# US 10,504,355 B2 · Sensor configuration

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- Number: US 10,504,355 B2
- Document ID: US10504355B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/895,359
- Filed: 2018-02-13
- Published: 2018-08-23
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2014-01-17
- Assignees: GOJO Industries, Inc.
- Applicants: GOJO Industries, Inc.
- Inventors: Jackson William Wegelin; Bradley Lee Lightner; Mark Adam Bullock
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10504355B2

## CPC

- G08B 21/22: responsive to presence or absence of persons
- G08B 21/245: {Reminder of hygiene compliance policies, e.g. of washing hands}
- G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS

## Abstract

One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for detecting an object, such as a person. For example, a sensing system may comprise a sensor arrangement. The sensor arrangement may comprise a passive sensor and an active sensor. The active sensor may be placed into a sleep state (e.g., a relatively low powered state) until awakened by the passive sensor. For example, responsive to detecting a presence of an object (e.g., a nurse entering a patient's room), the passive sensor may awaken the active sensor from the sleep state to an active state for detecting motion and/or distance of the object within a detection zone to create object detection data (e.g., an indication of a hygiene opportunity for the nurse). The active sensor may transition from the active state to the sleep state responsive to a detection timeout and/or a determination that the object left the detection zone.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A sensing system for detecting an object, comprising:
a first sensor arrangement comprising:
a first passive sensor configured to:
responsive to detecting a presence of an object, send a wakeup signal to a first active sensor for triggering the first active sensor to awaken from a sleep state; and
the first active sensor configured to:
responsive to receiving the wakeup signal from the first passive sensor, transition from the sleep state to an active state; and
while in the active state:
detect at least one of motion or distance of the object within a first detection zone to create object detection data; and
responsive to a determination that the object has physically left the first detection zone, transition from the active state to the sleep state.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The sensing system of claim 1, the first passive sensor and the first active sensor comprised within a sensor housing.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The sensing system of claim 1, the first passive sensor comprised within a first sensor housing and the first active sensor comprised within a second sensor housing.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The sensing system of claim 1, the first passive sensor configured to transmit the wakeup signal as a radio frequency (RF) signal to the first active sensor.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The sensing system of claim 1, the first sensor arrangement configured to
identify a hygiene opportunity based upon the object detection data.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The sensing system of claim 1, the first sensor arrangement configured to at least one of:
store the object detection data within data storage;
transmit the object detection data over a communication network;
transmit the object detection data as an RF signal; or
activate an indicator.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The sensing system of claim 1, the first active sensor configured to:
ignore a non-detection zone defined based upon a first set of non-detection distance metrics.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The sensing system of claim 1, wherein motion is detected within the first detection zone to create object detection data.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The sensing system of claim 1, the first active sensor configured to:
define the first detection zone based upon a first set of detection distance metrics.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The sensing system of claim 9, the first detection zone comprising at least one of a bedside zone, a doorway zone, a hygiene zone, or a hygiene opportunity zone.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The sensing system of claim 1, the first active sensor configured to:
define a second detection zone based upon a second set of detection distance metrics.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The sensing system of claim 11, the first detection zone corresponding to a first bedside zone of a bed, the second detection zone corresponding to a second bedside zone of the bed, and a non-detection zone corresponding to a patient bed zone.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The sensing system of claim 1, the first sensor arrangement comprising:
a second active sensor configured to:
responsive to receiving a second wakeup signal from the first passive sensor, transition from a second sleep state to a second active state; and
while in the second active state:
detect at least one of second motion or second distance of the object within a second detection zone to create second object detection data; and
responsive to at least one of a second detection timeout or a second determination that the object has left the second detection zone, transition from the second active state to the second sleep state.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The sensing system of claim 13, the first active sensor and the second active sensor configured to sequentially detect the object to determine whether the object is entering an area or leaving the area.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The sensing system of claim 1, the first sensor arrangement powered by a battery.

### Claim 16

A method for detecting an object, comprising:
invoking a first passive sensor to:
responsive to detecting a presence of an object, send a wakeup signal to a first active sensor for triggering the first active sensor to awaken from a sleep state; and
invoking the first active sensor to:
responsive to receiving the wakeup signal from the first passive sensor, transition from the sleep state to an active state; and
while in the active state:
detect at least one of motion or distance of the object within a first detection zone to create object detection data; and
responsive to a determination that the object has physically left the first detection zone, transition from the active state to the sleep state.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, comprising:
identifying a hygiene opportunity based upon the object detection data.

### Claim 18

A sensing system for detecting an object, comprising:
a first sensor configured to:
responsive to detecting a presence of an object, send a first wakeup signal to a second sensor and send a second wakeup signal to a third sensor;
the second sensor configured to:
transition from a first sleep state to a first active state based upon the first wakeup signal received from the first sensor; and
while in the first active state, detect at least one of first motion or first distance of the object within a first detection zone to create first object detection data; and
the third sensor configured to:
transition from a second sleep state to a second active state based upon the second wakeup signal received from the first sensor; and
while in the second active state, detect at least one of second motion or second distance of the object within a second detection zone to create second object detection data, wherein the first object detection data and the second object detection data are jointed used to determine whether an object is entering an area or leaving the area.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The sensing system of claim 18, the first sensor and the second sensor comprised within a sensor housing.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The sensing system of claim 18, the first sensor comprised within a first sensor housing and the second sensor comprised within a second sensor housing remotely located away from the first sensor housing.
