Method and system for tracking an electronic device at an electronic device docking station

• US 9,935,946 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2015
• Issued: 04/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Wolski, Matthew, Mielke, Eric P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shayanfar, Ali
• Application Number:
  US14/971,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20170180359A1
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/47 using near field communication [NFC] or radio frequency identification [RFID] modules
• 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

Abstract

A system and method for identifying an electronic device user and tracking the electronic device at a docking station is provided. The system includes a CPU, a database containing data corresponding to individual device users, a user identification station, and docking stations. The CPU has access to the database and is communicatively linked to the user identification station and the docking stations. The docking stations have indicators. A device user has an identifying feature corresponding to data for the user in the database. The user identification station is configured to sense the identifying feature of the device user and send this information to the CPU. The CPU is configured to compare the information on the identifying feature to data in the database, and if matching, to instruct one of the docking stations to activate the indicator.

Claims

1. A system for identifying an electronic device user and tracking an electronic device at an electronic device docking station, the electronic device having a port for charging and data transfer, comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU), the CPU having access to a database, the database containing identification data corresponding to individual device users;

a user identification station, the user identification station being communicatively linked to the CPU;

at least one electronic docking station for docking an electronic device, the docking station having electrical contacts corresponding to the port of the electronic device when the electronic device is docked, the docking station being communicatively linked to the CPU, the docking station having an indicator;

the electrical contacts configured to enable the electronic device to be charged, allow transfer of data to and from the electronic device, and allow application updates to the electronic device based upon the electronic device being docked in the docking station;

an identifying feature on a device user corresponding to the identification data in the database;

the user identification station being configured to sense the identifying feature of the device user;

the user identification station being further configured to send information on the sensed identifying feature to the CPU;

the CPU being configured to compare the information on the sensed identifying feature to identification data in the database;

the CPU being further configured to instruct the docking station to activate the indicator based upon the information on the sensed identifying feature matching user identification data in the database;

the docking station being configured to send docking and undocking information to the CPU based upon the electrical contacts being in contact and not being in contact with the electronic device; and

the CPU being configured to send a timestamp to the database indicating docking status of the electronic device with respect to the device user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the identification station is configured to sense the identifying feature of the device user based upon the device user making a specific gesture in proximity to the user identification station.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the specific gesture is selected from touching the user identification station, entering a pin number on a keypad on the user identification station, swiping an id card in proximity to a card reader on the user identification station, sending a wireless signal from an electronic device to the user identification station, and submitting to a biometric scan by a biometric scanner on the user identification station.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the biometric scanner is selected from a retina scanner and a fingerprint scanner.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the docking station is configured to determine when the electronic device is docked based upon the port of the electronic device being in contact with the electrical contacts on the docking station;

the docking station being further configured to send the docking information and charging level of the electronic device information to the CPU.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one docking station is comprised of two or more docking stations;

and wherein the CPU is configured to send instructions to activate the indicator to the docking station with the electronic device with the most charge.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the user identification station is enabled for NFC, the user identification station being provided with an NFC reader;

and wherein the device user is provided with an NFC tag containing user identification data corresponding to the user identification data in the data base;

the identifying feature being the NFC tag; and

the user identification station being configured to sense the NFC tag based upon the NFC tag being presented in close proximity to the NFC reader on the user identification station.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the indicator is selected from an audio signal, an LED, a flashing LED, and a light.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one docking station is comprised of two or more docking stations having electronic devices docked therein;

and wherein the CPU is further configured to assign specific electronic devices to corresponding device users based upon specific applications loaded on the specific electronic devices;

the CPU being configured to send instructions to activate the indicator to the docking station having the electronic device assigned to the device user based upon the individual user'"'"'s identifying feature being sensed at the user identification station.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a security mechanism on the docking station wherein the security mechanism is activated based upon an unauthorized user removing the electronic device from the docking station.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the unauthorized user is selected from a user without the identifying feature, a user whose identifying feature identification data does not correspond to the identification data in the memory database for the electronic device, and a user whose identifying feature was not sensed at the user identification station.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a security mechanism on the docking station;

the security mechanism locking the electronic device to the docking station;

the security mechanism being de-activated based upon instructions from the CPU;

the CPU sending instructions to deactivate the security mechanism based upon the identifying feature matching user identification data in the database.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the database is in the cloud.

14. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one docking station is comprised of two or more docking stations having electronic devices docked therein;

and wherein the CPU is further configured to assign specific electronic devices to corresponding device users based upon customizable criteria stored in the database;

the customizable criteria being selected from amount of charge on the electronic devices, applications loaded on the electronic devices, software update status on the electronic devices, and combinations thereof;

the CPU being configured to send instructions to activate the indicator to the docking station having the electronic device assigned to the device user based upon the individual user'"'"'s identifying feature being sensed at the user identification station.

15. A method for identifying an authorized electronic device user and for tracking the docking and undocking of an electronic device at a docking station, comprising the steps of:

providing at least two electronic devices in at least two docking stations, the at least two docking stations communicatively linked to a CPU;

providing a database with identification data on authorized electronic device users;

providing the authorized electronic device users with an identifier corresponding to the identification data in the database;

approaching a user identification station by an authorized electronic device user, the user identification station being communicatively linked to the CPU;

collecting user identifier information at the user identification station;

sending the collected user identifier information to the CPU, the CPU having access to the database;

comparing the collected user identifier information to the user identification data in the database by the CPU;

deciding which electronic device should be undocked by the authorized electronic device user based upon the electronic device charging level and applicability of the electronic devices to the authorized user;

sending, by the CPU to the docking station holding the electronic device to be undocked, instructions to begin indicating;

indicating at the docking station the electronic device should be undocked by the authorized electronic device user based upon the sending of instructions step;

undocking the indicated electronic device by the authorized user; and

recording a time stamp in the database with the user identification data of the time of the undocking step.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

approaching the user identification station by the authorized electronic device user with the electronic device;

collecting the user identifier information at the user identification station;

sending the user identifier information to the CPU;

comparing the collected user identifier information to the user identification data in the database by the CPU;

docking the electronic device by the authorized electronic device user in the docking station; and

recording a time stamp in the database with user identification data in the database with the time of the docking step.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of:

verifying the authorized electronic device user docking the electronic device is the same authorized electronic device user who undocked the electronic device based upon the first comparing step and the second comparing step.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the collecting step is accomplished by a specific gesture of the authorized electronic device user.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the specific gesture is selected from touching the user identification station, entering a pin number on a keypad on the user identification station, swiping an id card in proximity to a card reader on the user identification station, sending a wireless signal from an electronic device to the user identification station, and submitting to a biometric scan by a biometric scanner on the user identification station.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of transferring data and uploading applications based upon the specific user identifier information collected in the collecting step.