Electronic location identification and tracking system with beacon clustering
First Claim
1. A method for registering a location for use by an electronic location identification and tracking computer system to determine the presence of an individual at the location, said method comprising the steps of:
- a. installing a plurality of wireless beacons at a location;
b. electronically selecting two or more beacons from the plurality of wireless beacons to represent a specific spot in the location,wherein the selected two or more beacons form a beacon cluster used for determining presence by an individual at the specific spot in connection with beacon signals received through an application (“
App”
) running on an electronic device of the individual;
c. electronically entering configuration information for each beacon in the beacon cluster and the specific spot assigned to the beacon cluster through an electronic location identification and tracking system; and
d. electronically storing the beacon configuration and specific spot assigned to the beacon cluster information in an electronic database in communication with the electronic location identification and tracking system;
wherein the step of electronically entering configuration information comprises the steps of entering a universally unique identifier (“
UUID”
),a major value identifier and a minor value identifier for each beacon in the beacon cluster through the electronic location identification and tracking system andstoring the entered UUID, major value identifier and minor value identifiers in the electronic database;
wherein the unique minor value identifier is used to distinguish one beacon in the beacon cluster from the remaining beacons in the beacon cluster by the electronic location identification and tracking system.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for determining the presence of an individual at a particular spot within a location preferably based on the strength of signals received from beacons assigned to the particular spot by a software application (“App”) running on an electronic device of the individual. In one embodiment, certain presence calculations are performed by the App. In another embodiment, the App forwards information regarding the received beacon signals to an electronic identification and location tracking system and the presence calculations are performed by the system.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for registering a location for use by an electronic location identification and tracking computer system to determine the presence of an individual at the location, said method comprising the steps of:
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a. installing a plurality of wireless beacons at a location; b. electronically selecting two or more beacons from the plurality of wireless beacons to represent a specific spot in the location, wherein the selected two or more beacons form a beacon cluster used for determining presence by an individual at the specific spot in connection with beacon signals received through an application (“
App”
) running on an electronic device of the individual;c. electronically entering configuration information for each beacon in the beacon cluster and the specific spot assigned to the beacon cluster through an electronic location identification and tracking system; and d. electronically storing the beacon configuration and specific spot assigned to the beacon cluster information in an electronic database in communication with the electronic location identification and tracking system; wherein the step of electronically entering configuration information comprises the steps of entering a universally unique identifier (“
UUID”
),a major value identifier and a minor value identifier for each beacon in the beacon cluster through the electronic location identification and tracking system and storing the entered UUID, major value identifier and minor value identifiers in the electronic database; wherein the unique minor value identifier is used to distinguish one beacon in the beacon cluster from the remaining beacons in the beacon cluster by the electronic location identification and tracking system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for determining a presence of a user at a particular area within a location by an electronic location identification and tracking computer system, said method comprising the steps of:
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a. electronically receiving one or more signals containing identification information from at least one wireless beacon associated with a particular area within a location by a user'"'"'s portable electronic device running an electronic location identification and tracking computer system application (“
App”
);b. electronically determining by the App whether each beacon signal received is from a beacon whose identifier is previously programmed into the App; c. for each known beacon signal received by the App, electronically querying a database to electronically receive location properties for each known beacon, wherein the location properties include information on the number and identity of beacons grouped as a particular cluster of beacons for the particular area within the location; d. electronically determining by the App if a signal was received from each beacon associated with the particular cluster of beacons; and e. electronically determining by the App a current presence of the individual at the location based on determining which cluster of beacons out of a plurality of cluster of beacons for the location has a highest average signal strength as compared to the other cluster of beacons of the plurality of cluster of beacons; wherein each beacon is configured by electronically entering a universally unique identifier (“
UUID”
),a major value identifier and a minor value identifier for each beacon in the beacon cluster by the App or an electronic location identification and tracking system and storing the entered UUID, major value identifier and minor value identifiers in the database; wherein the unique minor value identifier is used to distinguish one beacon in the beacon cluster from the remaining beacons in the beacon cluster by the electronic location identification and tracking system. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for determining a presence of a user at a particular area within a location by an electronic location identification and tracking computer system, said method comprising the steps of:
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a. electronically receiving one or more signals containing identification information from at least one wireless beacon associated with a particular area within a location by a user'"'"'s portable electronic device running an electronic location identification and tracking computer system application (“
App”
);b. electronically determining by the App whether each beacon signal received is from a beacon whose identifier is previously programmed into the App; c. for each known beacon signal received by the App, electronically forwarding identifying information for the beacon and signal strength information by the App to an electronic identification and location tracking computer system; d. electronically querying an electronic database by the electronic identification and location tracking computer system to electronically receive location properties for each known beacon, wherein the location properties include information on the number and identity of beacons grouped as a particular cluster of beacons for the particular area within the location; e. electronically determining by the electronic identification and location tracking computer system if a signal was received by the App from each beacon associated with the particular cluster of beacons; and f. electronically determining by the electronic identification and location tracking computer system a current presence of the individual at the location based on determining which cluster of beacons out of a plurality of cluster of beacons for the location has a highest average signal strength as compared to the other cluster of beacons of the plurality of cluster of beacons; wherein each beacon is configured by electronically entering a universally unique identifier (“
UUID”
),a major value identifier and a minor value identifier for each beacon in the beacon cluster by the App or an electronic location identification and tracking system and storing the entered UUID, major value identifier and minor value identifiers in the electronic database; wherein the unique minor value identifier is used to distinguish one beacon in the beacon cluster from the remaining beacons in the beacon cluster by the electronic location identification and tracking system. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification