Tracking device for hospitals, nursing homes, and private use

• US 8,525,670 B1
• Filed: 02/14/2013
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ravinder Khaira
• Original Assignee: Ravinder Khaira
• Inventors: Khaira, Ravinder
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNNINGS, TRAVIS R
• Application Number:
  US13/767,160
• Time in Patent Office: 201 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.13, 340/539.12, 340/539.11, 340/572.1, 340/10.1, 340/572.8, 340/572.9
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A tracking system including a tracking device and external transceivers for tracking a patient and providing patient data is presented. The device features a base ring for securing around a patient'"'"'s wrist or ankle. The base ring is locked via a tamper-detecting optical lock with an alarm component. A microprocessor with a memory component is disposed in the base ring. A universal serial bus port for transferring data to and from the memory component is operatively connected to the microprocessor. An active radio frequency identification (RFID) circuit with a unique signature is disposed in the base ring and adapted to autonomously transmit signals to a first external transceiver. When the RFID communication is lost, the device automatically starts a secondary transceiver disposed within the device to transmit signals to a second external transceiver. The signals include the unique signature and the location of the tracking device.

Claims

1. A tracking system (10) comprising:

(A) a tracking device (100) comprising;

(a) a base ring (110) formed from a first half ring (112) pivotally attached to a second half ring (114) via a hinge (118), the base ring pivots between at least an open position and a closed position, the base ring is adapted to be secured around a user'"'"'s wrist or ankle, wherein the ring has an outside circumference surface (115) and an inner circumference surface (116);

(b) a locking means (120) for securing the base ring in the closed position, the locking means is adapted to detect tampering;

(c) an alarm component (90) disposed in the base ring;

(d) a microprocessor (150) comprising software and a memory component (155), the microprocessor is operatively connected to the alarm component, the microprocessor is adapted to receive a first alarm input signal from the locking means (120) when the locking means detects tampering whereupon the microprocessor sends a first alarm output command to the alarm component (190) to activate the alarm component, the memory component (155) is adapted to temporarily store information;

(e) a universal serial bus (USB) port (140) operatively connected to the microprocessor (150) with the memory components, the USB port allows for data transfer to and from the memory component;

(f) an active radio frequency identification (RFID) circuit (160) disposed in the base ring, the active RFID has a unique signature, the active RFID circuit is operatively connected to each the microprocessor and to an antenna (162) disposed in the base ring, the antenna is adapted to send signals from the RFID circuit and receive signals for the RFID circuit;

(g) a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver (170), wherein the GPS receiver is operatively connected to the microprocessor (150);

(h) a secondary transmitter (260) operatively connected to the microprocessor;

(i) a power source (180) operatively connected to at least the active RFID circuit (160), the GPS receiver and the microprocessor;

(B) a first external transceiver (310), wherein the first external transceiver is configured to communicate with the RFID circuit (160), wherein the active RFID circuit is adapted to autonomously transmit signals within a range to a first external transceiver (310) via the antenna, the signals representing location of the active RFID and information stored on the memory component;

(C) a second external transceiver (320), wherein the second external transceiver is operatively connected to the secondary transmitter (260) wirelessly;

wherein when the communication between the RFID circuit (160) and the first external transceiver (310) is lost, the microprocessor (150) sends a start order to the GPS receiver (170) to start GPS signal receiving for positioning a current location of the tracking device, wherein the microprocessor (150) sends an output of the current location of the device to the secondary transmitter (260), whereupon the secondary transmitter (260) sends the current location information and the signature of the RFID to the second external transceiver (320) with a pre-determined frequency.

2. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein the tracking device (100) further comprises a Cardio Respiratory sensor (270), wherein the Cardio Respiratory sensor (270) is located on the inner circumference surface (116) to contact the user'"'"'s skin, wherein the Cardio Respiratory sensor is operatively connected to the microprocessor (150), wherein the microprocessor is adapted to receive a second alarm input signal from the Cardio Respiratory sensor (270) when the Cardio Respiratory sensor detects a reading below a pre-determined threshold, whereupon the microprocessor sends a second alarm output command to the alarm component to activate the alarm component (190).

3. The tracking system of claim 2, wherein the Cardiac sensor is a single lead Pulse Oximetry sensor with a single periodic waveform output.

4. The tracking system of claim 2, wherein the reading is a heartbeat rate or a saturated oxygen percentage.

5. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein the first external transceiver (310) and the second external transceiver (320) are operatively connected to a central server (330), wherein the central server (330) is accessible by a view terminal (340), wherein the view terminal (340) is a personal digital assistant (PDA), a computer, a laptop, a smartphone.

6. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein the base ring is constructed from a material comprising a para-aramid synthetic fiber.

7. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein the secondary transmitter is a Bluetooth transmitter or a transmitter using mobile phone data link.

8. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein the first external transceiver (310) is an access point of a hospital alert system.

9. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein the second external transceiver is a Bluetooth transmitter or a cell phone tower.

10. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein both the first and second external transceivers are accessible by a computer, a smartphone or a personal digital assistant (PDA).

11. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein the pre-determined frequency is every 10 seconds, 20 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, 2 minutes, or 5 minutes.

12. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein the memory component (155) comprises flash memory, read-only memory, random access memory, or a combination thereof.

13. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein the information stored on the memory component includes a name, an age, a date of birth, a medical history, a physician'"'"'s name, a medical record, or a combination thereof.

14. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein a keyhole (122) is disposed in the base ring (110) functioning to unlock the locking means (120).

15. A tracking system (10) comprising:

(A) a tracking device (100) comprising;

(a) a base ring (110) formed from a first half ring (112) pivotally attached to a second half ring (114) via a hinge (115), the base ring pivots between at least an open position and a closed position, the base ring is adapted to be secured around a user'"'"'s wrist or ankle, wherein the ring has an outside circumference surface (115) and an inner circumference surface (116);

(b) a locking means (120) for securing the base ring in the closed position, the locking means is adapted to detect tampering;

(c) an alarm component (190) disposed in the base ring;

(d) a microprocessor (150) comprising software and a memory component (155), the microprocessor is operatively connected to the alarm component, the microprocessor is adapted to receive a first alarm input signal from the locking means (120) when the locking means detects tampering whereupon the microprocessor sends a first alarm output command to the alarm component (190) to activate the alarm component, the memory component (155) is adapted to temporarily store information including an identification number of the tracking device;

(e) a universal serial bus (USB) port (140) operatively connected to the microprocessor (150) with the memory components, the USB port allows for data transfer to and from the memory component;

(f) a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver (170), wherein the GPS receiver is operatively connected to the microprocessor (150);

(g) a secondary transmitter (260) operatively connected to the microprocessor;

(h) a power source (180) operatively connected least the GPS receiver and the microprocessor (150);

(B) a second external transceiver (320), wherein the second external transceiver is operatively connected to the secondary transmitter (260) wirelessly;

wherein the GPS receiver (170) sends a GPS positioning signal to the microprocessor (150) constantly or on a pre-determined interval, whereupon the microprocessor (150) sends an output of the current location of the device to the secondary transmitter (260), whereupon the secondary transmitter (260) sends the current location information and a tracking device identification number of the tracking device (100) to the second external transceiver (320) with a pre-determined frequency.

16. The tracking system of claim 15, wherein the pre-determined frequency is every 10 seconds, 20 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, 2 minutes, or 5 minutes.

17. The tracking system of claim 15, wherein a tracking device identification number is pre-stalled within the memory component (155) during a registration process, wherein the registration process is done at a retail store or at an online website.

18. The tracking system of claim 15, wherein the tracking device (100) further comprises a Cardio Respiratory sensor (270), wherein the Cardio Respiratory sensor (270) is located on the inner circumference surface (116) to contact the user'"'"'s skin, wherein the Cardio Respiratory sensor is operatively connected to the microprocessor (150), wherein the microprocessor is adapted to receive a second alarm input signal from the Cardio Respiratory sensor (270) when the Cardio Respiratory sensor detects a reading below a pre-determined threshold, whereupon the microprocessor sends a second alarm output command to the alarm component to activate the alarm component (190).

19. The tracking system of claim 15, wherein the Cardiac sensor is a single lead Pulse Oximetry sensor with a single periodic waveform output.

20. The tracking system of claim 15, wherein the second external transceiver (320) is operatively connected to a central server (330), wherein the central server (330) is accessible by a view terminal (340), wherein the view terminal (340) is a personal digital assistant (PDA), a computer, a laptop, a smartphone.