Patent Publication Number: US-2022222452-A1

Title: Wireless indoor consumer tracking

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present subject matter relates to systems and methods to associate a tracked asset tag with a user, based on a physical correspondence between the tracked asset tag and a device the user is operating. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Online marketplaces have significantly increased the amount of data online retailers are able to collect about their customers&#39; shopping habits, at an almost incidental level of cost: every single page view, every click shoppers make can be saved, analyzed, and applied to improve website performance and drive growth. This has put brick and mortar stores at a competitive disadvantage: high-quality consumer tracking in physical stores has been confined to research projects set in particular stores using specialized data-gathering setups. Therefore, detailed consumer behavior data, such as consumer movement data, has not been available to most store operators. Updating such data has required the conduct of dedicated studies, and movement data has not been linked extensively to consumer-specific, out-of-store data. 
     New technology has allowed for tracking electronic radios, like radio frequency (RF) tags through a store: the tag is usually attached to a product, or is somehow attached to the consumer. This tag can be tracked by sensors, and a graph of positional data over time can be generated. However, tagging every item in the store can be dauntingly expensive, and tagging consumers (usually via their personal smartphone) requires several authentication steps, development to ensure hardware compatibility, and sensors that can accurately track the plethora of mobile devices on the market. 
     A closed radio system, where the tracked RF tag is owned and controlled by the same entity as the in-store sensors, would produce more reliable and cost-effective tracking data. The problem in having an entirely closed ecosystem for tracking; however, is associating the tracking data with a consumer. In a closed ecosystem where a shopping cart is tracked via an attached RF tag, an RF tracking system may see that the tagged shopping cart entered the store, travelled down aisles three, seven, and twelve, before passing through the checkout area and out of the store. This cart tracking data however does not show who was moving the shopping cart. To mimic the ability to capture customer behavior found online, in-store trackers need to track particular consumers, over multiple visits. Tracking specific consumer movement data aids in learning what store designs improve or inhibit the shopping habits of certain types of consumers. To meaningfully use consumer data, the movement of a consumer needs to be associated with that consumer, across multiple visits. 
     SUMMARY 
     Hence, there is still a need for further improvement in technologies for associating a tracked asset tag in a space, and the corresponding movement data, with a user. Associating movement data with a user entails associating an electronic device with a user, and then associating that electronic device with an asset tag and its relevant movement history. 
     In an example, a system comprises one or more radio frequency-enabled nodes located within a space, each radio frequency-enabled nodes being configured to communicate with a radio frequency (RF)-enabled asset tag within the space. The RF-enabled asset tag is coupled to an asset movable within the space. A radio frequency-enabled asset tag location estimation system is configured to track location of the RF-enabled asset tag within the space and determine location estimates of the RF-enabled asset tag as the RF-enabled asset tag moves within the space responsive to communications between the one or more radio frequency-enabled nodes and the RF-enabled asset tag. An electronic hardware device is configured to accept identifying information from or about a selected user. A back end server is coupled to the radio frequency-enabled asset tag location estimation system. The back end server configured to receive asset tag location information from the asset tag location estimation system corresponding to the location estimates of the RF-enabled asset tag as the RF-enabled asset tag moves within the space. Additionally, the back end server is configured to determine, based on a predetermined correspondence criteria, a correspondence between the RF-enabled asset tag location and location of the electronic hardware device within the space. Further, in response to determining the correspondence between the RF-enabled asset tag and the electronic hardware device and based at least in part on the identifying information accepted via the electronic hardware device, the back end server is configured to associate the received asset tag location information corresponding to the location estimates of the RF-enabled asset tag as the RF-enabled asset tag moved within the space to identification of the selected user in a database. 
     In another example, a method comprises communicating with a radio frequency (RF)-enabled asset tag within a space, tracking a location of the RF-enabled asset tag within the space, determining location estimates of the RF-enabled asset tag as the RF-enabled asset tag moves within the space, and accepting identifying information from or about a selected user. The method additionally comprises determining, based on a predetermined correspondence criteria, a correspondence between the RF-enabled asset tag location and location of an electronic hardware device within the space. Further, in response to determining the correspondence between the RF-enabled asset tag and the electronic hardware device and based at least in part on the identifying information accepted via the electronic hardware device, the method includes associating the received asset tag location information corresponding to the location estimates of the RF-enabled asset tag as the RF-enabled asset tag moved within the space to identification of the selected user. 
     Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the examples will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following and the accompanying drawings or may be learned by production or operation of the examples. The objects and advantages of the present subject matter may be realized and attained by means of the methodologies, instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a functional block diagram of an example of an overall system for coordinating information from tracking of an asset tag and information for identifying a user. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a functional block diagram of an example of an asset tag. 
         FIG. 3  depicts a plan of an indoor space illustrating an example of a tracked movement path of an asset tag through the space, as the tagged asset travels between aisles, stops at a terminal, and ultimately exits the space. 
         FIG. 4  is a high level functional block diagram of a light fixture example of a wireless enabled node. 
         FIG. 5  is a high level functional block diagram of the back end server that collects and associates asset tag locations and user identifications. 
         FIG. 6  is a depiction of an indoor space with additional detail of a shopping cart asset with asset tag, a checkout counter terminal, and back end processing services. 
         FIG. 7  is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method to associate a selected user to an asset tag via a checkout counter terminal. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates an example of database entries that combine data inputs obtained from an asset tag location estimate system used to monitor the location of and movement of inventory assets and data from a user identification system used to identify selected users. 
         FIG. 9  is a simplified functional block diagram of a terminal device usable as an alternate example of equipment for identifying a user as a selected user in the identification system. 
         FIG. 10  is a simplified functional block diagram of a mobile device usable as yet another example of equipment for identifying a user as a selected user in the identification system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth by way of examples in order to provide a thorough understanding of the relevant teachings. However, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present teachings may be practiced without such details. In other instances, well known methods, procedures, components, and/or circuitry have been described at a relatively high-level, without detail, in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring aspects of the present teachings. 
     In the examples, herein, the light fixture nodes are just one example of a radio frequency (RF)-enabled node  111  with known location coordinates, which includes additional components; however, the locating of RF asset tags  195  can be applied to various other types of RF-enabled nodes  111 . Generally, the RF-enabled node  111  includes a minimum subset of components of the light fixture node shown in  FIG. 54  such as the wireless transceiver circuitry  450 , memory  442  (including the depicted node programming  445  and data), CPU  443 , and power supply  405 . However, the RF-enabled node  111  does not have to include the light source  420 , driver circuit  410 , drive/sense circuitry, and detector(s) components. An RF asset tag  195  is an example of an RF identification tag that is a chip with a radio that emits a signal with a certain signal strength, small packets of information, and has an asset tag identifier. RF-enabled nodes  111  can be connected together via wired and/or wireless networks. 
     The examples in the drawings and described below relate to locating at least one or more RF asset tags  195  using a previously commissioned wireless RF asset tag location estimation system  130 . During commissioning, a virtual map of a physical installation of RF-enabled nodes  111  (e.g., light fixture nodes) within an indoor space of a room, building, etc. or an outdoor space (e.g., streetlights) is created. 
     Although the discussion herein is focused on light fixture type luminaires that have a fixed position in a space, it should be understood that other types of luminaires can be used/sensed in lieu of light fixtures, such as lamps, particularly if the lamps have a fixed position in the space. The term “luminaire” as used herein, is intended to encompass essentially any type of device, e.g., a light fixture or a lamp, that processes energy to generate or supply artificial light, for example, for general illumination of a space intended for use of or occupancy or observation, typically by a living organism that can take advantage of or be affected in some desired manner by the light emitted from the device. However, a luminaire may provide light for use by automated equipment, such as sensors/monitors, robots, etc. that may occupy or observe the illuminated space, instead of or in addition to light provided for an organism. However, it is also possible that one or more luminaries in or on a particular premises have other lighting purposes, such as signage for an entrance or to indicate an exit. In most examples, the luminaire(s) illuminate a space of a premises to a level useful for a human in or passing through the space, e.g. general illumination of a room or corridor in a building or of an outdoor space such as a street, sidewalk, parking lot or performance venue. The actual source of illumination light in or supplying the light for a luminaire may be any type of artificial light emitting device, several examples of which are included in the discussions below. 
     The “luminaire” can include other elements such as electronics and/or support structure, to operate and/or install the particular luminaire implementation. Such electronics hardware, for example, may include some or all of the appropriate driver(s) for the illumination light source, any associated control processor or alternative higher level control circuitry, and/or data communication interface(s). As noted, the lighting component(s) are located into an integral unit, such as a light fixture or lamp implementation of the luminaire. The electronics for driving and/or controlling the lighting component(s) may be incorporated within the luminaire or located separately and coupled by appropriate means to the light source component(s). 
     The term “RF asset tag location estimation system” or “lighting system,” as used herein, is intended to encompass essentially any type of system that either includes a number of such luminaires coupled together for data communication and/or luminaire(s) coupled together for data communication with one or more control devices, such as wall switches, control panels, remote controls, central lighting or building control systems, servers, etc. 
     The illumination light output of a luminaire, for example, may have an intensity and/or other characteristic(s) that satisfy an industry acceptable performance standard for a general lighting application. The performance standard may vary for different uses or applications of the illuminated space, for example, as between residential, office, manufacturing, warehouse, or retail spaces. Any luminaire, however, may be controlled in response to commands received with the network technology of the lighting system, e.g. to turn the source ON/OFF, to dim the light intensity of the output, to adjust or tune color of the light output (for a luminaire having a variable color source), etc. 
     Terms such as “artificial lighting,” as used herein, are intended to encompass essentially any type of lighting in which a luminaire produces light by processing of electrical power to generate the light. A luminaire for artificial lighting, for example, may take the form of a lamp, light fixture, or other luminaire that incorporates a light source, where the light source by itself contains no intelligence or communication capability, such as one or more LEDs or the like, or a lamp (e.g. “regular light bulbs”) of any suitable type. 
     Illumination light output from the light source of the luminaire may carry information, such as a code (e.g. to identify the luminaire or its location) or downstream transmission of communication signaling and/or user data. The light based data transmission may involve modulation or otherwise adjusting parameters (e.g. intensity, color characteristic or distribution) of the illumination light output of the light source of the light source of the luminaire. 
     Terms such as “lighting device” or “lighting apparatus,” as used herein, are intended to encompass essentially any combination of an example of a luminaire discussed herein with other elements such as electronics and/or support structure, to operate and/or install the particular luminaire implementation. Such electronics hardware, for example, may include some or all of the appropriate driver(s) for the illumination light source, any associated control processor or alternative higher level control circuitry, and/or data communication interface(s). The electronics for driving and/or controlling the lighting component(s) may be incorporated within the luminaire or located separately and coupled by appropriate means to the light source component(s). 
     The RF-enabled nodes may be nodes for wireless communication only. In many deployments, however, at least some of the RF-enabled nodes have additional hardware for other purposes. For example, some nodes may include sensors, some nodes may include components to monitor or control equipment (e.g. equipment of a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, access control system, surveillance and alarm system, or the like). For illustration and discussion purposes, some or all of the RF-enabled nodes in the specific examples have additional hardware for lighting related purposes. Most such nodes may take the form of light fixtures or other types of luminaires that include light sources and associated driver circuitry, although some lighting system type nodes may include lighting related sensors (e.g. occupancy sensors and/or ambient light sensors), whereas other lighting system type nodes may include user interface hardware (e.g. to serve as wall-switches or wall controllers for user control of the luminaire nodes). 
     Software broadly encompasses executable program instructions and associated data if any that a programmable processor-based device utilizes to implement functions defined by the software. Various combinations of programming instructions and associated data fall under the broad scope of software. Firmware is a category of software. Although firmware may provide an operating environment for complex higher layer application programs; for a lower processing capacity device, such as a wireless enabled node for a controlled system (e.g. fixture or other device in a lighting system), the firmware provides all the programming for the data processing and operational control of device hardware to implement the wireless communications and any other functions of the particular device. 
     The space where the system is operating, can include a variety of manmade structures or natural spaces modified by direct or indirect human efforts. The space conventionally may be a retail space, but it could also be, for example, an office space, a warehouse, or a hangar. It could also be an outdoor space with node installations, such as a parking lot, or a roadway. The space could also be a mixed use area, such as a transportation hub with both indoor and outdoor radio frequency-enabled nodes, or an airport. A building space is a space that is partially or completely occupied by a structure. 
     The term “lighting system element” can include other elements such as electronics and/or support structure, to operate and/or install the particular node implementation. Such electronics hardware, for example, may include some or all of the appropriate driver(s) for any coupled illumination light source, any associated control processor or alternative higher level control circuitry, and/or data communication interface(s). As noted, the lighting component(s) are located into an integral unit, such as a light fixture or lamp implementation of the detector. The electronics for driving and/or controlling the lighting component(s) may be incorporated within the detector node or located separately and coupled by appropriate means to the light source component(s). 
     The term “coupled” as used herein refers to any logical, optical, physical or electrical connection, link or the like by which signals or light produced or supplied by one system element are imparted to another coupled element. Unless described otherwise, coupled elements or devices are not necessarily directly connected to one another and may be separated by intermediate components, elements or communication media that may modify, manipulate or carry the light or signals. 
     Light output from the fixture or other type of luminaire may carry information, such as a code (e.g. to identify the luminaire or its location) or downstream transmission of communication signaling and/or user data. The light based data transmission may involve modulating or otherwise adjusting parameters (e.g. intensity, color characteristic or distribution) of the illumination light output from the device. 
     The term “node” may refer to an RF-enabled communication device that may provide communication services, e.g. for identification services, building control system management services and the like. A node may be a connection point in a network that can receive, create, store and/or send data via communication links within the network. Each node is configurable to transmit, receive, recognize, process and originate and/or forward transmissions to other nodes, other devices operating as an access point to a network, or outside the network. The communication services provided by a node may enable networked and non-networked devices, such as asset tags, to send data to a node and receive data from the node. Each node may also be referred to as a “beacon.” 
     A “location estimation” system is a system that provides position estimation services and in some cases additional position or location based services over any relatively limited area. The area so served may be partly or entirely confined within a building, ship, mine, or other enclosed structure, but is not necessarily so confined. Hence, a “location estimation system” may operate partly or wholly in unenclosed spaces, e.g., over a campus, pedestrian mall, fairground, or the like, where such a service area may also include the interiors of one or more enclosures. Moreover, the spaces or areas served by a single system may not all be contiguous (e.g., the system may distinguish between a number of spaces at somewhat separate locations and support navigation between as well as within those spaces). 
     An “asset tag location estimation” system is a system configured to provide location estimation services that discover and utilize information about asset tag locations in flat “areas” over which a two-dimensional coordinate system is appropriate (e.g., the floor space of a store or warehouse), the technologies discussed below are also applicable to systems discovering and utilizing information about asset tag locations in three-dimensional spaces. Collection of location estimates for a tag associated with a particular asset over time may allow the system to track the position of the asset within the areas, for example, if the asset is moved within an area. 
     Although described as two systems, some or all of the components of the identification system and the asset tag location estimation system may be used in common to provide similar functions for both asset tracking and position estimations relative to a user&#39;s mobile device, in the context of an overall estimation system for RF asset tag location and mobile device position estimations. 
     In the following examples, an “asset tag” may be a movable RF-enabled device, associated with a specific object, capable of ( 1 ) receiving radio signals from network nodes, and ( 2 ) broadcasting information to the node network for relay to a back end server. A tag may also have additional capabilities as may be described with reference to the following examples. 
     Reference now is made in detail to the examples illustrated in the accompanying drawings and discussed below.  FIG. 1  is a functional block diagram of an example of a system  100  for coordinating information from tracking of an asset tag and information from estimating positions of a user device  194  (e.g., mobile device) over time. The system  100  includes a consolidated system  110 , an RF asset tag  195 , a selected user  193 , and may include the user ID device  194 . The consolidated system  110 , also referred to as an RF asset tag location estimation and identification system, includes an identification system  120 , a radio frequency (RF)-enabled asset tag location estimation system  130 , and one or more back end servers  140  that implement a back end server programming  146 . 
     The RF asset tag location estimation system  130  may be configured to track a location of a radio frequency (RF)-enabled asset tag  195 , such as within a space  101 . The RF-enabled asset tag  195  may be coupled to an asset  196  within the space. This example of an RF asset tag location estimation system  130  includes one or more radio frequency-enabled nodes  111 . These radio frequency-enabled nodes  111  each include a processor  138  and an RF transmitter (TX)/receiver (RX)  137 . Details of the radio frequency-enabled nodes  111  and communications with the asset tag  195  are explained with reference to other examples. 
     The identification system  120  may be configured to determine a location of the user device (e.g., mobile device)  194  within the space  101 , for example, by tracking the mobile device  194  the user  193  is carrying. Alternatively, the location of the user  193  may be determined using a camera based system or a radar based system. Additionally, the position of the user identification interface  125 , such as point-of-sale (POS) terminal, may be known, and the system may associate the user  193  with the location of the user identification interface  125  when the user  193  interacts with the user identification interface  125 . The identification system  120  is an RF-based communication system configured to exchange RF signals with the user device  194  and determine the location of the user device  194  based on the exchanged RF signals. Alternatively or additionally, the identification system  120  includes a user identification interface  125 , such as a POS terminal, that is configured to take identifying information from the user  193 , thereby determining the location of the user by knowing the location of the user identification interface  125 . Details of the identification system user identification interface  125  and communications with the user device  194  are explained with reference to other examples. 
     In some examples, particularly where the user is identified by their mobile device  194 , the RF transmitter (TX)/receiver (RX) of the identification system  120  can be used by the location estimation system  130 . In such an example, it is possible for all of the analogous components (RF TX/RXs  127 ,  137 ; processors  128 ,  138 ; communication interfaces  129 ;  139 ) to be co-located, and one set of components can serve the purposes of both the identification system  120  as well as the location estimation system  130 . 
     The back end server(s)  140  implementing back end server programming  146  may be coupled via a nodal wireless network  170  and respective communication interfaces  139  and  129  to the RF-enabled nodes  111   x  and the user identification interface  125 . Nodal wireless network  170  between the asset tag  195 , RF-enabled nodes  111   x , user device  194 , electronic hardware device  112  may include a wireless network, such as Bluetooth, Zigbee, etc. In some examples, however, the nodal wireless network  170  to the back end server  140 , e.g., for communication with the electronic hardware device  112  may be a wired or wireless local area network (LAN) or a wired wide area network (WAN). The back end server programming  146  may be configured to receive asset tag  195  location information from the RF asset tag location estimation system  130  corresponding to an RF-enabled asset tag  195  within the space via the communication interface  139  and nodal wireless network  170 . 
     While the identification system  120  and the asset tag location estimation system  130  are at times described separately, the identification system  120  and the asset tag location estimation system  130  may cooperate to function together as part of the consolidated system  110 , such a cooperative system may also be referred to as a radio frequency (RF) asset tag location and selected user identification system. As part of the consolidated system  110 , the respective systems  120  and  130  may share hardware and/or software resources as described with reference to the following examples. 
     Other details of the respective elements of  FIG. 1  may be described in more detail with respect to other examples. For example, the example RF asset tag  195  of  FIG. 1  may be described in more detail with reference to the asset tag example of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 2  is a functional block diagram of an example of an asset tag  195  usable with the examples described herein. Depending upon whether the asset tag  195  is an active tag or a passive tag, the asset tag  195  may have different types of components related to how the asset tag  195  is powered. For example, in the case in which the asset tag  195  is an active tag, the power source  288  may be a dedicated source of power, such as a battery, a solar cell, or the like. Conversely, if the asset tag  195  is a passive tag, the asset tag will obtain and/or convert energy from sources not dedicated to providing power the asset tag  195  for use to perform functions. For example, the passive tag may use the energy of a received signal to provide power via circuitry, such as rectifier circuit  210 , to generate power either for immediately powering the logic circuitry  240  or for later use by storing the energy using capacitors or the like. 
     Radio frequency signal transmissions from one or more nodes as described in the following examples may be received by one or more tags  195 . When configured as a passive tag, asset tag  195  includes an antenna  260 , rectifier circuit  210  (e.g., a capacitor, diodes or the like)  210 , reader circuit  220 , an information processing circuitry  280 , and a modulation circuit  230 . 
     The asset tag antenna  260  is capable of both receiving radio frequency (RF) signals and of transmitting radio frequency signals. For example, the RF signals transmitted and received by the tag  204  may be radio-frequency identification (RFID), Bluetooth, Zigbee, or the like, that may be processed according to the appropriate communication protocols. While reference is made in the examples to RFID components and signals, the RF signals transmitted, received and processed in the examples are not intended to limited to RFID components and signals. When the asset tag antenna  260  receives RF signals some of the energy in the RF signals is converted by the rectifier circuit  210  into direct current (DC) power. In the case of a passive tag configuration to tag  195 , if the received signal has sufficient signal strength, the converted DC power is sufficient to supply power to the other components of the tag  195 . 
     For example, with sufficient DC power, the information processing circuitry  280  may be powered for some interval. The received signal is also input to the reader circuit  220  which may be configured to process the input signal and output data representative of the incoming message. The information processing circuitry  280  may include logic circuitry (or simply “logic”)  240  and a memory  250 . The memory  250  may store an asset tag ID  251 , identifying the asset tag  195  to external electronic components, and other information related to the tag  195 . The logic  240  of information processing circuitry  280  may be configured to perform functions that include the processing of signals received through the antenna  260  utilizing the logic circuitry  240  and transmitting information (e.g., a unique identifier of the node that transmitted the received signal) through the antenna  260 . 
     The information processing circuitry  280  may be configured to measure a received signal strength (RSS) of a signal transmitted by a node. The measured RSS may have, or may be converted into, an RSS indicator (RSSI) value as will be described in more detail with reference to other examples. The RSS measurement capabilities of the logic  240  may be available to a passive tag implementation as well as an active tag implementation. 
     If more processing capabilities are needed, the tag  195  may be configured to receive DC power from a DC power source  288  in which case the tag  195  operates as an active tag. When implemented as an active tag, the tag  195  may include antenna  260 , DC power source  288 , reader circuit  220 , information processing circuitry  280 , and modulation circuitry  230 . The active asset tag  195  receives sufficient power form the DC power source  288  to enable operation of the reader circuit  220 , the modulation circuitry  230 , the logic  240  and the memory  250 . 
     The asset tag  195  is coupled to an asset  196 , which may be any asset being tracked by an RFID system (not shown in this example), and a customer or a user may be any person being tracked by the PS (e.g. could be an associate). Generally, the asset tracked in this example is property owned by the space&#39;s owner that is not for sale to the conventional consumer: for example, a cart, basket, or dolly. 
     Therefore asset tag  195  is some form of device capable of RF communication with the RF-enabled nodes  111 —either actively by broadcasting in a manner that the RF-enabled nodes  111  can receive via the local wireless network communication interface  113 , or passively by receiving transmissions from the RF-enabled nodes  111 . In the example of  FIG. 2 , RF-enabled nodes  111  communicate with the asset tag  195  and the back-end server  140  to determine a physical location of the asset tag  195  in the space  101 . Generally, the RF asset tag location estimation system  130  determines an initial position in the space  105  of the asset tag  195  based on one or more received signal strength indicator (RSSI) data communication measurements (e.g., Bluetooth™ or WiFi) to at least one RF-enabled node. 
     In this example, the initial position of the asset tag  195  is based on one or more RSSI data communication measurements to two RF-enabled nodes  111 . The farther the asset tag  195  is from the RF-enabled nodes  111 , the lower the respective RSSI data measurement becomes. The set of location coordinates of the RF-enabled nodes  111  are all known, and therefore the RSSI measurements are triangulated and/or trilaterated to calculate the physical location of the RF asset tag  195  within the space  101  when three or more RF-enabled nodes are able to collect RSSI data measurements. However, trilateralization with RF-enabled nodes  111  to calculate that the physical position of the asset tag  195  is between two ambiguous points is still valuable for the purposes of locating that asset tag  195 . Furthermore, even a case where only a single RF-enabled node  111  is able to collect RSSI data measurements of a given RF asset tag  195  is still valuable, as it confirms that the RF asset tag  195  is within a given radius. 
     This is one is just one possible use of a set of RF-enabled nodes  111 . The RF-enabled nodes  111  could be streetlights in an outdoor space, which are dimmed on or off. In some examples, the RF-enabled nodes  111  are BLE wireless beacons or other wireless RF devices. For example, this asset tag-tracking technique could be used with wireless beacons that are not light fixture nodes, but rather more general RF positioning nodes. As another alternative, the asset tag-tracking technique can be used with RF-enabled nodes  111 , but not in a positioning system, and instead where the physical location coordinates  127 A-W of the RF-enabled nodes  111  is needed to set up zones for dimming of a lighting system. 
       FIG. 3  is an overhead diagram of the path of a tagged asset  196  through a space  101 . The space in this example is depicted as a supermarket, however any kind of space that can be traversed by the asset could be a valid example. The tagged asset  196  has an asset tag  195 , and is a shopping cart in this example. At point  307  in the diagram, the asset is stored and is not in use. A user  193  enters the space through the entry door  340 , and takes control of the shopping cart at point  307 . The user then proceed to walk along path  311  to point  301 , potentially examining the goods on sale in the supermarket. During this, the asset tag location estimation system  130  is tracking the position of the asset tag  195 , and recording the tag&#39;s  195  position on a date and over time, within the space  101 . The asset tag location estimation system  130  does this by capturing a plurality of asset tag location estimates  361 - 366 , which correspond to the asset tag identifier (ID)  251  of the asset tag  195 . Each asset tag location estimate  361 - 366  includes a respective two-dimensional location coordinate  367 A-F of a respective point  301 - 306 , as well as a respective date/time coordinate  369 A-F, which can include a date and a time component, of the date and time at which the respective location coordinate  367 A-F is captured, in this example near noon. In other examples the location coordinates  367 A-F may include three-dimensional coordinates. 
     The user  193  moves with the shopping cart, and consequently the asset tag  195 , through a sequence of points, including: point  301  to point  302 , point  303 , point  304 , point  305 , point  306 , etc. At each of the points  301 - 306 , respective asset tag location estimates  361 - 366  are captured, which include the respective location coordinates  367 A-F at points  301 - 306  of capture, as well as the respective date/time coordinates  369 A-F at which the respective location coordinate  367 A-F is captured and the asset tag identifier  251  of the asset tag  195 . The user  193  may spend more time at some points  301 - 306  than others, hence a respective time duration  368 A-F can be determined by comparing the date/time coordinate  369 B of one location estimate  362  to the prior date/time coordinate  361 A of the prior location estimate  361 : this information can be valuable to determine user&#39;s  193  focus within the space  101  (e.g., store), and can lead to improvements in where products are located, and in what products are stocked. Finally, the user  193  proceeds with their cart and asset tag  195  down path  316  (e.g., trajectory) to point  306 , which is the point of sale terminal  320 . This point of sale terminal  320  acts as a user identification interface. 
     Until now, the consolidated system  110  has only collected path information: the consolidated system  110  has to associate that information with a specific user  193  or their account. In this example, when the user  193  performs the checkout process, they are asked to identify themselves: for instance, by presenting a membership card or ID, or by using a credit card already associated with a specific consumer account. At or near the time the user  193  makes the association, perhaps by entering their user ID number into the point of sale terminal  320 , the consolidated system locates the asset tag  195  in closest reasonable proximity to the terminal  320 . Asset tag  195  has a location estimate  366  near the terminal  320 . Because the user  193  is near the terminal  320 , and the terminal  320  is near the asset tag  195 , it is likely that the user  193  has been travelling with the asset tag  195  during their trip through the space  101 . Therefore, with this association, the consolidated system  110  can now associate the user  193  with the travel path  311 - 316  made through the store by the asset tag  195 . 
     On repeat trips, or on trips to other spaces with similar systems, the owner of the space can compare multiple store visits by the same user  193  and determine if, for example, changing the ordering of their shelves improves shopping speed. When the travel path  311 - 316  is combined with the sale data, stores can additionally see whether placing certain goods in certain places increases or decreases sales of particular goods. The travel path  311 - 316  can also be converted into a graph to aid in visualizing consumer travel through the space. 
     Once the user  193  has completed their transaction, the user  193  can continue to be tracked via the associated asset tag  195  until they leave the space  101 , in this case via the exit door  330 . The asset tag  195  is not prevented from leaving the space in this example, although once out of range of the radio frequency-enabled nodes  111  it can no longer report positional data to the consolidated system  110 . 
     The asset tag  195  may signal its position to the radio frequency-enabled nodes  111  of the consolidated system  110 , or it may track its  195  own position via RF signal sent by the radio frequency-enabled nodes  111 , and report back to the consolidated system  110  the movements of the asset tag  195 . 
     In other example, the selected user  193  has a personal user device  194 , such as a smartphone. The user device  194  can also be tracked by the consolidated system  110 , and as the selected user  193  moves through the space  101  (e.g. the store), position estimates  371 - 376  are captured, which include a respective user device identifier  377 A-F, a respective location coordinates  378 A-F, and a respective date/time coordinate  379 A-F. Location coordinates  378 A-F of the position estimates  371 - 376  and the location coordinates  367 A-F of the location estimates  361 - 366  have very similar associated points  301 - 306 . Date/time coordinates  379 A-F of position estimates  371 - 386  and the date/time coordinates of location estimates  361 - 366  are also similar as a result of being taken from the asset tag  195  and the user device  194  that were in close proximity as the selected user  193  moved through the space  101  (e.g., store). If the selected user  193  came back hours later and walked the same route, additional position estimates  381 - 386  of the user device  194  would also be captured for the selected user  193 : with similar location coordinates  378   x  corresponding to points  301 - 306  as coordinates, but at a different respective date/time coordinate  379   x.    
     The back end server  140  may determine via an asset tag location estimation programming  144  locations of the RF-enabled asset tag  195  within the space based on the location information provided by the RF asset tag location estimation system  130 . The asset tag location information includes the location estimates  361 - 366 , which include both the location coordinates  378 A-F of the points  301 - 306  of the RF-enabled asset tag  195 , as well as the date/time coordinate  379 A-F those location coordinates  378 A-F were captured. The back end server  140  may determine via the identification system programming  142  position estimates  371 - 376  of the user device  194  within the space  101  based on the location information provided by the identification system  120 . The user device  194  location information would be some or all of the position estimates  371 - 376 : the more often the user device  194  and the RF-enabled asset tag  195  were near the same place at the same time increases the probability that the two correspond. In some examples, more weight might be given to the position estimate  376  near the point of sale terminal  320 . 
     In examples where the user device  194  is not tracked, then when the selected user  193  interacts with the point of sale terminal  320  near location estimate  366 , it is presumed the selected user  193  is at point  306 , and so location estimate  366  has the only location coordinate  367 F, and date/time coordinate  369 F of the selected user  193  to correlate the asset tag  195  to the selected user  193 . The back end server programming  146  may store in the database  147  the mobile device  194  location information in the form of position estimates  371 - 376  provided by identification system  120 , the asset tag location information in the form of location estimates  361 - 366  provided by RF asset tag location estimation system  130 , and the location estimate  366  captured when the user  193  interacted with the user identification interface  125 . 
     This system can also apply to a setting where the space  101  is a warehouse, with similar improvements. Instead of a point of sale system  320 , the user identification system could be a terminal near a truck loading bay: in that example, a user  193  moves through the space  101  with a dolly equipped with an asset tag  195 , collecting goods for delivery to a departing truck. The user  193  identifies themselves in a similar manner as the customer in the supermarket example, and the owner of the system  100  now has data related to how quickly the space  101  can be traversed, or whether the items required by the user  193  are stored along an efficient path  311 - 316 . In another example, the user  193  is not identified by their input to an identification terminal  125 , but rather by their smart device  194 . 
     The user  193  enters the space  101  (e.g. the store) and takes all of the same physical actions up until interacting with the identification terminal  320 . However, the user  193  has a smart device  194  which has been authenticated with the identification system  120 . This authentication may have been performed when the user  193  installed an application, or visited a website on their smart device  194 . In this example, as the user moves from point  301  to  302 , along path  312 , the smart device  194  has had its position tracked by the identification system  120 . The consolidated system  110  takes this path  312  tracked of the smart device  194 , recorded as the difference between position estimate  375  and position estimate  376 , and the path  312  tracked of the asset tag  195 , recorded as the difference between location estimate  365  and location estimate  366 . The consolidated system  110  compares these paths, and if it finds them substantially similar, it concludes that there is an association between the smart device  194  and the asset tag  195  along path  312 . If the user  193  is associated with the smart device  194 , and the smart device  194  is associated with the asset tag  195 , and the asset tag  195  is associated with the shopping cart, then the user  193  is associated with the shopping cart. In this manner, the consolidated system  110  is able to draw a similar conclusion as it did in the example where the user  193  and the asset tag  195  are associated at the point of sale terminal  320 . 
     The example involving the smart device  194  can involve using any number of path segments  311 - 316 . Furthermore, this example is capable of disassociating a user  193  from a given asset tag  195  if the two tags stray too far apart for too long, if the user  193  leaves the space  101  without the asset tag  195 , if the asset tag is returned to storage at point  307 , or if the user  193  begins moving with a different asset tag, leaving the original asset tag  195  behind. 
     Therefore,  FIG. 3  depicts a system  100 , comprising one or more radio frequency-enabled nodes  111  located within a space  101 . Each radio frequency-enabled node  111  communicates with a radio frequency (RF)-enabled asset tag  195  within the space  101 . The RF-enabled asset tag  195  is coupled to an asset  196  movable within the space  101 . The system further comprises a radio frequency-enabled asset tag location estimation system  130  that tracks the location of the RF-enabled asset tag  195  within the space  101  and determines location estimates  361 - 366  of the RF-enabled asset tag  195  as the RF-enabled asset tag  195  moves within the space  101  responsive to communications between the one or more radio frequency-enabled nodes  111  and the RF-enabled asset tag  195 . The asset tag location estimation system  130  estimates the location of the RF-enabled asset tag  195  by using the radio frequency-enabled nodes  111  to continuously contact the RF-enabled asset tag  195 . Alternatively, the asset tag location estimation system  130  estimates the location of the RF-enabled asset tag  195  by having the RF-enabled asset tag record  195  which radio frequency-enabled nodes  111  the RF-enabled asset tag  195  is able to communicate with. 
     The system  100  additionally comprises an electronic hardware device  112  (e.g. point of sale terminal  320 ) which accepts identifying information from or about a selected user  193 . The electronic hardware device  112  is an installed stationary computing device, and the identification system  120  determines the location of the electronic hardware device  112  in the space at the time of installation. The identifying information can include a variety of identifiers, such as a customer number, a phone number, or a username. The identifying information can include unique values such as a randomly assigned loyalty account number, a non-unique value such as a birthdate, or a combination of inputs including one or more identifiers. The electronic hardware device  112  can accept the identifying input a multitude of ways: the selected user  193  can enter a customer number by using a keypad connected to the electronic hardware device  112 , or scan a barcode on a loyalty card which encodes the loyalty account number, or use a thumbprint or iris scanner to enter biometric data into the electronic hardware device  112 . Another person, such as an employee, technician, or a companion of the selected user  193  may act as an intermediary, and enter the selected user&#39;s  193  identifying information into the electronic hardware device  112 . 
     In an alternative example, the electronic hardware device is a handheld computing device  194 , such as a mobile device. In this example, the radio frequency-enabled asset tag location estimation system  130  exchanges RF signals with the handheld computing device  194  and determines the location or point  306  by examining the corresponding location estimate  366  of the handheld computing device  194 , based on the exchanged RF signals. 
     The system  100  also comprises a back end server  140  coupled to the radio frequency-enabled asset tag location estimation system  130 . The back end server  140  receives asset tag location information from the asset tag location estimation system  130  corresponding to the location estimates  361 - 366  of the RF-enabled asset tag  195  as the RF-enabled asset tag  195  moves within the space  101 . The back end server  140  additionally determines, based on a predetermined correspondence criteria, a correspondence between the RF-enabled asset tag  195  location estimate  366  and location or point  306  of the electronic hardware device  112 ,  194  within the space. In response to determining the correspondence between the RF-enabled asset tag  195  and the electronic hardware device  112 ,  194  and based at least in part on the identifying information accepted via the electronic hardware device  112 ,  194 , the back end server  140  further associates the received asset tag  195  location information corresponding to the location estimates  361 - 366  of the RF-enabled asset tag  195  as the RF-enabled asset tag  195  moved within the space  101  to identification of the selected user  193  in a database  147 . 
     The identification of the selected user  193  may be performed by a remote back end server, potentially operated outside of the lighting system  100 . In such an example, the back end server  140  sends the identifying information of the selected user  193  to the remote back end server, and receives a token that can be associated with the selected user  193 . In these examples, the back end server  140  is not required to maintain full and complete records on the selected user  193 , such as demographic and historical data, and only needs to maintain an association between the token of the selected user  193  and the location estimates  361 - 366  of the RF-enabled asset tag  195  as the RF-enabled asset tag  195  moved within the space  101  to identification of the selected user  193 . The back end server  140  can also receive a one-time token for the selected user  193 , thereby limiting the ability to track the selected user over multiple visits by solely viewing the data within the back end server  140 : the remote server in this example would be required to associate multiple one-time tokens with a single selected user  193 . 
     When the back end server  140  determines the correspondence between the RF-enabled asset tag  195  location estimates  361 - 366  and location  306  of the electronic hardware device  112 ,  194  within the space  101 , the back end server  140  indicates that the RF-enabled asset tag  195  and the electronic hardware device  112 ,  194  are located within a critical distance of one another, at least approximately when the electronic hardware device  112 ,  194  accepts the identifying information from or about the selected user  193 . The back end server  140  additionally associates the asset  196  to the selected user  193  in the database  147 . The back end server  140  further generates a graph  311 - 317  of the asset tag  195  position within the space  101  over time, based on the location estimates  301 - 306  of the asset tag  195  received from the asset tag location estimation system  130 . 
     In some examples, the selected user  193  may start using a first asset-tagged object, and the consolidated system  110  records a first set of location estimates  361 - 363  for that first asset-tagged object. However, the selected user may switch their asset-tagged object for another, and the consolidated system  110  then records a second set of location estimates  364 - 366 , corresponding to the second asset-tagged object. If the consolidated system is able to correlated the first set of location estimates  361 - 363  and the second set of location estimates  364 - 366  to the same selected user  193 , the back end server  140  further combines the asset tag  195  location estimates  361 - 366  from the asset tag location estimation system  130  corresponding to the locations estimates  361 - 366  of multiple RF-enabled asset tags  195  to create combined asset tag location information. 
     If the electronic hardware device  112 ,  194  is a mobile device  194 , the back end server  140  associates the selected user  193  to the mobile device  194 , and the back end server  140  associates the asset  196  to the selected user  193  in the database  147 . If the electronic hardware device  112 ,  194  is a handheld computing device  194 , the space  101  further comprises a threshold  330 , defined as a two-dimensional plane extending vertically between four points within the space  101 . In this alternative example, the back end server  140  performs the determination of a correspondence between the RF-enabled asset tag  195  location estimate  366  and the position estimate  376  of the electronic hardware device  194  when the RF-enabled asset tag  195  passes through the threshold  330 . The back end server  140  additionally confirms based on the predetermined correspondence criteria, the correspondence between the RF-enabled asset tag  195  location estimate  366  and the position estimate  376  of the electronic hardware device  112 ,  194  within the space  101 . Confirmation of the correspondence indicates that the RF-enabled asset tag  195  and the electronic hardware device  112 ,  194  remain located within a critical distance of one another. 
     Further, the back end server  140  determines, based on the predetermined correspondence criteria, a lack of correspondence between the RF-enabled asset tag  195  location estimate  363  and the position estimate  386  of the electronic hardware device  194  within the space  101 . This might occur if the selected user  193  parts from the tagged asset  196 , or leaves the store and returns later: the position estimates  381 - 386  in this example lack correspondence to the location estimates  361 - 366  because the location time  341 - 346  of the position estimates  381 - 386  do not align with the location times  331 - 336  of the location estimates  361 - 366 , even if the points  301 - 306  are the same. In other examples, the position estimates  381 - 386  may not match the location estimates  361 - 366  due to having different points  301 - 306  recorded, or because of a combination of mismatches in both asset tag location time  331 - 336  to electronic hardware device  194  location time  341 - 346 , and mismatches in asset tag points  301 - 303  and electronic hardware device  194  points  304 - 306 . Determination of the lack of correspondence indicates that the RF-enabled asset tag  195  and the electronic hardware device  194  are located beyond a critical distance of one another. 
     In response to the back end server  140  determining the lack of correspondence between the RF-enabled asset tag  195  location estimate  363  and the position estimate  386  of the electronic hardware  194  device within the space  101 , the back end server  140  disassociates the received asset tag  195  location information including the location estimates  361 - 366  of the RF-enabled asset tag  195  as the RF-enabled asset tag  195  moved within the space  101  to identification of the selected user  193  in the database  147 . 
     When the asset tag location estimation system  130  estimates the location of the RF-enabled asset tag  195  by having the RF-enabled asset tag  195  record which radio frequency-enabled nodes  111  the RF-enabled asset tag  195  is able to communicate with, the RF-enabled asset tag  195  sends the records of which radio frequency-enabled nodes  111  the RF-enabled asset tag  195  is able to communicate, including the Node ID  459 , with to the back end server  140  via the electronic hardware device  112 ,  194 . In this alternative example, the electronic hardware device is an installed stationary computing device  112 , or a handheld computing device  194 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the radio  430  of the light fixture node type radio frequency-enabled node  111  includes a micro-control unit (MCU)  440 , and wireless transceiver circuitry  450 . As shown, MCU  430  is coupled to driver circuit  410  and controls the lighting operations of the light source  420  via the driver circuit  410 . Light source  420  includes electrical-to-optical transducers include various light emitters, although the emitted light may be in the visible spectrum or in other wavelength ranges. Suitable light generation sources include various conventional lamps, such as incandescent, fluorescent or halide lamps; one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) of various types, such as planar LEDs, micro LEDs, micro organic LEDs, LEDs on gallium nitride (GaN) substrates, micro nanowire or nanorod LEDs, photo pumped quantum dot (QD) LEDs, micro plasmonic LED, micro resonant-cavity (RC) LEDs, and micro photonic crystal LEDs; as well as other sources such as micro super luminescent Diodes (SLD) and micro laser diodes. Of course, these light generation technologies are given by way of non-limiting examples, and other light generation technologies may be used. For example, it should be understood that non-micro versions of the foregoing light generation sources can be used. 
     A lamp or “light bulb” is an example of a single light source. An LED light engine may use a single output for a single source but typically combines light from multiple LED type emitters within the single light engine. Light source  420  can include light emitting diodes (LEDs) that emit red, green, and blue (RGB) light or tunable white light. Many types of light sources provide an illumination light output that generally appears uniform to an observer, although there may be some color or intensity striations, e.g. along an edge of a combined light output. For purposes of the present examples, however, the appearance of the light source output may not be strictly uniform across the output area or aperture of the source. For example, although the source may use individual emitters or groups of individual emitters to produce the light generated by the overall source; depending on the arrangement of the emitters and any associated mixer or diffuser, the light output may be relatively uniform across the aperture or may appear pixelated to an observer viewing the output aperture. The individual emitters or groups of emitters may be separately controllable, for example to control intensity or color characteristics of the source output. 
     In the examples herein, the light fixture node type RF enabled nodes  111  include at least one or more components forming a light source  420  for generating the artificial illumination light for a general lighting application as well as wireless transceiver circuitry  450 . In several examples, such RF-enabled nodes  111  may take the form of a light fixture, such as a pendant or drop light or a downlight, or wall wash light or the like. For example, RF-enabled nodes include a pendant down light suspended/hanging from the ceiling, a 2×4 feet light fixture flush mounted on the ceiling, or sconces hung on the wall. Other fixture mounting arrangements are possible. For example, at least some implementations of the luminaire may be surface mounted on or recess mounted in a wall, ceiling or floor. Orientation of the RF-enabled nodes  111  and components thereof are shown in the drawings and described below by way of non-limiting examples only. The RF-enabled nodes  111  may take other forms, such as lamps (e.g. table or floor lamps or street lamps) or the like. Additional devices, such as fixed or controllable optical elements, may be included in the luminaire, e.g. to selectively distribute light from the illumination light source. 
     Each respective one of the RF-enabled nodes  111  further includes wireless transceiver circuitry  450  configured for wireless communication over a nodal wireless communication network  170 . In the example, the nodal wireless communication network  170  can be a wireless mesh network (e.g., ZigBee, DECT, NFC, etc.), a personal area network (e.g., Bluetooth™ or Z-Wave), a visual light communication (VLC) network, or Wi-Fi. A VLC network is a data communications variant which uses visible light between 400 and 800 THz (780-375 nm), and is a subset of optical wireless communications technologies. 
     It should also be understood that the communication protocols over the local wireless communication network  106  may be varied, and thus may be via nLight® (commercially available from Acuity Brands Lighting), digital multiplex (DMX) control, Fresco® control network (FCN) (commercially available from Acuity Brands Lighting). FCN, DMX control, nLight®, and Z-Wave are lighting-centric networks that control a variety of luminaires  10 A-T. In some examples, the RF asset tag location estimation system  130  can further include an optional secondary network (e.g., wired or wireless), such as a LAN or WAN network for communication between the various RF-enabled nodes  111  and the back end server  140 . 
     Although other radio technologies may be used, the example utilizes Bluetooth™ radios. Although other types of networking or protocols may be utilized, the example nodal wireless network  170  implements a “flooding” type wireless protocol. Other example network protocols include “star”, “bus”, “ring”, and “mesh” type wireless protocols. 
     Although the nodal wireless network  170  may use other networking technologies or protocols, the example nodal wireless communication network  170  is a flooding (e.g. non-routed) type nodal wireless network. In such an example, the nodal wireless network  170  implements a flooding type protocol so as to distribute a transmitted packet from any source on the network throughout the nodal wireless network  170 . 
     The MCU  440  includes a memory  442  (e.g. volatile RAM and non-volatile flash memory or the like) and a node processor in the form of a central processing unit (CPU)  443 . 
     CPU  443 , including like that shown for the logic circuit  250  in  FIG. 2 , and processor  552  in  FIG. 5  serve to perform various operations, for example, in accordance with instructions or programming executable by processors  443 ,  250 ,  552 . For example, such operations may include operations related to communications with various consolidated system  110  elements, such as RF-enabled nodes  111 . Although a processor  443 ,  250 ,  552  may be configured by use of hardwired logic, typical processors are general processing circuits configured by execution of programming. Processors  443 ,  250 ,  552  include elements structured and arranged to perform one or more processing functions, typically various data processing functions. Although discrete logic components could be used, the examples utilize components forming a programmable CPU. A processor  443 ,  250 ,  552  for example includes one or more integrated circuit (IC) chips incorporating the electronic elements to perform the functions of the CPU. The processors  443 ,  250 ,  552  for example, may be based on any known or available microprocessor architecture, such as a Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC) using an ARM architecture, as commonly used today in mobile devices and other portable electronic devices. Alternatively, the processors  443 ,  250 ,  552  for example, may be based on any known or available processor architecture, such as a Complex Instruction Set Computing (CISC) using an Intel architecture, as commonly used today in servers or personal computing devices. Of course, other processor circuitry may be used to form the CPU or processor hardware in other examples of RF positioning nodes  108 . 
     It should be noted that a digital signal processor (DSP) or field-programmable gate array (FPGA) could be suitable replacements for the processor  443 ,  250 ,  552 . Program aspects of the technology may be thought of as “products” or “articles of manufacture” typically in the form of executable code or process instructions and/or associated data that is stored on or embodied in a type of machine or processor readable medium (e.g., transitory or non-transitory), such as memory  442 , memory  250  of  FIG. 2 , main memory  553  of  FIG. 5 , or a memory of a computer used to download or otherwise install such programming into the RF-enabled nodes  111 , or a transportable storage device or a communications medium for carrying program for installation in elements of the consolidated system  110 . 
     The memory  442  stores node programming  445  for implanting the operations of the radio frequency-enabled node  111 , for lighting control operations, commissioning, maintenance, and diagnostic operations and for controlling communications and/or data processing related to functions of the lighting system  100 . The memory  442  further stores location estimation programming  447  for communicating with the asset tags  204  interfacing with the RF asset tag location estimation system  130 , and additionally stores identification programming  449  for interfacing with the user identification interface  125  or the user ID device  194  smartphone used by the identification system  120  for identifying the user. 
     The memory  442  also includes location estimates  361 - 366  that have not yet been sent to the back end server  140 . These location estimates  361 - 366  each include the date/time coordinate  369 A-F, which is the date and time a respective location coordinate  367 A-F is captured. Location coordinates  367 A-F are an approximation of the two-dimensional position of the asset tag  195 . Location estimates  361 - 366  further include and the asset tag identifier  251  of the asset tag  195  for which the location estimate  361 - 366  is captured. Additionally, the memory  442  includes a node identifier (ID)  459  of the radio frequency-enabled node  111  itself to identify the radio frequency-enabled node  111  to external electronic components, and other information related to the radio frequency-enabled node  111 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the back end server  140  can map the unique node ID  459  to respective node coordinates  561 A-N of the node  111 . Additionally, the memory  442  includes position estimates  371 - 376 ,  381 - 386 , which may not have yet been sent to the back end server  140 . These position estimates  371 - 376 ,  81 - 386  are structurally similar to location estimates  361 - 366 , with respective location coordinates  378 A-F and date/time coordinates  379 A-F, but track d user device  194  and not asset tag  195 . As shown, position estimates  371 - 376   381 - 386  include a respective user device identifier (ID)  377 A-F, which identifies the user ID device  194  for which the position estimate  452  is captured, rather than an asset tag ID  251 . 
     The radio frequency-enabled node  111  is able to implement the hardware and software of the location estimation system  130 , and the identification system  120  in examples where users  193  are identified via their device  194 . The radio frequency-enabled node  111  can communicate via the nodal wireless network  170  with the back end server  140  running the back end server programming  146  including the identification system programming  142  and the asset tag location estimation programming  144 . 
     Though this radio frequency-enabled node  111  is depicted as a light fixture node, the radio frequency-enabled node  111  is not limited to being a light fixture: any RF node that connects to a nodal wireless network  170  and has the hardware to the role of a member node of the identification system  120  or asset location estimation system  130  is a valid radio frequency-enabled node  111 . 
       FIG. 5  is a functional block diagram of a general-purpose computer system, by way of just one example of a hardware platform that may be configured to implement the back end server (wireless enabled computing device)  140 . The example wireless enabled computing device  140  will generally be described as an implementation of a server platform or host type computer, e.g. as might be configured as a blade device in a server farm or in network room of a particular premises. Alternatively, the computer system may comprise a mainframe or other type of back end server system capable of web-based communications, media content distribution, or the like via the network  570  and the on-premises nodal wireless network  170 . 
     The back end server  140  in the example includes a central processing unit (CPU)  552  formed of one or more processors, a main memory  553 , and an interconnect bus  554 . The circuitry forming the CPU  552  may include a single microprocessor, the circuitry forming the CPU  552  may include a number of microprocessors for configuring the computer system  140  as a multi-processor system, or the circuitry forming the CPU  552  may use a higher speed processing architecture. The main memory  553  in the example includes ROM, RAM and cache memory; although other memory devices may be added or substituted, including magnetic type devices (tape or disk) and optical disk devices that may be used to provide higher volume storage. 
     The back end server  140  runs a variety of applications programs and stores and processes various information in a database or the like for control of the light fixtures coupled to the Bluetooth Radio  558 , wall controllers (not shown) and any other elements of the consolidated system  110  and possibly elements of an overall building managements system (BMS) at the premises. The programming and stored information includes the identification system programming  142  and the tag controller programming  144 . 
     In operation, the main memory  553  stores instructions and data for execution by the CPU  552 , although instructions and data are moved between memory  553  and the CPU  552  via the interconnect bus  554 . For example, the main memory  553  is shown storing tag and identifier (ID) location files  556 , such as locations and paths of asset tags either associated or not associated with a selected user  193 . Although tag and ID location files  556  are utilized, a database or a variety of other storage techniques can be used. A portion or all of such a tag and ID location file  556  may be transferred from main memory  553  and processed by the CPU  552  to divide the tag location data into portions for transport as contents of a sequence of packets to be sent over the nodal wireless network  170 . The back end server  140  holds the tag and ID location files  556  generated by the identification system  120  and the RF asset tag location estimation system  130 . These tag and ID location files  556  include the location estimates  361 - 366  and position estimates  371 - 376 ,  381 - 386  sent by radio frequency-enabled nodes  111 . The location estimates  361 - 366  and position estimates  371 - 376 ,  381 - 386  in the back end server  140  include the same elements shown in the radio frequency-enabled nodes  111  as described in  FIGS. 3-4 . The tag location files  556  additionally store the node coordinates  561 A-N, which include the coordinates of each unique radio frequency-enabled node  111 A-N in the system  100 , so that the back end server  140  is able to perform proper mapping and locating when processing location estimates  451 . 
     The main memory  553  stores the software programming  510  as needed for execution by the processor(s) forming the CPU  552 . When so executed, the programming  510  and thus the CPU  552  configure the wireless enabled computing device  140  to perform the functions of the back end server programming  146 , for relevant aspects of the asset tag location estimation, user identification, and user tag association described herein. 
     The CPU  552  and memory  553  may handle programs and files in a similar fashion for other functions of the consolidated system  110 , such as control of the light fixtures at radio frequency-enabled nodes  111 , operation of any wall controllers (not shown) and any other elements of the lighting system and possibly control of elements of an overall building managements system (BMS) at the premises. 
     The computer system of the back end server  140  also includes one or more input/output interfaces for communications, shown by way of example as a wireless transceiver  658  as well as one or more network interfaces  659  for data communications via the nodal wireless network  170 . Although other wireless transceiver arrangements may be used, the example back end server  140  utilizes a Bluetooth radio compatible with the particular iteration of Bluetooth protocol utilized on the nodal wireless network  170 . The Bluetooth transceiver  558 , for example, may be a Bluetooth radio of light fixture node  111  or a further type radio specifically adapted for integration and operation in a computing device like that used for the back end server  140  that also is compatible with the applicable Bluetooth protocol. Each interface  559  may be a high-speed modem, an Ethernet (optical, cable or wireless) card or any other appropriate data communications device. The physical communication link(s) to/from the interface  559  may be optical, wired, or wireless (e.g., via satellite or cellular network). 
     Although not shown, the computer platform configured as the back end server  140  may further include appropriate input/output ports for interconnection with a local display and a keyboard and mouse or with a touchscreen or the like, serving as a local user interface for configuration, programming or trouble-shooting purposes. Alternatively, system operations personnel may interact with the computer system of the back end server  140  for control and programming of the consolidated system  110  from a remote terminal device via the Internet or some other link via any network  570 . 
     The example  FIG. 5  show a single instance of a back end server wireless enabled computing device  140 . Of course, the functions of the back end server  140  may be implemented in a distributed fashion on a number of similar platforms, to distribute the processing load. Additional networked systems (not shown) may be provided to distribute the processing and associated communications, e.g. for load balancing or failover. 
     The hardware elements, operating systems and programming languages of computer systems like that of the back end server wireless enabled computing device  140  generally are conventional in nature, and it is presumed that those skilled in the art are sufficiently familiar therewith to understand implementation of the present system and associated lighting control technique using suitable configuration and/or programming of such computer platform(s) based on the description above and the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 6  is an overhead diagram of the path of a tagged asset  605  through a space  600 . The space  600  in this example is depicted as a supermarket, however any kind of space  600  that can be traversed by the asset  605  could be a valid example. The tagged asset  606  has an asset tag  607 , and is a shopping cart  606  in this example. At the beginning of the path, the shopping cart  606  is stored and is not in use. A user  193  enters the space through the door, and takes control of the tagged shopping cart  605 . The user then proceed to walk along the dotted customer flow path  608 , potentially examining the goods on sale in the supermarket  600 . During this, the asset tag location estimation system  130  is tracking the position of the asset tag  607 , and recording the tag&#39;s  607  position over time within the space  600 . The user  193  moves with the shopping cart  606 , and consequently the asset tag  607 . The user  193  may spend more time at some points along the customer flow path  608  than others, which is recorded: this information can be valuable to determine user&#39;s  193  focus within the store, and can lead to improvements in where products are located, and in what products are stocked. Finally, the user  193  proceeds with their cart and asset tag  195  down path  316  to location estimate  306 , which is the checkout counter  610 . This checkout counter  320  acts as a user identification interface  125 . 
     Up to this point, the consolidated system  110  has only collected path information: the consolidated system  110  has to associate that information with a specific user  193  or their account. However, when the user  193  performs the checkout process, they are asked to identify themselves: for example, by presenting a membership card or ID at the loyalty card/phone number punch in  612 . At or near the time the user  193  identifies themselves, the consolidated system  110  locates the asset tag  607  in closest reasonable proximity to the checkout counter  610 . It does this via an asset tag reader  611 , which may be a conventional radio frequency-enabled node  111 , or may be a radio frequency-enabled node  111  modified to have a higher level of precision in identifying which asset tags  607  are likely being used at the checkout counter  610 . Because the user  193  is near the checkout counter  610 , and the checkout counter is near the asset tag  607 , it is likely that the user  193  has been travelling with the asset tag  607  and consequently the shopping card  606  during their trip through the shopping space  600 . Therefore, with this association, the consolidated system  110  can now associate the user  193  with the customer flow path  608  made through the store  600  by the asset tag  607 . On repeat trips, or on trips to other spaces with similar systems, the owner of the space can compare multiple store visits by the same user  193  and determine if, for example, changing the ordering of their shelves improves shopping speed. When the customer flow path  608  is combined with the sale data, stores can additionally see whether placing certain goods in certain places increases or decreases sales of particular goods. 
     Once the user  193  has been identified and associated with the customer flow path  608  taken by the shopping cart  606 , the routing and purchasing information can be analyzed in a tag analytics service  620 . This service  620  may be hosted on-site, or may be hosted off-site. The analytical data generated by the analytics service  620  allow for some of the improved customer business logic  615  discussed above: improving customer experience, and increasing sales. Additionally, this data can be leveraged to improve advertising and delivery  615 , as the system owner can see, for example, what goods and displays the user  193  walked by, and did not take interest in. 
     Therefore,  FIG. 6  depicts a method comprising communicating with a radio frequency (RF)-enabled asset tag  607  within a space  600 . The method further comprises tracking the location of the RF-enabled asset tag  607  within the space  600 . This tracking occurs as the as the asset tag  607  attached to the shopping card  606  travels along the customer flow  608 . The location of the RF-enabled asset tag  607  is tracked by continuously contacting the RF-enabled asset tag with radio frequency-enabled nodes  111 , or alternatively the location of the RF-enabled asset tag  607  is tracked by recording the identity of any radio frequency-enabled nodes  111  the RF-enabled asset tag is able to communicate with. 
     The method additionally comprises accepting information from or about a selected user  193 . This acceptance occurs at the checkout counter  610 . The method additionally comprises determining, based on a predetermined correspondence criteria, a correspondence between the RF-enabled asset tag  607  location and the location of an electronic hardware device, such as the checkout counter  610 , within the space  600 . Determining the correspondence between the RF-enabled asset tag  607  location and the electronic hardware device  610  location indicates that the RF-enabled asset tag  607  and the electronic hardware device  610  are located within a critical distance of one another at least approximately when the electronic hardware device  610  accepts the identifying information from or about the selected user  193 . Determining the correspondence between the RF-enabled asset tag  607  location and the electronic hardware device  610  location is alternatively performed when the RF-enabled asset tag  607  passes through a threshold, such as an entrance or exit  609 . 
     Still further, the method comprises associating the received asset tag  607  location information corresponding to the location of the RF-enabled asset tag  607  as the RF-enabled asset tag  607  moved within the space to the identifying information from or about the selected user  193 , in response to determining the correspondence between the RF-enabled asset tag  607  and the electronic hardware device  610  and based at least in part on the identifying information accepted via the electronic hardware device  610 . 
       FIG. 7  is a flowchart of the user identification logic when the identification is performed at a terminal, such as a point of sale terminal  125 . There are two flows of logic, the checkout counter logic  701  and the business logic  751 . Operation  705  under the checkout counter logic  701  is what starts the entire flow: the user  193  has travelled the store, ideally with an asset-tagged cart  196  or basket, and is starting their checkout process. The user  193  is prompted by the point of sale terminal  125  in operation  710  to enter their phone number or scan their loyalty card, which the user  193  does. After this, the consolidated system  110  queries the asset tag ID  251  near the asset tag reader, and associates the transaction to that asset tag  195  for operation  715 . Then, it pushes all the information (the user phone number or loyalty card information, the transaction information, the asset tag ID  251 ) to the back end server  140  in operation  720 . Then, from the perspective of the user  193 , checkout ends in operation  725 , and the user  193  leaves with their purchased goods. 
     However, after operation  720  the business logic flow  751  begins. Operation  755  starts creating a customer profile. This profile is populated with the path of the asset tag  195  associated with the pushed asset tag ID  251  from the operation  720 , in operation  760 . Next, operation  765  analyses the items in the associated transaction, and discerns user intent using the association between the path of the asset tag and the items that were actually purchased. This logic may also include factors such as where the items were placed in the store. With this information, the user&#39;s  193  intent, interests, pathing, and other on-site analytics are created and stored, and the customer profile is built in operation  770 . Finally, with the profile complete, the process ends in operation  775 . 
       FIG. 8  is a human-readable representation of an example of the data stored in the back end server  140 , otherwise represented as the tag and ID location files  556 . This is a page  623  of records taken over a period of time. First, each location estimate  361 - 366 ,  871 - 870  (sixteen are shown) has a record number that identifies the individual record. Next, the system that identified the object is labeled  682 . Here, every location estimate  361 - 366 ,  861 - 870  is identified by RFID, but other examples might use systems such as GPS or cellular signal to track and triangulate asset tag positions. Third, the identity of the cart, or asset tag identifier  251 A-D. Fourth, the date/time coordinate  369   x  at which the respective location coordinates  367   x  of the respective asset tag  251 A-D is captured. Fifth, the respective location coordinates  367   x  of the respective asset tag  251 A-D from at the date/time coordinate  369   x , as X/Y coordinates. Finally, whether or not the record is associated with a selected user  193   x.    
     Some particular examples of note are records  1  and  12 : these records do not have a selected user  686 . This indicates that the cart is not associated with a user, and that the cart is not moving, is in a storage location, or is otherwise not collecting meaningful data. Records  2 ,  6 ,  10 , and  14  of cart “B” track a user “b” through the store: this is a user that has not been identified. Ideally, at some point in the future, this user will be identified either by using a point of sale terminal, or their smart device, and the selected user  686  can be updated for records  2 ,  6 , 10 , and  14  to the ID of the appropriate user. This can be compared to records  4  and  8  of cart “D”: this cart has been associated with a user, possibly by the user&#39;s use of a point of sale terminal, and consequently the selected user  686  row has been updated with their selected user ID: “u10625”. Following this, as previously noted, at record  12  the selected user is blank for cart “D”, indicating it has been returned to the storage area, awaiting a new customer. By the time of record  16 , a new customer is moving cart “D”, and that anonymous user has been assigned the ID of “d”, which will ideally be updated with the user&#39;s identity at some point in the future. 
     These records allow charting a path of a user through the store, and allows determining the speed at which they are travelling, and where they are lingering. In this example records are collected once per minute per cart, but records can be collected either more or less frequently. The collection rate can also be dynamic, based on the time of day, or based on the X/Y coordinates of the cart. 
       FIG. 9  depicts a computer with user interface elements, as may be used to implement a portable device or other type of work station or terminal device, although the computer of  FIG. 9  may also act as a server if appropriately programmed. Hardware of a computer type user terminal device, such as a PC or tablet computer, may include a data communication interface, CPU, main memory and one or more mass storage devices for storing user data and the various executable programs (see  FIG. 9 ). A mobile device ( FIG. 10 ) type user terminal may include similar elements, but will typically use smaller components that also require less power, to facilitate implementation in a portable form factor. Mobile device  194  of  FIG. 1  may be configured in a manner similar to that shown in  FIG. 10 . It is believed that those skilled in the art are familiar with the structure, programming and general operation of such computer equipment and as a result the drawings should be self-explanatory. The various types of user terminal devices will also include various user input and output elements. A computer, for example, may include a keyboard and a cursor control/selection device such as a mouse, trackball, joystick or touchpad; and a display for visual outputs. A microphone and speaker enable audio input and output. Some smartphone type mobile devices include similar but smaller input and output elements. Tablets and other types of smartphone type mobile devices utilize touch sensitive display screens, instead of separate keyboard and cursor control elements. In the example ( FIG. 10 ), the mobile device may be configured to receive the asset tag location estimate for presentation of the estimated location to a user via a touch screen display of the mobile device. The hardware elements, operating systems and programming languages of such user terminal devices also are conventional in nature, and it is presumed that those skilled in the art are adequately familiar therewith. 
     Any of the steps or functionality of the detection and aggregation protocols in  FIGS. 9-10  described herein can be embodied in programming or one more applications as described previously. According to some examples, “function,” “functions,” “application,” “applications,” “instruction,” “instructions,” or “programming” are program(s) that execute functions defined in the programs. Various programming languages can be employed to create one or more of the applications, structured in a variety of manners, such as object-oriented programming languages (e.g., Objective-C, Java, or C++) or procedural programming languages (e.g., C or assembly language). In a specific example, a third party application (e.g., an application developed using the ANDROID™ or IOS™ software development kit (SDK) by an entity other than the vendor of the particular platform) may be mobile software running on a mobile operating system such as IOS™, ANDROID™, WINDOWS® Phone, or another mobile operating systems. In this example, the third party application can invoke API calls provided by the operating system to facilitate functionality described herein. 
     Hence, aspects of the methods receiving signals, processing the received signals and generating and processing data for tracking location of an asset tag and location data of a user&#39;s mobile device in a space outlined above may be embodied in programming. Program aspects of the technology may be thought of as “products” or “articles of manufacture” typically in the form of executable code and/or associated data that is carried on or embodied in a type of machine readable medium. “Storage” type media include any or all of the tangible memory of the computers, processors or the like, or associated modules thereof, such as various semiconductor memories, tape drives, disk drives and the like, which may provide non-transitory storage at any time for the software programming and/or the relevant data. All or portions of the software and/or the relevant data may at times be communicated through the Internet, telecommunication networks, or various other data networks. Such communications, for example, may enable loading of the programming and the database from one computer or processor into another, for example, from a management server, back end server, or host computer of an enterprise location, or more generally, the location determination or estimation service provider into the computer platform and on-line to perform the relevant server functions in an actual working environment. Thus, another type of media that may bear the software elements and data includes optical, electrical and electromagnetic waves, such as used across physical interfaces between local devices, through wired and optical landline networks and over various air-links. The physical elements that carry such waves, such as wired or wireless links, optical links or the like, also may be considered as media bearing the software. As used herein, unless restricted to non-transitory, tangible “storage” media, terms such as computer or machine “readable medium” refer to any medium that participates in providing instructions to a processor for execution. 
     A server type network connected computer platform, for example ( FIG. 5 ), includes a data communication interface for packet data communication. The server computer also includes a central processing unit (CPU), in the form of circuit(s) for one or more processors, for executing program instructions. The server platform typically includes an internal communication bus, program storage and data storage for various data files to be processed and/or communicated by the server, although the server computer platform often receives and/or distributes programming and data via network communications through one or more packet data networks such as the network  70  in  FIG. 1 . The hardware elements, operating systems and programming languages of such server type computers are conventional in nature, and it is presumed that those skilled in the art are adequately familiar therewith. Of course, the server functions may be implemented in a distributed fashion on a number of similar hardware platforms, particularly to host the cloud service for firmware updates, so as to distribute the processing load. 
     A computer type user terminal device, such as a PC or tablet computer, similarly includes a data communication interface, a CPU, main memory and one or more mass storage devices for storing user data and the various executable programs. A mobile device type user terminal (not separately shown) may include similar elements, but will typically use smaller components that also require less power, to facilitate implementation in a portable form factor. The various types of user terminal devices will also include various user input and output elements. A personal computer other work station, for example, may include a keyboard and a cursor control/selection device such as a mouse, trackball, joystick or touchpad; and a display for visual outputs. A microphone and speaker enable audio input and output. Some smartphones include similar but smaller input and output elements. Tablets and other types of smartphones utilize touch sensitive display screens, instead of separate keyboard and cursor control elements. The hardware elements, operating systems and programming languages of such user terminal devices also are conventional in nature, and it is presumed that those skilled in the art are adequately familiar therewith. 
     As shown by the above discussion, some functions relating to the user identification and asset tag location estimation association may be implemented on computers connected for data communication via the components of a nodal wireless network and/or a more general data network, operating as wireless enabled computing device, as a host or server platform for firmware update service or as a user terminal for interaction therewith as shown in  FIG. 1 . Although special purpose devices may be used for the wireless enabled computing device  140 , such devices also may be implemented using one or more hardware platforms intended to represent a general class of data processing device commonly used to run gateway and/or “server” programming so as to implement the update controller or the cloud based firmware update service functions discussed above, albeit with an appropriate network connection for data communication with other equipment described above. 
     As known in the data processing and communications arts, a general-purpose computer typically comprises a central processor or other processing device, an internal communication bus, various types of memory or storage media (RAM, ROM, EEPROM, cache memory, flash memory, disk drives etc.) for code and data storage, and one or more network interface cards or ports for communication purposes. The software functionalities of such computers or the like involve programming, including executable code as well as associated stored data, e.g. files used for the updated firmware images, etc. Some of the software code, may be executed by the back end server of  FIG. 5  or by a more general purpose type wireless enabled computing device. Additional software code may be executable by the general-purpose computer like that of  FIG. 5  that functions as server hosting the user identification service  142  and asset tag location estimation association service  144 . In operation, the code is stored within the particular platform. At other times, however, the software may be stored at other locations and/or transported for loading into the appropriate general-purpose computer system. Execution of such code by a processor of the computer or other type platform enables the platform to implement portions of the selective firmware update methodology, in essentially the manner performed in the implementations discussed and illustrated herein. 
     Aspects of the user identification and asset tag location estimation association service may be embodied in programming, for example, for the wireless enabled nodes, the wireless enabled computing device or for a computer server providing the cloud service. Programming for a wireless enabled node in the illustrated examples takes the form of firmware for the node processor typically the processor of the radio circuitry in the node. Programming for other programmable equipment may take the form of software. Program aspects of the technology may be thought of as “products” or “articles of manufacture” typically in the form of executable code and/or associated data that is carried on or embodied in a type of machine readable medium. “Storage” type media include any or all of the tangible memory of the computers, processors or the like, or associated modules thereof, such as various semiconductor memories, tape drives, disk drives and the like, which may provide non-transitory storage at any time for the executable code and data of the programming. All or portions of the programming may at times be communicated through the Internet or various other telecommunication networks. For example, communications via one or more networks may enable transfer of tag location and user association data from one computer or processor into another. Thus, another type of media that may bear the programming elements includes optical, electrical and electromagnetic waves, such as used across physical interfaces between local devices, through wired and optical landline networks and over various air-links. The physical elements that carry such waves, such as wired or wireless links, optical links or the like, also may be considered as media bearing the programming. As used herein, unless restricted to non-transitory, tangible “storage” media, terms such as computer or machine “readable medium” refer to any medium that participates in providing instructions to a processor for execution. 
     Hence, a machine readable medium may take many forms, including but not limited to, a tangible storage medium, a carrier wave medium or physical transmission medium. Non-volatile storage media include, for example, optical or magnetic disks, such as any of the storage devices in any computer(s) or the like, such as may be used to implement the command set customization and distribution of software, etc. shown in the drawings. Volatile storage media include dynamic memory, such as main memory of such a computer platform. Tangible transmission media include coaxial cables; copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires that comprise a bus within a computer system. Carrier-wave transmission media can take the form of electric or electromagnetic signals, or acoustic or light waves such as those generated during radio frequency (RF) and infrared (IR) data communications. Common forms of computer-readable media therefore include for example: a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD or DVD-ROM, any other optical medium, punch cards paper tape, any other physical storage medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM and EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, flash memory in a nodal device, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave transporting data or instructions, cables or links transporting such a carrier wave, or any other medium from which a computer can read programming code and/or data. Many of these forms of computer readable media may be involved in carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions to a processor for execution. 
     It will be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions with respect to their corresponding respective areas of inquiry and study except where specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein. Relational terms such as first and second and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that includes a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element preceded by “a” or “an” does not, without further constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes the element. 
     While the foregoing has described what are considered to be the best mode and/or other examples, it is understood that various modifications may be made therein and that the subject matter disclosed herein may be implemented in various forms and examples, and that the teachings may be applied in numerous applications, only some of which have been described herein. It is intended by the following claims to claim any and all applications, modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the present teachings. Thus the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter. 
     Unless otherwise stated, all measurements, values, ratings, positions, magnitudes, sizes, and other specifications that are set forth in this specification, including in the claims that follow, are approximate, not exact. They are intended to have a reasonable range that is consistent with the functions to which they relate and with what is customary in the art to which they pertain. For example, unless expressly stated otherwise, a parameter value or the like may vary by as much as ±10% from the stated amount. 
     Except as stated immediately above, nothing that has been stated or illustrated is intended or should be interpreted to cause a dedication of any component, step, feature, object, benefit, advantage, or equivalent to the public, regardless of whether it is or is not recited in the claims. It will be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions with respect to their corresponding respective areas of inquiry and study except where specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein. Relational terms such as first and second and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises or includes a list of elements or steps does not include only those elements or steps but may include other elements or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element preceded by “a” or “an” does not, without further constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises the element. 
     The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in various examples for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed examples require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed example. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter. 
     The scope of protection is limited solely by the claims that now follow. That scope is intended and should be interpreted to be as broad as is consistent with the ordinary meaning of the language that is used in the claims when interpreted in light of this specification and the prosecution history that follows and to encompass all structural and functional equivalents. Notwithstanding, none of the claims are intended to embrace subject matter that fails to satisfy the requirement of Sections 101, 102, or 103 of the Patent Act, nor should they be interpreted in such a way. Any unintended embracement of such subject matter is hereby disclaimed.