System and method for performing object association based on interaction time using a location tracking system

• US 8,417,538 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2008
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Consortium P Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Consortium P Incorporated
• Inventors: Tessier, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HIEP VAN
• Application Number:
  US12/024,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20090198734A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,894 Days
• Field of Search: 705/2
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/10 Elderly or infirm
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/74 Multi-channel systems specially adapted for direction-finding, i.e. having a single antenna system capable of giving simultaneous indications of the directions of different signals systems in which the directions of different signals are determined sequentially and displayed simultaneously G01S3/04, G01S3/14
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0221 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0284 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0295 Proximity-based methods, e.g. position inferred from reception of particular signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/16 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/18 using ultrasonic, sonic, or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

A system is provided for associating an object with a locale or a second object based on interaction time. The system includes and object identifier linked with an object for providing data identifying the object and a location determining module for determining the location of the object. The location determining modules includes an object location module for determining the location of the object based at least in part on the data and an object association module for associating the object with a second object or locale. The object association module is configured to determine whether the object is in proximity to the second object or the locale for a time period greater than or equal to a threshold time and create an associating between the object and the second object or the locale.

Claims

1. A system for automatically associating an object with a locale or a second object, comprising:

an object identifier device linked with an object configured to provide data identifying the object,

a location determining module configured to determine a location of the object, the location determining module including

an object location module configured to determine the location of the object based at least in part on the data, and

an object association module configured to associate the object with both of at least one of a second object and a locale, wherein the object association module is configured to determine based on the location of the object whether the object is in proximity to the second object or the locale for a time period greater than or equal to a threshold time, and if the time period that the object is in proximity to the second object or the locale is greater than or equal to the threshold time, the object association module is configured to create an association between the object and the second object or the locale;

an association template identifying associations among objects and locales whereby observed associations are matched with associations in the association template;

a network, wherein the location determining module is coupled to the network, and

a network connected element including at least one signaling component capable of transmitting or receiving signals, wherein the network connected element is configured to receive the data identifying the object provided by the object identifier device and transmit a signal containing the data to the location determining module;

the object association module further configured to prevent false associations comprising a first locale, a second locale, a time spent in the first locale, and a time spent in the second locale, wherein if the time spent in the first locale is greater than or equal to a false association threshold time and the time spent in the second locale is less than the false association threshold time, association with the second locale is prevented and only an association with the first locale is made, whereby a false association determination is prevented;

the location determining module further configured to disassociate the association between the object and the second object and the object and the locale upon termination of a signal from the object identifier device for the location determined by the object location module;

whereby the association determination and the disassociation are established without input device triggering.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the object identifier device comprises one or more of

a transmitter configured to transmit a signal including the data identifying the object,

a receiver configured to receive a signal requesting the data identifying the object;

and

a processor configured to control the transmitter and the receiver of the object identifier.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the data identifying the object comprises a unique identifier.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the data identifying the object is provided in a bar code on the object identifier device or is magnetically encoded on the object identifier.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the location determining module is part of an electronic device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the location determining module further comprises one or more of

a receiver configured to receive a signal from the object identifier device providing the data identifying the object, and

a transmitter configured to transmit a request for data identifying the object.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the object identifier device is a passive RFID device, and the network connected element is a passive RFID reader.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the object identifier is a bar code, and the network connected element is a bar code reader.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the location determining module is directly coupled to the object identifier device.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a storage device configured to store object associations.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a topology storage device configured to store topology data.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a fixed location identifier separate and distinct from said object identifier device and having a known location.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the fixed location identifier comprises at least one receiving component configured to receive transmissions from said object identifier device, and at least one transmitting component configured to transmit a signal.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising

a network, wherein the location determining module is coupled to the network, and

a network connected element including at least one signaling component capable of transmitting or receiving signals, wherein the network connected element is configured to receive the data identifying the object provided by the object identifier device and transmit a signal containing the data to the location determining module,

wherein said fixed location identifier transmits said signal to the network connected element, said network connected element incorporating the signal from the fixed location identifier into a signal sent to said location determining module,

wherein said location determining module uses the known location of said fixed location identifier in the calculation of a location of said object identifier.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein object identifier device is located in a health care facility.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the locale comprises a room in the health care facility.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the time period for determining an association depends on the type of object that the object identifier device is linked to.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the time period for determining an association depends on the location or locale of the object identifier device.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the time period for determining an association depends on the second object or locale the object identifier device is being associated with.

20. A method for automatically associating an object with a locale or a second object, comprising:

physically linking, with an object identifier device, the object or the locale;

providing, on the object identifier device linked with the object or locale, data identifying the object,

determining, at an object location module computing device, a location of the object based at least in part on the data identifying the object,

creating, at an object association module computing device, an association between the object and a second object or locale based on the location of the object and whether the object is in proximity to the second object or the locale for a time period greater than or equal to a threshold time;

wherein the object location module computing device and the object association module computing device are part of a location determining module computing device;

the location determining module computing device is coupled to a network;

receiving, at a network connected element, the data provided by the object identifier device;

transmitting, from the network connected element, a signal containing the data and

receiving, at the location determining module computing device, the signal from the network connected element;

preventing false associations, at the object association module computing device, comprising a first locale, a second locale, a time spent in the first locale, and a time spent in the second locale, wherein if the time spent in the first locale is greater than or equal to a false association threshold time and the time spent in the second locale is less than the false association threshold time, association with the second locale is prevented and only an association with the first locale is made, whereby a false association determination is prevented; and

disassociating, at the location determining module computing device, the association between the object and the second object and the object and the locale upon termination of a signal from the object identifier device for the location determined by the object location module computing device;

whereby the association determination and the disassociation are established without input device triggering.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the object identifier device comprises one or more of

a transmitter configured to transmit a signal including the data identifying the object,

a receiver configured to receive a signal requesting the data identifying the object;

and

a processor configured to control the transmitter and the receiver of the object identifier.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the data identifying the object comprises a unique identifier.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the data identifying the object is provided in a bar code on the object identifier or is magnetically encoded on the object identifier device.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the object location module and the object association module are part of a location determining module.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the location determining module further comprises one or more of

a receiver configured to receive a signal from the object identifier device providing the data identifying the object, and

a transmitter configured to transmit a request for data identifying the object.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the object identifier device is a passive RFID device, and the network connected element is a passive RFID reader.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the object identifier is a bar code, and the network connected element is a bar code reader.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein the location determining module is directly coupled to the object identifier device.

29. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

storing the object association at a storage device.

30. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving, at a fixed location identifier, the data provided by the object identifier device;

transmitting, from the fixed location identifier, a signal containing the data; and

receiving, at the object location module, the signal from the fixed location identifier.

31. The method of claim 20, wherein object identifier device is located in a health care facility.

32. The method of claim 20, wherein the locale comprises a room in the health care facility.

33. The method of claim 20, wherein the time period for determining an association depends on the type of object that the object identifier device is linked to.

34. The method of claim 20, wherein the time period for determining an association depends on the location or locale of the object identifier device.

35. The method of claim 20, wherein the time period for determining an association depends on the second object or locale the object identifier device is being associated with.