Use of the occupancy rate of areas or buildings to simulate the flow of persons

• US 9,513,131 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2012
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Klein, Wolfram, Mayer, Hermann Georg, Zechlin, Oliver
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafi, Muhammad
• Application Number:
  US14/373,271
• Publication Number:
  US 20150066353A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,454 Days
• Field of Search: 701/408
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation

Abstract

Method and apparatus are described for calculating a route for at least one object inside a predefined area or building. A suitable sensor system is used to determine the current position data relating to the object. The respective current position data is used to simulate a flow of objects. Respective updated route guidance information is provided for output devices in the predefined area or building based on the results of the object flow simulation. The current position data relating to the object are determined via the effects of near field communication (NFC), for example, via RFID technology.

Claims

1. A method for calculating a route for at least one object within a predefined area or building, the method comprising:

determining, with a sensor system, data indicative of a current position of the at least one object;

simulating, by a computing unit, a flow of objects based on the data indicative of the current position of the at least one object within the predefined area or the building and an emission diffusion from a source of danger in the predefined area or the building;

generating, by the computing unit, based on the simulated flow of objects, route guidance information for output in the predefined area or the building; and

outputting, by the computing unit, the route guidance information to an output device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the current position comprises determining the current position via near field communication (NFC).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the sensor system comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder connected with the at least one object and an RFID reader comprising an antenna mounted in the predefined area or the building.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor system comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder connected with the at least one object and an RFID reader comprising an antenna mounted in the predefined area or the building.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising determining, with a network of sensors of the sensor system, a direction of movement of the at least one object, and wherein simulating the flow of objects is further based on the direction of movement of the object.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, with a network of sensors of the sensor system, a direction of movement of the at least one object, and wherein simulating the flow of objects is further based on the direction of movement of the object.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the route guidance information comprises providing the route guidance information for each object of the at least one object based on the respective current position of each object.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein generating the route guidance information comprises providing the route guidance information for each object of the at least one object based on object-related data.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising registering the at least one object by a monitoring camera, and wherein determining the data indicative of the current position comprises determining the data indicative of the current position via video analysis.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the output device is at least one mobile device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one mobile device is a mobile phone, smartphone, personal digital assistant (PDA), or audio guide.

12. the method of claim 10, wherein each mobile device of the at least one mobile device is uniquely assigned to each respective object of the at least one object within the predefined area of the building.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the output device is a workplace computer, display panel, or speaker.

14. A system for calculating a route for at least one object within a predefined area or building, the system comprising:

a sensor system installed in the predetermined area or the building and configured to determine data indicative of a current position of the object;

a computing unit configured to;

perform a simulation of a flow of objects located in the predefined area or the building, wherein the simulation is based on the data indicative of the current position of the at least one object within the predefined area or the building and an emission diffusion of a source of danger in the predefined area or the building; and

output respective updated route guidance information to a respective output device based on the results of the simulation of the flow of objects.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the sensor system is configured for near field communication (NFC).

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the sensor system comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder connected with the at least one object and an RFID reader comprising an antenna mounted in the predefined area or the building.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the output device is at least one mobile device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one mobile device is a mobile phone, smartphone, personal digital assistant (PDA), or audio guide.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein each mobile device of the at least one mobile device is uniquely assigned to each respective object of the at least one object within the predefined area or the building.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the output device is a workplace computer, display panel, or speaker.