System and method for item self-assessment as being extant or displaced

A non-transitory, physical storage medium storing processor-executable code, which when executed by a hardware processor of a processor-based device associated with a portable item, assesses a state of the portable item, the processor-executable code comprising:

• first executable code to store in a memory of the device:
• a detection context which comprises at least a date and time interval;
• and
• at least one item usage expectation which is associated with the detection context and which:
• comprises at least a description of an environmental phenomena which an environmental sensor of the device is configured to detect, wherein said environmental phenomena is at least an expected location where the portable item is expected to be during the date and time interval of the associated detection context;
• is indicative of a first possible state of the portable item as being extant, wherein the portable item is subject to an expected environment which is associated with the detection context;
• and
• is indicative of a second possible state of the portable item as being displaced, wherein the portable item is subject to another environment, said another environment being other than the expected environment which is associated with the detection context;
• wherein the date and time interval and the associated expected location are stored locally at the portable time;
• second executable code to obtain, via the environmental sensor, usage data for the portable item, wherein the usage data is indicative of a substantially current environment of the portable item;
• third executable code to compare, via a hardware processor of the device, the usage data with the at least one item usage expectation;
• fourth executable code to assess, by the hardware processor, via the comparing, whether the portable item is extant or displaced;
• and
• fifth executable code which, in response to the assessment, signals an alert that the portable item is displaced upon detecting the portable item is not located at the expected location during the associated date and time interval.

A device configured to be operated while substantially collocated with a portable item, and configured to self-assess a state of the portable item, comprising:

• a hardware processor;
• a memory;
• and
• an environmental sensor;
• wherein:
• the memory stores executable code that, when executed by the hardware processor, causes the device to store a detection context and store an item usage expectation associated with the detection context, wherein:
• said detection context comprises at least a date and time interval;
• and
• said associated item usage expectation comprises an expected environment which the environmental sensor is configured to detect, wherein said expected environment comprises at least a location where the portable item is expected to be during the date and time interval of the detection context;
• and wherein:
• said usage expectation is indicative of a first possible state of the portable item as being extant, wherein the portable item is subject to the expected environment associated with the detection context;
• and
• said usage expectation is indicative of a second possible state of the portable item as being displaced, wherein the item is other than subject to the expected environment associated with the detection context;
• wherein the date and time interval and the associated expected location are locally stored at the portable item;
• the environmental sensor is configured to obtain usage data for the portable item, wherein the usage data is indicative of a substantially current environment of the portable item;
• the hardware processor is configured to perform a comparison of the usage data with the stored item usage expectation;
• the hardware processor is configured to assess, via the comparison, whether the item is one of extant or displaced;
• and
• wherein in response to the assessment, the hardware processor is configured to at least signal an alert that the portable item is displaced upon detecting the portable item is not located at the expected location during the date and time interval of the detection context.

A method to assess a state of a portable item as being extant or being displaced,

• the method comprising:
• storing locally, at the portable item, in a memory which is configured for use when coupled with or embedded within the portable item, a schedule comprising a plurality of date and time intervals associated with a use or storage of the portable item during said plurality of date and time intervals;
• storing locally, at the portable item, in the memory a plurality of respective usage expectations associated with the plurality of date and time intervals, wherein each respective usage expectation comprises an expected location where the portable item is expected to be during the associated date and time interval;
• determining via a hardware processor, which is coupled with the memory and configured for use when coupled with or embedded within the portable item, a specific current date and time interval corresponding to a real-time current date and time;
• determining via the hardware processor the respective usage expectation associated with the specific current date and time interval;
• receiving in real time from one or more environmental sensors, which are coupled with the hardware processor, configured for use when coupled with or embedded within the portable item, and configured at least for location detection, a current location for the portable item;
• comparing, via the hardware processor, the current location with the expected location comprising the respective usage expectation;
• assessing by the hardware processor, based on the comparison, whether during the during the current date and time interval the portable item is located within the expected location;
• evaluating by the hardware processor a relative likelihood that the portable item is extant or displaced, wherein:
• assessing that the portable item is located within the expected location indicates a likelihood that the portable item is extant;
• assessing that the portable item is not located within the expected location indicates a likelihood that the portable item is displaced;
• and
• in response to the assessment, at least, signaling via the hardware processor an alert that the portable item is displaced upon detecting the portable item is not located at the expected location during the associated date and time interval.

An electronic system configured to be operated while being at least one of coupled to, attached to, or embedded within a portable item, and further configured to assess a state of the portable item;

• said electronic system comprising a memory, a hardware processor, and one or more environmental sensors including at least a first sensor configured for location detection of the portable item, wherein:
• the memory stores first executable code that, when executed by the hardware processor, causes the device to store locally, at the portable item:
• a schedule comprising a plurality of date and time intervals associated with a use or storage of the portable item during said date and time intervals;
• a plurality of respective usage expectations associated with the plurality of date and time intervals, wherein each respective usage expectation comprises an expected location where the portable item is expected to be during the associated date and time interval;
• the one or more environmental sensors are configured to obtain an environmental data (700.R) for the portable item;
• and
• and the hardware processor is configured to:
• identify in real-time a current date and time interval, from among the plurality of date and time intervals on the schedule, which corresponds to a current real-time date and time;
• identify the respective usage expectation associated with the current date and time interval;
• receive in real time from the first sensor a current location for the portable item;
• compare the current location with the expected location comprising the respective usage expectation;
• assess, based on the comparison, whether during the during the current date and time interval the portable item is located within the expected location;
• and
• evaluate a relative likelihood that the portable item is extant or displaced, wherein:
• if the hardware processor assesses that the portable item is located within the expected location, the hardware processor assesses a likelihood that the portable item is extant;
• and
• if the hardware processor assesses that the portable item is not located within the expected location, the hardware processor assesses a likelihood that the portable item is displaced, wherein in response to the assessment, at least, signaling an alert that the portable item is displaced upon detecting the portable item is not located at the expected location during the associated date and time interval.

A non-transitory, physical storage medium storing processor-executable code, which when executed by a hardware processor of a processor-based device associated with a portable item, assesses a state of the portable item,

• the processor-executable code comprising:
• first executable code to store locally, at the portable item, in a memory of the hardware-processor-based device a schedule comprising a plurality of date and time intervals associated with a use or storage of the portable item during said date and time intervals;
• second executable code to store locally, at the portable item, in the memory of the hardware-processor-based device a plurality of respective usage expectations associated with the plurality of date and time intervals, wherein each respective usage expectation comprises an expected location where the portable item is expected to be during the associated date and time interval;
• third executable code to identify in real-time a current date and time interval, from among the plurality of date and time intervals on the schedule, which corresponds to a current real-time date and time;
• fourth executable code to identify via the hardware processor the respective usage expectation associated with the current date and time interval;
• fifth executable code to receive in real time from a first sensor configured for location detection of the portable item a current location for the portable item;
• sixth executable code to compare, via the hardware processor, the current location with the expected location comprising the respective usage expectation which corresponds to the current real-time date and time;
• seventh executable code to assess, via the hardware-processor, based on the comparison, whether during the during the current date and time interval the portable item is located within the expected location;
• eighth executable code to evaluate, via the hardware-processor, a relative likelihood that the portable item is extant or displaced;
• and
• ninth executable code to determine that:
• if the hardware-processor evaluates that the portable item is located within the expected location, the hardware-processor will assess a likelihood that the portable item is extant;
• if the hardware-processor evaluates that the portable item is not located within the expected location, the hardware-processor will assess a likelihood that the portable item is displaced;
• and
• tenth executable code which, responsive to the assessment of the likelihood that the portable item is displaced, signals an alert that the portable item is displaced upon detecting that the portable item is not located at the expected location during the associated date and time interval.

A device configured to operate while substantially collocated with a portable item, and configured to assess a state of the portable item as being one of present and displaced, comprising:

• a hardware processor, a memory, a timer, and an environmental sensor;
• wherein:
• the memory stores first executable code that, when executed by the hardware processor, causes the device to store locally, at the portable item:
• a detection context comprising an event that spans a duration in time starting at a first specified time and ending at a second specified time that is later than the first specified time;
• and
• an item usage expectation that is associated with the detection context, and that comprises a description of an expected usage of the portable item during the time span of the event, wherein:
• the description comprises an expected environmental condition resulting from the expected usage of the portable item during the time span of the event, including at least an expected location where the portable item is expected to be during the time span of the event;
• and
• the expected environmental condition is indicative of at least two possible states of the portable item during the event:
• a first state of being present, and;
• a second state of being displaced, said displaced state comprising at least one of that the item is lost, stolen, misplaced, or misappropriated, wherein the misappropriated state is indicative that the portable item is in accidental use by an unauthorized user who is an associate of the authorized user;
• the environmental sensor comprises a location sensor configured to obtain real-time location data for the portable item;
• the timer is configured to determine that a current real-time is consistent with the time span of the event of the stored detection context, wherein the stored detection context thereby defines a current detection context with an associated current item usage expectation;
• the hardware processor is configure to compare the real-time environmental data with the environmental condition described in the current item usage expectation;
• and
• during the time frame of the current detection context, the hardware processor is configured to assess, via the comparing, either that:
• the real-time environmental data is consistent with the current item usage expectation, wherein the portable item is present, or
• the real-time environmental data is inconsistent with the current item usage expectation, wherein the portable item is displaced,
• wherein in response to an assessment that the portable item is displaced the hardware processor at least signals an alert that the portable item is lost, stolen, misplaced or misappropriated upon detecting the portable item is not located at the expected location during the associated date and time interval.