Portable locator system

Abstract

A locator system and method for locating at least one of persons and objects within a facility comprises a plurality of badges, each badge having a badge transmitter that wirelessly transmits a signal including unique identification code, and a plurality of transceivers spatially dispersed within the facility, each of the transceivers having a transceiver receiver that receives signals including the unique identification code transmitted by a badge and a transceiver transmitter that wirelessly forwards the signals received from the badge to a central processor via a receiver.

1 . A locator system comprising: 
 a portable disposable badge including a wireless transmitter, a signal conditioner, and an oscillator, operable to periodically wirelessly transmit a data signal including a unique badge identification code;    a portable wireless transceiver including a processor, a memory including a storage area to store a unique transceiver identification code and executable instructions for operating the transceiver, and a data conditioner, operable to receive the data signal from the portable disposable badge, convert the received data signal to a format readable by the processor, and wirelessly transmit the converted signal over a network; and    a central processor including a receiver to receive signals transmitted by the transceiver and a memory including executable instructions for processing the received signals and operating the locator system.    
     
     
         2 . The locator system of  claim 1 , wherein the portable wireless transceiver automatically and periodically transmits the signals to the central processor.  
     
     
         3 . The locator system of  claim 2 , wherein the signals are transmitted asynchronously by the transceiver to the central processor.  
     
     
         4 . The locator system of  claim 3 , wherein the signals include a mechanism to alert the central processor to receive the signal.  
     
     
         5 . The locator system of  claim 4 , further comprising a collision discrimination program to resolve signal collisions.  
     
     
         6 . The locator system of  claim 2 , wherein the portable wireless transceiver transmits the signals to the central processor about every four seconds.  
     
     
         7 . The locator system of  claim 1 , wherein signals received by the central processor are selectively time stamped.  
     
     
         8 . The locator system of  claim 7 , wherein the signals are time stamped based on a detected change in location of the badge.  
     
     
         9 . The locator system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of a display and a printer coupled to the central processor for outputting data generated by the locator system.  
     
     
         10 . The locator system of  claim 1 , wherein the central processor periodically polls the transceiver and the transceiver transmits a signal to the central processor in response to the polling.  
     
     
         11 . A method for configuring a locator system including a plurality of transmitters coupled to movable objects or persons in a facility, a plurality of portable transceivers positioned at spaced-apart locations in a facility to receive signals from the transmitters, and a processor to process signals generated by the transceivers and operate the locator system, the method comprising: 
 placing a portable transceiver at a first location in need of locator system coverage;    operating the locator system with the transceiver located at the first location;    determining that a second location is in need of locator system coverage;    virtually instantaneously moving the transceiver to the second location; and    operating the locator system with the transceiver located at the second location.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 storing data relating to signals received from the portable transceiver at the first location;    storing data relating to signals received from the portable transceiver at the second location; and    comparing the data relating to signals received from the portable transceiver module at the first location to the data relating to signals received from the portable transceiver module at the second location.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising storing the results of the comparing step.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the locator system further includes a plurality of transceiver modules to receive signals from the transceivers and the processor processes signals generated by the transceiver modules, comprising: 
 installing a transceiver module at a third location;    operating the locator system with the transceiver module located at the third location;    determining that the transceiver module should be moved to a fourth location,    moving the transceiver module to the fourth location, and    operating the locator system with the transceiver module located at the fourth location.    
     
     
         15 . A locator system, comprising: 
 a plurality of portable disposable transmitter members,    a plurality of portable transceivers, and    a processor coupled to a network to receive signals from the portable transceivers, wherein:    each transmitter member includes a memory to store a unique identifier and transmits the unique identifier to the transceivers,    each transceiver includes a receiver to receive unique identifiers from transmitter members within its reception range, a transmitter to transmit data signals from the transceiver to the processor, a memory to store programs for operating the transceiver and to store a transceiver ID code, and a level detector to detect signal strength of signals received from transmitter members, and    the processor includes a receiver to receive signals from the transceivers, a clock to time stamp received signals, and memory including executable programs and commands to compare and evaluate the time stamps and the signal strengths of signals received by the transceivers to track locations and durations of visits to such locations by the portable transmitter members.    
     
     
         16 . The locator system of  claim 15 , wherein the transmitter members are sized to be attached to a person.  
     
     
         17 . The locator system of  claim 15 , wherein each transmitter member includes its own power supply.  
     
     
         18 . The locator system of  claim 15 , wherein each transceiver includes its own power supply.  
     
     
         19 . The locator system of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the transceivers includes a keypad for inputting data to be stored in the transceiver memory.  
     
     
         20 . The locator system of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the transceivers includes a display to display at least one of data and programmed conditions.