Method and apparatus for managing remote devices and accessing remote device information

• US 9,817,947 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2015
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: ZIH Corp. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Hermans, Sebastiaan Antonius Hendrikus Maria, Beinat, Euro
• Primary Examiner(s): Garcia, Gabriel
• Application Number:
  US14/683,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20160117458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 358 11- 118
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

A method, apparatus, system, and computer program product are disclosed to track beacons utilizing a device management infrastructure. The method includes registering, by a device management server, at least a first detection device associated with a first location and a second detection device associated with a second location with a device management infrastructure, receiving a beacon identifier associated with a beacon detected by the first detection device, storing a first time stamp associated with detection of the beacon by the first detection device, receiving the beacon identifier associated with the beacon as detected by the second detection device, determining, based on the first time stamp and a second time stamp associated with detection of the beacon by the second detection device, an elapsed time between detection of the beacon by the first detection device and detection of the beacon by the second detection device, and reporting the elapsed time to a healthcare information system.

Claims

1. A method for tracking beacons utilizing a device management infrastructure, the method comprising:

registering, by a device management server, at least a first detection device associated with a first location and a second detection device associated with a second location with a device management infrastructure;

setting a first sensitivity level of the first detection device to a first value based on first expected movement of beacons at the first location;

setting a second sensitivity level of the second detection device to a second value based on second expected movement of beacons at the second location, the first value being different than the second value due to a difference between the first expected movement and the second expected movement;

receiving, via the device management infrastructure and from the first detection device, a beacon identifier associated with a beacon detected by the first detection device;

storing a first time stamp associated with detection of the beacon by the first detection device;

receiving, via the device management infrastructure and from the second detection device, the beacon identifier associated with the beacon as detected by the second detection device;

determining, based on the first time stamp and a second time stamp associated with detection of the beacon by the second detection device, an elapsed time between detection of the beacon by the first detection device and detection of the beacon by the second detection device; and

reporting the elapsed time to a healthcare information system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the beacon comprises a wristband provided to a patient of a healthcare organization associated with the healthcare information system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first location is a hospital registration desk and the second location is a hospital treatment room.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the beacon is a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacon.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first detection device and the second detection device are tablet computers.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the tablet computers are configured to communicate with a management server via a device management infrastructure.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the tablet computers communicate with the device management infrastructure via a wireless Internet connection.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the wireless Internet connection comprises a publicly available wireless connection provided by a healthcare organization, a private wireless connection provided by the healthcare organization, and a cellular network.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the elapsed time to the second detection device for display on a display coupled to the second detection device.

10. An apparatus for tracking beacons utilizing a device management infrastructure, the apparatus comprising:

a device management server configured to;

register at least a first detection device associated with a first location and a second detection device associated with a second location with a device management infrastructure, the first detection device having a first sensitivity level based on first expected movement of beacons at the first location, the second detection device having a second sensitivity level based on second expected movement of beacons at the second location, the first sensitivity level being different than the second sensitivity level;

receive, via the device management infrastructure and from the first detection device, a beacon identifier associated with a beacon detected by the first detection device;

store a first time stamp associated with detection of the beacon by the first detection device;

receive, via the device management infrastructure and from the second detection device, the beacon identifier associated with the beacon as detected by the second detection device;

determine, based on the first time stamp and a second time stamp associated with detection of the beacon by the second detection device, an elapsed time between detection of the beacon by the first detection device and detection of the beacon by the second detection device; and

report the elapsed time to a healthcare information system.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the beacon comprises a wristband provided to a patient of a healthcare organization associated with the healthcare information system.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first location is a hospital registration desk and the second location is a hospital treatment room.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the beacon is a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacon.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first detection device and the second detection device are tablet computers.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the tablet computers are configured to communicate with a management server via a device management infrastructure.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the tablet computers communicate with the device management infrastructure via a wireless Internet connection.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the wireless Internet connection comprises a publicly available wireless connection provided by a healthcare organization, a private wireless connection provided by the healthcare organization, and a cellular network.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the device management server is further configured to provide the elapsed time to the second detection device for display on a display coupled to the second detection device.