Real-time method and system for locating a mobile object or person in a tracking environment while conserving electrical energy in a battery-operated tracking tag associated with the object or person

• US 8,416,072 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2009
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Versus Technology, Inc. (Midmark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Versus Technology, Inc. (Midmark Corporation)
• Inventors: Tenarvitz, Henry J.
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US12/623,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20110121962A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,233 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 340/12.5, 340/12.51, 340/12.52, 340/13.24, 340/13.25, 340/13.26, 340/13.27
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/825 with exchange of information between interrogator and responder
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0701 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0728 the arrangement being an optical or sound-based communication interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

A real-time method and system for locating a mobile object or person in a tracking environment while conserving electrical energy in a battery-operated tracking tag associated with the object or person are provided. The method includes modulating a first carrier signal with a first packet including a first set of identification data having a first length to obtain a first modulated signal. The first set of data identifies the tag associated with the object or person. The method also includes transmitting the first modulated signal containing the first packet. Transmission of the first modulated signal consumes a first amount of electrical energy. The first modulated signal has a first precision and a first range within the environment. The method further includes modulating a second carrier signal with a second packet including a second set of identification data reduced in length from and based on the first set of identification data. The method still further includes transmitting the second modulated signal containing the second packet. Transmission of the second modulated signal consumes an amount of electrical energy reduced from an amount of electrical energy consumed if the second set of identification data was not reduced in length. The method further includes receiving and demodulating the first and second modulated signals to obtain the first and second packets. Finally, the method includes processing the first and second packets of the received demodulated signals to obtain location of the tag within the tracking environment wherein total transmission energy is reduced.

Claims

1. A real-time method of locating a mobile object or person in a tracking environment while conserving electrical energy in a battery-operated tracking tag associated with the object or person, the method comprising:

modulating a first carrier signal with a first packet including a first set of identification data having a first length to obtain a first modulated signal, the first set of data identifying the tag associated with the object or person;

transmitting the first modulated signal containing the first packet, transmission of the first modulated signal consuming a first amount of electrical energy, the first modulated signal having a first precision and a first range within the environment;

modulating a second carrier signal with a second packet including a second set of identification data reduced in length from and based on the first set of identification data;

transmitting the second modulated signal containing the second packet, transmission of the second modulated signal consuming an amount of electrical energy reduced from an amount of electrical energy consumed if the second set of identification data was not reduced in length;

receiving and demodulating the first and second modulated signals to obtain the first and second packets; and

processing the first and second packets of the received demodulated signals to obtain location of the tag within the tracking environment wherein total transmission energy is reduced.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising receiving a request signal which represents a request for a set of identification data greater in length than the second set of identification data.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tracking environment is a clinical environment.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first set of data uniquely identifies the tag and the second set of data does not uniquely identify the tag.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of processing includes the step of applying a matching algorithm to the first and second packets of the received demodulated signals to match signals transmitted from the same tag.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising applying a length reduction algorithm to the first set of identification data to obtain the second set of identification data.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the step of applying includes the step of applying a length reduction algorithm to the first set of identification data of the demodulated first signal to obtain a result and comparing the result to the second set of identification data of the demodulated second signal.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second modulated signal has a second precision greater than the first precision and a second range within the environment shorter than the first range.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tracking tag is a multi-model tracking tag.

10. A real-time system for locating a mobile object or person in a tracking environment while conserving electrical energy in a battery-operated tracking tag associated with the object or person, the system comprising:

means for modulating a first carrier signal with a first packet including a first set of identification data having a first length to obtain a first modulated signal, the first set of data identifying the tag associated with the object or person;

means for transmitting the first modulated signal containing the first packet, transmission of the first modulated signal consuming a first amount of electrical energy, the first modulated signal having a first precision and a first range within the environment;

means for modulating a second carrier signal with a second packet including a second set of identification data reduced in length from and based on the first set of identification data;

means for transmitting the second modulated signal containing the second packet, transmission of the second modulated signal consuming an amount of electrical energy reduced from an amount of electrical energy consumed if the second set of identification data was not reduced in length;

means for receiving and demodulating the first and second modulated signals to obtain the first and second packets; and

a processor for processing the first and second packets of the received demodulated signals to obtain location of the tag within the tracking environment wherein total transmission energy is reduced.

11. The system as claimed in claim 10, further comprising means for receiving a request signal which represents a request for a set of identification data greater in length than the second set of identification data.

12. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the tracking environment is a clinical environment.

13. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the second modulated signal has a second precision greater than the first precision and a second range within the environment shorter than the first range.

14. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the tracking tag is a multi-model tracking tag.

15. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first set of data uniquely identifies the tag and the second set of data does not uniquely identify the tag.

16. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the processor applies a matching algorithm to the first and second packets of the received demodulated signals to match signals transmitted from the same tag.

17. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the processor applies a length reduction algorithm to the first set of identification data to obtain the second set of identification data.

18. The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the processor applies a length reduction algorithm to the first set of identification data of the demodulated first signal to obtain a result and compares the result to the second set of identification data of the demodulated second signal.