Granted Patent B2

US 12,322,269 · App. 18/371,746 · Granted Jun 3, 2025

Inventors: Hendrik J Volkerink (Palo Alto, CA); Ajay Khoche (West San Jose, CA); Taylor Albert Gregoire-Wright (Palo Alto, CA); Aaron Storrs (Santa Cruz, CA)

G08B21/182G06K19/06037

Abstract

Claims (46)

1. A method comprising:

determining deployment of a smart wireless tracking belt by:

detecting fastening of the smart wireless tracking belt; and

reading sensors of the smart wireless tracking belt to determine no movement is detected during a settling period;

detecting unexpected movement of the smart wireless tracking belt by:

reading sensor data from at least one movement sensor of the smart wireless tracking belt; and

processing the sensor data to detect movement of the smart wireless tracking belt; and

generating an alert when the unexpected movement is detected.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating an alert comprises sending a wireless message including a unique identifier of the smart wireless tracking belt to a server, wherein the server sends a message to a mobile gateway located near the smart wireless tracking belt.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating an alert comprises sending a wireless message including a unique identifier of the smart wireless tracking belt directly to a mobile gateway near the smart wireless tracking belt.

4. The method of claim 1 , the step of generating an alert comprising sending a wireless message including a unique identifier of the smart wireless tracking belt directly to a wireless receiver of an equipment associated with the smart wireless tracking belt.

5. The method of claim 1 , the step of detecting fastening of the smart wireless tracking belt comprising:

reading sensor data from a magnetic sensor positioned in a head portion of the smart wireless tracking belt; and

processing the sensor data to determine presence of a magnetic field of at least one magnet positioned in a tail portion of the smart wireless tracking belt.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising determining unexpected unfastening of the smart wireless tracking belt by:

reading sensor data from the magnetic sensor at intervals; and

processing the sensor data to determine when the magnetic sensor does not sense the at least one magnet.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising logging at least one of the detected fastening, the detected unfastening, and the detected unexpected movement, and sending the log to an external device.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a unique ID from an external device proximate the smart wireless tracking belt;

determining that the unique ID corresponds to authorized personnel; and

determining movement is expected when the unique ID corresponds to authorized personnel.

9. A method comprising:

determining deployment of a wireless tracking device by:

detecting a fastening of a portion of the wireless tracking device; and

reading sensors of the wireless tracking device to determine no movement is detected during a settling period;

detecting unexpected movement of the wireless tracking by:

reading sensor data from at least one movement sensor of the wireless tracking device; and

processing the sensor data to detect movement of the wireless tracking device; and

generating an alert when the unexpected movement is detected.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

determining that an equipment associated with the wireless tracking device is currently subject to a lockout/tagout procedure;

determining that the lockout/tagout procedure has been violated based the unexpected movement.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising responsive to determining that the lockout/tagout procedure has been violated, controlling a display of the wireless tracking device to display an indication that the lockout-tagout procedure has been violated.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the display comprises one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and the indication comprises emitting light from the one or more LEDs.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the wireless tracking device comprises a display to indicate a status of the wireless tracking device.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the determining that the equipment associated is currently subject to the lockout/tagout procedure comprises receiving a wireless communication comprising an association between the wireless tracking device and the equipment.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the determining that the equipment associated is currently subject to the lockout/tagout procedure comprises receiving a wireless communication comprising an association between the wireless tracking device and a physical lockout control.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the wireless tracking device comprises a smart wireless tracking belt.

17. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

transmitting the alert to an equipment, wherein the equipment initiates one or more shutdown actions in response to receiving the alert.

18. The method of claim 9 , further comprising transmitting the alert to an authorized personnel.

19. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

detecting that the unexpected movement is authorized movement; and

sending a message to a server associated with the wireless tracking device.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising extinguishing a status display of the wireless tracking device.

Continuity (5)

References Cited (76)