Event registration and management system and method employing geo-tagging and biometrics

• US 9,286,511 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2014
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amerasia International Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Amerasia International Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Chung, Kevin Kwong-Tai, Chung, Albert Han-Ping
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Vu
• Assistant Examiner(s): WOLDEMARIAM, AKLILU K
• Application Number:
  US14/159,573
• Publication Number:
  US 20140205155A1
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 382/187, 382/188, 382/306, 382/314, 340/51, 340/386, 340/572, 340/573, 340/575
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/26 Government or public services business processes related to the transportation industry G06Q50/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/80 for detecting, monitoring or modelling epidemics or pandemics, e.g. flu
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

A system and method employing geo-tagging and/or biometric identification is employed for registration and management of various events. Electronic devices are configured for capturing images and geo-tagging the captured images using the geographic position of the electronic device. Data relating thereto and related data concerning persons and/or locations and/or other things are associated with a unique identifier and are stored in a relational database from whence they may be retrieved and processed for generating a response or other follow up which can be communicated to an electronic device.

Claims

1. A method for operating a registration and management system comprising:

configuring an electronic device having a device identifier and including an imager for capturing images and a geographic position locator for determining geographic location, the configuring including configuring the electronic device for geo-tagging the captured images using the determined geographic location, for date-time stamping the geo-tagged captured images, and for receiving a unique identifier;

receiving or providing a unique identifier associated with a registrant, a location and/or an event;

causing the date-time stamped geo-tagged captured images to be associated with the unique identifier;

receiving registration data relating to the registrant;

associating the unique identifier with the received registration data relating to the registrant;

storing data including the unique identifier, the date-time stamped geo-tagged captured images associated with the unique identifier, the received registration data relating to the registrant associated with the unique identifier, and the device identifier of the electronic device, in a relational data base that is separate from the electronic device;

repeating the foregoing steps for a number of registrants;

retrieving from the relational database stored data relating to a particular registrant, location and/or event using the unique identifier, or using a location of a geo-tagged captured image, or using the received registration data relating to the particular registrant, or using the device identifier, or using a combination thereof;

generating from the retrieved data from the relational database relating to the particular registrant, location and/or event a response relating to the particular registrant, location and/or event, wherein the response comprises a task to be performed, or an action to be taken, or a supply to be provided, or equipment to be provided, or a schedule for performing a task, or a schedule for taking an action, or a report of a task and/or an action, or a combination thereof; and

communicating the response relating to the particular registrant, location and/or event to the electronic device that captured data relating to the particular registrant, location and/or event using the device identifier of the electronic device that captured the data relating to the particular registrant, location and/or event or to an electronic device using the geographic location thereof.

2. The method for operating a registration and management system of claim 1 wherein said configuring includes providing a software application to the electronic device.

3. The method for operating a registration and management system of claim 1 wherein:

receiving the unique identifier includes imaging a barcode of a data entry form using the imager of the electronic device; and

receiving registration data relating to a registrant includes scanning the data entry form.

4. The method for operating a registration and management system of claim 1 wherein

the unique identifier is generated automatically and/or is manually entered;

or

the unique identifier is random or pseudo-random and/or taken from one or more sequences of numbers;

or

a combination thereof.

5. The method for operating a registration and management system of claim 1 wherein the geographic location includes GPS coordinates and wherein the GPS coordinates are associated with captured images for geo-tagging the images.

6. The method for operating a registration and management system of claim 1 wherein the configuring includes:

configuring the electronic device for capturing a biometric identifier;

or

configuring the electronic device with one or more external devices for capturing a biometric identifier;

or

a combination thereof.

7. The method for operating a registration and management system of claim 6 wherein:

the biometric identifier includes a fingerprint, a facial image, a digital signature, or a combination thereof, or

the biometric identifier is utilized for identification and/or for verification of identity;

or

the biometric identifier includes a fingerprint, a facial image, a digital signature, or a combination thereof, and is utilized for identification and/or for verification of identity.

8. The method for operating a registration and management system of claim 1 further comprising:

associating an RFID device with a participant;

associating the RFID device with an electronic device relating to the participant and with the electronic device identifier thereof;

storing an identifier of the RFID device and data relating to the participant in the relational-database in association with the device identifier of the electronic device relating to the participant;

providing one or more RFID readers for locating the RFID device; and

storing RFID device locating data from the one or more REID readers in the relational database,

whereby the participant RFID) device is associated with the electronic device relating to the participant.

9. The method for operating a registration and management system of claim 1 wherein the registrant includes:

a person, a family, a group of persons, a location, a structure, a natural feature, a tangible article, a movable tangible article, a container, a package, or a combination thereof.

10. The method for operating a registration and management system of claim 1 further comprising employing the registration and management system for conducting a census, for a vaccination program, for an emergency, for a natural disaster, for a man-made disaster, for property management, for geo-routing, for geo-fencing, for a supply chain, or for a combination thereof.

11. The method for operating a registration and management system of claim 1 wherein the electronic device includes a smart phone, a tablet computer, a portable computer, or a combination thereof.

12. A registration and management system comprising:

an electronic device having a device identifier and including an imager for capturing images and a geographic position locator for determining geographic location, the electronic device being configured for geo-tagging the captured images using the determined geographic location, for date-time stamping the geo-tagged captured images, and for receiving a unique identifier;

a computer processor receiving or providing a unique identifier relating to a registrant, a location and/or an event, date-time stamped geo-tagged captured images associated with the unique identifier, registration data relating to the registrant, and associating the unique identifier with the received registration data relating to the registrant;

a relational database storing data including the unique identifier, the date-time stamped geo-tagged captured images associated with the unique identifier, the received registration data relating to the registrant associated with the unique identifier, and the device identifier of the electronic device, wherein the relational data base is separate from the electronic device;

wherein the foregoing is repeated for a number of registrants;

the computer processor retrieving from the relational database stored data relating to a particular registrant, location and/or event using the unique identifier, or using a location of a geo-tagged captured image, or using the received registration data relating to the particular registrant, or using the device identifier, or using a combination thereof;

the computer processor generating from the retrieved data from the relational database relating to the particular registrant, location and/or event a response relating to the particular registrant, location and/or event, wherein the response comprises a task to be performed, or an action to be taken, or a supply to be provided, or equipment to be provided, or a schedule for performing a task, or a schedule for taking an action, or a report of a task and/or an action, or a combination thereof; and

a communication link communicating the response relating to the particular registrant, location and/or event to the electronic device that captured data relating to the particular registrant, location and/or event using the device identifier of the electronic device that captured the data relating to the particular registrant, location and/or event or to an electronic device using the geographic location thereof.

13. The registration and management system of claim 12 wherein the electronic device is configured by a software application.

14. The registration and management system of claim 12 wherein:

the unique identifier is obtained by imaging a barcode of a data entry form using the imager of the electronic device; and

the registration data relating to a registrant is obtained by scanning the data entry form.

15. The registration and management system of claim 12 wherein

the unique identifier is generated automatically and/or is manually entered;

or

the unique identifier is random or pseudo-random and/or taken from one or more sequences of numbers;

or

a combination thereof.

16. The registration and management system of claim 12 wherein the geographic location includes GPS coordinates and wherein the GPS coordinates are associated with captured images for geo-tagging the images.

17. The registration and management system of claim 12 wherein:

the electronic device is configured for capturing a biometric identifier;

or

the electronic device is configured with one or more external devices for capturing a biometric identifier;

or

a combination thereof.

18. The registration and management system of claim 17 wherein:

the biometric identifier includes a fingerprint, a facial image, a digital signature, or a combination thereof, or

the biometric identifier is utilized for identification and/or for verification of identity;

or

the biometric identifier includes a fingerprint, a facial image, a digital signature, or a combination thereof, and is utilized for identification and/or for verification of identity.

19. The registration and management system of claim 12 further comprising:

an RFID device associated with a participant;

the RFID device being associated with an electronic device relating to the participant and with the electronic device identifier thereof;

the relational database storing an identifier of the RFID device and data relating to the participant in association with the device identifier of the electronic device relating to the participant;

one or more RFID readers for locating the RFID device; and

the relational database storing RFID device locating data from the one or more RFID readers,

whereby the participant RFID device is associated with the electronic device relating to the participant.

20. The registration and management system of claim 12 wherein the registrant includes:

a person, a family, a group of persons, a location, a structure, a natural feature, a tangible article, a movable tangible article, a container, a package, or a combination thereof.

21. The registration and management system of claim 12 wherein the registration and management system is employed for conducting a census, for a vaccination program, for an emergency, for a natural disaster, for a man-made disaster, for property management, for geo-routing, for geo-fencing, for a supply chain, or for a combination thereof.

22. The registration and management system of claim 12 wherein the electronic device includes a smart phone, a tablet computer, a portable computer, or a combination thereof.

23. A method for operating a registration and management system comprising:

configuring an electronic device having a device identifier and including an imager for capturing images and a geographic position locator for determining geographic location, the configuring including configuring the electronic device for capturing a biometric identifier relating to a registrant, for geo-tagging the captured images using the determined geographic location, for geo-tagging the captured biometric identifier using the determined geographic location, for date-time stamping the geo-tagged captured images and the geo-tagged captured biometric identifier, and for receiving a unique identifier;

receiving or providing a unique identifier associated with a registrant, a location and/or an event;

causing the date-time stamped geo-tagged captured images and date-time stamped geo-tagged captured biometric identifier to be associated with the unique identifier;

receiving registration data relating to the registrant;

associating the unique identifier with the received registration data relating to the registrant;

storing data including the unique identifier, the date-time stamped geo-tagged captured images associated with the unique identifier, the date-time stamped geo-tagged captured biometric identifier associated with the unique identifier, the received registration data relating to the registrant associated with the unique identifier, and the device identifier of the electronic device, in a relational data base that is separate from the electronic device;

repeating the foregoing steps for a number of registrants;

retrieving from the relational database stored data relating to a particular registrant, location and/or event using the unique identifier, or using a location of a geo-tagged captured image, or using the captured biometric identifier relating to the particular registrant, or using the received registration data relating to the particular registrant, or using the device identifier, or using a combination thereof;

generating from the retrieved data from the relational database relating to the particular registrant, location and/or event a response relating to the particular registrant, location and/or event wherein the response comprises a task to be performed, or an action to be taken, or a supply to be provided, or equipment to be provided, or a schedule for performing a task, or a schedule for taking an action, or a report of a task and/or an action, or a combination thereof; and

communicating the response relating to the particular registrant, location and/or event to the electronic device that captured data relating to the particular registrant, location and/or event using the device identifier of the electronic device that captured the data relating to the particular registrant, location and/or event or to an electronic device using the geographic location thereof.

24. The method for operating a registration and management system of claim 23 wherein:

receiving the unique identifier includes imaging a barcode of a data entry form using the imager of the electronic device; and

receiving registration data relating to a registrant includes scanning the data entry form.

25. The method for operating a registration and management system of claim 23 wherein.

the biometric identifier includes a fingerprint, a facial image, a digital signature, or a combination thereof, or

the biometric identifier is utilized for identification and/or for verification of identity;

or

the biometric identifier includes a fingerprint, a facial image, a digital signature, or a combination thereof and is utilized for identification and/or for verification of identity.