US008810392B1
`
`a2) United States Patent
`US 8,810,392 B1
`(0) Patent No.:
`Aug. 19, 2014
`(45) Date of Patent:
`Teller et al.
`
`(54) DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MONITORING
`THE PRESENCE OF ITEMS AND ISSUING AN
`ALERT IF AN ITEM IS NOT DETECTED
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`(75)
`
`Inventors: Eric Teller, San Francisco, CA (US);
`Martin T. King, Vashon Island, WA
`(US); Cheryl Grunbeck,legal
`representative, Vashon Island, WA (US);
`Claes-Fredrik Mannby, MercerIsland,
`WA (US); Michael J. Smith, Seattle,
`WA (US)
`
`(73) Assignee: Google Inc., Mountain View, CA (US)
`
`(*) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`US.C. 154(b) by 450 days.
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 13/019,701
`
`(22)
`
`Filed:
`
`Feb. 2, 2011
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(60) Provisional application No. 61/301,560,filed on Feb.
`4, 2010, provisional application No. 61/301,544, filed
`on Feb. 4, 2010.
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`GO8B 1/08
`(52) U.S.Cl
`101) 340/539.32; 235/385; 340/539.11;
`340/572.1
`
`(2006.01)
`
`(58) Field of Classification Search
`USPC wee 340/539.32, 572.1, 539.23, 539.11;
`235/385; 705/28
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`8/1999 Renney oo... 340/539.32
`5,939,981 A *
`7/2000 Rabanne etal.
`........... 340/573.4
`6,084,517 A *
`11/2007 Drzaicetal.
`7,295,114 BL
`2/2011 Maeng
`7,880,613 Bl
`6/2005 Glicketal. oc... 340/572.1
`2005/0134459 Al*
`2005/0285739 Al* 12/2005 Velhal et al.
`.
`w 340/572.1
`
`2006/0202840 Al*
`9/2006 Korbonski
`...
`. 340/539.32
`.
`2007/0210930 Al*
`9/2007 Pyo etal.
`« 340/573.1
`
`2008/0174425 Al*
`7/2008 Torning ...
`. 340/540
`
`8/2008 Agrawal etal.
`............ 340/572.1
`2008/0204233 Al*
`2009/0077675 Al
`3/2009 Cabouli
`2010/0039266 Al*
`2/2010 Farisetal. oo... 340/572.4
`7/2010 Sederetal. ..
`w 340/572.1
`2010/0188226 Al*
`
`2010/0289646 Al* 11/2010 Raniere....
`w 340/572.1
`2010/0302032 Al* 12/2010 Abed wu... 340/539.32
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`Primary Examiner — Thomas Mullen
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — Fish & Richardson P.C.
`
`ABSTRACT
`(57)
`Disclosed herein are methods and systemsthat involve moni-
`toring presence of items based on context. An exemplary
`method involves: (i) determining a context for a given user;
`(ii) determining a proximity framework between a monitor-
`ing device and one or more items, based on the determined
`context, wherein the proximity framework comprises (a) one
`or more proximity requirements, each proximity requirement
`indicating a required proximity between the monitoring
`device and at least one of the items and (b) a notification
`process corresponding to each proximity requirement; (ii1)
`monitoring proximity of each of the items relative to the
`monitoring device, based on a presence signal from each of
`the items, in order to determine when oneof the proximity
`requirements is not met; and (iv) responsive to determining
`that one of the proximity requirements is not met, initiating
`the corresponding notification process.
`
`35 Claims, 22 Drawing Sheets
`
`130
`
`HIMPP 1008
`HIMPP 1008
`
`100
`
`& 1
`
`50
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 19, 2014
`
`Sheet 1 of 22
`
`US 8,810,392 B1
`
`130
`
`FIGURE1
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 19, 2014
`
`Sheet 2 of 22
`
`US 8,810,392 B1
`
`200
`‘e
`
`MONITORING DEVICE
`
`COMMUNICATION
`RFID
`READER
`
`VIBRATOR
`
`SPEAKER
`
`201
`
`202
`
`203
`
`204
`
`205
`
`206
`
`220
`
`ACTIVE SENSORS 224
`
`224
`230
`
`223
`
`222
`
`221
`
`224
`
`PASSIVE
`SENSORS
`
`
`
`
`
`
`S77rireXY
`
`LTTrrrXAssso
`
`
`240
`
`242
`
`248
`
`246
`
`SY
`
`FIGURE 2A
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 19, 2014
`
`Sheet 3 of 22
`
`US 8,810,392 B1
`
`200
`
`MONITORING DEVICE
`
`270
`
`MODULE
`
`280
`
`PAIRING
`
`MANAGEMENT
`
`MODE
`
`265
`
`275
`
`ALERTS MODULE
`
`DATABASE
`
`FIGURE 2B
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 19, 2014
`
`Sheet 4 of 22
`
`US 8,810,392 B1
`
`AN ITEM HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED
`THAT CAN BE PAIRED WITH
`THIS DEVICE SO THAT YOU
`WILL BE ALERTED IF THE ITEM
`iS SEPARATED FROM YOU.
`WOULD YOU LIKE TO PAIR IT
`TO THIS DEVICE?
`
`330
`
`N
`
`320
`
`350
`‘a
`
` 300
`DEFAULT
`
`360 DISTANCE
`VIBRATE VW
`\rye OF WARNING
`
`\DETECTION FREQUENCY|2 MIN Vv
`
`370
`
`375
`
`380
`
`FIGURE 3B
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 19, 2014
`
`Sheet 5 of 22
`
`US 8,810,392 B1
`
`400
`
`.
`
`408
`
`FIGURE 4
`
`CHECK OF ITEM
`
`
`
`
`
`DETECT ITEM’S
`PRESENCE?
`
`DELAY
`
`415
`
`NO
`
`DELAY
`
`420
`
`425
`
`PERFORM PRESENCE
`CHECK OF ITEM
`
`430
`
`
`RESPONSE
`RECEIVED
`
`
`
`
`
`NO
`
`PERFORM PRESENCE
`CHECK OF ITEM
`
`YES
`
`435
`
`RETURN
`
` CEASE
`
`
`
`
`NO
`
`
`
`440
`
`CLEAR
`ALERT?
`
`
`
`
`REMOVE ITEM
`
`YES
`
`MONITORING
`FROM
`
`
`MONITORING
`2
`
`
`
`
`NO
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 19, 2014
`
`Sheet 6 of 22
`
`US 8,810,392 B1
`
`500
`
`YOUR READING
`GLASSES CANNOT
`BE DETECTED.
`THE GLASSES WERE
`LAST IDENTIFIED AT 5:45 PM.
`AT THIS TIME, YOUR LAPTOP,
`COMPUTER, WALLET AND CAR
`KEYS WERE ALSO IDENTIFIED.
`MORE INFORMATION
`
`PREFERENCES
`
`CLEAR WARNING
`
`530
`
`520
`
`FIGURE 5
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 19, 2014
`
`Sheet 7 of 22
`
`US 8,810,392 B1
`
`602
`
`COMMUNICATION
`
`MONITORING DEVICE
`
`TEMPERATURE
`
`ELECTRODE
`
`ACCELEROMETER
`
`SHOCK
`
`GYROSCOPE
`
`CHEMICAL
`
`COMPASS
`
`BIOLOGICAL
`
`BAROMETER
`
`LIGHT
`
`MOISTURE
`
`MICROPHONE
`
`604
`
`606
`
`608
`
`610
`
`612
`
`614
`
`628
`
`630
`
`632
`
`634
`
`635
`
`FIGURE 6
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 19, 2014
`
`Sheet 8 of 22
`
`US 8,810,392 B1
`
`700
`
`704a
`
`704b
`
`704¢
`
`704d
`
`704e
`
`702a
`
`702b
`
`Te
`
`72d
`
`702e
`
`PROXIMITY FRAMEWORK(P, L, W, K)
`
`P
`
`L
`
`K
`
`(VIBRATE(P), LOCK(L))
`
`(VIBRATE_RING(P))
`
`(LOCK(L))
`
`W
`
`(VIBRATE_RING(P), LOCK(L))
`
`(VIBRATE(P))
`
`FIGURE 7
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 19, 2014
`
`Sheet 9 of 22
`
`US 8,810,392 B1
`
`FIGURE 8
`
`DETERMINE A CONTEXT
`
`START
`
`800
`
`
`
`DETERMINE A PROXIMITY
`FRAMEWORK FOR ONE OR
`MORE ITEMS, BASED ON
`THE DETERMINED CONTEXT
`
`MONITOR THE PROXIMITY OF
`EACH OF THE ITEMS, BASED
`ON A PRESENCE SIGNAL
`FROM EACH ITEM
`
`YES
`
`RE-DETERMINE THE
`CONTEXT
`
`NO
`
`INITIATE THE NOTIFICATION
`PROCESS CORRESPONDING
`TO THE PROXIMITY
`REQUIREMENT THAT IS NOT
`
`MET
`
`RETURN
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 19, 2014
`
`Sheet 10 of 22
`
`US 8,810,392 B1
`
`900
`
`FIGURE 9
`
`RECEIVE USER-INPUT DATA THAT
`IDENTIFIES A GROUP OF ITEMS AND
`DEFINES, AT LEAST IN PART, THE
`PROXIMITY FRAMEWORK FOR THE
`GROUP OF ITEMS
`
`902
`
`INITIATE THE
`NOTIFICATION PROCESS
`CORRESPONDING TO
`THE PROXIMITY
`REQUIREMENT THATIS
`NOT MET
`
`CONTEXT? RETURN
`
`RECEIVE USER-INPUT DATA THAT
`SPECIFIES, AT LEAST IN PART, A
`USER-CONTEXT IN WHICH THE
`PROXIMITY FRAMEWORK SHOULD BE
`APPLIED
`
`STORE RECORD ASSOCIATING THE
`SPECIFIED USER-CONTEXT WITH THE
`IDENTIFIED GROUP OF ITEMS
`
`904
`
`906
`
`MONITOR THE CURRENT
`USER-CONTEXT
`
`CURRENT USER-CONTEXT
`SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME
`AS THE SPECIFIED USER-
`
`MONITOR THE PROXIMITY OF
`EACH OF THE ITEMS, BASED
`ON A PRESENCE SIGNAL
`FROM EACH ITEM
`
`DETERMINE, FROM THE
`STORED DATA, THE
`PROXIMITY FRAMEWORK
`THAT THE USER
`ASSOCIATED WITH THE
`CURRENT USER-CONTEXT
`
`ACCESS THE STORED DATA
`TO DETERMINE THE GROUP
`OF ITEMS THATIS
`ASSOCIATED WITH THE
`CURRENT USER-CONTEXT
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 19, 2014
`
`Sheet11 of 22
`
`US 8,810,392 B1
`
`CORRESPONDING TO THE PROXIMITY REQUIREMENT MONITOR THE PRESENCE SIGNALS FROM
`
`DETERMINE A PROXIMITY FRAMEWORK BASED AT LEASTIN
`PART ON THE DETERMINED USER CONTEXT, WHERE THE
`PROXIMITY FRAMEWORK INCLUDES:
`(A) A PROXIMITY REQUIREMENT BETWEEN A
`MONITORING DEVICE AND AN ITEM-CATEGORY, AND
`(B) AT LEAST ONE NOTIFICATION PROCESS
`
`~
`1002
`
`1004
`
`THE ITEMS IN THE ITEM-CATEGORY
` 1006
`
`
`
`PROXIMITY REQUIREMENT
`MET FOR AT LEAST ONE ITEM
`
`
`IN ITTEM-CATEGORY?
`
`INITIATE THE NOTIFICATION PROCESS THAT
`CORRESPONDSTO THE PROXIMITY REQUIREMENT
`
`RETURN
`
`1008
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 19, 2014
`
`Sheet12 of 22
`
`US 8,810,392 B1
`
`IDENTIFY A USER-CONTEXT IN WHICH AT LEAST A
`PREDETERMINED QUANTITY OF A GIVEN TYPE OF ITEM
`SHOULD BE DETECTED BY THE MONITORING DEVICE
`
`IDENTIFIED USER-CONTEXT 1106
`
`START
`
`1100
`
`\
`
`1102
`
`1104
`
`GENERATE AND STORE DATA THAT ASSOCIATES THE
`IDENTIFIED USER-CONTEXT WITH A PROXIMITY
`
`FRAMEWORKTHATINCLUDES:
`
`(A) A PROXIMITY REQUIREMENT FOR AT LEAST THE
`PREDETERMINED QUANTITY OF THE GIVEN TYPE OF
`ITEM TO BE DETECTABLE IN THE IDENTIFIED USER-
`
`CONTEXT, AND
`(B) AT LEAST ONE NOTIFICATION PROCESS
`CORRESPONDING TO THE PROXIMITY REQUIREMENT
`
`DETERMINE THAT A CURRENT USER-CONTEXTIS
`SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME AS THE PREVIOUSLY-
`
`SEARCH FOR ANY PRESENCE SIGNALS THAT ARE
`AVAILABLE TO THE MONITORING DEVICE FROM ITEMS OF
`THE GIVEN TYPE
`
`DETERMINE A TOTAL ITEM COUNTFOR THE GIVEN TYPE OF
`ITEM BASED ON THE SEARCH FOR PRESENCE SIGNALS
`
`1108
`
`1110
`
`INITIATE THE
`
`TOTAL ITEM COUNT>
`CORRESPONDING
`
`
`NOTIFICATION
`PREDETERMINED QUANTITY?
`PROCESS
`
`
` 1112
`
` RETURN
`
`FIGURE 11
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 19, 2014
`
`Sheet 13 of 22
`
`US 8,810,392 B1
`
`START
`
`1200
`
`OBSERVING (A) ANY CONTEXT SIGNALS AVAILABLE TO
`THE MONITORING DEVICE, AND (B) PROXIMITY RELATIVE
`TO THE MONITORING DEVICE OF ANY ITEMS FROM WHICH
`PRESENCE SIGNALS CAN BE DETECTED
`
`1202
`
`GENERATE HISTORICAL USER-CONTEXT DATA THAT
`INDICATES WHICH CONTEXT SIGNALS AND WHICH ITEMS ~
`WERE OBSERVED AT SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME TIME
`4204
`
`USE THE HISTORICAL USER-CONTEXTDATA AS A BASIS
`TO LEARN CERTAIN USER-CONTEXTS IN WHICH CERTAIN ~
`PROXIMITY FRAMEWORKS SHOULD BE APPLIED
`1206
`
`
`
`
`RETURN
`
`FIGURE 12A
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 19, 2014
`
`Sheet14 of 22
`
`US 8,810,392 B1
`
`1210
`
`MONITOR CONTEXT SIGNALS
`THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THE
`MONITORING DEVICE
`
` START
`
`MONITOR PRESENCE SIGNALS
`FROM ITEMS THAT ARE
`DETECTABLE AT THE
`MONITORING DEVICE
`
` \
`
`CHANGE IN DETECTED
`ITEMS?
`
`GENERATE AND STOREA DATA ENTRY THAT INCLUDES:
`(A) DATA INDICATING THE ONE OR MORE CONTEXT
`SIGNALS DETERMINEDAT THE TIME, AND
`(B) DATA THAT IDENTIFIES EACH NEARBY ITEM FROM
`WHICH A PRESENCE SIGNAL IS RECEIVED
`
`1219
`
`FIGURE 12B
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 19, 2014
`
`Sheet15 of 22
`
`US 8,810,392 B1
`
`1220
`
`DETERMINE ANY AVAILABLE
`CONTEXT SIGNALS
`
`DETECTS ANY AVAILABLE
`PRESENCE SIGNALS
`
` START \
`
`GENERATE AND STOREA DATA ENTRY THAT INCLUDES:
`(A) CONTEXT DATA INDICATING THE ONE OR MORE CONTEXT
`SIGNALS DETERMINED AT THE TIME, AND
`(B) PROXIMITY DATA THAT IDENTIFIES EACH DETECTED ITEM AS
`BEING PRESENTAT THE TIME, AND INDICATES THE DISTANCE TO
`THAT ITEM (IF CALCULABLE)
`
`At
`
`1230
`
`IDENTIFY THE SOURCE ITEM
`FOR EACH DETECTED
`PRESENCE SIGNAL
`
`DETERMINE THE DISTANCE TO
`EACH OF THE DETECTED ITEMS
`
`FIGURE 12C
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 19, 2014
`
`Sheet 16 of 22
`
`US 8,810,392 B1
`
`*ZOEL
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 19, 2014
`
`Sheet 17 of 22
`
`US 8,810,392 B1
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`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 19, 2014
`
`Sheet 18 of 22
`
`US 8,810,392 B1
`
`ead
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 19, 2014
`
`Sheet 19 of 22
`
`US 8,810,392 B1
`
`START
`
`GENERATE AND STORE THE
`HISTORICAL USER-CONTEXT
`DATA
`
`1500
`
`DETERMINE A CURRENT USER-
`CONTEXT FOR A GIVEN USER
`
`COMPARES THE CURRENT
`USER-CONTEXT TO HISTORICAL
`USER-CONTEXT DATA
`
`YES FIGURE 15
`
`BASED AT LEAST IN PART ON THE
`COMPARISON, DETERMINE A PROXIMITY
`FRAMEWORK BETWEEN THE MONITORING
`DEVICE AND ONE OR MORE ITEMS
`
`1508
`
`MONITORS THE PROXIMITY OF
`EACH OF THE ITEMS
`
`NO
`
`INITIATE THE NOTIFICATION
`PROCESS CORRESPONDING TO
`THE PROXIMITY REQUIREMENT
`
`THAT IS NOT MET 1514
`
`RETURN
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 19, 2014
`
`Sheet 20 of 22
`
`US 8,810,392 B1
`
`
`
`
`
`FLOP21607Buidnois-wa}|POOLSOBLa}U]YIOMION
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`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 19, 2014
`
`Sheet 21 of 22
`
`US 8,810,392 B1
`
`1700
`
`MONITORS THE PRESENCE
`SIGNAL FROM AN ITEM
`
`NO
`
`1702
`
`
`
`PRESENCE SIGNAL
`UNAVAILABLE FOR
`
`TIME?
`
`\
`|
`|
`|
`|
`|
`|
`|
`|
`|
`|
`|
`|
`!
`|
`|
`|
`{
`GENERATE AN ALERT THAT
`|
`{
`INDICATES WHETHER OR NOT
`|
`i
`
`THE ITEM HAS BEEN DETECTED|1710
`|
`|
`
`RECEIVE A MESSAGE FROM THE
`MONITORING SUPPORT SYSTEM THAT
`INDICATES WHETHER OR NOT THE
`PRESENCE SIGNAL FROM THE ITEM HAS
`BEEN DETECTED BY ANOTHER
`MONITORING DEVICE
`
`1708
`
`
`
`RETURN
`
`FIGURE 17
`
`
`
`YES
`
`SEND A LOST-ITEM MESSAGE
`TO A MONITORING-SUPPORT
`SYSTEM
`
`-
`f NOTIFICATION
`| PROCESS
`{
`{
`i
`{
`i
`|
`|
`|
`|
`I
`|
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 19, 2014
`
`Sheet22 of 22
`
`US 8,810,392 B1
`
`START
`
`1800
`
`RECEIVE ONE OR MORE FOUND-ITEM MESSAGES,
`WHERE EACH FOUND-ITEM MESSAGE IDENTIFIES AN
`ITEM THAT HAS BEEN DETECTED BYA FIRST
`MONITORING DEVICE THAT DOES NOT HOLD RIGHTS
`TO THE IDENTIFIED ITEM
`
`1802
`
`RECEIVES A LOST-ITEM MESSAGE THAT IDENTIFIES A
`LOST ITEM THAT A SECOND MONITORING DEVICE,
`WHICH HAS RIGHTS TO THE LOSTITEM, DID NOT
`DETECT AS EXPECTED
`
`1804
`
`
`
`
`LOST ITEM IDENTIFIED INA
`FOUND-ITEM MESSAGE?
`
`Secon NONONicDEVE
`THAT INDICATES THAT THE
`LOST ITEM HAS BEEN FOUND
`
`SECOND MONITORING DEVICE
`THAT INDICATES THAT THE
`LOST ITEM HAS NOT BEEN
`FOUND
`
`1810
`
`
`
`RETURN
`
`FIGURE 18
`
`

`

`US 8,810,392 B1
`
`1
`DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MONITORING
`THE PRESENCE OF ITEMS AND ISSUING AN
`ALERTIF AN ITEM IS NOT DETECTED
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`This application claimspriority to U.S. Provisional Appli-
`cation No. 61/301,560, entitled “Device and Method for
`Monitoring the Presence of Items and Issuing an Alert if an
`Item is Not Detected”, filed on Feb. 4, 2010, and to USS.
`Provisional Application No. 61/301,544, entitled “System
`and Method for Real-Time Based Interaction of a Mobile
`
`Phonewith a User in Response to Location Detection,”filed
`on Feb. 4, 2010, which are herein incorporated by reference
`for all purposes.
`
`BACKGROUND
`
`A person typically needs various portable items near him
`throughoutthe day. For example, a person may usehis read-
`ing glasses andlaptopat both his house andoffice, and he may
`need his wallet and keys wherever he goes. In the absence of
`such items, a person may becomefrustrated, inefficient, or
`even endangered. Such itemstherefore must not be forgotten,
`misplaced,orlost.
`Despite a person’s best intentions and attempts, however,it
`is almost inevitable that he will eventually forget or misplace
`something that is necessary or important for him to have near.
`A wallet, for example, may be forgotten at a restaurant, or
`keys may fall out of a pocket and slip between couch cush-
`ions. In either situation, a person maynotrealize that his
`personalitem has disappeared from his presence until a later
`time when it is too late or too inconvenientto retrieve the
`
`missing item.
`
`SUMMARY
`
`The present application discloses systems and methods
`that generally involve monitoring of items based on context.
`In a first aspect, an example computer-implemented
`methodinvolves: (i) determining a context; (11) determining a
`proximity framework between a monitoring device and one
`or more items, based on the determined context, wherein the
`proximity framework comprises (a) one or more proximity
`requirements, each proximity requirement
`indicating a
`required proximity between the monitoring device and at
`least one of the items and (b) a notification process corre-
`sponding to each proximity requirement;
`(111) monitoring
`proximity of each of the items relative to the monitoring
`device, based on a presence signal from each ofthe items, in
`order to determine when oneofthe proximity requirementsis
`not met; and (iv) responsive to determining that one of the
`proximity requirementsis not met, initiating the correspond-
`ing notification process.
`In a second aspect, an example computer-implemented
`method involves: (1) receiving,via a user-interface of a moni-
`toring device, user input that comprises one or more user-
`provided context signals; (11) determining, based at least in
`part on the one or more user-provided context signals, a
`context in which to apply a proximity framework for one or
`more items and wherein the proximity framework comprises
`(a) one or more proximity requirements, each proximity
`requirement indicating a required proximity between the
`monitoring device and at least one of the items and (b) a
`notification process corresponding to each proximity require-
`ment; (111) monitoring context via the monitoring device; and
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`(iv) detecting when the context substantially matches the
`identified context and responsively: (a) determining whether
`any one of the proximity requirements is not met based on a
`presence signal from each item; and (b) responsive to deter-
`mining that one of the proximity requirements is not met,
`initiating the corresponding notification process.
`In a third aspect, an example computer-implemented
`method involves: (i) determining a context for a given user;
`(11) determining a group of one or more itemsthat is associ-
`ated with the current user context; (111) determining a prox-
`imity framework for the group of items basedatleast in part
`on the current user context, wherein the proximity framework
`comprises (a) one or more proximity requirements and(b) at
`least one notification process corresponding to each proxim-
`ity requirement, and wherein each proximity requirement
`indicates a required proximity between a monitoring device
`and at least one of the items; (iv) monitoring a proximity of
`each item from the group relative to the monitoring device,
`based on a presence signal from each item, in order to detect
`when any one of the proximity requirements is not met; and
`(v) responsive to detecting that one of the proximity require-
`ments is not met, initiating the corresponding notification
`process.
`In a fourth aspect, an example computer-implemented
`method involves: (i) determining a context for a given user;
`(11) determining a proximity framework basedatleast in part
`on the current user context, wherein the proximity framework
`comprises (a) a proximity requirement between a monitoring
`device and an item-category comprising a plurality of items,
`and (b)at least one notification process correspondingto the
`proximity requirement; (iii) monitoring, based on a presence
`signal from each item, whetheror not the proximity require-
`ment between the monitoring device and the item-category is
`metfor at least one of the itemsin the item category; and(iv)
`responsive to a determination that the proximity requirement
`between the monitoring device and the item-category is not
`metfor at least one ofthe items in the item-category,initiating
`the corresponding notification process.
`In a fifth aspect, an example computer-implemented
`method involves:
`(1) determining a proximity framework
`between a monitoring device and an item, and wherein the
`proximity framework comprises (a) a proximity requirement
`between the item and the monitoring device, and (b)at least
`one notification process corresponding to the proximity
`requirement; (11) monitoring a presence signal from the item
`and detecting when the presence signal is unavailable for a
`predetermined period of time; and (iii) responsive to detect-
`ing that the presencesignalis unavailable for a predetermined
`period of time,initiating the corresponding notification pro-
`cess, wherein the notification process comprises: (a) sending
`alocation-query message to a monitoring-support system that
`determines whether another monitoring device has detected
`the presence signal from the item; (b) receiving, from the
`monitoring-support system, a message indicating whether or
`not the presence signal from the item has been detected by
`another monitoring device; and (c) providing an indication of
`whether or not the item has been detected by another moni-
`toring device.
`In a sixth aspect, an example computer-implemented
`method involves: (i) identifying a context in whichat least a
`predetermined quantity of the given type of item should be
`detected by the monitoring device, wherein each item of the
`given type is detectable via a presence signaltransmitted from
`the item, and wherein a proximity framework between the
`monitoring device and the given type of item comprises (a) a
`proximity requirementfor at least the predetermined quantity
`of the given type of item to be detectable in the identified
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`US 8,810,392 B1
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`3
`context, and (b) at least one notification process correspond-
`ing to the proximity requirement; (ii) determining that a con-
`text is the identified context and responsively: (a) searching
`for and receiving any presencesignals that are transmitted by
`the given type of item; (b) basedat least in part on a number
`of presence signals received at the monitoring device from
`items of the given type, determininga total item countfor the
`given type of item; (c) determining whetherornot the prox-
`imity requirementfor at least the predetermined quantity of
`the given type of item is met by thetotal item count; (e) if itis
`determined that the proximity requirementis not met, then
`initiating the corresponding notification process; and (f) oth-
`erwise, refraining from initiating the corresponding notifica-
`tion process.
`In a seventh aspect, an example computer-implemented
`methodinvolves: (i) determining a context for a given user;
`(1) determining a proximity framework betweena plurality of
`items based on the determined context, wherein the proximity
`framework comprises (a) one or more proximity require-
`ments, each proximity requirement indicating a required
`proximity betweenat least two ofthe plurality of items and
`(b) a notification process corresponding to each proximity
`requirement; (iii) for each of the proximity requirements,
`monitoring proximity between the at least two items for
`whichthe proximity requirementindicates the required prox-
`imity in order to determine whether or not the proximity
`requirement is not met; (iv) responsive to determining that
`one of the proximity requirements is not met, initiating the
`notification process corresponding to the proximity require-
`mentthatis not met.
`
`In an eighth aspect, an example system for a monitoring
`device includes: a wireless interface configured to wirelessly
`detect presence signals transmitted from nearby items; a non-
`transitory computer-readable medium; and program instruc-
`tions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium
`and executable by at least one processorto: (i) determine a
`context for a user associated with the monitoring-device sys-
`tem;(ii) use the determined context as a basis to determine a
`proximity framework between the monitoring device and one
`or more items, wherein a presence signal is transmitted from
`each item, wherein the proximity framework comprises: (a)
`one or more proximity requirements, each proximity require-
`mentindicating a required proximity between the monitoring
`device and one of the items, and (b) a notification process
`corresponding to each proximity requirement; (i1i) monitor-
`ing, via the presence signals detected at the at least one
`wireless interface, proximity of each of the itemsrelative to
`the monitoring device in order to determine when oneof the
`proximity requirements is not met; and (iv) responsive to a
`determination that one of the proximity requirements is not
`met, cause the monitoring device to initiate the notification
`process corresponding to the proximity requirementthat is
`not met.
`
`In a ninth aspect, an example computer-implemented
`method involves: (i) determining a current context fora given
`user; (11) comparing the current context to historical context
`data; (iii) determining a proximity framework between a
`monitoring device and one or more items, based on the com-
`parison betweenthe current context and thehistorical context
`data, wherein the proximity framework comprises (a) one or
`more proximity requirements, each proximity requirement
`indicating a required proximity between the monitoring
`device and at least one of the items and (b) a notification
`process corresponding to each proximity requirement; (iv)
`monitoring proximity of each of the items relative to the
`monitoring device, based on a presence signal from each of
`the items, in order to determine when oneof the proximity
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`requirements is not met; and (v) responsive to determining
`that one of the proximity requirements is not met, initiating
`the corresponding notification process.
`In a tenth aspect, an example system for a monitoring-
`support system includes a non-transitory computer-readable
`medium and program instructions stored on the non-transi-
`tory computer-readable medium and executable by at least
`one processor to: (1) receive one or more found-item mes-
`sages at a monitoring-support system, wherein the found-
`item messages identify items that have been detected by one
`or morefirst monitoring devicesthat do not hold rights to the
`identified items; (11) receive a lost-item messageat the moni-
`toring-support system, wherein lost-item messageidentifies a
`lost item that a second monitoring device did not detect as
`expected, wherein the second monitoring device has rights to
`the lost item; (iii) responsively determine whetheror not the
`lost item has been identified in one ofthe received found-item
`
`messages; and (iv) send a message to the second monitoring
`device that indicates whether or not the lost item has been
`
`detected by one of the first monitoring devices.
`In an eleventh aspect, an example computer-implemented
`methodinvolves: (i) receiving, in a monitoring-support sys-
`tem, one or more found-item messages, wherein the found-
`item messages identify items that have been detected by one
`or morefirst monitoring devicesthat do not hold rights to the
`identified items; (11) receiving, in the monitoring-support sys-
`tem, a lost-item message that identifies a lost item that a
`second monitoring device did not detect as expected, wherein
`the second monitoring device has rightsto the lost item;(iii)
`responsively determining whether or not the lost item has
`been identified in one of the received found-item messages;
`and (iv) sending a message to the second monitoring device
`that indicates whetheror not the lost item has been detected
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`by one ofthe first monitoring devices.
`These as well as other aspects, advantages, and alterna-
`tives, will become apparentto those of ordinary skill in the art
`by reading the following detailed description, with reference
`where appropriate to the accompanying drawings.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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`FIG. 1 is depicts a representative scenario in which a moni-
`toring device is paired with multiple items andissues an alert
`if an item cannotbe sensed.
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`FIG. 2A is a block diagram showing hardware components
`of a device for monitoring the presence of an item and for
`issuing analert if the item is not sensed.
`FIG. 2B is a block diagram showing software modules ofa
`device for monitoring the presenceof an item andfor issuing
`an alert if the item is not sensed.
`FIG.3A is a representative interface that is displayed on a
`monitoring device to allow a user to pair an item to the
`monitoring device.
`FIG.3B is a representative interface that is displayed on a
`monitoring device to allow a user to adjust pairing prefer-
`ences with respect to an item.
`FIG. 4 is a flow diagram showing steps performed by a
`monitoring device to monitor an item and to issue an alert.
`FIG. 5 is a representative interface that is displayed on a
`monitoring device to alert a user if a monitored item is no
`longer detected.
`FIG.6 is a block diagram illustrating a monitoring device
`that includes sensors and program logic to determine context,
`according to an example embodiment.
`FIG.7 is a table showing an example proximity framework
`for a set of items.
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`US 8,810,392 B1
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`5
`FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating a method in which a
`proximity framework for monitoring one or more items is
`selected according to determined context.
`FIG.9 is a flow chart illustrating a method according to an
`example embodimentin which a group of itemsandits asso-
`ciated proximity framework are determined based upon a
`determined context.
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`audible, and/or physicalalert to the user. The alert indicates to
`the user that they may want to search for or retrieve the
`missing item.
`Herein, a “monitoring device” should be understood to be
`any device or item capable of sensing or detecting the pres-
`ence of another device or item. Further, an “item” should be
`understood to be anything that is detectable by a monitoring
`device. As such, an item that is configured to detect other
`FIG. 10 is a flow chart illustrating a method that accounts
`items may also be considered a monitoring device, and a
`for item-category proximity requirements, according to an
`monitoring device that is detectable may be considered an
`example embodiment.
`item.
`FIG.11 is flow chart illustrating a methodthat is applicable
`In some embodiments, an item is paired with a monitoring
`to monitor an inventory of an item, according to an example
`embodiment.
`device and the monitoring device issues an alert if the item
`can no longer be detected by the monitoring device(e.g., the
`FIG. 12A is a flow chart illustrating a method for dynami-
`monitoring device can no longer sense or communicate with
`cally learning relationships between contexts and proximity
`the item). For example, amobile phone may be equipped with
`frameworks, according to an example embodiment.
`an RFID reader, and it may monitor an RFID tag attached to
`FIG. 12B isaflow chart illustrating a methodcarried out by
`and associated with a car key. If the mobile phone attempts to
`a monitoring device to automatically populate a historical
`read the RFID tag associated with the key and is unableto, the
`context database, according to an example embodiment.
`mobile phoneissues an alert.
`FIG. 12C is another flow chart illustrating a method carried
`In some embodiments, an item is paired with a monitoring
`out by a monitoring device to automatically populate a his-
`device and the monitoring device issues an alert if the moni-
`torical context database, according to an example embodi-
`ment.
`toring device detects that the item is more than a predeter-
`mined distance away from the monitoring device and there-
`fore potentially about to go missing. For example, a mobile
`phone may be equipped with a Bluetooth device, and it may
`monitor another Bluetooth device attached to and associated
`with a laptop computer. The mobile phone may monitor both
`the presence of the laptop computer and the distance that the
`laptop computer is away from the mobile phone. A monitor-
`ing device may utilize various methods to determine the
`item’s distance from the monitoring device. For example, the
`monitoring device may monitor signal strength to determine
`when a signal becomesfaintor attenuated, or the monitoring
`device may rely on a communication or sensing technology
`that allows the calculation of an actual distance between the
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`monitoring device and the item. If the monitoring device
`determines that the item is more than a predetermined dis-
`tance away from the mobile phone,it issues an alert. The alert
`may be the sameasordifferent than the alert that is generated
`when an item goes missing.
`items are associated with one
`In some embodiments,
`another and are paired to a monitoring device, and the moni-
`toring device issues an alert if one or more of the items is
`determined to be missing. The items maybe associated with
`one another manually, or the monitoring device may group
`items together if it notices that certain items are typically
`sensed together. For example, a user may ski and may use
`skis, ski boots, goggles, a helmet, and a jacket every time he
`skis. RFID tags may be attached to and associated with each
`ofthese items, and the items maybepaired to a mobile phone
`that is equipped with an RFID reader. The mobile phone may
`automatically associate the items with one another when it
`notices, for example, that the skis, ski boots, goggles, helmet,
`and jacket are sensed together every Saturday morning. Ifthe
`mobile phone detects the presence of the skis, goggles, hel-
`met, and jacket, but does not detect the presence of the ski
`boots, the mobile phone mayissue an alert so that the user
`does not forget the ski boots.
`Items may be paired with a monitoring device automati-
`cally or manually. In some embodiments, a monitoring device
`automatically senses the presence of an item and automati-
`cally pairs with the item and begins monitoring the item. To
`identify the item, the monitoring device may include a data-
`base of items or may wirelessly connect to a database of
`items. In some embodiments, a monitoring device automati-
`cally senses the presence of an item and asks a user for
`
`FIG. 13A is an illustration of snapshots in a historical
`context database, according to an example embodiment.
`FIG. 13B is anotherillustration of snapshots in a historical
`context database, according to an example embodiment.
`FIG. 14 is an illustration of a user-interface that may be
`provided by a monitoring device, according to an example
`embodiment.
`FIG.15 isa flow chart illustrating a methodfor determining
`a proximity framework based on a comparison of a current
`context to a historical context, according to an example
`embodiment.
`
`FIG.1