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

• US 10,050,650 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2017
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• 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 J., Alonso, Rodrigo G., Wohl, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miah, Liton
• Application Number:
  US15/651,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20170317702A1
• Time in Patent Office: 393 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

An example disclosed method for registering an unregistered radio frequency (RF) location tag carried by a participant includes receiving blink data from an unregistered RF location tag; determining a tag location based on the blink data received from the unregistered RF location tag; directing a camera to view the tag location determined based on the blink data received from the unregistered RF location tag; identifying a participant at the tag location using image data obtained by the camera; and registering the unregistered RF location tag with the identified participant.

Claims

1. A method for registering an unregistered radio frequency (RF) location tag carried by a participant, the method comprising:

receiving blink data from an unregistered RF location tag;

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

directing a camera to view the tag location determined based on the blink data received from the unregistered RF location tag;

identifying a participant at the tag location using image data obtained by the camera; and

registering the unregistered RF location tag with the identified participant.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the participant is a first participant, and further comprising:

identifying a second participant at the tag location using the image data obtained by the camera; and

responsive to determining that each tag associated with the second participant is functional and at least one tag associated with the first participant is unaccounted for, registering the unregistered RF location tag with the first participant.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising determining that the received blink data is from the unregistered RF location tag by referencing a registration database linking tags to participants.

4. A method as defined in claim 3, wherein an entry of the registration database includes a descriptor for registered tags, wherein the descriptor indicates a portion of the participant assigned to carry the respective tag.

5. A method as defined in claim 4, wherein the descriptor includes coordinates relative to the participant while in a particular stance.

6. A method as defined in claim 4, wherein the portion of the participant is a piece of equipment worn by the participant.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the unregistered RF location tag comprises an ultra-wideband (UWB) transmitter configured to transmit time of arrival pulses.

8. An apparatus for registering an unregistered radio frequency (RF) location tag carried by a participant, the apparatus comprising a processor coupled to memory, the memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the apparatus, configure the apparatus to:

determine a tag location based on blink data received from an unregistered RF location tag;

direct a camera to view the tag location determined based on the blink data received from the unregistered RF location tag;

identify a participant at the tag location using image data obtained by the camera; and

register the unregistered RF location tag with the identified participant.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the participant is a first participant, and the instructions, when executed, cause the apparatus to:

identify a second participant at the tag location using the image data obtained by the camera; and

responsive to determining that each tag associated with the second participant is functional and at least one tag associated with the first participant is unaccounted for, register the unregistered RF location tag with the first participant.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the apparatus to determine that the received blink data is from the unregistered RF location tag by referencing a registration database linking tags to participants.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein an entry of the registration database includes a descriptor for registered tags, wherein the descriptor indicates a portion of the participant assigned to carry the respective tag.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein the descriptor includes coordinates relative to the participant while in a particular stance.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein the portion of the participant is a piece of equipment worn by the participant.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the unregistered RF location tag comprises an ultra-wideband (UWB) transmitter configured to transmit time of arrival pulses.

15. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage device for registering an unregistered radio frequency (RF) location tag carried by a participant, the computer readable storage device including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause a machine to:

determine a tag location based on blink data received from an unregistered RF location tag;

direct a camera to view the tag location determined based on the blink data received from the unregistered RF location tag;

identify a participant at the tag location using image data obtained by the camera; and

register the unregistered RF location tag with the identified participant.

16. A computer program product as defined in claim 15, wherein the participant is a first participant, and the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to:

identify a second participant at the tag location using the image data obtained by the camera; and

responsive to determining that each tag associated with the second participant is functional and at least one tag associated with the first participant is unaccounted for, register the unregistered RF location tag with the first participant.

17. A computer program product as defined in claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to determine that the received blink data is from the unregistered RF location tag by referencing a registration database linking tags to participants.

18. A computer program product as defined in claim 17, wherein an entry of the registration database includes a descriptor for registered tags, wherein the descriptor indicates a portion of the participant assigned to carry the respective tag.

19. A computer program product as defined in claim 18, wherein the descriptor includes coordinates relative to the participant while in a particular stance.

20. A computer program product as defined in claim 18, wherein the portion of the participant is a piece of equipment worn by the participant.