Associating information with an asset or a physical space

• US 9,585,228 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2016
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Building Robotics, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Enlighted, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Patel, Sanjeev, Gordon, Gaile, Mohan, Tanuj
• Primary Examiner(s): Taningco, Alexander H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bahr, Kurtis R
• Application Number:
  US15/179,988
• Publication Number:
  US 20160286624A1
• Time in Patent Office: 262 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/16 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/20 involving the use of a pass
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 Hand-held transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/25 Maintenance of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Apparatuses, methods, apparatuses and systems for operating a control fixture are disclosed. One method includes generating a sense signal, maintaining a communications link between the control fixture and a network, generating adjustment control based the sense signal or communication from the network, adjusting an environmental parameter of a structure of the control fixture based on the adjustment control, tracking a location of a first mobile device, identifying the first mobile device being within a threshold distance of a second mobile device or a place, and allowing the first mobile device or a user of the first mobile device to receive information associated with the second mobile device or the physical place, or to provide information to be associated with the second mobile device or the physical place upon identifying the first mobile device to be within the threshold distance of the second mobile device or the place.

Claims

1. A system operative to associate information with an asset or a physical space, comprising:

a plurality of building control fixtures, one or more of the plurality of building control fixtures comprising;

a sensor unit and an environment controller;

wherein the sensor unit comprises;

a sensor, the sensor operative to generate a sense signal based on at least one of sensed motion or light;

communication circuitry, the communication circuitry operative to maintain a link with a network;

a controller, the controller operative to;

manage communication with the network;

generate environment adjustment control based on at least one of the sense signal and communication from the network; and

wherein

the environment controller is configured to receive the environment adjustment control and operative to adjust an environmental parameter of a structure of the plurality of building control fixtures based on the environment adjustment control;

wherein at least one of an external controller or at least one controller of the plurality of building control fixtures is operative to;

track a location of a first mobile device;

identify the first mobile device being within a threshold distance of a second mobile device or a physical place; and

allow the first mobile device or a user of the first mobile device to receive information associated with the second mobile device or the physical place, or to provide information to be associated with the second mobile device or the physical place upon identifying the first mobile device to be within the threshold distance of the second mobile device or the physical place.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the external controller or the at least one controller of the plurality of building control fixtures is further operative to send alerts to the first mobile device or the user of the first mobile device relevant to a location of the first mobile device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the external controller or the at least one controller of the plurality of building control fixtures is further operative to authenticate the first mobile device or the user of the first mobile device upon identifying the first mobile device to be within the threshold distance of the second mobile device or the physical place.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein authentication allows for determination of authorization of the first mobile device to access a present location of the first mobile device.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein authentication allows for determination of authorization of the first mobile device to access or provide information associated with the second mobile device or the physical place.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the external controller or the at least one controller of the plurality of building control fixtures is further operative to allow the first mobile device or the user of the first mobile to create alert data connected to a particular location and specify a user or group of users to receive the alert data when at least one mobile device of the user or the group of users is within the threshold distance of the particular location.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one of the external controller or the at least one controller of the plurality of building control fixtures is further operative to use a time period data for the alert data, or the threshold distance around the particular location where the alert data is relevant.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the external controller or the at least one controller of the plurality of building control fixtures is further operative to automatically control local environment and resources to conform to a user location and user preferences.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the external controller or the at least one controller of the plurality of building control fixtures is further operative to validate an identity of the first mobile device or a user of the first mobile device, and track the first mobile device or the user of the first mobile device, and provide or deny access to one or more areas based on credentials of the first mobile device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the external controller or the at least one controller of the plurality of building control fixtures is further operative to track locations of a plurality of other mobile devices, and provide alerts to the first mobile device based upon the location of the mobile device and locations of one or more of the other mobile devices.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the external controller or the at least one controller of the plurality of building control fixtures is further operative to record past behavior of the first mobile device, predict future locations of the first device and alerts based on the recorded past behavior or calendar information.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the external controller or the at least one controller of the plurality of building control fixtures is further operative to allow the first mobile device or the user to subscribe to particular categories of location based alerts.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the external controller or the at least one controller of the plurality of building control fixtures is further operative to send messages to individuals or groups of people based on a current location of the individuals or groups of people.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the environmental controller comprises a light controller and the environmental parameter comprises a light intensity.

15. A system operative to associate information with an asset or a physical space, comprising:

a plurality of building control fixtures, one or more of the plurality of building control fixtures comprising;

a sensor unit;

wherein

the sensor unit comprises;

a sensor, the sensor operative to generate a sense signal based on at least one of sensed motion or light;

communication circuitry, the communication circuitry operative to maintain a link with a network;

a controller, the controller operative to;

manage communication with the network;

wherein at least one of an external controller or at least one controller of the plurality of building control fixtures is operative to;

track a location of a first mobile device;

identify the first mobile device being within a threshold distance of a second mobile device or a physical place; and

allow the first mobile device or a user of the first mobile device to receive information associated with the second mobile device or the physical place, or to provide information to be associated with the second mobile device or the physical place upon identifying the first mobile device to be within the threshold distance of the second mobile device or the physical place.

16. A method of operating a building control fixture comprising:

generating, by a sensor of the building control fixture, a sense signal base on at least one of sensed motion or light;

maintaining a communications link between the building control fixture and a network;

managing communication with the network;

generating environment adjustment control based on at least one of the sense signal and communication from the network;

adjusting an environmental parameter of a structure of the building control fixture based on the environment adjustment control;

tracking a location of a first mobile device;

identifying the first mobile device being within a threshold distance of a second mobile device or a physical place; and

allowing the first mobile device or a user of the first mobile device to receive information associated with the second mobile device or the physical place, or to provide information to be associated with the second mobile device or the physical place upon identifying the first mobile device to be within the threshold distance of the second mobile device or the physical place.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising sending alerts to the first mobile device or the user of the first mobile device relevant to a location of the first mobile device.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising authenticating the first mobile device or the user of the first mobile device upon identifying the first mobile device to be within the threshold distance of the second mobile device or the physical place.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein authentication allows for determination of authorization of the first mobile device to access a present location of the first mobile device.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein authentication allows for determination of authorization of the first mobile device to access or provide information associated with the second mobile device or the physical place.