Abstract:
A guard tour system utilizing mote networks is disclosed. The system includes a web browser, a server and a plurality of motes in a network which communicate with one another using radio frequency communication. The motes have media readers associated therewith permitting the identification of guard tour officers and incident identifiers to be read from various types of media. The motes transmit guard tour data to the server via a radio frequency transceiver or a communication interface for analysis, reporting, notification or other purpose. Pre-existing mote networks can be utilized thus reducing the number of motes required for communication with the server or other computer utilized by the guard tour system.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates, in general, to guard tour systems and, more particularly, to guard tour systems that utilize mote networks. 
       BACKGROUND ART 
       [0002]    Most currently available guard tour systems utilize portable data collection devices that are carried by officers on patrol. These portable data collection devices are used to gather tour data, which are stored in the memory of the portable data collection device until the data can be transferred to a computer for analysis and reporting purposes. This transfer of data typically occurs in a batch at the end of a shift, when the memory of the portable data collection device becomes full, or at another convenient time. 
         [0003]    A tour typically starts when a guard reads his or her identifier from a barcode, magnetic stripe, or other device or media, using a portable data collection device. The portable data collection device stores the guard&#39;s identifier, along with a timestamp provided by a real time clock within the portable data collection device, in the memory of the portable data collection device. While on a tour, the guard carries the portable data collection device and uses it to read and timestamp data from checkpoints at predetermined tour locations. These checkpoints may also utilize barcodes, magnetic stripes, or other devices or media to provide the data to be recorded. Regardless of the type of data providing device or media utilized, each checkpoint has a unique identifier that can be associated with the location of the data providing device or media. If incidents occur during a tour, the guard again uses the portable data collection device to read and timestamp the data that corresponds with each incident. The result is a list of data and timestamp pairs within the memory of the portable data collection device that define the guard&#39;s activity during the course of a tour or guard shift. The collected data are then transferred to a computer for analysis and reporting purposes when the tour or shift is finished or when the memory in the data collection device is full or at another convenient time. After the data have been successfully transferred to the computer, the portable data collection device is cleared of its data. 
         [0004]    Because the data collected by the portable data collection device are often of a critical nature to a business or law enforcement facility, the device must maintain the integrity of the tour data it contains, even when the device is subjected to accidental or deliberate abuse. This is a failing of many portable data collection devices because it is inherently difficult to make portable battery powered electronic devices having sufficient durability. In addition, because portable data collection devices can carry a large volume of tour data that has been collected but not yet transferred to a computer, damage to the device can result in the loss of a significant amount of data. Furthermore, since collected data are stored only within the portable data collection devices until periodic transfer to the computer occurs, guard tour activity occurring since the last data transfer is not available for analysis and reporting purposes. 
         [0005]    In view of the inherent problems associated with the use of portable data collection devices for guard tour systems, it has become desirable to develop a guard tour system that does not require such devices. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention solves the problems associated with using portable data collection devices in guard tour systems, and other problems, by using mote networks, thus eliminating the need for such portable data collection devices. Mote networks embody unique sensor network architecture because they combine sensing devices with very small computers, called motes. Motes are battery powered and communicate via a very low power wireless connection with every other mote that is within communication range. This ability permits any mote to communicate with a distant server or other computer through intermediate motes. It also provides a robust network because multiple communication paths can be available to any particular mote. 
         [0007]    In the present invention, one or more mote networks are utilized to transmit guard tour data to an associated computer for analysis, reporting, notification, or other purpose. The present invention can utilize pre-existing mote networks, thus reducing the number of motes required for communication with the server or other computer utilized by the guard tour system software. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of the guard tour system of the present invention utilizing mote networks. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a typical mote utilized by the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of the gateway mote utilized by the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0011]    Referring now to the drawings where the illustrations are for the purpose of describing the preferred embodiment of the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention described herein,  FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of the guard tour system  10  of the present invention utilizing mote networks. The guard tour system  10 , as illustrated, includes a client, shown generally by the numeral  12 , a server, shown generally by the numeral  14 , and a mote network, shown generally by the numeral  16 . The client  12  includes a web browser  18  capable of accessing the Internet  20 . The server  14  includes an HTTP server  22 , a data retrieval and analysis program  24 , a database  26  and mote network interface software  28 . 
         [0012]    The mote network  16  utilizes mote enabled readers  30 ,  36 ,  42  and  48 , each of which consists of a media reader  32 ,  38 ,  44  and  50 , respectively, capable of reading officer and incident identifiers that are used by the guard tour system  10 . The media readers  32 ,  38 ,  44 , and  50  are connected to motes  34 ,  40 ,  46  and  52 , respectively. Officer and incident identifiers may be barcodes, magnetic stripes, RFID tags or other media or devices capable of containing the identifiers. 
         [0013]    The mote enabled readers  30 ,  36 ,  42  and  48  are placed at predetermined locations that guards visit along the guard patrol route. The motes  34 ,  40 ,  46 ,  52  and  54  automatically establish a wireless connection with each other and with any pre-existing motes that are within communication range. The only requirement is that each mote  34 ,  40 ,  46 ,  52  and  54  be within the communication range of at least one other mote in the network  16 . If locations that a guard must visit are further apart than the communication range of the motes  34 ,  40 ,  46 ,  52  and  54 , additional motes can be placed so that each mote is within the communication range of at least one other mote. 
         [0014]    The centrally located server  14  or another computer is used to collect and analyze data from the mote network  16 . Connection between the server  14  or other computer and the mote network  16  is via a wired or wireless connection to a mote  54  of the mote network  16 , utilizing a communication interface, which is present in all motes  34 ,  40 ,  46 ,  52  and  54 . The mote to which this connection is made is known as the gateway mote, which may also have a reader attached thereto. The gateway mote can be any mote of the mote network  16 , but it is typically the mote that is in closest proximity to the server  14  or other computer used to collect and analyze data. Mote network interface software  28  executing within the server  14  or other computer handles the interface with the mote network  16 . This software  28  is responsible for receiving guard tour data from the mote network  16  and storing the data in the database  26 . Data stored in the database  26  by the mote network interface software  28  are immediately available to the data retrieval and analysis program  24  which is also executing within the server  14  or other computer. In a single user system, the program  24  would make guard tour data available directly to the user by means of reports and displays. In the system  10  illustrated in  FIG. 1 , such reports and displays are made available to multiple users by means of web browsers  18  which communicate with the server  14  by means of the Internet  20 . HTTP server software  22  executing within the server  14  handles the interface between the multiple web-based users and the data retrieval and analysis program  24  within the server  14 . 
         [0015]    It should be noted that different system architectures are possible, or even desirable, depending on the installation. For example, access for multiple users could be provided by a local or wide area network (LAN or WAN) instead of the Internet  20 . Similarly, the web browser  18  could be replaced with client software to access data via a LAN or WAN instead of the Internet  20  directly from the database  26  or from the data retrieval and analysis program  24 . In another alternative for larger installations the HTTP server software  22 , data retrieval and analysis program  24 , database  26  and mote network interface software  28  could each reside on separate computers. 
         [0016]    When the guard visits locations during the course of a tour, the guard reads his or her identifier using the mote enabled reader  30 ,  36 ,  42 ,  48 . Software within the mote  34 ,  40 ,  46  and  52  associated with the media reader  32 ,  38 ,  44 ,  50 , respectively, provides a timestamp and an identifier unique to the mote enabled reader  30 ,  36 ,  42 ,  48 , and its location. The guard identifier, mote enabled reader identifier, and timestamp are then transmitted via the mote network  16  to the server  14  or other computer where the data are stored in database  26 , as previously described. 
         [0017]    If incidents occur during the course of a guard&#39;s patrol, the guard reads identifiers corresponding to the incidents using the nearest mote enabled reader  30 ,  36 ,  42 ,  48 . Software within the mote  34 ,  40 ,  46 ,  52  associated with the media reader  32 ,  38 ,  44 ,  50 , respectively, provides a timestamp and an identifier unique to the mote enabled reader  30 ,  36 ,  42 ,  48 , and its location. The incident identifier, mote enabled reader identifier, and timestamp are then transmitted via the mote network  16  to the server  14  or other computer where the data are stored in the database  26 , as previously described. 
         [0018]    Data that are stored in the database  26  are sufficient for the data analysis and retrieval program  24  to determine which guards visited each location and when each visit was made. Incident data stored in the database  26  are sufficient for the data analysis and retrieval program  24  to determine which incidents occurred at or near each location and when each incident was reported. This information can be made available to users almost immediately while the guard is still at or near the last reported location. This availability of information has obvious advantages when compared with guard tour systems utilizing typical portable data collection devices. 
         [0019]    A schematic diagram of a typical mote  34 ,  40 ,  46 , and  52  is illustrated in  FIG. 2 . As shown, each mote  34 ,  40 ,  46 , and  52  is comprised of an integrated circuit  60 , a battery  62  and a power monitor  64 . The integrated circuit  60  includes a communication interface  66 , digital input/output ports  68 , a radio frequency transceiver  70 , a processor  72 , a SRAM  74 , a flash memory  76 , and a clock  78 . The flash memory  76  stores the operating system and associated programs of the mote, which are executed by the processor  72  utilizing the SRAM  74  and the clock  78 . The operating system and the associated programs monitor the digital input/output ports  68  and transmit corresponding data to the server  14  via the radio frequency transmitter  70  within the mote and antenna  80 . The operating system and associated programs also handle other functions such as relaying communications to and from other motes  34 ,  40 ,  46 ,  52  and  54  of the mote network  16 , and providing output signals as appropriate to connected devices via the digital input/output ports  68 . 
         [0020]    The battery  62  provides power for the operation of the integrated circuit  60  and its associated circuitry. A power monitoring circuit  64  monitors battery condition and provides data indicating battery condition as an input to the digital input/output ports  68  which are monitored as previously described. If the mote involved is not mote  54 , the data indicating the battery condition is transmitted, to the server  14  via the radio frequency transmitter  70  within the mote and antenna  80 . If the mote involved is mote  54 , the data indicating the battery condition is transmitted to the server  14  via the communication interface  66  within the mote, as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0021]    Data from a media reader  32 ,  38 ,  44 , or  50  is inputted to the digital input/output ports  68  which are monitored by the operating system and associated programs of its mote, as previously described. The data are processed and time stamped by the operating system and associated programs of the mote using the clock  78 . The time stamped data are subsequently transmitted to the server  14  via the radio frequency transmitter  70  within the mote and antenna  80  if the mote involved is not mote  54 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . If the mote involved is mote  54 , the time stamped data are transmitted to the server  14  via the communication interface  66  within the mote, as shown in  FIG. 3 . The operating system and associated programs of the mote provide output signals as appropriate to the media reader  32 ,  38 ,  44 , or  50  indicating the success or failure of the read operation. Depending on the design of the reader, this signal can cause the reader to illuminate an LED or emit a sound to indicate a successful read to the guard on patrol. 
         [0022]    A schematic diagram of the gateway mote  54  is illustrated in  FIG. 3 . As shown and as previously described, the gateway mote  54  is identical to the other motes  34 ,  40 ,  46 ,  52 , but it is also connected by a wired or wireless connection directly to the server  14 . The gateway mote  54  is the only mote of the mote network  16  with such a connection, and it is the mote through which all traffic of the mote network  16  is routed. 
         [0023]    Certain modifications and improvements will occur to those skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing. It is understood that all such modifications and improvements have been deleted herein for the sake of conciseness and readability, but are properly within the scope of the following claims.