Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for locating personnel and objects in response to telephone inquiries

US5548637A · kind A · utility

425Cited by
16References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 7, 1995
Grant dateAug 20, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 7, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04M2242/30
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An automated position location system is provided which, in response to a telephone caller's inquiry and without human intervention, connects the caller directly to the telephone extension located nearest the individual or object of interest. A transmitter is attached to each individual (or object) to be monitored within a building. A number of stationary receivers are positioned at designated locations throughout the building. When a transmitter is transported within range of a receiver, information about the transmitter's identity and the receiver's location is provided to a tracking system, which calculates the transmitter's location and stores its identity and location in a chronological database. As the transmitter is transported throughout the building, the tracking system continually updates transmitter location information in the database. In response to a telephone caller's inquiry, an automated locating system determines the whereabouts of an individual person or object of interest and communicates a message to the caller which describes that location. Then, as requested by the caller, the locating system automatically places the call to the telephone extension nearest th…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.