Patent Description:
This description relates to operation of security systems in particular physical intrusion and alarm systems installed on commercial or residential premises.

It is common for businesses and homeowners to have a security system for detecting alarm conditions at their premises and signaling the conditions to a monitoring station or to authorized users of the security system. Sensors types typically include motion detectors, cameras, and proximity sensors (used to determine whether a door or window has been opened). One particular type of senor is a badge or tag reader to track movement of an credentialed individual within a premises, such as in a major commercial or industrial facility.

Real-time location systems (RTLS) use an active system to determine the current location of a moving tag within an environment. Different systems use different technologies to determine the location, but such systems typically use either distance measurement or angle measurement (or a combination of the two) between two or more elements in the system with known locations (e.g., locating elements) and the element in the system that is being located (e.g., a tag).

<CIT>discloses a location tracking system for tracking the location of items within a controlled area which comprises a plurality of RFID tags located according to the required accuracy of the location determinations. Vehicles configured to transport items being tracked include two RFID interrogators configured to acquire RFID information from the plurality of RFID tags and to transmit the RFID tag information to a location authority. The separation of the two RFID interrogators is set based on the spacing of the plurality of RFID tags such that the required accuracy results.

<CIT> discloses a system comprising a plurality of reference tags affixed to reference locations in a coverage area and configured to form a wireless mesh network. The system also includes a call tag configured to communicate with the plurality of reference tags and to collect data regarding the communication with the plurality of reference tags. The call tag is configured to send a first signal in response to an event. A positioning system is coupled to the wireless mesh network and configured to receive the first signal and the data collected by the call tag. The positioning system is further configured to process the data collected by the call tag to determine the call tag location with respect to the plurality of reference tags.

<CIT> discloses a system and method for acquisition management of subject position information that utilizes RFID to store position information in position tags. Tag programmers receive position information from external positioning systems, such as GPS, from manual inputs, such as keypads, or other tag programmers. The tag programmers program each position tag with the received position information. Both the tag programmers and the position tags can be portable or fixed.

<CIT> discloses a gateway which enables communication between a personal area network and an Internet Protocol network. The gateway includes a first interface device for connecting to the personal area network, a second interface device for connecting to the IP network, and a gateway controller. In one embodiment, the gateway controller allocates ports on an IP interface to one or more clients in said personal area network, stores a routing table in memory for relating said clients in said personal area network with their corresponding ports, and transfers messages between said personal area network clients and said IP network based on entries in said routing table. The gateway may function in conjunction with a gateway proxy.

<CIT> discloses an emergency system for providing an emergency function in which the system is required to provide an autonomous and self-diagnostic capability so the system can be tested when not in operation in an emergency situation. A plurality of emergency devices are provided which have transmitters and receivers for producing a mesh network. Each device has a processor for establishing a preferred wireless communication link of the mesh network to another device for relaying signals and messages. The devices are arranged in subnets and the subnets are also grouped into groups of devices which may cross various subnets so that only one group of devices can be tested at a particular time.

Several problems limit the efficacy of real-time location systems (RTLS). A traditional RTLS system depends on having accurate position information for each of the locating elements. These locating elements either need to be fixed at an a priori known location or if they are portable elements, the elements location needs top be accurately determined at setup time. GPS is often used to determine the location of portable locating elements. However that is only possible in locations where GPS is functional and accurate (i.e. outdoors without obstructions).

The difficulty of setting up and determining the position the locating elements requires a person who is highly trained in the use of the system and takes a significant amount of time to deploy. The distance between the Locating Elements and the Tag is limited by a number of factors depending on the technology that is used. For line of sight systems such as laser based ranging systems, there can be no obstructions. Even for systems that can penetrate obstructions such as those using Radiating Electromagnetic energy (RF), obstructions decrease the range of these applications. The accuracy of the tag location is often compromised by a phenomenon called multipath which causes reflected signals to be picked up by the receiver which interfere with the signal enough to cause a decrease in the accuracy of the calculated location or make the location completely inaccurate. The location information that is received by the system is typically provided in geographic coordinates. To use this location information, a system translates these coordinates into a location on a map or floor plan of a building such as "on the second floor near the north stairwell of the town hall building.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a real-time location system according to claim <NUM> is provided.

According to an additional aspect of the present invention, a method of real-time location tracking according to claim <NUM> is provided.

The disclosed real-time location system resolves or mitigates these issues by changing the way the system is deployed and decoupling the setup process from the tag location finding process.

Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention is apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

Described herein are examples of network features that may be used in various contexts including, but not limited to, security/intrusion and alarm systems. Example security systems may include an intrusion detection panel that is electrically or wirelessly connected to a variety of sensors. Those sensors types may include motion detectors, cameras, and proximity sensors (used, e.g., to determine whether a door or window has been opened). Typically, such systems receive a relatively simple signal (electrically open or closed) from one or more of these sensors to indicate that a particular condition being monitored has changed or become unsecure.

For example, typical intrusion systems can be set-up to monitor entry doors in a building. When a door is secured, a proximity sensor senses a magnetic contact and produces an electrically closed circuit. When the door is opened, the proximity sensor opens the circuit, and sends a signal to the panel indicating that an alarm condition has occurred (e.g., an opened entry door).

Data collection systems are becoming more common in some applications, such as home safety monitoring. Data collection systems employ wireless sensor networks and wireless devices, and may include remote server-based monitoring and report generation. As described in more detail below, wireless sensor networks generally use a combination of wired and wireless links between computing devices, with wireless links usually used for the lowest level connections (e.g., end-node device to hub/gateway). In an example network, the edge (wirelessly-connected) tier of the network is comprised of resource-constrained devices with specific functions. These devices may have a small-to-moderate amount of processing power and memory, and may be battery powered, thus requiring that they conserve energy by spending much of their time in sleep mode. A typical model is one where the edge devices generally form a single wireless network in which each end-node communicates directly with its parent node in a hub-and-spoke-style architecture. The parent node may be, e.g., an access point on a gateway or a sub-coordinator which is, in turn, connected to the access point or another sub-coordinator.

Referring now to <FIG>, an exemplary (global) distributed network topology for a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) is shown. In <FIG> the distributed network <NUM> is logically divided into a set of tiers or hierarchical levels 12a-12c.

The global distributed network topology for the sensor network includes distributed rule engines denoted by the circle element "R" at individual nodes or collections of nodes. In an upper tier or hierarchical level 12a of the network are disposed servers and/or virtual servers <NUM> running a "cloud computing" paradigm that are networked together using well-established networking technology such as Internet protocols or which can be private networks that use none or part of the Internet.

Applications that run on those servers <NUM> communicate using various protocols such as for Web Internet networks XML/SOAP, RESTful web service, and other application layer technologies such as HTTP and ATOM. The distributed network <NUM> has direct links between devices (nodes) as shown and discussed below.

The distributed network <NUM> includes a second logically divided tier or hierarchical level 12b, referred to here as a middle tier that involves gateways <NUM> located at central, convenient places inside individual buildings and structures. These gateways <NUM> communicate with servers <NUM> in the upper tier whether the servers are stand-alone dedicated servers and/or cloud based servers running cloud applications using web programming techniques. The middle tier gateways <NUM> are also shown with both local area network 17a (e.g., Ethernet or <NUM>) and cellular network interfaces 17b.

The distributed network topology also includes a lower tier (edge layer) 12c set of devices that involve fully-functional sensor nodes <NUM> (e.g., sensor nodes that include wireless devices, e.g., transceivers or at least transmitters, which in <FIG> are marked in with an "F") as well as constrained wireless sensor nodes or sensor end-nodes (marked in the <FIG> with "C"). In some examples wired sensors (not shown) can be included in aspects of the distributed network <NUM>.

Referring now to <FIG>, a real-time location system <NUM> using stationary, wireless sensor nodes and a portable transceiver is described. The system <NUM> includes a positioning transceiver system (PTS) <NUM>, a tag transceiver with location marker programmer (TTLMP) <NUM>, a location marker (LM) <NUM>, a mobile tracking system <NUM> and a mobile monitoring and display system <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, the positioning transceiver system <NUM> includes a subsystem 42a that determines the position of the positioning transceiver system <NUM> relative to a global coordinate system such as latitude and longitude. An example of such a system would be a GPS receiver. The PTS <NUM> also includes a traditional positioning element 42b that is used to determine the distance or angle to the traditional tag. The system <NUM> also includes circuitry <NUM> including a microprocessor and memory subsystem 43a that is used to control the elements of the positioning transceiver system <NUM>, (as well as a Battery and Power Electronics subsystem 43c that supplies power to the system during operation and a communications subsystem 43b that provides data and time synchronization between the various other Positioning Transceiver Systems (not shown), as well as communication of data to the Tagging Transceiver with Location Marker Programmer <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, the tag transceiver with location marker programmer <NUM> includes an Tag Element 44a that together with the Positioning Elements 42b (<FIG>) are used to determine the location of the tag transceiver with location marker programmer <NUM> relative to the global position coordinates, a Location Marker Programmer 44b that is used to program a location marker with the coordinates and user-friendly location information. The tag transceiver with location marker programmer <NUM> also includes circuitry <NUM> including microprocessor and memory subsystem 45a (as well as a Battery and Power Electronics subsystem 45c) and a communications subsystem 45b that is used to control the elements of the Tag Transceiver 44a and Location Marker Programmer 44b, supply power to the Tag Transceiver 44a and Location Marker Programmer 44b during operation with the communications subsystem providing data and time synchronization between various Positioning Transceiver Systems.

Referring to <FIG>, the Location Marker <NUM> is shown. The location marker <NUM> is a low cost element that is programmed with geo coordinates of the location that the location marker <NUM> will be affixed to and/or a user-friendly location (e.g., a user supplied name) by the tag transceiver with location marker programmer <NUM> (<FIG>). The location marker <NUM> includes circuitry <NUM> including a processor 47a that controls functionality of the location marker <NUM> and memory 47b that can be programmed with the geo coordinates and / or the friendly location information by the Tag Transceiver with Location Marker Programmer <NUM> and a communications block 47d that communicates with the Tag Transceiver with Location Marker Programmer <NUM>.

Also included in the location marker <NUM> is an antenna 46a for the communication block 47d. The antenna 46a can be configured to provide different sensitivity patterns to allow for directional reading. The location marker <NUM> also includes an energy Storage and Power Electronics module 47c that provides power to the system during operation. The Location marker <NUM> may be either powered with an internal battery, an external power source or powered by harvesting power from the Tag Transceiver with Location Marker Programmer <NUM> during programming and from the mobile monitoring and display system <NUM> (<FIG>) during the tracking phase, as discussed below.

Referring to <FIG>, a mobile tracking system <NUM> is carried by a user and is used to read location information from nearby location markers <NUM> that are placed around a site. The mobile tracking system <NUM> communicates the geo coordinates and / or the user-friendly location information to the mobile monitoring and display system <NUM> during the tracking phase of operation. The mobile tracking system <NUM> includes a location marker reader 48a that reads information from location markers <NUM> during the tracking phase of operation, an antenna 48b that facilitates communication with the Location markers <NUM> and circuitry <NUM> including a microprocessor and memory 49a that controls the operation of the individual components of the mobile tracking system <NUM>. Also included in the circuitry <NUM> are a battery and power electronic block 49b that provides power to the system <NUM> and a communications block 49c that provides a communication channel between the mobile tracking system <NUM> and the mobile monitoring and display system <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, a mobile monitoring and display system <NUM> displays the status and geo coordinates and / or user friendly location of one or more mobile tracking systems on a display which may also display maps or floor plans of a site or building. The mobile monitoring and display system <NUM> includes a display 50a that communicates visual and / or audible information about the geo coordinates and / or the user-friendly location information of the mobile tracking systems <NUM> that are associated with the mobile monitoring and display system <NUM>. The mobile monitoring and display system <NUM> also includes a microprocessor and memory 51a that controls the functionality of the mobile monitoring and display system <NUM> and battery and power electronics 51b that provides power to operate the mobile monitoring and display system <NUM> and a communications block 51c that provides a communication channel to one or more mobile tracking systems that are associated with this mobile monitoring and display system <NUM>.

Setting up the system <NUM> involves setting up several Positioning Transceiver System elements <NUM> around a site or building that is to be so equipped. Each of these elements is placed in a known geographic location or in a location where a geographic position receiver system such as GPS would have ability to accurately determine their geo coordinates. The Positioning Transceiver Elements are placed in locations that would be within range of the areas of the site or building to be surveyed and equipped with location markers <NUM>.

Once the positioning transceiver system <NUM> are placed throughout the site, a user begins a survey by taking a tag transceiver with location marker programmer <NUM> to various locations around the site that are to be tagged with location markers <NUM>. Typically the location markers <NUM> will be placed in locations such as hallways, doorways, elevators, stairways and other choke points where traffic will move during the tracking phase of operation. When a location is found to place a location marker, the tag transceiver with location marker programmer <NUM> determines the geo coordinates of that location and/or the user enters a user-friendly name (such as "Northwest Stairway, <NUM>nd Floor") into the tag transceiver with location marker programmer <NUM>. The location marker <NUM> is programmed with the geo location and/or the user-friendly name of the location and the location marker <NUM> is affixed to the building or site in that location. The information can include the type of asset, e.g., smoke detector, exit sign, an id of the asset, the geo coordinates, location in the premises. This process is repeated in each location around the site or building so that the building or site has adequate coverage to allow tracking during the tracking phase of operation.

Referring now to <FIG> a typical example of the programming of location markers <NUM> during the deployment phase of operation is shown. In this case there are <NUM> Positioning Transceivers <NUM> that are placed in <NUM> locations outside of the building. Two location markers <NUM> are shown with both geo coordinates and user-friendly location names. The location marker <NUM> (right side of the diagram) is being programmed by the tag transceiver with the location marker programmer <NUM>.

According to a non-claimed example of the present disclosure, in the event that it is impractical or otherwise undesirable to determine the geo coordinates of the various location markers <NUM> around the site or building, the tags can be programmed with just the user-friendly location information. Even without the geo coordinates, the friendly location name provides significant value for tracking the location during the tracking phase of operation.

Referring now to <FIG>, during the tracking phase of operation, the mobile tracking system <NUM> is deployed into the site usually affixed to a person or high value asset that is being tracked. As the mobile tracking system <NUM> moves around the site, the mobile tracking system <NUM> moves near various location markers <NUM> that are located around the building or site. As the mobile tracking system <NUM> reads the various location markers, the mobile tracking system <NUM> produces a record of the time that the location marker <NUM> was read and the geo coordinate information and the user-friendly location name on each of the location markers <NUM>. This information is communicated over a communication channel to the mobile monitoring and display system <NUM>. In some cases, more than one mobile tracking system. <NUM> may be deployed to a site or building that may be individually displayed on the Mobile Monitoring and Display System <NUM>.

Referring now to <FIG> and <FIG>, a potential use case with emergency personnel carrying a mobile tracking system <NUM> as part of their gear is shown. In this example, there are <NUM> firefighters that are located in two different locations around the building. In this example, the mobile monitoring and display system <NUM> (<FIG>) displays just the friendly name of the last known location of the firefighters and how long ago they were at that location.

The mobile tracking system <NUM> uses location markers (not shown) that may have significant over range of operation allowing the location markers to be read from a large distance away, which could pose a problem. There are several approaches to manage that over-range: The power in the location marker reader may be adjusted down to read only a short distance. The antenna size in the location marker and/or the location marker reader may be configured to minimize over-range. The location marker may be configured with a narrow beam antenna that could be directed at a specific region to narrow the read-zone and reduce the over-range as shown in <FIG>. Also as shown in <FIG>, two location markers <NUM> with narrow beam antennas may be placed nearby one another which could provide direction of motion and the speed of the mobile tracking system <NUM> as it passes within range of both location markers <NUM>. The location marker <NUM> can contain accuracy information that allows the zone of presence around the location marker <NUM> to be displayed along with the location information. The location marker <NUM> may store information using encryption techniques that allow only authorized users to read the information.

The location tracking system <NUM> may be implemented using any appropriate type of computing device, such as a mainframe work station, a personal computer, a server, a portable computing device, or any other type of intelligent device capable of executing instructions, connecting to a network, and forwarding data packets through the network and can execute any appropriate computer programs to generate, receive, and transmit data packets for use on the network.

Each of processes discussed above may be stored on one or more non-transitory machine-readable media, such as computer memory persistent or non-persistent to store executable instructions. Each of these devices may also include one or more processing devices (e.g., microprocessors, programmable logic, application-specific integrated circuits, and so forth) for executing the instructions to perform all or part of the functions described herein.

Elements of different implementations described herein may be combined to form other embodiments not specifically set forth above. Elements may be left out of the structures described herein without adversely affecting their operation. Furthermore, various separate elements may be combined into one or more individual elements to perform the functions described herein.

An example, non-limiting application of the WSN is in a security system for intrusion detection, fire, toxic gas, monitor, etc. installed at one or more premises such as one or more residential houses or building(s) and especially in, e.g., commercial, industrial, buildings, complexes, etc..

<FIG> shows an example of a security system having features of the WSN described with respect to <FIG> and having the various functionalities described herein. As shown in <FIG>, correlation processing receives inputs from certain constrained nodes (although these can also be fully functional nodes). These inputs may include credential information and video information, and the correlation processing may produce correlated results that are sent over the network. Context management processing receives inputs from certain constrained nodes (although these can also be fully functional nodes) e.g., credential information and video and grouping information, and performs context processing with results sent over the network. The network supports operation of emergency exit indicators; emergency cameras as well as distributed rule processing and rule engine/messaging processing. Range extenders are used with e.g., gateways, and a real time location system receives inputs from various sensors (e.g., constrained type) as shown. Servers interface to the WSN via a cloud computing configuration and parts of some networks can be run as sub-nets.

The sensors provide in addition to an indication that something is detected in an area within the range of the sensors, detailed additional information that can be used to evaluate what that indication may be without the intrusion detection panel being required to perform extensive analysis of inputs to the particular sensor.

For example, a motion detector could be configured to analyze the heat signature of a warm body moving in a room to determine if the body is that of a human or a pet. Results of that analysis would be a message or data that conveys information about the body detected. Various sensors thus are used to sense sound, motion, vibration, pressure, heat, images, and so forth, in an appropriate combination to detect a true or verified alarm condition at the intrusion detection panel.

Recognition software can be used to discriminate between objects that are a human and objects that are an animal; further facial recognition software can be built into video cameras and used to verify that the perimeter intrusion was the result of a recognized, authorized individual. Such video cameras would comprise a processor and memory and the recognition software to process inputs (captured images) by the camera and produce the metadata to convey information regarding recognition or lack of recognition of an individual captured by the video camera. The processing could also alternatively or in addition include information regarding characteristic of the individual in the area captured/monitored by the video camera. Thus, depending on the circumstances, the information would be either metadata received from enhanced motion detectors and video cameras that performed enhanced analysis on inputs to the sensor that gives characteristics of the perimeter intrusion or a metadata resulting from very complex processing that seeks to establish recognition of the object.

Sensor devices can integrate multiple sensors to generate more complex outputs so that the intrusion detection panel can utilize its processing capabilities to execute algorithms that analyze the environment by building virtual images or signatures of the environment to make an intelligent decision about the validity of a breach.

Memory stores program instructions and data used by the processor of the intrusion detection panel. The memory may be a suitable combination of random access memory and read-only memory, and may host suitable program instructions (e.g. firmware or operating software), and configuration and operating data and may be organized as a file system or otherwise. The stored program instruction may include one or more authentication processes for authenticating one or more users. The program instructions stored in the memory of the panel may further store software components allowing network communications and establishment of connections to the data network. The software components may, for example, include an internet protocol (IP) stack, as well as driver components for the various interfaces, including the interfaces and the keypad. Other software components suitable for establishing a connection and communicating across network will be apparent to those of ordinary skill.

Program instructions stored in the memory, along with configuration data may control overall operation of the panel.

The monitoring server includes one or more processing devices (e.g., microprocessors), a network interface and a memory (all not illustrated). The monitoring server may physically take the form of a rack mounted card and may be in communication with one or more operator terminals (not shown). An example monitoring server is a SURGARD™ SG-System III Virtual, or similar system.

The processor of each monitoring server acts as a controller for each monitoring server, and is in communication with, and controls overall operation, of each server. The processor may include, or be in communication with, the memory that stores processor executable instructions controlling the overall operation of the monitoring server. Suitable software enable each monitoring server to receive alarms and cause appropriate actions to occur. Software may include a suitable Internet protocol (IP) stack and applications/clients.

Each monitoring server of the central monitoring station may be associated with an IP address and port(s) by which it communicates with the control panels and/or the user devices to handle alarm events, etc. The monitoring server address may be static, and thus always identify a particular one of monitoring server to the intrusion detection panels. Alternatively, dynamic addresses could be used, and associated with static domain names, resolved through a domain name service.

The network interface card interfaces with the network to receive incoming signals, and may for example take the form of an Ethernet network interface card (NIC). The servers may be computers, thin-clients, or the like, to which received data representative of an alarm event is passed for handling by human operators. The monitoring station may further include, or have access to, a subscriber database that includes a database under control of a database engine. The database may contain entries corresponding to the various subscriber devices/processes to panels like the panel that are serviced by the monitoring station.

All or part of the processes described herein and their various modifications (hereinafter referred to as "the processes") can be implemented, at least in part, via a computer program product, i.e., a computer program tangibly embodied in one or more tangible, physical hardware storage devices that are computer and/or machine-readable storage devices for execution by, or to control the operation of, data processing apparatus, e.g., a programmable processor, a computer, or multiple computers.

Actions associated with implementing the processes can be performed by one or more programmable processors executing one or more computer programs to perform the functions of the calibration process. All or part of the processes can be implemented as, special purpose logic circuitry, e.g., an FPGA (field programmable gate array) and/or an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit).

Generally, a processor will receive instructions and data from a read-only storage area or a random access storage area or both. Elements of a computer (including a server) include one or more processors for executing instructions and one or more storage area devices for storing instructions and data. Generally, a computer will also include, or be operatively coupled to receive data from, or transfer data to, or both, one or more machine-readable storage media, such as mass storage devices for storing data, e.g., magnetic, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks.

Claim 1:
A real-time location system (<NUM>) comprises:
- a plurality of positioning transceiver systems (<NUM>) configured to determine, for each positioning transceiver system (<NUM>), its corresponding position, relative to a global coordinate system, during set up of the real-time location system (<NUM>);
- a tag transceiver with location marker programmer (<NUM>) configured to determine the location of the tag transceiver relative to global position coordinates and configured to:
- provide global coordinate location information for programming a plurality of location markers (<NUM>) with location information;
- receive user-friendly location information that is a user supplied name of the location; and
- program the plurality of location markers (<NUM>) with location information;
- the plurality of location markers (<NUM>) programmed by the tag transceiver with location marker programmer (<NUM>), the plurality of location markers (<NUM>) being programmed with location information of the locations that the location markers (<NUM>) are affixed to around a site, and the user-friendly location information;
- a mobile tracking system (<NUM>) configured to read location information from nearby location markers (<NUM>) that are placed around the site; and
- a mobile monitoring and display system (<NUM>) configured to receive signals from the mobile tracking system (<NUM>) to display status and geo coordinates of the mobile tracking system (<NUM>).