ES2354549A1 - Electronic equipment for the identification, control and safety of groups of individuals in mobility - Google Patents

Abstract

ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT FOR THE IDENTIFICATION, CONTROL AND SAFETY OF GROUPS OF INDIVIDUALS IN MOBILITY, comprising identification bracelets (one by group member) with RFID label for the periodical transmission of identification signals, SD card and mobile device with SD slot for the reception of the identification radio frequency signals transmitted by the bracelet and treatment of data contained within it. The mobile device is a PDA or UMPC or other, able to receive signal in a continuous manner, differentiate the potency, distinguish whether it is in a fewer centimetres rage, which signals it receives, make listings, warn if one or more bracelets have not been received, implement a search and identify a bracelet and show data. Furthermore, it is contemplated a PC computer which the mobile device is synchronized with, provided with application and repository for managing data of individuals and bracelets and theirs relationships.

Description

Electronic equipment for identification, control and security of groups of individuals in mobility.

Object of the invention

The invention, as expressed in the statement of This specification refers to an electronic device for the identification, control and security of groups of individuals in mobility, contributing to the function to which it is intended notables advantages and new features, compared to other systems currently known in the market for the same purpose.

More particularly, the object of the invention is focused on a device of electronic devices that, being applicable for groups of children, elderly, disabled, tourists, etc. on excursions, guided tours, leisure trips, camps, or other activities that require the mobility of the group, and being basically formed by a mobile device controlled by the person responsible for the group and a plurality of devices with RFID tag ( Radio Frequency acronym) Identification , in Spanish Radio Frequency Identification), preferably constituted by bracelets, which each of the group's individuals wear, is intended to constitute a system for the identification, control and security of said group of individuals in such mobility circumstances. in a continuous and autonomous way, allowing the person responsible for that group to have at all times controlled each and every one of the members of the group, both globally and individually, allowing, in addition, among other advantages, to access additional information on different aspects of each of these individuals.

Field of application of the invention

The field of application of the present invention falls within the technical sector of radiofrequency identification technologies, applied to the safety of groups of people in mobility. These technologies are commonly known as RFID ( Radio Frequency Identification ).

Background of the invention

As is known, RFID (acronym for Radio Frequency Identification ) is a remote data storage and retrieval system that uses devices called RFID tags, transponders or tags. The fundamental purpose of RFID technology is to transmit the identity of an object (similar to a unique serial number) using radio frequency waves. RFID technologies are grouped into the so-called Auto ID ( Automatic Identification ).

An RFID tag is a small device, similar to a sticker, which can be attached or incorporated into a product, animal or person. They contain antennas to allow them receive and respond to requests by radio frequency from a RFID emitter-receiver, often called RFID readers. Passive tags do not need power internal electric, while active if required, normally using a battery normally for this. One of the advantages of the use of radiofrequency (instead, for example, of the infrared technology) is that direct vision is not required Between sender and receiver.

Systems are appearing on this technology that allow, either, to detect the passage of people (passive RFID), or well, locate people in an area (active RFID), providing more complete traceability and security solutions.

In the state of the art we find:

- Systems for tracking people with fixed and active RFID based infrastructures: Utility Model ES 1064033 U, Patent ES 2303465. They consist mainly of a infrastructure of readers and antennas placed in the passage areas of people, who carry an active RFID card that is identified when the person passes through the area with antennas. They allow some distance (typically a few meters) between tag and antenna for correct identification.

- Systems for identification based objects using mobile readers: patent PI 0700437, ES 2159502. It is a component of a mobile device that acts as an RFID reader that allows, at greater (active RFID) or less (passive RFID) distance, the Control mainly of objects.

- Systems based on the detection of remoteness of objects: patent PI 0700437. Systems that detect the remoteness of an object from a central reader.

- Systems for object safety: patent ES 2280888. RFID-based systems to prevent theft of objects.

Therefore RFID technology is combined with different way to offer different solutions:

- Antennas and fixed readers infrastructure for passive identification of passive RFID tags (with the action of user) or assets (for automatic passage of people and objects). It allows traceability and / or location of people and objects.

- Use of mobile RFID readers, mainly used by individuals, for the identification of people and objects primarily using passive RFID tags and by approaching the RFID reader.

- Use of fixed and mobile RFID readers to detect the removal of active RFID tags, for security purposes against theft

The combination and the different use of the RFID technology offers various solutions to problems of identification, traceability, location, control, security, etc., of objects and people, however, was not found in the current state of the art no document or patent that, such as make the invention recommended here, give solution to the following generic situation:

- Group of individuals in charge of a person (or several), responsible for your safety in time spaces determined.

- Both the group and the person in charge have geographical mobility at any level (within a building, outdoor enclosure, unbounded space, travel between different geographical points, etc.).

- The individuals in the group are exposed to get lost, want to escape the discipline of the group, stay forgotten in a place when the group has abandoned it, that is identification necessary for access to relevant data (data identification, medical, family environment, contact, etc.).

They are therefore the objectives of the present invention:

- The distance identification (meters) of the individuals by the person responsible for:

* Control of the presence of the individuals of the both punctual group (group listings, at the request of the person in charge) as continuous (safety radio, autonomously if need interaction by the responsible)

* Search for lost individuals

- Short distance identification (centimeters) of the individuals by the person responsible for:

* Unique identification of the individual

* Access to critical data (doctors, environment family) for safety in situations such as possible allergies to meals, environment or medication, collected by unauthorized persons, etc.

The current state of the art does not solve all the challenges they present to cover the situation described:

- Allow to discriminate between identification to distance (meters) of individuals and identification by approach (centimeters) of the RFID reader or receiver to the tag or ID bracelet RFID technology is designed for a identification without discriminating distance. A system identifies or no, regardless of distance, just in the event of reception in an RFID reader or not of the signal sent by a tag.

- Allow continuous identification in the time and mobility of all system components.

- Manage identification and information for timely and continuous presence control.

Thus, on the part of the applicant, ignores the existence of any other invention that presents some technical, structural and configuration features similar to those presented by the electronic equipment for identification, control and security of groups of individuals in mobility here advocated, whose characterizing details and Distinctive with respect to what is already known, they are developed exhaustively below and are conveniently collected in the Final claims that accompany this report descriptive

Explanation of the invention.

So, then, and as noted previously, the invention recommends an electronic equipment for the identification, control and security of groups of individuals in mobility which is a tool for localization, identification and security of a group of individuals in mobility of continuously and autonomously, allowing a person to have everything controlled moment to each and every person in the group.

The equipment is intended to be applied in the group care (children, elderly, disabled ...) in excursions, guided tours, group trips, camps, places leisure, etc., avoiding the risk of any of the components of the group may be lost, in addition to having a database of interest of each person.

For this, the equipment basically comprises a mobile device, consisting of a PDA or a UMPC, with which the person responsible for the group works and is equipped with an SD-type memory card, and a plurality of devices with transceiver or RFID tag, preferably made up of wristbands, which each of the individuals in the group carry, including a PC in which a computer application and a repository is incorporated to allow the administration of individuals, groups, and the assignment of wristbands, as well as the possibility of managing information from different group managers, access permissions to information, etc. The mobile device is able to synchronize the information managed on the PC for later
use.

Thus, for example, in a possible use of the equipment, in which a group of children goes on an excursion, a monitor or Group manager owns a mobile device (PDA or UMPC) while children wear a bracelet each. The bracelet emits periodically an identifying signal received by the device mobile if they are in a range of about 20 meters.

Thanks to the continuous reception of the identification of the wristbands the monitor accesses different functionalities:

- List control: the person in charge may make an entry list of children at the beginning of the excursion, check at any time that all children are they find in a nearby radius and at the end of the excursion perform a check-out of the members. For this the responsible so just by pressing a button you can "go through the list" so that the mobile device identify all bracelets that are around.

- Individual Control: in addition to the control of "group" lists explained above, you can also make a list one by one of the users with bracelet, approaching the mobile device to each bracelet of each child.

- Individual Information: the monitor, approaching the mobile device to the bracelet, you can access data related to the bracelet user (name, surname, information of interest, such as people authorized to pick up a child, medical data, etc.).

- Security Radio: the mobile device may notify the monitor if any of the children have not been detected for a certain period of time (for example 2 minutes), to prevent a child from getting lost.

- Search for a child: the monitor can select a child so that the mobile device searches for the signal of A child that may have been lost.

In addition to the features described, it It has a PC application that allows the administration of individuals, groups, and the allocation of bracelets, as well as the possibility of managing information of the monitors, permissions of access to information, etc. The mobile device is capable of synchronize the information managed on the PC for later use described in the previous points.

Additionally, the possibility of incorporate the team, as long as the circumstances allow being particularly optimal for indoor use, one or more fixed beacons in the area to be monitored, thus achieving greater coverage and even the advantage of being able to locate in certain areas defined where each bracelet is at each moment.

In summary, the advantages of the invention regarding the current state of the art are essentially the following:

It is an electronic mobile identification device based on radiofrequency comprising a plurality of bracelets identification (one for each group member) of small Size provided with an RFID tag for periodic shipping of identification signals and a mobile device that allows, by using an SD type memory card (secure digital), the reception of the RF identification signals sent by identification bracelets, as well as the treatment of data.

In addition, the existence of a PC computer, for the management of the data of individuals and of Identification bracelets and their relationships.

The aforementioned mobile device can be a PDA or UMPC ( Ultra Mobile PC ) or any portable device with SD card slot being able to receive the identification signals of one or more identification bracelets, as well as discriminating the power of the signals of identification received, being able to discern whether it is meters or centimeters by threshold of power of the received signals.

It should also be noted that the device mobile can continuously receive identification signals without the need for interaction by the responsible user, Synchronize with computer information.

The mobile device, using the SD card can discern in a timely manner that identification signs of The received bracelets are within your coverage radius to know what bracelets (or individuals that carry them) to know if it is missing some, being able to make group entry lists of the individuals, punctual, and exit.

The mobile device can notify if one or several bracelets have not been received in a certain time (security radio).

Also, thanks to the SD card and the possibility of discrimination of signal strength, implements the search for one or more bracelets (or individuals that carry them).

The mobile device allows, through the possibility to discern if the bracelet is centimeters from said device, identify a bracelet and display the data (personal, medical, environment, etc.) corresponding to the individual who carries it.

The described electronic equipment for identification, control and security of groups of individuals in mobility thus represents an innovative structure of structural and constitutive characteristics unknown up to now for that purpose, reasons that together with its practical utility, the provide sufficient grounds to obtain the privilege of exclusivity requested.

Description of the drawings

To complement the description that is being performing and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, is attached herein descriptive, as an integral part of it, of a game of planes, in which with an illustrative and non-limiting nature, represented the following:

Figure number 1.- Shows a representation schematic of the three basic elements of the equipment object of the invention and its interactions: identification bracelets, which send the identification signal, received by devices phones, which can synchronize information with the PC.

Preferred Embodiment of the Invention

In view of the aforementioned figures, and of according to the numbering adopted in them, it is observed as the The device in question includes the following elements:

A plurality of wristbands (1) with RFID tag, a mobile device (2) with SD card and a PC
(3).

The PC (3) is a personal computer where install the system management software, for which it is equipped of an application where all devices can be managed and system users, as well as a data repository that will include the application data.

For its part, the mobile device (2) can be constituted by a PDA or by a UMPC (ultra portable PC with or without keyboard) and, using the SD type memory card, will allow control of the bracelets (1) according to the configuration made in the PC application (3), so that it will allow the display of the data and the control of the bracelets (1) with the functionalities corresponding, while the data repository contains a replica of the PC database (3).

The mobile device (2) PDA or UMPC, how to represented in figure 1, synchronize the data in the database managed on the PC (3), so that, from the signals of identification sent by the bracelets (1) and the data of the Data repository can offer the control functionalities of lists, control and individual identification, search and radio of security.

As for the wristbands (1), each one has a PCB ( Printed Circuit Board or printed circuit board) as a support for a transceiver or RFID tag, that is, a radio frequency based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard ( such as the Texas Instruments CC2430 type) plus the additional components necessary for its operation (2 crystals for the clocks, decoupling capacitors, polarization resistors, adaptation for the RF port and antenna).

The antenna is, for example, an antenna in Microstrip adapted by a commercial balun.

The whole device is powered through A battery holder for a button cell.

Each bracelet (1) sends a plot of identification, containing the MAC address information of the RFID transceiver chip or RFID tag and the value of battery, remaining between frame and frame in low power mode.

For this, the firmware of the bracelet consists of Four differentiated blocks:

- Radio frequency control

- Localization frame timing

- Button control

- Battery control

- The radio frequency control block is ZigBee frame sending manager.

- The frame timing block of location is responsible for the randomization of time between frames to avoid collisions and mount the location plot to Send. It also includes the battery level data in the plot.

- The button control block executes the Routine attention routine when the power button is pressed Bracelet.

- The battery control block monitors the battery level and determine if this value is found by above the minimum value for the operation of the bracelet.

For its part, the SD type memory card with which counts the mobile device (2) is, for example, a card ZigBee-SDIO, and consists of a PCB as support, for example a Texas Instruments CC2430, plus the components additional necessary for its operation (2 glasses for clocks, decoupling capacitors, polarization resistors, adaptation for the RF port and antenna).

The antenna is, for example, an antenna in Microstrip adapted by a commercial balun.

The device is powered through the interface SD when entering the Host slot, that is, the device mobile (2).

The firmware of the mobile device (2) consists of two differentiated blocks:

- RF control

- SDIO interface control

The radio frequency control block is responsible for receiving ZigBee frames. When a plot is stores and generates an event in the interface control block SDIO so that it generates an interruption to the host.

The SDIO interface control block manages communications through the SD interface generating the responses to the commands received.

In the event that the mobile device (2) is a PDA, this one, whose only requirement will be to have a system operating compatible with the PC application and contain slot for the SD memory card, thanks to the continuous reception of the identification of the bracelets (1), offers the following functionalities:

- List control: allows you to make a list of entry of the wearers of the bracelet (1), check in any time that all bracelet wearers are found in a nearby radius and an exit record of the members.

- Individual Control: in addition to the control of "group" lists explained above, you can also make a one-to-one listing of the bracelet wearers, bringing the mobile device closer to each bracelet.

- Individual Information: the monitor, approaching the mobile device to the bracelet, you can access data related to the bracelet user (name, surname, information of interest, such as people authorized to pick up a child, medical data, etc.).

- Security Radio: the mobile device may notify the monitor if any of the children have not been detected for a certain period of time (for example 5 minutes), to prevent a child from getting lost.

- User search with bracelet: allows select a user with bracelet for the mobile device Look for the sign of a child that may have been lost.

- Synchronization with the PC database: allows synchronizing the data of the database of the managed PC by the application so that the PDA has the data of the bracelets, bracelets bearers, and their relationships.

The same features offered in the PDA are offered for small computers such as UltraMobilePC (UMPC). Therefore, through the UMPC it is also possible to perform:

- List control

- Individual control

- Individual Information

- Search

- Security radio

Any market UMPC may be used that have a 7-inch screen, compatible operating system and SD slot

The PC application, meanwhile, allows the Management of users carrying bracelets and bracelets offering:

- User management: create, modify and erase user data.

- Group management: allows managing users in groups.

- Bracelet management: create, modify and delete the data from the system bracelets.

- Assignment of bracelets to users: allows assignment of bracelets to users for later relationship in the identification and other functional offered in the PDA and the UMPC

- Synchronization: to allow the data synchronization

Finally, it should be noted that, in addition, contemplates the incorporation to the team of one or several beacons (no represented in the figures) fixed in the area to be monitored, intended to achieve greater coverage and to locate in certain defined areas where each bracelet is in each moment, being formed by a PCB as support (for example a Texas Instruments CC2430), plus additional components necessary for its operation: two crystals for watches, decoupling capacitors, polarization resistors, adaptation for the RF port, power, and antenna.

Describe sufficiently the nature of the The present invention, as well as the way of putting it into practice, is not considers it necessary to extend its explanation so that any subject matter expert understands its scope and advantages that derive from it, stating that, within its essentiality, may be implemented in other forms of realization that differ in detail from that indicated as example, and which will also achieve the protection that collects as long as it does not alter, change or modify its principle fundamental.

Claims (4)

1. Electronic equipment for the identification, control and security of groups of individuals in mobility, of the radiofrequency-based type, characterized by the fact that it comprises a plurality of identification bracelets (1) (one for each group member) of small size provided with an RFID tag for the periodic sending of identification signals, at least one SD-type memory card, to allow a mobile device to receive the radio frequency signals sent by the identification wristbands, and at least one mobile device ( 2) with slot suitable for incorporating said SD type memory card and allowing, through its use, the reception of radio frequency identification signals sent by the wristbands as well as the processing of the data contained in said card. 2. Electronic equipment for the identification, control and security of groups of individuals in mobility, according to claim 1, characterized in that the mobile device (2) is a PDA, a UMPC ( Ultra Mobile PC ) or any other device portable with SD card slot, capable of receiving the identification signals of one or more identification bracelets continuously without the need for user interaction, to discriminate the power of the received identification signals, to discern if it is meters away or centimeters per threshold of power of the received signals, to discern in a timely manner that identification signals are in their coverage radius and to make listings, to notify if one or more bracelets have not been received in a certain time, implement the search of one or several bracelets, as well as identify a bracelet and display the data (personal, medical, environment, etc.) before the individual who carries it. 3. Electronic equipment for the identification, control and security of groups of individuals in mobility, according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that a PC computer (3) is also contemplated, with which the mobile device is synchronized ( 2), which incorporates a computer application and a repository for the management of the data of individuals and identification bracelets (1) and their relationships. 4. Electronic equipment for the identification, control and security of groups of individuals in mobility, according to claims 1 to 3, characterized by the fact of additionally incorporating one or several fixed beacons in the area to be monitored, to increase coverage and to be able to locate in certain defined areas where each bracelet is at each moment, being formed by a PCB as a support (for example a CC2430 from Texas Instruments), plus the additional components necessary for its operation: two crystals for watches, decoupling capacitors , polarization resistors, adaptation for the RF port, power, and antenna.