Multi-modal entity tracking and display

• US 9,400,902 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2012
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Schoner, Bernd, Pappu, Ravikanth, Shah, Satyan, Fiegel, Brian, Biondo, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunnings, Travis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Haile, Benyam
• Application Number:
  US13/669,365
• Publication Number:
  US 20130314210A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,359 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/539.13, 340/568.1, 455/12.1, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 705/28
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07766 comprising at least a second communication arrangement in addition to a first non-contact communication arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/08 Construction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 90/20 Destination assistance within a business structure or complex
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2485 Simultaneous detection of multiple EAS tags
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2208 associated with components used in interrogation type services, i.e. in systems for information exchange between an interrogator/reader and a tag/transponder, e.g. in Radio Frequency Identification [RFID] systems methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns G06K7/00; record carrier for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00

Abstract

A multi-modal entity tracking and display system is disclosed. In one embodiment, a tracking infrastructure comprising at least one data receiver is configured to detect a tracked entity comprising a first asset class using a first sensing technology and a second sensing technology. The at least one tracking data receiver is further configured to generate a tracking data report conveying a location of the tracked entity. A multi-modal entity tracker is configured to receive and store the tracking data report. The multi-modal entity tracker is further configured to receive and store a second tracking data report of a second tracked entity comprising a second asset class which is conveyed via the tracking infrastructure.

Claims

1. A multi-modal entity tracking and display system comprising:

at least one tracking data receiver located at a fixed location, the tracking data receiver configured to;

detect a first entity comprising a first entity class by interacting with at least one of a first sensing technology component and a second sensing technology component both disposed on the first entity, the first entity detected by using a first sensing technology to interact with the first sensing technology component and a second sensing technology to interact with the second sensing technology component, wherein the first sensing technology and the second sensing technology are different;

generate a first tracking data report conveying a location of the first entity;

detect a second entity comprising a second entity class; and

generate a second tracking data report conveying a location of the second entity; and

a multi-modal entity tracker configured to;

receive the first tracking data report and the second tracking data report;

determine that the first entity and the second entity are located within a predetermined range of the fixed location of the tracking data receiver at a same time based at least in part on the first tracking data report and the second tracking data report;

determine that the first entity is associated with the second entity;

generate a notification based on the determination that the first entity and the second entity are located within the predetermined range of the fixed location of the tracking data receiver at the same time and the determination that the first entity is associated with the second entity;

determine co-movement of the first entity and the second entity;

receive tracking data reports from a plurality of sensed entity classes utilizing a plurality of sensing methods; and

determine a direction of travel of the plurality of sensed entity classes.

2. The multi-modal entity tracking and display system of claim 1 wherein the first sensing technology comprises a passive radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag and an RFID reader.

3. The multi-modal entity tracking and display system of claim 2 wherein the first sensing technology comprises a forward RFID infrastructure and the second sensing technology comprises a reverse RFID infrastructure.

4. The multi-modal entity tracking and display system of claim 1 wherein the first sensing technology is configured as a free-flow location sensing system and the second sensing technology comprises a secure access location sensing technology.

5. The multi-modal entity tracking and display system of claim 4 wherein the at least one tracking data receiver comprises a plurality of sensing mechanisms for the free-flow location sensing system and at least one sensing technology for the secure access location sensing technology.

6. The multi-modal entity tracking and display system of claim 1 wherein the multi-modal entity tracker is configured to determine a direction of travel of the first entity and the second entity.

7. The multi-modal entity tracking and display system of claim 6 wherein the multi-modal entity tracker is configured to receive information from the plurality of sensed entity classes and the plurality of sensing methods to determine the presence of a plurality of entity classes.

8. The multi-modal entity tracking and display system of claim 1 wherein the at least one tracking data receiver utilizes the first sensing technology for tracking entities indoors, and utilizes the second sensing technology comprising a GNSS system for tracking entities outdoors, and wherein the at least one tracking data receiver is further configured to transmit the first tracking data report and the second tracking data report to the multi-modal entity tracker.

9. The multi-modal entity tracking and display system of claim 8 wherein the multi-modal entity tracker is configured to determine either of a relative position or a direction of movement of the first entity class and the second entity class.

10. The multi-modal entity tracking and display system of claim 1 wherein the first entity comprises a person, and the second entity comprises an asset, and wherein the multi-modal entity tracker uses the first tracking data report and the second tracking data report to determine whether the person is using the asset.

11. The multi-modal entity tracking and display system of claim 1 wherein the first entity comprises a person, and the second entity comprises an asset, and wherein the multi-modal entity tracker uses the first tracking data report and the second tracking data report to determine a usage time of the asset by the person.

12. The multi-modal entity tracking and display system of claim 1 wherein the first entity comprises a person, and the second entity comprises an asset, and wherein the multi-modal entity tracker uses the first tracking data report and the second tracking data report to determine the usage of the asset and a work performance of the person.

13. A method for tracking a plurality of entities, the method comprising:

accessing a tracking infrastructure comprising at least one tracking data receiver located at a fixed location, the tracking data receiver configured to detect an entity having a first sensing technology component and a second sensing technology component disposed thereon, by using a first sensing technology to interact with the first sensing technology component and a second sensing technology to interact with the second sensing technology component, wherein the first sensing technology and the second sensing technology are different;

detecting a first entity using the tracking data receiver, the first entity comprising a first entity class;

generating a first tracking data report using the tracking data receiver, the first tracking data report conveying a location of the first entity;

detecting a second entity using the tracking data receiver, the second entity comprising a second entity class;

generating a second tracking data report using the tracking data receiver, the second tracking data report conveying a location of the second entity;

determining that the first entity and the second entity are located within a predetermined range of the fixed location of the tracking data receiver at a same time based at least in part on the first tracking data report and the second tracking data report;

determining that the first entity is associated with the second entity;

generating a notification based on the determination that the first entity and the second entity are located within the predetermined range of the fixed location of the tracking data receiver at the same time and the determination that the first entity is associated with the second entity;

determining co-movement of the first entity and the second entity; and

determining a direction of travel of a plurality of sensed entity classes from tracking data reports received from the plurality of sensed entity classes utilizing a plurality of sensing methods.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the first sensing technology utilizes a passive radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag and an RFID reader.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the first sensing technology utilizes a forward RFID infrastructure and the second sensing technology utilizes a reverse RFID infrastructure.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein:

the first sensing technology is configured as a free-flow location sensing system; and

the second sensing technology is configured as a secure access location sensing technology.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the tracking infrastructure comprises a plurality of sensing mechanisms for the free-flow location sensing system and at least one sensing technology for the secure access location sensing technology.

18. The method of claim 13 further comprising determining a direction of travel of the first entity and the second entity.

19. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

using the first sensing technology for tracking entities indoors; and

using the second sensing technology for tracking entities outdoors.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising determining either of a relative position or a direction of movement of the first entity class and the second entity class.

21. The method of claim 13 wherein the first entity comprises a person, and the second entity comprises an asset, the method further comprising:

determining whether the person is using the asset based at least in part on the first tracking data report and the second tracking data report.

22. The method of claim 13 wherein the first entity comprises a person and the second entity comprises an asset, the method further comprising:

determining a usage time of the asset by the person based at least in part on the first tracking data report and the second tracking data report.

23. The method of claim 13 wherein the first entity comprises a person and the second entity comprises an asset, the method further comprising:

determining a usage of the asset and a work performance of the person based at least in part on the first tracking data report and the second tracking data report.