Method, apparatus, and computer program product improving registration with real time location services

• US 9,742,450 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2014
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: ZIH Corp. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: O'Hagan, James, Alonso, Rodrigo, Wohl, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Miah, Liton
• Application Number:
  US14/298,396
• Publication Number:
  US 20140364141A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/002 adapted to accommodate electronic equipment patients' garments for medical monitoring A41D13/1281; luminous ornaments A41D27/085
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/005 with embedded cable or connector
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/04 Vests, jerseys, sweaters or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2600/10 for sport activities
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/30 Mounting radio sets or communication systems
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0025 Tracking the path or location of one or more users, e.g. players of a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0028 Tracking the path of an object, e.g. a ball inside a soccer pitch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0056 for statistical or strategic analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/54 Transponders, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/00 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0686 Timers, rhythm indicators or pacing apparatus using electric or electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9554 : by using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10227 : loading programming parameters or programs into the interrogator, e.g. for configuring the interrogator
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 : arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10306 : ultra wide band
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 : the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/02 : Knowledge representation; Symbolic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 7/01 : Probabilistic graphical models, e.g. probabilistic networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 90/00 : Systems or methods specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial or supervisory purposes, not involving significant data processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/23 : Recognition of whole body movements, e.g. for sport training
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 : using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 : Sports
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 : for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/50 : for simulation or modelling of medical disorders
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/1036 : with automatic suppression of narrow band noise or interference, e.g. by using tuneable notch filters H04B1/123 takes precedence; filter circuits H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7097 : Interference-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/71635 : Transmitter aspects H04B1/7174 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/71637 : Receiver aspects H04B1/7183 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/719 : Interference-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/04 : Processing captured monitoring data, e.g. for logfile generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 : Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• 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, registration of radio frequency tags with a location system. Example embodiments may include a method for registering a participant with a radio frequency (RF) location tag. The method may include determining tag derived data from the one or more registered RF location tags, identifying at least one unregistered RF location tag, determining an identity of a participant for registration with the unregistered RF location tag based at least in part on the tag derived data from the one or more registered RF location tags, and registering the unregistered RF location tag with the participant.

Claims

1. A method for registering an unregistered radio frequency (RF) location tag carried by a participant using one or more registered RF location tags carried by the participant, the method comprising:

receiving first blink data from the one or more registered RF location tags;

determining first tag location data based on the first blink data received-from the one or more registered RF location tags;

receiving second blink data from the unregistered RF location tag;

determining second tag location data based on the second blink data received from the unregistered RF location tag;

determining, using a processor, an identity of the participant for registration with the unregistered RF location tag based at least in part on the first blink data received from the one or more registered RF location tags;

comparing the first tag location data and the second tag location data to a threshold value; and

registering the unregistered RF location tag with the participant when the comparison of the first tag location data to the second tag location data satisfies the threshold value.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving tag registration information for the one or more registered RF location tags, wherein the identity of the participant is further determined based at least in part on the tag registration information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a first motion vector for the participant based on the first tag location data;

determining a second motion vector for the unregistered RF location tag based on the second tag location data; and

determining to register the unregistered RF location tag with the participant further based on comparing the first motion vector with the second motion vector.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a plurality of tag association models associated with a plurality of participants, wherein each tag association model comprises a number of RF location tags associated with each respective participant; and

,

determining the identity of the participant based at least in part on the tag association model associated with the participant.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein each tag association model further comprises one or more relative spatial locations between RF location tag locations associated with each respective participant, and wherein the method further comprises:

determining the identity of the participant based at least in part by comparing the second tag location data of the unregistered RF location tag with the first tag location data of the one or more of the registered RF location tags and further with the relative spatial locations of the RF location tag locations of the tag association model corresponding to the participant.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first blink data comprises information sufficient to determine whether the one or more registered RF location tags is registered, and the method further comprises determining the identity of the participant based at least in part on determining that the participant has less than a minimum number of registered RF location tags registered to the participant.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the unregistered RF location tag comprises an ultra-wideband (UWB) transmitter.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the UWB transmitter is configured to transmit a plurality of time of arrival (TOA) timing pulses.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the UWB transmitter is configured to transmit an information packet comprising 112 bits.

10. An apparatus for registering an unregistered radio frequency (RF) location tag carried by a participant using one or more registered RF location tags carried by the participant, the apparatus comprising a processor coupled to a memory, the memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the apparatus, configure the apparatus to:

receive first blink data from the one or more registered RF location tags;

determine first tag location data based on the first blink data from the one or more registered RF location tags;

receive second blink data from the unregistered RF location tag;

determine second tag location data based on the second blink data from the unregistered RF location tag;

determine an identity of a participant for registration with the unregistered RF location tag based at least in part on the first blink data from the one or more registered RF location tags;

compare the first tag location data and the second tag location data to a threshold value; and

register the unregistered RF location tag with the participant when the comparison of the first tag location data to the second tag location data satisfies the threshold value.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further configured to receive tag registration information for the one or more registered RF location tags, and wherein the identity of the participant is further determined based at least in part on the tag registration information.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further configured to:

determine a first motion vector for the participant based on the first tag location data;

determine a second motion vector for the unregistered RF location tag based on the second tag location data; and

determine to register the unregistered RF location tag with the participant further based on comparing the first motion vector with the second motion vector.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, further configured to:

receive a plurality of tag association models associated with a plurality of participants, wherein each tag association model comprises a number of RF location tags associated with each respective participant; and

,

determine the identity of the participant based at least in part on the tag association model associated with the participant.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein each tag association model further comprises one or more relative spatial locations between RF location tag locations associated with each respective participant, and wherein the apparatus is further configured to:

determine the identity of the participant based at least in part by comparing the second tag location data of the unregistered RF location tag with the first tag location data of the one or more of the registered RF location tags and with the relative spatial locations of the RF location tag locations of the tag association model corresponding to the participant.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first blink data comprises information sufficient to determine whether the one or more registered RF location tags is registered, and the apparatus is further configured to determine the identity of the participant based at least in part on determining that the participant has less than a minimum number of registered RF location tags registered to the participant.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the unregistered RF location tag comprises an ultra-wideband (UWB) transmitter.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the UWB transmitter is configured to transmit a plurality of time of arrival (TOA) timing pulses.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the UWB transmitter is configured to transmit an information packet comprising 112 bits.

19. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium for registering an unregistered radio frequency (RF) location tag carried by a participant using one or more registered RF location tags carried by the participant, the non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, configure an apparatus to:

receive first blink data from the one or more registered RF location tags;

determine first tag location data from the one or more registered RF location tags;

receive second blink data from the unregistered RF location tag;

determine second tag location data based on the second blink data received from the unregistered RF location tag;

determine an identity of the participant for registration with the unregistered RF location tag based at least in part on the first blink data from the one or more registered RF location tags;

compare the first tag location data and the second tag location data to a threshold value; and

register the unregistered RF location tag with the participant when the comparison of the first tag location data to the second tag location data satisfies the threshold value.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the apparatus is further configured to receive tag registration information for one or more registered RF location tags, and wherein the identity of the participant is determined based at least in part on the tag registration information.

21. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the instructions further configure the apparatus to:

determine a first motion vector for the participant based on the first tag location data;

determine a second motion vector for the unregistered RF location tag based on the second tag location data; and

determine to register the unregistered RF location tag with the participant further based on comparing the first motion vector with the second motion vector.

22. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the instructions further configure the apparatus to:

receive a plurality of tag association models associated with a plurality of participants, wherein each tag association model comprises a number of RF location tags associated with each respective participant; and

,

determine the identity of the participant based at least in part on the tag association model associated with the participant.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein each tag association model further comprises one or more relative spatial locations between RF location tag locations associated with each respective participant, and wherein the instructions further configure the apparatus to:

determine the identity of the participant based at least in part by comparing the second tag location data of the unregistered RF location tag with the first tag location data of the one or more of the registered RF location tags and with the relative spatial locations of the RF location tag locations of the tag association model corresponding to the participant.

24. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the first blink data comprises information sufficient to determine whether the one or more registered RF location tag is registered, and the instructions further configure the apparatus to determine the identity of the participant based at least in part on determining that the participant has less than a minimum number of registered RF location tags registered to the participant.