System for real-time location of people in a fixed environment

• US 6,424,264 B1
• Filed: 10/12/2000
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Guest Technologies
• Original Assignee: Safetzone Technologies
• Inventors: Giraldin, Patrick W., Giraldin, Timothy W., Kelly, Regan E.
• Primary Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US09/687,062
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 340/574, 340/573.1, 340/572.1, 340/825.49, 340/995, 340/988, 340/990, 340/10.1, 340/573.4, 340/539, 742/42, 742/44
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2011/02 related to amusement parks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

A system is provided for tracking in real-time the location of a group of individuals within a defined environment, for providing information to an individual user about the location of any other individuals of the group and for gaining assistance to locate and reunite lost individuals. The system uses an identification Tag with serial identification Tag number worn by each individual of the group, has means for communicating with each Tag as it moves with the individual through the environment and means for using the communication to determine the position of the Tag in the environment. The system also uses strategically placed ID stations distributed within the environment for users to activate a request that the system locate members and for displaying a map indicating the location of members of the group.

Claims

1. A system for tracking in real-time the location of a group of individuals within a defined environment and for providing information to any individuals of the group about the location of any other individuals of the group, comprising:

(a) identification tags having a unique identification tag number carried by each individual of the group, the tags having means for receiving a radio signal and for responding to that signal with a radio signal that includes the identification tag number;

(b) cells controllers distributed throughout the environment having radio transmission and receiving means for sending and receiving a radio signal via one or more monitoring sites, each site having an antenna for sending and receiving the signals;

(c) means for computing a tag to antenna distance based on the time between sending the signal and receiving the signal from the tag;

(d) a host computer for storing identification tag numbers with the identity of each individual, the host computer in communication with cell controllers and ID stations, said stations accessible to individuals of the group and distributed throughout the environment and having means for communicating with individuals of the group who visit the station and for obtaining information about the location of individuals of the group, wherein said means for communicating with individuals at the station comprises a display that offers two buttons, one for activating the system to locate an individual and one for indicating that the individual activating the button is lost.

2. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein each cell controller transmits at a different radio wave frequency.

3. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means for communicating with individuals at the station comprises a computer and a graphical user interface (“

GUI”

).

4. A system in accordance with claim 3, wherein said GUI includes a touch screen video monitor.

5. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said environment is selected from the group consisting essentially of theme amusement parks, casinos, hotels, zoos, ski resorts, shopping malls, homes and residences, and neighborhood associations.

6. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means for communicating with individuals at the station includes a keyboard or a bar code scanning device.

7. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means for communicating information about the location of individuals of the group at the ID station comprises the preparation of a map of the environment and display of the map at a video terminal.

8. A system in accordance with claim 7, wherein said displayed map includes different icons or pictures each representing an individual of the group wherein the icons or pictures are located at the position on the map corresponding to the position where the individual is in the environment.

9. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means for communicating information about the location of individuals of the group at the ID station includes a computer generated voice message.

10. A system in accordance with claim 1, further including connection of the host computer or ID station to a security force which is notified when said one of the buttons for indicating that the individual activating the button is lost is selected.

11. A system for tracking in real-time the location of a group of individuals within a defined environment and for providing information to individuals of the group about the location of any other individuals of the group, comprising:

(a) an identification tag worn by each individual of the group;

(b) means for communicating with each tag as it moves with the individual through the environment and means for using the communication to determine the position of the tag in the environment;

(c) ID stations distributed within the environment, said stations providing a “

Locate”

button or other means for activating a request that the system locate members of the group;

(d) means for receiving the activation request from an ID station and for generating a map showing the location of each group member on the map; and

(e) means for displaying the map at the ID station, wherein said means for activating a request that the system locate members of the group includes a keyboard or a bar code scanning device, and wherein said stations further include a “

Lost”

button which when activated indicates the user is lost or needs assistance to meet an individual of the group.

12. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said means for communicating with the tags comprises various cells controllers that transmit via an antenna, a radio signal to the tag which responds by transmitting a radio signal that is received by the antenna of the cell controller.

13. A system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said means for using the communication to determine the position of the tag in the environment comprises a computer for calculating a tag to antenna distance based on the time between sending the signal and receiving the return signal from the tag and for using tag to antenna distances from each cell controller to pinpoint the position of the tag.

14. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said means for receiving the activation request from each location and for generating a map showing the location of each group member on the map comprises a host computer.

15. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said means for displaying the map at the activation requesting ID station includes a graphical user interface (“

GUI”

).

16. A system in accordance with claim 15, wherein said GUI includes a touch screen video monitor.

17. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said map displays different icons or pictures each representing an individual of the group wherein the icons or pictures are located at the position on the map corresponding to the position of the individual in the environment.

18. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said environment is selected from the group consisting essentially of theme amusement parks, casinos, hotels, zoos, ski resorts, shopping malls, homes and residences, and neighborhood associations.

19. A system in accordance with claim 11, further including means for obtaining assistance from a security force following activation of the Lost button.

20. A method for tracking in real-time the location of a group of individuals within a defined environment and for providing information to individuals of the group about the location of any other individuals of the group using the system of claim 11.

21. A method for tracking in real-time the location of a group of individuals within a defined environment and for providing information to individuals of the group about the location of any other individuals of the group, comprising:

(a) providing individuals of the group with identification tags having a unique identification tag number, the tags having means for receiving a radio signal and for responding to that signal with a radio signal that includes the identification tag number;

(b) locating one or more cells controllers throughout the environment having radio transmission and receiving means for sending and receiving a radio signal via one or more monitoring sites, each site having an antenna for sending and receiving the signals;

(c) computing a tag to antenna distance based on the time between sending the signal and receiving the signal from the tag;

(d) using a host computer for storing identification tag numbers with the identity of each individual, the host computer in communication with cell controllers and ID stations, said stations accessible to individuals of the group and distributed throughout the environment and having means for communicating with individuals of the group who visit the station and for obtaining information about the location of individuals of the group, wherein said means for communicating with individuals at the station comprises a display that offers two buttons, one for activating the system to locate an individual and one for indicating that the individual activating the button is lost.

22. A method in accordance with claim 21, wherein each cell controller transmits at a different radio wave frequency.

23. A method in accordance with claim 21, wherein said means for communicating with individuals at the station comprises a computer and a graphical user interface (“

GUI”

).

24. A method in accordance with claim 23, wherein said GUI includes a touch screen video monitor.

25. A method in accordance with claim 21, wherein said environment is selected from the group consisting essentially of theme amusement parks, casinos, hotels, zoos, ski resorts, shopping malls, homes and residences, and neighborhood associations.

26. A method in accordance with claim 21, wherein said means for communicating with individuals at the station includes a keyboard or a bar code scanning device.

27. A method in accordance with claim 21, wherein said means for communicating information about the location of individuals of the group at the ID station comprises the preparation of a map of the environment and display of the map at a video terminal.

28. A method in accordance with claim 27, wherein said displayed map includes different icons for pictures each representing an individual of the group wherein the icons or pictures are located at the position on the map corresponding to the position where the individual is in the environment.

29. A method in accordance with claim 21, wherein said means for communicating information about the location of individuals of the group at the ID station includes a computer generated voice message.

30. A method in accordance with claim 21, further including connection of the host computer or ID station to a security force which is notified when the Lost button is selected.