Wireless entity tracking and protection

• US 9,654,908 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2016
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trimble Inc.
• Inventors: Biondo, John, Fredriksson, Peter, Chase, Linda, Sharp, Alan, Schoner, Bernd, Pappu, Ravikanth
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US15/091,504
• Publication Number:
  US 20160295356A1
• Time in Patent Office: 406 Days
• Field of Search: 3405721, 3405681, 340 81, 34053911, 4554561
• 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 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A method for tracking an entity is disclosed. In one embodiment, a plurality of messages conveying an identification of an entity are received using a wireless identification component. A geographic location of the wireless identification component is determined by a position determining component wherein the geographic location describes a respective geographic location of the wireless identification component when each of the plurality of messages is received. A geographic position of the entity is determined based upon a known spatial relationship between the position determining component and the wireless identification component.

Claims

1. An entity tracking system comprising:

a wireless identification component configured to receive a plurality of messages conveying an identification of an entity;

a position determining component configured to determine a plurality of corresponding geographic locations of the wireless identification component, wherein each of the plurality of corresponding geographic locations being a respective geographic location of the wireless identification component when each of the plurality of messages is received; and

a processor configured to;

determine a plurality of corresponding geographic positions of the entity based on the plurality of corresponding geographic locations of the wireless identification component and a known spatial relationship defining a distance and orientation between the position determining component and the wireless identification component, wherein each of the plurality of corresponding geographic positions of the entity being a respective geographic position of the entity when each of the plurality of messages is received; and

detect a change in geographic position of the entity based on the plurality of corresponding geographic positions of the entity.

2. The entity tracking system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine that the entity is being stolen based on the detected change in geographic position of the entity.

3. The entity tracking system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to generate a notification in response to detecting the change in geographic position of the entity.

4. The entity tracking system of claim 1, wherein the entity has an active RFID tag attached thereon and configured to transmit the plurality of messages.

5. The entity tracking system of claim 1, wherein the wireless identification component implements a Bluetooth standard.

6. The entity tracking system of claim 1, wherein the entity has a motion sensor attached thereon for sensing motion events of the entity, and the plurality of messages convey the motion events of the entity, and wherein the processor is configured to report the motion events of the entity.

7. The entity tracking system of claim 1, wherein:

the wireless identification component is further configured to receive a second plurality of messages conveying an identification of a second entity; and

the processor is further configured to determine a co-movement of the entity and the second entity based on the detected change in geographic position of the entity and the second plurality of messages.

8. A method for tracking and protecting an entity, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of messages conveying an identification of an entity using a wireless identification component of a sensor unit;

determining, using a position determining component of the sensor unit, a plurality of corresponding geographic locations of the wireless identification component, wherein each of the plurality of corresponding geographic locations being a respective geographic location of the wireless identification component when each of the plurality of messages is received; and

determining a plurality of corresponding geographic positions of the entity based on the plurality of corresponding geographic locations of the wireless identification component and a known spatial relationship defining a distance and orientation between the position determining component and the wireless identification component, wherein each of the plurality of corresponding geographic positions of the entity being a respective geographic position of the entity when each of the plurality of messages is received; and

detecting a change in geographic position of the entity based on the plurality of corresponding geographic positions of the entity.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to determine that the entity is being stolen based on the detected change in geographic position of the entity.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to generate a notification in response to detecting the change in geographic position of the entity.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the entity has an active RFID tag attached thereon and configured to transmit the plurality of messages.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the wireless identification component implements a Bluetooth standard.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the entity has a motion sensor attached thereon for sensing motion events of the entity, and the plurality of messages convey the motion events of the entity, and wherein the processor is configured to report the motion events of the entity.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a second plurality of messages conveying an identification of a second entity using the wireless identification component of the sensor unit; and

determining a co-movement of the entity and the second entity based on the detected change in geographic position of the entity and the second plurality of messages.

15. An entity tracking system comprising:

a wireless identification component configured to receive a plurality of messages conveying an identification of an entity;

a position determining component configured to determine a plurality of corresponding geographic locations of the wireless identification component, wherein each of the plurality of corresponding geographic locations being a respective geographic location of the wireless identification component when each of the plurality of messages is received; and

a processor configured to;

determine a plurality of corresponding geographic positions of the entity based on the plurality of corresponding geographic locations of the wireless identification component and a known spatial relationship defining a distance and orientation between the position determining component and the wireless identification component, wherein each of the plurality of corresponding geographic positions of the entity being a respective geographic position of the entity when each of the plurality of messages is received; and

detect an increase in distance between the entity and the wireless identification component based on the plurality of corresponding geographic positions of the entity and the plurality of corresponding geographic locations of the wireless identification component.

16. The entity tracking system of claim 15, wherein the wireless identification component resides in a mobile device.

17. The entity tracking system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to generate a notification in response to the detected increase in distance between the entity and the wireless identification component.

18. The entity tracking system of claim 15, wherein the entity has an active RFID tag attached thereon and configured to transmit the plurality of messages.

19. The entity tracking system of claim 15, wherein the wireless identification component implements a Bluetooth standard.

20. The entity tracking system of claim 15, wherein the entity has a motion sensor attached thereon for sensing motion events of the entity, and the plurality of messages convey the motion events of the entity, and wherein the processor is further configured to report the motion events of the entity.