IP Library Granted Patent US 10,038,945
Granted Patent B2
US 10,038,945 · App. 14/952,608 · Granted Jul 31, 2018

Apparatus and method for activity monitoring

Inventors: Philippe Gilberton (Geveze, FR); Guillaume Bichot (La Chapelle Chaussee, FR); Ali Louzir (Rennes, FR)
Assignee: Thomson Licensing
H04Q9/00G08B21/0423H04L12/4625H04W4/028H04W4/029Y02D70/00Y02D70/142Y02D70/144Y02D70/166Y02D70/26
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,038,945
App. No.
14/952,608
Granted
Jul 31, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electronic apparatus includes a communication unit that communicates with a tag located within a target region when the communication unit is active within the target region, and a processor configured to monitor an activity within the target region based on status information from the tag received by the communication unit, wherein the activity comprises at least one of opening and closing of a member arranged within the target region.

Claims (32)

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a first communication unit configured to communicate with a tag located on a member within a target region when the first communication unit is active within the target region;

a processor configured to monitor a status of the member within the target region based on an intensity of a status signal received by the first communication unit from the tag located on the member, said processor including an internal timer, said timer is initiated to measure a duration time indicating a period upon determining the intensity of the status signal is above a level, wherein the status identifies a first open position of the member during which the status signal is above the level and a second closed position of the member during which the status signal is below the level; and

a memory configured to store the status signal received from the tag with a time stamp and the duration time during which the member is in the first open position, the status signal with the time stamp and duration time forming a log file enabling monitoring of the status for the member and detection of activities, wherein said processor is further configured to detect the status of the member being different from a pattern stored in the log file and, upon detecting the status of the member is different from the stored pattern, provide a notification.

2. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the electronic apparatus is located within the target region, so as to activate the first communication unit when the electronic apparatus is located within the target region.

3. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , further comprising: a second communication unit configured to receive location information so that the processor determines that the electronic apparatus is located within the target region.

4. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first communication unit communicates with the tag by a signal belonging to a group comprising at least: a Radio Frequency signal, an Ultra-High Frequency signal, an Industry Science Medical signal, a Surface Acoustic Wave signal, a Bluetooth signal, an iBeacon signal, an ultrasonic signal, and an audio signal.

5. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the duration time, the duration time measuring a period for which the member is open, based on the intensity of the status signal.

6. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the processor is configured to trigger an alarm when the determined duration time exceeds a threshold time.

7. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the memory is further configured to store at least the monitored activity.

8. An activity monitoring method to be implemented in an electronic apparatus, comprising:

communicating with a tag located on a member within a target region when a first communication unit of the electronic apparatus is active within the target region;

monitoring, by the first communication unit, a status of the member within the target region based on an intensity of a status signal received from the tag located on the member, the status identifying a first open position of the member during which the status signal is above a level and a second closed position of the member during which the status signal is below the level;

initiating a timer upon determining the intensity of the status signal is above a level;

determining a duration time indicating a period during which the intensity of the status signal is above the level indicating the member is in the first open position;

storing the status signal received from the tag with a time stamp and the duration time during which the member is in the first open position, the status signal with the time stamp and duration time forming a log file enabling monitoring of a status for the member;

detecting the status of the member being different from a pattern stored in the log file; and

upon detecting the status of the member is different from the stored pattern, provide a notification.

9. The activity monitoring method as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising: determining whether the electronic apparatus is located inside the target region, activating the first communication unit of the electronic apparatus when the electronic apparatus is located within the target region.

10. The activity monitoring method as claimed in claim 9 , comprising receiving, by a second communication unit of the electronic apparatus, location information to determine that the electronic apparatus is located within the target region.

11. The activity monitoring method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the first communication unit communicates with the tag by a signal belonging to a group comprising at least: a Radio Frequency signal, an Ultra-High Frequency signal, an Industry Science Medical signal, a Surface Acoustic Wave signal, a Bluetooth signal, an iBeacon signal, an ultrasonic signal, an audio signal.

12. The activity monitoring method as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising: determining a duration time for which the member is open, based on the intensity of the status signal.

13. The activity monitoring method as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising: triggering an alarm when the duration time detected by the detecting exceeds a threshold time.

14. The activity monitoring method as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising: storing, in a storage unit of the electronic apparatus, at least the monitored activity and the determined duration time.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a computer program product at least one of downloadable from a communication network and recorded on a medium at least one of readable by a computer and executable by a processor, said computer program product including program code instructions for implementing an activity monitoring method comprising:

communicating with a tag located on a member within a target region when a first communication unit of an electronic apparatus is active within the target region;

monitoring, by the first communication unit, a status of the member within the target region based on an intensity of a status signal received from the tag located on the member, the status identifying a first open position of the member during which the status signal is above a level and a second closed position of the member during which the status signal is below the level;

initiating a timer upon determining the intensity of the status signal is above a level;

determining a duration time indicating a period during which the intensity of the status signal is above the level indicating the member is in the first open position;

storing the status signal received from the tag with a time stamp and the duration time during which the member is in the first open position, the status signal with the time stamp and duration time forming a log file enabling monitoring of a status for the member;

detecting the status of the member being different from a pattern stored in the log file; and

upon detecting the status of the member is different from the stored pattern, provide a notification.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY NAME FROM INTERDIGITAL CE PATENT HOLDINGS TO INTERDIGITAL CE PATENT HOLDINGS, SAS. PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 47332 FRAME: 511. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Feb 28, 2024
From: THOMSON LICENSING
To: INTERDIGITAL CE PATENT HOLDINGS, SAS
Reel/Frame 066703/0509 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 26, 2018
From: THOMSON LICENSING
To: INTERDIGITAL CE PATENT HOLDINGS
Reel/Frame 047332/0511 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 29, 2017
From: GILBERTON, PHILIPPE; BICHOT, GUILLAUME; LOUZIR, ALI
To: THOMSON LICENSING
Reel/Frame 043744/0001 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 14306884 · Nov 26, 2014 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160150299A1 · May 26, 2016