Tracking system using proximity and/or presence

摘要

A system simultaneously tracks multiple objects. All or a subset of the objects includes a wireless receiver and a transmitter for providing an output. The system includes one or more wireless transmitters that send commands to the wireless receivers of the multiple objects instructing different subsets of the multiple objects to output (via their respective transmitter) at different times. The system also includes object sensors that receive output from the transmitters of the multiple objects and a computer system in communication with the object sensors. The computer system calculates locations of the multiple objects based on the sensed output from the multiple objects. In some embodiments, the system can also track an item based on proximity of that item to one or more of the objects. In such embodiments, the multiple objects each includes one or more local sensors. The local sensors detect presence of the item and the items' transmitters communicate presence of the item based on respective one or more local sensors. The computer system identifies a location of the item based on communications from one or more of the objects indicating presence of the item and the calculated locations of the multiple objects detecting the item.

主权项

1. A method for tracking, comprising:
automatically determining locations of multiple moving objects using a first tracking technology; automatically sensing that a first object of the multiple moving objects is in proximity of an item with a tracking technology that is different than the first tracking technology; identifying and storing a location of the first object as a first location of the item in response to sensing that the first object is in proximity of the item; automatically sensing that a second object of the multiple moving objects is in proximity of the item; and identifying and storing a location of the second object as a second location of the item subsequent to the storing the location of the first object as the first location of the item and in response to sensing that the second object is in proximity of the item.