Method, apparatus, and computer program product for real time location system referencing in physically and radio frequency challenged environments

• US 9,661,455 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2015
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: ZIH Corp. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Wang, Chang, Turner, Belinda, Richley, Edward A.
• Primary Examiner(s): LETT, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US14/678,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20150358771A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/021 Calibration, monitoring or correction G01S5/0252 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0236 Assistance data, e.g. base station almanac
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/06 Position of source determined by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements G01S5/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/16 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer readable media are disclosed for improving, in some examples, reference in a location system. In one embodiment, a method is provided comprising: receiving reference tag blink data from a plurality of receivers; calculating, using a processor, a reference phase offset between the plurality of receivers; and generating a suspended reference phase offset table, wherein a suspended reference phase offset table is generated by causing the reference phase offset to be stored in a memory for later tag location calculations.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a configuration occurrence, wherein the configuration occurrence is indicative of an unstable reference condition within a receiver hub configuration that is causing a degradation of accuracy of location data when compared to a predetermined accuracy threshold or a delay in location calculations when tag blink data volume meets a predetermined volume threshold;

identifying, using a processor, the unstable reference condition within the receiver hub configuration by comparing one or more metrics to a set of performance thresholds;

determining an adjustment to the receiver hub configuration; and

adjusting the receiver hub configuration to address the configuration occurrence, wherein adjusting the receiver hub configuration further comprises identifying a suspended reference phase offset table for tag location determination and terminating monitoring of an unstable reference associated with the unstable reference condition.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a remote connection to the receiver hub.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reprocessing tag blink data with the adjusted receiver hub configuration.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining an adjustment to the receiver hub configuration further comprises:

classifying a plurality of receivers as interested and non-interested; and

wherein adjusting the receiver hub configuration further comprises adjusting a range of at least one receiver based on the receiver classification.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the receiver hub configuration further comprises at least one of:

reducing a range of at least one receiver, increasing a range of at least one receiver, terminating monitoring of an unstable reference associated with the unstable reference condition, or terminating using tag blink data associated with the unstable reference associated with the unstable reference condition.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the unstable reference condition is determined in an instance in which successive reference phase offsets fail to meet a stability threshold.

7. An apparatus comprising a processor and a memory including computer program code, the memory and computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

determine a configuration occurrence, wherein the configuration occurrence is indicative of an unstable reference condition within a receiver hub configuration that is causing a degradation of accuracy of location data when compared to a predetermined accuracy threshold or a delay in location calculations when tag blink data volume meets a predetermined volume threshold;

identify the unstable reference condition within the receiver hub configuration by comparing one or more metrics to a set of performance thresholds;

determine an adjustment to the receiver hub configuration; and

adjust the receiver hub configuration to address the configuration occurrence, wherein adjusting the receiver hub configuration further comprises identifying a suspended reference phase offset table for tag location determination and terminating monitoring of an unstable reference associated with the unstable reference condition.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

receive an indication of a remote connection to the receiver hub.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

reprocess tag blink data with the adjusted receiver hub configuration.

10. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein determining an adjustment to the receiver hub configuration further comprises classifying a plurality of receivers as interested and non-interested;

and

wherein adjusting the receiver hub configuration further comprises adjusting a range of at least one receiver based on the receiver classification.

11. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein adjusting the receiver hub configuration further comprises at least one of:

reducing a range of at least one receiver, increasing a range of at least one receiver, terminating monitoring of an unstable reference associated with the unstable reference condition, or terminating use of tag blink data associated with the unstable reference associated with the unstable reference condition.

12. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the unstable reference condition is determined in an instance in which successive reference phase offsets fail to meet a stability threshold.

13. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having program code portions stored thereon, the program code portions configured, upon execution to:

determine a configuration occurrence, wherein the configuration occurrence is indicative of an unstable reference condition within a receiver hub configuration that is causing a degradation of accuracy of location data when compared to a predetermined accuracy threshold or a delay in the location calculations when tag blink data meets a predetermined volume threshold;

identify the unstable reference condition within the receiver hub configuration by comparing one or more metrics to a set of performance thresholds;

determine an adjustment to the receiver hub configuration; and

adjust the receiver hub configuration to address the configuration occurrence, wherein adjusting the receiver hub configuration further comprises identifying a suspended reference phase offset table for tag location determination and terminating monitoring of an unstable reference associated with the unstable reference condition.

14. A computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the program code portions are further configured, upon execution, to:

receive an indication of a remote connection to the receiver hub.

15. A computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the program code portions are further configured, upon execution, to:

reprocess tag blink data with the adjusted receiver hub configuration.

16. A computer program product according to claim 13, wherein determining an adjustment to the receiver hub configuration further comprises classifying a plurality of receivers as interested and non-interested;

and

wherein adjusting the receiver hub configuration further comprises adjusting a range of at least one receiver based on the receiver classification.

17. A computer program product according to claim 13, wherein adjusting the receiver hub configuration further comprises at least one of:

reducing a range of at least one receiver, increasing a range of at least one receiver, terminating monitoring of an unstable reference associated with the unstable reference condition, or terminating use of tag blink data associated with the unstable reference associated with the unstable reference condition.

18. A computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the unstable reference condition is determined in an instance in which successive reference phase offsets fail to meet a stability threshold.