Devices and methods for indoor geolocation
OwnerKenneth F. SHINOZUKA, Masato MIZUTAinventors
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Abstract
Simple methods and low-cost apparatuses for remote geolocation of subjects in an indoor environment. Each subject wears or caries a device that transmits low-power radio-frequency (RF) signals. A gateway unit in each room may relay the received low-power signals to a server on the Internet via an existing available wireless network such as WiFi or a cellular network that is connected to the Internet, and the server may determine which room each subject is located and send the information to registered users inside and/or outside the subjects' indoor environment.
Claims15
A method of room-wise indoor geolocation of a subject remotely by one or more registered users, the method comprising:
- placing a gateway unit comprising a transceiver in each of a plurality of rooms;
- transmitting, from a device carried by the subject, a low-power radio frequency (RF) signal;
- receiving, at the gateway units in at least some of the plurality of rooms, the low-power RF signal;
- relaying the low-power RF signals received by the gateway units to a server via a wireless network that is available in all the rooms;
- analyzing, at the server, the received RF signals to determine the subject's room-wise location;
- and
- sending, from the server, the room-wise location information to the one or more registered users.
A system for room-wise geolocation of a plurality of subjects in an indoor environment, remotely by one or more registered users, the system comprising:
- a device, carried by each of the subjects, that transmits a radio frequency (RF) signal including unique identification (ID) information associated with the subject;
- a plurality of gateway units, configured to be placed in each of a plurality of rooms and adapted to receive the RF signal and transmit the received signal over a wireless network;
- and
- a remote server configured to receive the RF signal relayed via the gateway unit, estimate the room-wise location of the subject based on the received RF signal, and send the room-wise location information to the one or more registered users.
A gateway unit apparatus for relaying low-power radio frequency (RF) signals to a remote server via an available wireless network connected to an Internet, the apparatus comprising:
- an RF transceiver configured to receive a low-power RF signal from one or more RF transmitters and relay the low-power RF signal including an intensity measurement of the low-power RF signal, to a remote server via an available wireless network;
- a microcontroller;
- and
- a USB plug for supplying power to the gateway unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.