Patent Publication Number: US-11641489-B2

Title: Geolocationing system and method for use of same

Description:
PRIORITY STATEMENT &amp; CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/132,664, entitled “Geolocationing System and Method for Use of Same,” filed on Dec. 31, 2020, in the name of William C. Fang; which is hereby incorporated by reference, in entirety, for all purposes. This application is also a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/130,134, entitled “Geolocationing System and Method for Use of Same,” filed on Dec. 22, 2020, in the names of Thomas R. Miller et al.; which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/731,394 entitled, “Geolocationing System and Method for Use of Same” in the names of Thomas R. Miller, et al., now U.S. Pat. No. 10,873,767 issued on Dec. 22, 2020; which claims priority from U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 62/787,412 entitled “Geolocationing System and Method for Use of Same” filed on Jan. 2, 2019, in the name of William C. Fang; which is hereby incorporated by reference, in entirety, for all purposes. Application Ser. No. 16/731,394 is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/201,783 entitled “Set-Top Box, System and Method for Providing Awareness in a Hospitality Environment” filed on Nov. 27, 2018, in the names of Vanessa Ogle et al., now U.S. Pat. No. 10,602,196 issued on Mar. 24, 2020; which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/652,622 entitled “Set-Top Box, System and Method for Providing Awareness in a Hospitality Environment” filed on Jul. 18, 2017, in the names of Vanessa Ogle et al., now U.S. Pat. No. 10,142,662 issued on Nov. 27, 2018; which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/165,851 entitled “Set-Top Box, System and Method for Providing Awareness in a Hospitality Environment” filed on May 26, 2016, in the names of Vanessa Ogle et al., now U.S. Pat. No. 9,712,872 issued on Jul. 18, 2017; which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/461,479 entitled “Set-Top Box, System and Method for Providing Awareness in a Hospitality Environment” filed on Aug. 18, 2014, in the names of Vanessa Ogle et al., now U.S. Pat. No. 9,357,254 issued on May 31, 2016; which claims priority from U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 61/935,862 entitled “System and Method for Providing Awareness in a Hospitality Environment” and filed on Feb. 5, 2014, in the name of Vanessa Ogle; all of which are hereby incorporated by reference, in entirety, for all purposes. 
     This application discloses subject matter related to the subject matter disclosed in the following commonly owned, co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/554,359 entitled “Geolocationing System and Method for Use of Same,” filed on Dec. 17, 2021, in the names of William C. Fang et al.; which is hereby incorporated by reference, in entirety, for all purposes. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates, in general, to geolocationing and, in particular, to enhanced performance in systems and methods for providing awareness and safety in a multi-room environment such as a hospitality environment, educational environment, or the like. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Without limiting the scope of the present invention, the background will be described in relation to employee safety in hospitality environments, as an example. Employees face increased personal security risks at work in multi-room environments such as hospitality environments, which include motels, hotels, and the like, for example. Such hospitality industry employees often work alone and range over large interior areas that may be divided into many small, closed spaces. As a result of limited existing security measures, there is a need for improved systems and methods of providing awareness and safety in hospitality environments. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It would be advantageous to achieve systems and methods for providing geolocationing in a multi-room environment such as a hospitality environment, educational environment, or the like that would improve upon existing limitations in functionality. It would be desirable to enable an electrical engineering-based and software solution that would provide enhanced awareness and safety in an easy-to-use platform in the hospitality lodging industry or in another environment. To better address one or more of these concerns, a geolocationing system and method for use of the same are disclosed. 
     In one embodiment of the geolocationing system, a vertical and horizontal array of gateway devices is provided. Each gateway device includes a gateway device identification providing an accurately-known fixed location within the multi-space environment. Each gateway device includes a wireless transceiver that receives a beacon signal from a proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device. The gateway devices, in turn, send gateway signals to a server, which determine estimated location of the wireless-enabled personal location. These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of the features and advantages of the present invention, reference is now made to the detailed description of the invention along with the accompanying figures in which corresponding numerals in the different figures refer to corresponding parts and in which: 
         FIG.  1 A  is schematic building diagram depicting one embodiment of a geolocationing system for providing awareness in a multi-room environment illustrated as a hotel, according to the teachings presented herein; 
         FIG.  1 B  is a schematic floor plan depicting a floor of the hotel presented in  FIG.  1 A  in further detail; 
         FIG.  1 C  is a schematic floor plan depicting a floor of the hotel presented in  FIG.  1 A  during an alert event; 
         FIG.  2    is a schematic diagram depicting one embodiment of the geolocationing system presented in  FIG.  1 A  providing enhanced awareness and safety functionality therewith according to the teachings presented herein; 
         FIG.  3    is a functional block diagram depicting one embodiment of a personal locator device depicted in  FIG.  2    in further detail; 
         FIG.  4    is a functional block diagram depicting another embodiment of a personal locator device depicted in  FIG.  2    in further detail; 
         FIG.  5    is a functional block diagram depicting one embodiment of a gateway device, a thermostat, presented in  FIGS.  1 A ; 
         FIG.  6    is a functional block diagram depicting one embodiment of a gateway device, gateway service devices, presented in  FIGS.  1 A ; 
         FIG.  7    is a functional block diagram depicting one embodiment of the server presented in  FIG.  2   ; 
         FIG.  8 A  is a data processing diagram depicting one embodiment of the geolocationing system according to the teachings presented herein; 
         FIG.  8 B  is a state diagram depicting one embodiment of the geolocationing system presented in  FIG.  8 A ; and 
         FIG.  9    is a flow chart depicting one embodiment of a method for providing a gateway device furnishing enhanced safety according to the teachings presented herein. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     While the making and using of various embodiments of the present invention are discussed in detail below, it should be appreciated that the present invention provides many applicable inventive concepts, which can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the invention, and do not delimit the scope of the present invention. 
     Referring initially to  FIGS.  1 A,  1 B,  1 C and  2   , therein is depicted a geolocationing system for providing awareness in a multi-space environment such as a hospitality environment, which may be embodied as a furnished multi-family residence, dormitory, lodging establishment, hotel, hospital, which is schematically illustrated and designated  10 . The multi-space environment may also be a multi-unit environment such as an educational environment like a school or college campus, for example. More generally, the geolocationing system  10  and the teachings presented herein are applicable to any multi-space environment including hospitality environments, educational campuses, hospital campuses, office buildings, multi-unit dwellings, sport facilities, and shopping malls, for example. 
     As shown, by way of example and not by way of limitation, the multi-space environment is depicted as a hotel H having a lobby and floors F, which are appropriately labeled the 2 nd  floor through the 10 th  floor. Further, by way of example, the 4 th  floor is depicted with rooms  401 ,  402 ,  403 ,  404 ,  405 ,  406 ,  407 ,  411 ,  412 ,  413 ,  414 ,  415 ,  416 ,  417 . Additionally, a common area near the elevators is labeled E, a hallway labeled P, and a stairwell is labeled S. The lobby, the common area E, the hallway P, and the stairwell S are further illustrations of spaces in the multi-space environment in addition to the rooms  401 ,  402 ,  403 ,  404 ,  405 ,  406 ,  407 ,  411 ,  412 ,  413 ,  414 ,  415 ,  416 ,  417 . 
     Gateway devices  12  are deployed as part of a horizontal and vertical array, which is generally a spatial array, throughout the hotel H. It should be appreciated, however, that the gateway devices  12 , and more generally deployment of the geolocationing system  10 , may include a horizontal array. Further, the deployment may be in a single story, multiple stories, or a combination thereof. As will be discussed in further detail hereinbelow, the gateway devices  12  may include thermostats  14 , a gateway service device  16 , or a common space gateway device  18 . 
     Individuals, such as I 1 , I 2 , I 3 , carry proximate wireless-enabled personal locator devices  20  which periodically, or on demand, transmit beacons that are received by the gateway devices  12 . The proximate wireless-enabled personal locator devices  20  may be a single button personal locator device or a proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device, such as a smart watch, a smart phone, or a tablet computer, for example. In one embodiment, the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device may be a wireless-enabled smart and interactive handheld device that may be supplied or carried by the user or guest. As shown individual I 2  works in the hospitality industry at hotel H and is presently working on the 4 th  floor. As the individual I 2  is working in room  404 , the proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device  20  is transmitting beacons that are received by gateway devices  12 , such as the thermostat  14  that is located within the room  404  and the gateway service device  16  located in hallway P on the 4 th  floor of the hotel H. 
     As shown, the gateway device  12  in the room  404  is the thermostat  14 , which may be an information appliance device that generally monitors and controls heating and cooling in the hotel H, or a portion thereof, to a setpoint temperature, which is adjustable, through communication between the thermostat and an HVAC system. The thermostat  14  may be communicatively disposed with various amenities associated with the hotel H as well as the geolocationing system  10  providing a geolocation and safety network. The gateway device  12  in the common area near elevators E of the 4 th  floor is the gateway service device  16  and the common space gateway device  18  is also in the common area near elevators E of the 4 th  floor. The gateway service device  16  may be communicatively disposed with various amenities associated with the hotel H as well as the geolocationing system  10  providing the geolocation and safety network. The common space gateway device  18  may include a limited set of functionality as compared to the gateway service device  16 . The limited functionality, however, includes connectivity to the geolocationing system  10  providing the geolocation and safety network. Gateway devices, like the gateway device  12 , including the thermostat  14 , the gateway service device  16 , and the common space gateway device  18 , may be deployed throughout the spaces, rooms, and other areas of the hotel H. 
     As mentioned, each of the gateway devices  12 , including the thermostats  14 , the gateway service devices  16 , and the common space gateway devices  18 , have a data link via a network  22  to a server  24  which is providing a geolocation and safety network. In one implementation, the individual I 2  has the proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device  20 , which may transmit a beacon signal B from the proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device  20  using a wireless standard, such as Wi-Fi, to the gateway devices  12 . Each of the gateway devices  12 , including the thermostat  14  and the gateway service device  16 , then processes the received beacon signal B and sends a gateway signal to the server  24 . The server  24  receives the gateway signals and uses multiple gateway signals for determining the estimated location of the proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device  20  of the individual I 2 . The server  24 , in turn, sends out the appropriate notifications to various phones  26 , activates alarms  28 , or notify others via a computer  30 , depending on the situation. As a spatial array of horizontal and vertical gateway devices  12  are provided, the server  24  and geolocationing system  10  presented herein is able to determine the location of the individual associated with the proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device  20  within a building. As particularly illustrated in  FIG.  1 C and  2   , the individual I 2  is in need of emergency assistance and activates the proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device  20 . In one implementation, beacon signals B are received by all nearby gateway devices  12 , which in turn forward gateway signals to the server  24  for processing and determining the estimated location. The estimated location includes which floor F the individual is presently located as well as the room or common area near elevators E and the presence of a status or an alarm, such as Alarm A. In one embodiment, this information may be generated by the server  24  in the form of a map view  32 , which includes a graphical representation of the multi-space environment that is annotated with the estimated location of the proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device  20 . 
     Referring to  FIG.  3   , the proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device  20  may be a wireless communication device of the type including various fixed, mobile, and/or portable devices. To expand rather than limit the previous discussion of the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device  20 , such devices may include, but are not limited to, cellular or mobile telephones, two-way radios, personal digital assistants, digital music players, Global Positioning System units, tablet computers, smartwatches, and so forth. The proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device  20  may include a processor  40 , memory  42 , storage  44 , and a transceiver  46  interconnected by a busing architecture  48  that also supports a display  50 , I/O panel  52 , and a camera  54 . It should be appreciated that although a particular architecture is explained, other designs and layouts are within the teachings presented herein. 
     In operation, the teachings presented herein permit a proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device  20 , such as a smart phone or simple transmitter, to communicate with the thermostat  14  that is able to relay an alert with location information to the server  24  and security or other individuals needing to know about the emergency. In one operational embodiment being described, the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device  20  may be “paired” on a temporary basis to the thermostat  14  on a room-by-room basis, whereby the pairing changes as the hospitality employee&#39;s location changes. As shown, the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device  20  includes the memory  42  accessible to the processor  40  and the memory  42  includes processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor  40  to send beacon signals B. The proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device  20  may on-demand or periodically transmit the beacon signal B including a data packet, the programmable device identification, as well as a mode of operation identification. 
     Referring to  FIG.  4   , with respect to the simplified proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device  20 , a processor  60 , memory  62 , storage  64 , and a transceiver  66  are supported by an interconnected busing architecture  68 . An emergency button  70  provides the activation that triggers the alert. As shown, the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device includes the memory  62  accessible to the processor  60  and the memory  62  includes processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor  60  to send beacon signals B. The proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device  20  may on-demand or periodically transmit the beacon signal B including a data packet having the programmable device identification as well as a mode of operation identification. In one embodiment, responsive to the activation of the emergency button  70 , the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device  20  immediately transmits the beacon signal B including a data packet having the programmable device identification as well as a mode of operation identification, i.e., an emergency alert. 
     Referring to  FIG.  5   , by way of example, the thermostat  14  may be a wall-mounted unit that is an informational appliance with Internet-of-things (IoT) functionality that generally contains convenience and data capabilities in addition to monitoring and controlling heating and cooling in a room or other environment to a setpoint temperature. The thermostat  14  may include a processor  80 , memory  82 , storage  84 , and one or more transceivers  86  interconnected by a busing architecture  88  within a mounting architecture that supports inputs  90  and outputs  92 . It should be understood that the processor  80 , the memory  82 , the storage  84 , the inputs  90 , and the outputs  92  may be entirely contained within a housing or a housing-dongle combination. The processor  80  may process instructions for execution within a computing device, including instructions stored in the memory  82  or in the storage  84 . The memory  82  stores information within the computing device. In one implementation, the memory  82  is a volatile memory unit or units. In another implementation, the memory  82  is a non-volatile memory unit or units. Storage  84  provides capacity that is capable of providing mass storage for the thermostat  14 . The various inputs  90  and outputs  92  provide connections to and from the computing device, wherein the inputs  90  are the signals or data received by the thermostat  14 , and the outputs  92  are the signals or data sent from the thermostat  14 . Thermostat circuitry  94  is also secured in the housing and coupled to the busing architecture  88  in order to communicate with the HVAC system to monitor and control heating and cooling to a setpoint temperature. 
     The one or more transceivers  86  are associated with the thermostat  14  and communicatively disposed with the busing architecture  88 . The transceivers  86  may be internal, external, or a combination thereof to the housing. Further, the transceivers  86  may be a transmitter/receiver, receiver, or an antenna for example. Communication between various devices and the thermostat  14  may be enabled by a variety of wireless methodologies employed by the transceivers  86 , including 802.11, 3G, 4G, Edge, WiFi, ZigBee, near field communications (NFC), Bluetooth low energy, and Bluetooth, for example. Also, infrared (IR) may be utilized. 
     The memory  82  and storage  84  are accessible to the processor  80  and include processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor  80  to execute a series of operations. With respect to the processor-executable instructions, the processor  80  is caused to receive and process the beacon signal B including a personal location device identification. More particularly, the processor-executable instructions cause the processor  80  to receive the beacon signal B via a wireless transceiver from the proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device  20 . The processor-executable instructions then cause the processor  80  to measure received signal characteristics of the beacon signal B. The instructions may then cause the processor  80  to generate a gateway signal including the personal location device identification, a gateway device identification, and a signal characteristics indicator, including the received signal characteristics of the beacon signal B. Finally, the instructions may cause the processor  80  to send the gateway signal to the server  24 . 
     Referring to  FIG.  6   , the gateway device  12  may be the gateway service device  16  that is an information appliance device that does not include television-tuner functionality and generally contains convenience and safety functionality. The gateway service device  16  includes a processor  100 , memory  102 , storage  104 , and transceivers  106  interconnected by a busing architecture  108  within a mounting architecture that supports inputs  110  and outputs  112 . The processor  100  may process instructions for execution within the computing device, including instructions stored in the memory  102  or in the storage  104 . The memory  102  stores information within the computing device. In one implementation, the memory  102  is a volatile memory unit or units. In another implementation, the memory  102  is a non-volatile memory unit or units. Storage  104  provides capacity that is capable of providing mass storage for the gateway device  12 . The various inputs  110  and outputs  112  provide connections to and from the computing device, wherein the inputs  110  are the signals or data received by the gateway device  12 , and the outputs  112  are the signals or data sent from the gateway device  12 . 
     One or more transceivers  106  may be associated with the gateway device  12  and communicatively disposed with the busing architecture  108 . The transceivers  106  may be internal, external, or a combination thereof to the housing. Further, the transceivers  106  may be a transmitter/receiver, receiver, or an antenna for example. Communication between various amenities in the hotel room and the gateway device  12  may be enabled by a variety of wireless methodologies employed by the transceivers  106 , including 802.11, 802.15, 802.15.4, 3G, 4G, Edge, Wi-Fi, ZigBee, near field communications (NFC), Bluetooth low energy, and Bluetooth, for example. Also, infrared (IR) may be utilized. 
     The memory  102  and storage  104  are accessible to the processor  100  and include processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor  100  to execute a series of operations. With respect to the processor-executable instructions, the processor  100  is caused to receive and process a beacon signal B including a personal location device identification. More particularly, the processor-executable instructions cause the processor  100  to receive a beacon signal B via the wireless transceiver from a proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device  20 . The processor-executable instructions then cause the processor  100  to measure a received signal characteristic of the beacon signal B. The instructions may then cause the processor  100  to generate a gateway signal including the personal location device identification, a gateway device identification, and signal characteristics indicator. Finally, the instructions may cause the processor  100  to send the gateway signal to the server  24 . 
     Referring now to  FIG.  7   , one embodiment of the server  24  as a computing device includes a processor  120 , memory  122 , storage  124 , and one or more network adapters  126  interconnected with various buses  128  in a common or distributed, for example, mounting architecture, that supports inputs  130  and support outputs  132 . In other implementations, in the computing device, multiple processors and/or multiple buses may be used, as appropriate, along with multiple memories and types of memory, as well as multiple storages and types of storage. Further still, in other implementations, multiple computing devices may be provided and operations distributed therebetween. The processor  120  may process instructions for execution within the server  24 , including instructions stored in the memory  122  or in storage  124 . The memory  122  stores information within the computing device. In one implementation, the memory  122  is a volatile memory unit or units. In another implementation, the memory  122  is a non-volatile memory unit or units. Storage  124  includes capacity that is capable of providing mass storage for the server  24 . The various inputs  130  and outputs  132  provide connections to and from the server  24 , wherein the inputs  130  are the signals or data received by the server  24 , and the outputs  132  are the signals or data sent from the server  24 . The network adaptor  126  couples the server  24  to a network such that the server  24  may be part of a network of computers, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), an intranet, a network of networks, or the Internet, for example. 
     The memory  122  and storage  124  are accessible to the processor  120  and include processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor  120  to execute a series of operations. In one embodiment of processor-executable instructions, the processor-executable instructions cause the processor  120  to receive a plurality of gateway signals from a plurality of gateway devices of the vertical and horizontal array. The processor  120  is caused to process the plurality of gateway signals and determine estimated location of the proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device  20 . The processor  120  may also be caused to annotate the graphical representation of the multi-space environment with location of the proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device  20 , and annotate the graphical representation of the room with the alert notification. 
       FIG.  8 A  illustrates one embodiment of signalization and data transfer. As shown, an interactive handheld device transmits data packet  150 , which is a beacon signal B, including a device indicator  152  and a mode of operation indicator  154 . The interactive handheld device also transmits data packet  156 , which is a beacon signal B, including a device indicator  158  and a mode of operation indicator  160 . The data packets  150 ,  156  are received by gateway devices; namely, thermostat THS- 1  and thermostat THS-n. The gateway device THS- 1  then establishes data packet  162 , including the device indicator  152 , the mode of operation indicator  154 , gateway device identification  164  (THS- 1 ), and signal characteristic  166  (SC- 1 ). Similarly, the gateway device THS-n then establishes data packet  168 , including the device indicator  158 , the mode of operation indicator  160 , a gateway device identification  170  (THS-n), and a signal characteristic  172  (SC-n). 
     The data packets  162 ,  168 , which are gateway signals, are transmitted to the server  24  and the server  24  analyzes the data packets  162 ,  168  and determines the estimated location of the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device  20 . The server  24  then sends out signal  174 , which includes the estimated geolocation  176  and the appropriate action  178 . 
       FIG.  8 B  depicts one embodiment of a state diagram  180  of the states of the geolocationing system  10 , which include an alert mode of operation  182 , a service request mode of operation  184 , and a tracking/non-tracking update mode of operation  186 . As will be appreciated, the modes of operation may overlap or, to a partial or full extent be combined. In the alert mode of operation  182 , a user of a proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device  20  may send an alert to indicate distress. In the service request mode of operation  184 , the user may send a service along with the location information. The tracking/non-tracking update mode  186  indicates the level of privacy the user expects and how much of the location history will be saved. 
       FIG.  9    depicts one embodiment of a method for providing safety in a hospitality environment or other environment, according to the teachings presented herein. The methodology starts at block  218 , where it progresses through block  200 , where an array of gateway devices is deployed vertically and horizontally throughout the hospitality environment. At block  202 , beacon signals are periodically transmitted from personal location devices and received by the gateway devices. 
     At block  204 , the beacon signals are received and processed at the gateway device. The beacon signals may include a personal location device identification corresponding to the device being employed by a user. In one embodiment, signal strength between the beacon transmission of the thermostats and the common area beacons at the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device is measured. In other embodiments, phase angle measurements or flight time measurements may be utilized. At block  206 , broadcast signals are sent from the gateway devices to a server that is part of the geolocation and safety network. The broadcast signals may include the personal location device identification, gateway device identification, and signal characteristic indicators. At block  208 , the server receives and processes the broadcast signals to determine an estimated location. At decision block  210 , the server takes action based on the mode of operation. In a first mode of operation at block  212 , a service request is associated with the location of the user utilizing the location of the proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device such as the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device as a proxy prior to block  220 , the methodology ending. In a second mode of operation at block  214 , an emergency alert is sent and appropriate, subsequent notification occurs at block  216  prior to the block  220 . The emergency alert includes an indication of distress and the location of the user utilizing the location of the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device as a proxy. In a third mode of operation at block  218 , the map of an individual is updated with the location of the user with, if privacy settings being enabled, the system maintains the privacy of the individual working in the hospitality environment such that the system only retains in memory the last known position and time of the user-supplied proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device prior to the block  220 . Further, in this mode of operation, the system does not reveal the location of the individual and programmable device unless and until an alert is issued. 
     The order of execution or performance of the methods and data flows illustrated and described herein is not essential, unless otherwise specified. That is, elements of the methods and data flows may be performed in any order, unless otherwise specified, and that the methods may include more or less elements than those disclosed herein. For example, it is contemplated that executing or performing a particular element before, contemporaneously with, or after another element are all possible sequences of execution. 
     While this invention has been described with reference to illustrative embodiments, this description is not intended to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications and combinations of the illustrative embodiments as well as other embodiments of the invention, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description. It is, therefore, intended that the appended claims encompass any such modifications or embodiments.