Methods and systems for locating subjects and providing event notification within a tracking environment and badge for use therein

• US 20040183682A1
• Filed: 03/21/2003
• Published: 09/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Versus Technology, Inc. (Midmark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Versus Technology, Inc. (Midmark Corporation)
• Inventors: Tenarvitz, Henry J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,838,992 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0226 Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/16 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0716 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising a sensor or an interface to a sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0728 the arrangement being an optical or sound-based communication interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/28 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading, distribution or shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• 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 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A method, system and a badge utilized therein utilize both the radio frequency (RF) and infrared (IR) parts of the electromagnetic spectrum to locate subjects (i.e. objects and persons) within a tracking environment. The system includes a battery-operated, microprocessor-based badge for each subject to be located. Each badge automatically transmits: (1) shorter interval, digitized, infrared light signals to identify a delimited area zone of its subject'"'"'s location; (2) shorter interval, digitized, lower power RF signals to provide a local area zone of its subject'"'"'s location; and (3) longer interval, digitized, higher power RF signals to provide a wide area zone of its subject'"'"'s location. Each badge transmits uniquely identifiable IR and higher power RF signals upon actuation of one or more push button switches integrated on the badge or a change of state of one or more external switch connections. Each higher power, longer interval, RF signal is a “supervisory” pulse. This pulse informs a host computer that the badge is in range of an RF receiver and is functional.

Claims

1. A method for locating subjects within a tracking environment, the method comprising the steps of:

for each subject, providing a badge capable of transmitting a shorter interval, lower power, local area signal including a unique badge ID and a longer interval, higher power, wide area signal also including the unique badge ID;

providing an array of receivers distributed within the tracking environment, wherein the array of receivers includes at least one receiver for receiving the shorter interval, lower power, local area signal and the longer interval, higher power, wide area signal;

generating a wide area detection packet including the unique badge ID in response to each received wide area signal;

generating a local area detection packet including the unique badge ID in response to each received local area signal; and

determining the location of each badge and its associated subject based on the identity of the at least one receiver for the badge as represented by its local area or wide area detection packets.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the signals are electromagnetic signals.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the signals are radio frequency (RF) signals and the at least one receiver includes at least one RF receiver.

4. A system for locating subjects within a tracking environment, the system including:

for each subject, a badge capable of transmitting a shorter interval, lower power, local area signal including a unique badge ID and a longer interval, higher power, wide area signal also including the unique badge ID;

a receiver assembly including an array of receivers distributed within the tracking environment, wherein the array of receivers includes at least one receiver for receiving a plurality of the local area and wide area signals, the receiver assembly generating a wide area detection packet including the unique badge ID in response to each received wide area signal and a local area detection packet including the unique badge ID in response to each received local area signal;

a data communications controller coupled to the receiver assembly for collecting the wide area and local area detection packets; and

a location processor coupled to the controller for receiving the collected detection packets and for determining the location of each badge and its associated subject based on the identity of the at least one receiver for the badge as represented by its wide area and local area detection packets.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the signals are electromagnetic signals.

6. The system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the signals are radio frequency (RF) signals and the at least one receiver includes at least one RF receiver.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6 wherein each badge includes an RF transmitter for transmitting its RF signals and a single controller for controllably modulating both the local area and wide area signals with its unique badge ID.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the single controller is a microprocessor-based controller.

9. The system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the receiver assembly includes a collector coupled to the at least one RF receiver for controllably demodulating the received RF signals to obtain the wide area and local area detection packets.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the collector includes a single microprocessor for controllably demodulating the received RF signals.

11. A method for locating subjects within a tracking environment, the method comprising the steps of:

for each subject, providing a badge capable of transmitting substantially line-of-sight signals including a unique badge ID and substantially non-line-of-sight signals also including the unique badge ID;

providing an array of receivers distributed within the tracking environment, wherein the array of receivers includes;

a first set of receivers for receiving both shorter interval, lower power, local area, substantially non-line-of-sight signals and longer interval, higher power, wide area, substantially non-line-of-sight signals; and

a second set of receivers, each of the second set of receivers receiving substantially line-of-sight signals;

generating a wide area detection packet including the unique badge ID in response to each received higher power, substantially non-line-of-sight signal;

generating a local area detection packet including the unique badge ID in response to each received lower power, substantially non-line-of-sight signal;

generating a delimited area detection packet including the unique badge ID in response to each received substantially line-of-sight signal; and

determining the location of each badge and its associated subject based on the identity of the first and second sets of receivers for the badge as represented by its delimited area, local area or wide area detection packets.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the substantially line-of-sight and non-line-of-sight signals are electromagnetic signals.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the substantially non-line-of-sight signals are radio frequency (RF) signals and each of the first set of receivers is an RF receiver.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the substantially line-of-sight signals are infrared (IR) signals and each of the second set of receivers is an IR receiver.

15. A system for locating subjects within a tracking environment, the system including:

for each subject, a badge capable of transmitting substantially line-of-sight signals including a unique badge ID and substantially non-line-of-sight signals also including the unique badge ID;

a receiver assembly including an array of receivers distributed within the tracking environment, wherein the array of receivers includes;

a first set of receivers for receiving a plurality of substantially non-line-of-sight signals, the receiver assembly generating a wide area detection packet including the unique badge ID in response to each received higher power, substantially non-line-of-sight signal and a local area detection packet including the unique badge ID in response to each received lower power, substantially line-of-sight signal;

the array of receivers also including a second set of receivers, each of the second set of receivers receiving substantially line-of-sight signals, the receiver assembly generating a delimited area detection packet including the unique badge ID in response to each received substantially line-of-sight signal;

a data communications controller coupled to the receiver assembly for collecting the wide area, local area and delimited area detection packets; and

a location processor coupled to the controller for receiving the collected detection packets and for determining the location of each badge and its associated subject based on the identity of the first and second sets of receivers for the badge as represented by its wide area, local area or delimited area detection packets.

16. The system as claimed in claim 15 wherein the substantially line-of-sight and non-line-of-sight signals are electromagnetic signals.

17. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the substantially non-line-of-sight signals are radio frequency (RF) signals and each of the first set of receivers is an RF receiver.

18. The system as claimed in claim 17 wherein the substantially line-of-sight signals are infrared (IR) signals and each of the second set of receivers is an IR receiver.

19. The system as claimed in claim 18 wherein each badge includes an RF transmitter for transmitting its RF signals, an IR transmitter for transmitting its IR signals and a single controller for controllably modulating the RF and IR signals with its unique badge ID.

20. The system as claimed in claim 19 wherein the single controller is a microprocessor-based controller.

21. The system as claimed in claim 18 wherein the receiver assembly includes a collector coupled to the RF and IR receivers for controllably demodulating the received RF and IR signals to obtain the wide area, local area and delimited area detection packets.

22. The system as claimed in claim 21 wherein the collector includes a single microprocessor for controllably demodulating the received RF and IR signals.

23. A badge capable of transmitting substantially line-of-sight signals including a unique badge ID and substantially non-line-of-sight signals also including the unique badge ID, the badge comprising:

a first transmitter for transmitting a plurality of substantially non-line-of-sight signals including a longer interval, higher power, wide area, substantially non-line-of-sight signal and a shorter interval, lower power, local area, substantially non-line-of-sight signal; and

a second transmitter for transmitting a plurality of substantially line-of-sight signals.

24. The badge as claimed in claim 23 wherein the substantially line-of-sight and non-line-of-sight signals are electromagnetic signals.

25. The badge as claimed in claim 24 wherein the substantially non-line-of-sight signals are radio frequency (RF) signals.

26. The badge as claimed in claim 25 wherein the substantially line-of-sight signals are infrared (IR) signals.

27. The badge as claimed in claim 26 wherein the first transmitter includes an RF transmitter for transmitting the RF signals, and the second transmitter includes an IR transmitter for transmitting the IR signals and wherein the badge further comprises a single controller for controllably modulating the RF and IR signals with its unique badge ID.

28. The badge as claimed in claim 27 wherein the single controller is a microprocessor-based controller.