form a wireless mesh network, a call tag comprising:

a processor configured to communicate with the plurality of reference tags and to collect data regarding the communication with the plurality of reference tags, the call tag being configured to send a first signal and the data regarding the communication to a positioning system in response to an event, wherein the data is related to signal strengths of signals from the reference tags to the call tag,

wherein the call tag operates in a sleep mode and includes a motion sensor, wherein the motion sensor is active in the sleep mode, wherein the call tag is woken out of the sleep mode on a first periodic basis to communicate with the reference tags and to collect the data, wherein the call tag is woken out of the sleep mode at a second periodic basis in response to a motion signal from the motion sensor, the second periodic basis being more frequent than the first periodic basis.

11. The call tag of claim 10, further comprising:

a portable electronic device configured to communicate with the wireless mesh network and the call tag and to receive positioning information for locating the call tag in the coverage area.

12. The call tag of claim 10, wherein the plurality of reference tags and the call tag are configured to communicate using an IEEE 802.11 standard.

13. The call tag of claim 10, wherein the plurality of reference tags are coupled to a local area network (LAN).

14. The call tag of claim 13, wherein the local area network is a wireless local area network (WLAN).

15. The call tag of claim 13, wherein the first signal is sent to a remote emergency responder, wherein the first signal includes location information of the call tag in the coverage area.

16. A method for providing a wireless emergency response network, comprising:

positioning a plurality of reference tags in a coverage area, wherein the reference tags are configured to communicate with one another and a plurality of call tags that enter the coverage area;

providing a call tag configured to communicate with the plurality of reference tags and to collect signal strength data regarding the communication from the plurality of reference tags to the call tag, wherein the call tag is configured to send the signal strength data to a positioning system in response to an event, wherein the call tag operates in a sleep mode and includes a motion sensor, wherein the motion sensor is active in the sleep mode, wherein the call tag is woken out of the sleep mode on a first periodic basis to communicate with the reference tags and to collect the data, wherein the call tag is woken out of the sleep mode at a second periodic basis in response to a motion signal from the motion sensor, the second periodic basis being more frequent than the first periodic basis;

determining the location of each of the plurality of reference tags in the coverage area;

determining propagation information for a plurality of barriers that are present within the coverage area and affect the propagation of wireless signals;

storing the location of each of the plurality of reference tags in a memory coupled to the local area network; and

determining, using the positioning system, a location of the call tag based on the signal strength data, the location of one or more reference tags, and the propagation information.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

coupling a first reference tag of the plurality of reference tags to an access point of a local area network, wherein the first reference tag is configured to communicate data from the plurality of reference tags and the plurality of call tags that enter the coverage area to the access point of the local area network.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein determining the location of each of the plurality of reference tags comprises identifying the each reference tag location on a floor plan with respect to a common reference point.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the floor plan includes the propagation information.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the memory is coupled to the positioning system.

21. A method for determining the location of a call tag in a wireless emergency response network, comprising:

receiving a first signal at a plurality of reference tags from a call tag, wherein the plurality of reference tag are disposed in a coverage area;

sending response signals from the plurality of reference tags to the call tag;

providing a second signal from the call tag to a positioning service via a network, the second signal including data based on the response signals from the plurality of reference tags, wherein the call tag operates in a sleep mode and includes a motion sensor, wherein the motion sensor is active in the sleep mode, wherein the call tag is woken out of the sleep mode on a first periodic basis to communicate with the reference tags and to collect the data, wherein the call tag is woken out of the sleep mode at a second periodic basis in response to a motion signal from the motion sensor, the second periodic basis being more frequent than the first periodic basis,

wherein the positioning service and the plurality of reference tags are coupled to the network and the positioning service is configured to determine the location of the call tag in the coverage area based on the data included in the second signal, wherein the data is related to signal strengths of signals from the reference tags to the call tag.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

determining the location of the call tag in the coverage area based on the second signal; and

providing the location of the call tag in the coverage area to a portable electronic device, wherein the portable electronic device is configured to communicate with the reference tags.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the portable electronic device is configured to communicate directly with the call tag when the call tag is within range of the portable electronic device.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the plurality of reference tags are coupled to the network via an access point.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the call tags and the reference tag have a same circuit board and firmware.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the call tags and reference tag provide low frequency signals.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the call tag is configured to collect signal information for each of the response signals and to generate the second signal including data based on the collected signal information.