Location tracking and distance monitoring system and associated method

{
  "publication_number": "US10966059B1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B1",
  "title": "Location tracking and distance monitoring system and associated method",
  "abstract": "A location tracking and distance monitoring system includes a plurality of portable transponders, each portable transponder having a wireless transmitter and configured to transmit location data, a location database storing the location data transmitted by the plurality of portable transponders, wherein each portable transponder is identified as a tag with co-ordinates in the location database, a distance monitoring module comprising at least one processor and configured via computer executable instructions to access the location data from the location database, define a coverage region with a coverage radius around each tag, determine overlapping zones of the coverage regions of the tags, and generate tag clusters based on the overlapping zones. Further, an associated method and computer readable medium are provided.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A location tracking and distance monitoring system comprising: a plurality of portable transponders, each portable transponder comprising a wireless transmitter and configured to transmit location data, a location database storing the location data transmitted by the plurality of portable transponders, wherein each portable transponder is identified as a tag with co-ordinates in the location database, a distance monitoring module comprising at least one processor and configured via computer executable instructions to access the location data from the location database, define a coverage region with a coverage radius around each tag, determine overlapping zones of the coverage regions of the tags, and generate tag clusters based on the overlapping zones.",
    "2. The location tracking and distance monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the location data comprises real time location data, and wherein the distance monitoring module continually accesses the location data to obtain real time location data of the plurality of portable transponders.",
    "3. The location tracking and distance monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the distance monitoring module is further configured to identify tag pairs of each tag cluster, and calculate a dwell time for each tag pair while the tag pair is associated with the tag cluster.",
    "4. The location tracking and distance monitoring system of claim 3, wherein the distance monitoring module is further configured to generate a dwell time violation alert when a calculated dwell time of the tag pair associated with the tag cluster is greater than a predefined period.",
    "5. The location tracking and distance monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the coverage region around each tag comprises pixels, and wherein each pixel represents a segment of an area.",
    "6. The location tracking and distance monitoring system of claim 5, wherein the distance monitoring module is further configured to validate the pixels of each tag such that the tag and the pixels of the coverage region around the tag are within the area and are not obstructed by an object in the area.",
    "7. The location tracking and distance monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the distance monitoring module is further configured to calculate a collision density for each pixel in an overlapping zone based on a number of tags associated with the overlapping zone.",
    "8. The location tracking and distance monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the distance monitoring module is further configured to generate an intensity map based on the collision density calculated for each pixel, wherein an intensity indicator is based on the collision density.",
    "9. The location tracking and distance monitoring system of claim 8, wherein the intensity map comprises intensity zones, and wherein an intensity zone comprises pixels with a same intensity indicator.",
    "10. The location tracking and distance monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the distance monitoring module is further configured to calculate future overlapping zones of future location data of the tags, the future location data being derived from the current location data of the tags, in order to avoid a future collision or future tag cluster.",
    "11. A method for tracking location and monitoring distance, through operation of at least one processor, comprising: accessing location data of multiple portable transponders from a location database, wherein each portable transponder is identified in the database as a tag comprising co-ordinates, defining a coverage region with a coverage radius around each tag, determining overlapping zones of the coverage regions of the tags, and generating tag clusters based on the overlapping zones.",
    "12. The method for monitoring distances of claim 11, wherein the location data comprise real time location data and accessing the location data comprises continually accessing real time location data.",
    "13. The method for monitoring distances of claim 11, further comprising: identifying tag pairs of each tag cluster, and calculating a dwell time for each tag pair while the tag pair is associated with the tag cluster.",
    "14. The method for monitoring distances of claim 13, further comprising: generating a dwell time violation alert when a calculated dwell time of the tag pair associated with the tag cluster is greater than a predefined period.",
    "15. The method of claim 11, wherein the coverage region around each tag comprises pixels, and wherein each pixel represents a segment of an area.",
    "16. The method of claim 15, further comprising: validating the pixels of each tag such that the tag and the pixels of the coverage region around the tag are within the area and are not obstructed by an object in the area.",
    "17. The method of claim 15, further comprising: calculating a collision density for each pixel in an overlapping zone based on a number of tags associated with the overlapping zone.",
    "18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: generating an intensity map based on the collision density calculated for each pixel, wherein an intensity indicator is based on the collision density.",
    "19. The method of claim 18, further comprising: calculating future overlapping zones of future location data of the tags, the future location data being derived from the current location data of the tags, in order to avoid a future collision or future tag cluster.",
    "20. A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with processor executable instructions that when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method for monitoring distances as claimed in claim 11."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to a location tracking and distance monitoring system and an associated method, specifically for monitoring distances or distancing, such as for example social or physical distancing.\n\nIn general, location tracking refers to technologies that physically locate and electronically record and track the movement of people or objects. Location tracking technology is in use every day with for example global position system (GPS) navigation. Real-time location systems, also referred to as RTLS, are used to automatically identify and track the location of people or objects in real time, for example within a building or other contained area. Examples of real-time location systems include tracking automobiles through an assembly line, locating pallets of merchandise in a warehouse or finding medical equipment in a hospital.\n\nNew challenges require new approaches and solutions. An example of a new and current challenge is the coronavirus pandemic which is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019. As there is currently no vaccine to prevent the disease, the best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus. Protection measures to avoid being exposed include washing hands often and avoid close contact between people. As plants and manufacturing facilities work to return to full capacity with the new challenges created by the pandemic, operation managers and health and safety officials must keep employees safe while also optimizing production. Guidelines from governments and health experts recommend social distancing to minimize risk to employee health.",
  "cpc": [
    "H04W 4/029",
    "G01S 11/02",
    "G01S 2205/01",
    "G01S 5/0018",
    "G01S 5/0289",
    "G01S 5/12",
    "G06F 16/2291",
    "G06F 16/242",
    "G08B 21/0269",
    "G08B 21/22",
    "H04L 67/18",
    "H04L 67/52",
    "H04W 4/023",
    "H04W 4/80",
    "H04W 64/003"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G08B 21/02",
    "H04L 29/08",
    "H04W 4/029",
    "H04W 4/80",
    "H04W 64/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Siemens Industry Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Mohit Dayal",
    "Firas Khalil",
    "Vikas Garg",
    "Mark Egervari",
    "Mohamad El Naamani",
    "Clayton T. French",
    "Artur Ottlik",
    "Navneet Sharma",
    "Malika Tandon"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2020-07-16",
  "publication_date": "2021-03-30",
  "grant_date": "2021-03-30",
  "priority_date": "2020-07-16",
  "application_number": "US-202016931062-A",
  "family_id": "75164487",
  "cited_by_count": 24,
  "citations": [
    "US20100237995A1",
    "US20110106437A1",
    "US20200234098A1",
    "US10448211B1"
  ]
}