Location-based healthcare collaboration, data management and access control
First Claim
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1. A method of tracking and updating a location of a movable device including a wireless interface for interaction with a plurality of portable wireless mobile devices of one or more users, the method comprising the steps of:
- establishing an update interval for the movable device corresponding to an adaptive time period based on a frequency with which the location of the movable device changes; and
only if an elapsed time since an immediately preceding location update for the movable device exceeds the update interval;
(A) opportunistically triggering a communication session between a portable wireless mobile device and the movable device via the wireless interface only upon occurrence of a proximity event when the portable wireless mobile device is moved into proximity to the movable device;
(B) computationally executing an agent program on the movable device automatically upon occurrence of the proximity event;
(C) interrogating, by the agent program via the wireless interface during the session, the portable wireless mobile device for local GPS coordinates of the portable wireless mobile device and obtained by a GPS chipset of the portable wireless mobile device;
(D) reporting the local GPS coordinates as a location of the movable device; and
(E) storing the reported location in a location database of movable devices.
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Abstract
The locations of electronic devices in an institutional facility are determined based on interaction with the wireless mobile devices of users who roam though the facility and interact with (or are detected by) the devices.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of tracking and updating a location of a movable device including a wireless interface for interaction with a plurality of portable wireless mobile devices of one or more users, the method comprising the steps of:
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establishing an update interval for the movable device corresponding to an adaptive time period based on a frequency with which the location of the movable device changes; and only if an elapsed time since an immediately preceding location update for the movable device exceeds the update interval; (A) opportunistically triggering a communication session between a portable wireless mobile device and the movable device via the wireless interface only upon occurrence of a proximity event when the portable wireless mobile device is moved into proximity to the movable device; (B) computationally executing an agent program on the movable device automatically upon occurrence of the proximity event; (C) interrogating, by the agent program via the wireless interface during the session, the portable wireless mobile device for local GPS coordinates of the portable wireless mobile device and obtained by a GPS chipset of the portable wireless mobile device; (D) reporting the local GPS coordinates as a location of the movable device; and (E) storing the reported location in a location database of movable devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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7. A movable electronic device configured for interaction with users, the movable electronic device comprising:
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a wireless interface for interaction with portable wireless mobile devices of users; an input device for receiving input from the users; a processor; and a computer memory storing (i) agent instructions for execution by the processor and (ii) an update interval for the movable device corresponding to an adaptive time period based on a frequency with which the location of the movable device changes, the agent instructions, when executed, causing the movable device to, only if an elapsed time since an immediately preceding location update for the movable device exceeds the update interval; opportunistically trigger a communication session with a portable wireless mobile device only upon occurrence of a proximity event when the portable wireless mobile device is moved into proximity to the movable device; interrogate the portable wireless mobile device via the wireless interface during the session for local GPS coordinates of the portable wireless device and obtained by a GPS chipset of the portable wireless mobile device; and electronically communicate the local GPS coordinates for storage in a location database of movable devices. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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18. A system for location tracking and updating, the system comprising:
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a portable wireless mobile device of a user having (i) a GPS chipset for receiving local GPS coordinates of the portable wireless device, and (ii) a wireless communication interface; a first movable electronic device disposed at a first location and comprising; a first wireless interface for interaction with the portable wireless mobile device, a first input device for receiving input from the user, a first processor, a first computer memory storing (i) first agent instructions for execution by the first processor and (ii) a first update interval for the first movable device corresponding to an adaptive time period based on a first frequency with which the location of the first movable device changes, the first agent instructions, when executed, causing the first movable device to, only if a first elapsed time since an immediately preceding location update for the first movable device exceeds the first update interval; opportunistically trigger a first communication session with the portable wireless mobile device only upon occurrence of a first proximity event when the portable wireless mobile device is moved into proximity to the first movable device, interrogate the portable wireless mobile device via the first wireless interface during the first session for local GPS coordinates of the portable wireless device (i) obtained by the GPS chipset of the portable wireless mobile device, and (ii) corresponding to the first location, and electronically communicate the first local GPS coordinates for storage in a location database of movable devices; and a second movable electronic device disposed at a second location different from the first location and comprising; a second wireless interface for interaction with the portable wireless mobile device, a second input device for receiving input from the user, a second processor, a second computer memory storing (i) second agent instructions for execution by the second processor and (ii) a second update interval for the second movable device corresponding to an adaptive time period based on a second frequency with which the location of the second movable device changes, the second agent instructions, when executed, causing the second movable device to, only if a second elapsed time since an immediately preceding location update for the second movable device exceeds the second update interval; opportunistically trigger a second communication session with the portable wireless mobile device only upon occurrence of a second proximity event when the portable wireless mobile device is moved into proximity to the second movable device, interrogate the portable wireless mobile device via the second wireless interface during the second session for second local GPS coordinates of the portable wireless device (i) obtained by the GPS chipset of the portable wireless mobile device, and (ii) corresponding to the second location, and electronically communicate the second local GPS coordinates for storage in the location database of movable devices. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification