US 10,380,473 B2 · Indirect electronic badge tracking

Abstract

Electronic badges are indirectly tracked by detecting, by a badge communicator on a select industrial vehicle of a fleet of industrial vehicles, the presence of an electronic badge and performing a badge logging transaction in response to detecting the electronic badge. The badge logging transaction includes receiving, by the badge communicator, a badge identifier transmitted by the detected electronic badge. The badge logging transaction also includes determining, by the badge communicator, an offset measurement of the electronic badge relative to the select industrial vehicle, electronically determining a vehicle location of the select industrial vehicle, and identifying a badge location based upon the determined vehicle location and the measured offset. The badge logging transaction can also include generating a time stamp, and wirelessly communicating a badge locator message to a remote server, the badge locator message including the badge identifier, the badge location, and the timestamp.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A computer-implemented process of indirectly tracking electronic badges comprising:

detecting, by a badge communicator on a select industrial vehicle of a fleet of industrial vehicles, the presence of an electronic badge;
and
performing a badge logging transaction in response to detecting the electronic badge by:
receiving, by the badge communicator, a badge identifier transmitted by the detected electronic badge;
determining, by the badge communicator, a relative offset measurement of the electronic badge relative to the select industrial vehicle;
electronically determining an absolute vehicle location of the select industrial vehicle;
generating an absolute badge location based upon the determined absolute vehicle location and the relative offset measurement of the electronic badge;
generating a time stamp;
and
wirelessly communicating a badge locator message to a remote server, the badge locator message including the badge identifier, the badge location, and the timestamp.

7 more elements

A system for indirectly tracking electronic badges, comprising:

an information linking device on an industrial vehicle, wherein the information linking device wirelessly communicates with a server over a first wireless communication link;
an environmental-based location tracking device on the industrial vehicle, wherein the tracking device identifies an absolute position of the industrial vehicle within a limited, defined environment over a second wireless communication link;
and
a badge communicator on the industrial vehicle, wherein the badge communicator communicates with electronic badges that are in proximity of the industrial vehicle on a third communication link different from the first communication link and the second communication link, the badge communicator having a controller configured to:
detect the presence of an electronic badge;
receive a badge identifier transmitted by the detected electronic badge;
and
determine a relative offset measurement of the electronic badge;
wherein:
the badge communicator communicates the badge identifier and the relative offset measurement to the information linking device;
the environmental-based location tracking device communicates the absolute position of the industrial vehicle to the information linking device;
and
the information linking device wirelessly communicates a badge locator message to the remote server, the badge locator message including the badge identifier, the relative offset measurement, and a timestamp.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Indirect electronic badge tracking

Life of this patent

Indirect electronic badge tracking

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17