Method, apparatus, and computer program product for employing a spatial association model in a real time location system

• US 9,759,803 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2015
• Issued: 09/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: ZIH Corp. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: O'Hagan, James J., Alonso, Rodrigo, Wohl, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): McNally, Kerri
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dorsey, Renee
• Application Number:
  US14/732,623
• Publication Number:
  US 20150355311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0205 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/021 Calibration, monitoring or correction G01S5/0252 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0244 Accuracy or reliability of position solution or of measurements contributing thereto
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer readable media are disclosed for over-determining location estimations for an asset based on location estimates from a plurality of tags. Examples employ a spatial association model in a location system. Examples include a method for processing location information received from a radio frequency (RF) location tag. The method includes determining a first location of a first RF location tag associated with an asset, determining at least one second location of at least one second RF location tag associated with the asset, determining, using a processor, that the first location is not a valid location based at least in part on a comparison of the first location with the at least one second location using a spatial association model associated with the asset, and identifying the first location as erroneous in response to determining that the first location is not a valid location.

Claims

1. A method of registering an asset, comprising:

registering, to the asset, a first RF location tag attached to the asset at a first attachment point and configured to provide a first tag identifier;

registering, to the asset, a second RF location tag attached to the asset at a second attachment point and configured to provide a second tag identifier;

defining an asset reference distance between the first attachment point and the second attachment point;

storing, in a memory, an identity of the asset, the asset reference distance, the first tag identifier, and the second tag identifier; and

identifying a posture of the asset by identifying a difference between the asset reference distance and a distance magnitude defined between the first RF location tag and the second RF location tag.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the asset is a human being.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the asset reference distance is determined based on at least one biometric characteristic.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the asset comprises an object to be worn by a human being.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the asset reference distance is determined based on at least one physical measurement of the object.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the object is a race car.

7. An apparatus comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the processor is configured by instructions stored in the memory to cause the apparatus to:

register, to an asset, a first RF location tag configured to provide a first tag identifier, the first RF location tag attached to the asset at a first attachment point;

register, to the asset, a second RF location tag configured to provide a second tag identifier, the second RF location tag attached to the asset at a second attachment point;

define an asset reference distance between the first attachment point and the second attachment point;

store, in a memory, an identity of the asset, the asset reference distance, the first tag identifier, and the second tag identifier; and

identify a posture of the asset by identifying a difference between the asset reference distance and a distance magnitude defined between the first RF location tag and the second RF location tag.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the asset is a human being.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein of the asset reference distance is determined based on at least one biometric characteristic.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the asset comprises an object to be worn by a human being.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the asset reference distance is determined based on at least one physical measurement of the object.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the object is a race car.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, configure the processor to at least:

register, to an asset, a first RF location tag attached to the asset at a first attachment point and configured to provide a first tag identifier;

register, to the asset, a second RF location tag attached to the asset at a second attachment point and configured to provide a second tag identifier;

define an asset reference distance between the first attachment point and the second attachment point;

store, in a memory, an identity of the asset, the asset reference distance, the first tag identifier, and the second tag identifier; and

identify a posture of the asset by identifying a difference between the asset reference distance and a distance magnitude defined between the first RF location tag and the second RF location tag.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the asset is a human being.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the asset reference distance is determined based on at least one biometric characteristic.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the asset comprises an object to be worn by a human being.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the asset reference distance is associated with at least one physical measurement of the object.