System, method and computer program product for user interface operations for ad-hoc sensor node tracking

• US 20060265664A1
• Filed: 05/17/2005
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Brown, Blake, Haigh, Stephen, Simons, John
• Application Number:
  US11/131,815
• Publication Number:
  US 20060265664A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/772
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02213 Receivers arranged in a network for determining the position of a transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/001 Signalling to an emergency team, e.g. firemen
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/066 guiding along a path, e.g. evacuation path lighting strip

Abstract

A monitoring system and a method and computer program product for implementing a monitoring system are disclosed. In accordance with an embodiment of the system, information about locations of reference nodes in an area may be received. Utilizing the information about the locations of the reference nodes, graphical representations of the reference nodes may be presented in a graphical representation of the area at locations corresponding to the locations of the reference nodes in the area. At least one node in the area may be monitored so that, based on the monitoring, a graphical representation of the node may be displayed in the graphical representation of the area at a location corresponding to the location of the node.

Claims

1. A method of implementing a monitoring system, comprising:

receiving information about locations of reference nodes in an area;

positioning graphical representations of the reference nodes in a graphical representation of the area at locations corresponding to the locations of the reference nodes in the area utilizing the information about the locations of the reference nodes;

monitoring at least one node in the area; and

displaying a graphical representation of the node in the graphical representation of the area at a location corresponding to the location of the node based on the monitoring.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the reference nodes are utilized to obtain information about the locations of the reference nodes and for monitoring the node.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information about the locations about the reference nodes is utilized to at least one of scale, position and orientate the graphical representation the area.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical representation of the area is a three-dimensional representation of the area.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical representation of the area is taken from a viewpoint of the node.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring includes monitoring the position of the node in the area.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring includes obtaining information sensed by at least one sensor in the node.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the information sensed by the sensor is associated with positioning information about the node obtained during the monitoring.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising permitting at least one attribute to be associated to the node.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising permitting a trigger to be associated with the node, wherein information obtained from the monitoring is utilized to determine whether the trigger is tripped, and wherein an alert is presented when the trigger is tripped.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring includes monitoring the node to determine whether the node is stationary for a defined duration, and wherein a notification is presented when the monitoring indicates that the node has been stationary for at least a period of time equal to the defined duration.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring includes monitoring the node for movement from a location in the area, and wherein a notification is presented when the monitoring indicates that the node has moved from the location in the area.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a graphical representation of a trail indicating a path taken by the at least one node during the monitoring.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising permitting adjustment of a length of the displayed trail.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising permitting at least one annotation to be added to the graphical representation of the trail.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising utilizing information obtained during the monitoring to compute a path from the node to another location in the area, and displaying the path in the graphical representation of the area.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein information about one or more obstacles located in the area is utilized in the computation of the path.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising presenting directional information to a user located at the node to permit the user to follow the path.

19. A computer program product of implementing a monitoring system, comprising:

computer code for receiving information about locations of reference nodes in an area;

computer code for positioning graphical representations of the reference nodes in a graphical representation of the area at locations corresponding to the locations of the reference nodes in the area utilizing the information about the locations of the reference nodes;

computer code for monitoring at least one node in the area; and

computer code for displaying a graphical representation of the node in the graphical representation of the area at a location corresponding to the location of the node based on the monitoring.

20. A monitoring system, comprising:

a plurality of reference nodes and at least one node located in an area;

logic for receiving information about locations of reference nodes in the area and for monitoring the node in the area;

a graphical user interface for displaying a graphical representation of the area;

logic for positioning graphical representations of the reference nodes in the graphical representation of the area at locations corresponding to the locations of the reference nodes in the area utilizing the information about the locations of the reference nodes; and

logic for displaying a graphical representation of the node in the graphical representation of the area at a location corresponding to the location of the node based on the monitoring.