Combined locating, tracking and communications system

• US 7,907,053 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2004
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Collins, William F. Jr., Wildman, Timothy D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Blount; Eric M
• Application Number:
  US10/556,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20070106518A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,496 Days
• Field of Search: 3405721-5728, 340/539.1, 340/539.13
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0205 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0284 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0295 Proximity-based methods, e.g. position inferred from reception of particular signals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A combined locating, tracking and communications system (10), including a server (12), a plurality of area transceivers (14) configured to communicate with the server (12) and having an associated reception range (34), a plurality of zone transceivers (16) configured to communicate with the area transceiver (14), a plurality of tags (18) configured to communicate with the area transceiver (14) and the plurality of zone transceivers (16), and a plurality of portable communicators (20) configured to communicate with the area transceiver (14) and the plurality of zone transceivers (16).

Claims

1. A combined locating, tracking and communications system, comprising:

a server;

an area transceiver configured to communicate with the server, the area transceiver having an associated reception range and being configured to transmit voice communications to one of another area transceiver and the server;

a plurality of zone transceivers configured to communicate with the area transceiver;

a plurality of tags configured to communicate with the area transceiver and the plurality of zone transceivers; and

a plurality of portable communicators configured to communicate with the area transceiver and the plurality of zone transceivers.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the area transceiver includes an IR receiver, an RF receiver, a high-frequency RF transceiver, and a transmitter connected to a network for communications with the server.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the area transceiver IR receiver is configured to receive IR signals transmitted by the tags and the portable communicators, each IR signal including information that identifies one of the transmitting tag and the transmitting portable communicator.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the area transceiver RF receiver is configured to receive signals within a frequency range of 400 MHz to 900 MHz, each RF signal including information that identifies a transmitting device.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the area transceiver high-frequency RF transceiver is configured to receive and transmit signals at a frequency of approximately 2.4 GHz to facilitate voice-over IP communications between the portable communicators.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the zone transceivers includes an IR receiver, an RF receiver, and an RF transmitter for wirelessly transmitting information relating to tags and portable communicators, the zone transceiver RF transmitter is configured to transmit information to the area transceiver at a frequency of approximately 900 MHz, and the zone transceiver IR receiver is configured to receiver line-of-sight IR signals from tags and portable communicators within a zone of the zone transceiver.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the zone transceiver RF receiver is configured to receive RF signals from tags and portable communicators within a reception range of the RF receiver.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the RF receiver reception range is smaller than the zone of the zone transceiver.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the RF receiver reception range is variable.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the tags includes an IR transmitter, a first RF transmitter, a second RF transmitter, and a power source, each of the tags transmits a unique ID signal containing information that identifies the tag, the tag first RF transmitter transmits the ID signal as a mid-frequency signal, and the tag second RF transmitter transmits the ID signal as a low-frequency signal.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein each portable communicator is configured to wirelessly transmit and receive voice communications to the area transceiver using an 802.11 protocol.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein high frequency communications between the portable communicators and the area transceiver define a first level of locating and tracking resolution, the communications include information that uniquely identifies a transmitting portable communicator, the area transceiver forwards the identifying information to server, which accesses a database to determine a person assigned to the transmitting portable communicator and a physical area associated with the area transceiver, and the server updates the database to reflect a last location of the person.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein mid-frequency signals from the tags and the portable communicators to the area transceiver define a first level of locating and tracking resolution, the mid-frequency signals include information that uniquely identifies one of a transmitting tag and a transmitting portable communicator, the area transceiver transmits a location signal to the server in response to receipt of a mid-frequency signal, the location signal including the identifying information, and the server accesses a database to identify an asset corresponding to the one of a transmitting tag and a transmitting portable communicator, to identify a present location of the asset, and to update the database with a last known location of the asset.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein IR signals from the tags and the portable communicators to the area transceiver define a second level of locating and tracking resolution, the IR signals include information that uniquely identifies one of a transmitting tag and a transmitting portable communicator, and the area transceiver transmits a location signal that includes the identifying information to the server, which accesses a database to identify an asset corresponding to the one of a transmitting tag and a transmitting portable communicator, to identify a present location of the asset, and to update the database with a last known location of the asset.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein IR identification signals from the tags and the portable communicators to the zone transceivers define a third level of locating and tracking resolution, a zone transceiver responds to receipt of an IR identification signal by transmitting a mid-frequency RF location signal to the area transceiver, the location signal including the IR identification signal and information identifying the zone transceiver, and the area transceiver responds to receipt of the location signal by transmitting a signal to the server, which accesses a database to identify an asset corresponding to a device that transmitted the IR identification signal, to identify a present location of the asset, and to update the database with a last known location of the asset.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein low-frequency RF identification signals from the tags and the portable communicators to the zone transceivers define a fourth level of locating and tracking resolution, a zone transceiver responds to receipt of an RF identification signal by transmitting a mid-frequency RF location signal to the area transceiver, the location signal including the RF identification signal and information identifying the zone transceiver, and the area transceiver responds to receipt of the location signal by transmitting a signal to the server, which accesses a database to identify an asset corresponding to a device that transmitted the RF identification signal, to identify a present location of the asset, and to update the database with a last known location of the asset.

17. A locating, tracking and communications system,

comprising:

a server;

an area transceiver;

a portable communicator; and

a tag;

the area transceiver being configured to transmit first signals to the server upon receipt of any of high-frequency RF ID signals from the portable communicator, midfrequency RF ID signals from the portable communicator, and mid-frequency RF ID signals from the tag, the first signals indicating that an asset is within a first area.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the area transceiver is further configured to transmit second signals to the server upon receipt of any of IR ID signals from the portable communicator and IR ID signals from the tag, the second signals indicating that the asset is within a second area that is smaller than the first area.

19. The system of claim 18, further including a zone transceiver, the area transceiver being further configured to transmit third signals to the server upon receipt of mid-frequency RF signals from the zone transceiver indicating receipt by the zone transceiver of any of IR ID signals from the portable communicator and IR ID signals from the tag, the third signals indicating that the asset is within a third area that is smaller than the second area.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the area transceiver is further configured to transmit fourth signals to the server upon receipt of mid-frequency RF signals from the zone transceiver indicating receipt by the zone transceiver of any of low-frequency RF ID signals from the portable communicator and low-frequency RF ID signals from the tag, the fourth signals indicating that the asset is within a fourth area that is smaller than the third area.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the area transceiver is further configured to transmit fifth signals to the server upon receipt of any of low-frequency RF ID signals from the portable communicator and low-frequency RF ID signals from the tag, the fifth signals indicating that the asset is within a fifth area that is smaller than the fourth area.

22. A locating, tracking, and communications system,

comprising:

a server;

an area transceiver;

a portable communicator;

a tag;

a zone transceiver; and

a processor;

the area transceiver being configured to receive ID signals from the portable communicator, transmit first signals to the server indicating that an asset is within a first area, receive signals from the zone transceiver, and transmit second signals to the server based on signals received from the zone transceiver;

the processor being configured to determine which of the first and second signals to be transmitted by the area transceiver.