Wearable Anklet and Tool Sensor Fusion for Offender Activity Tracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current systems for tracking and managing the activities and tasks of individuals, such as prisoners or those performing community service, are limited in their ability to remotely monitor and update tasks, require on-site supervision, and cannot accurately register the relative position of tools used in conjunction with wearable devices.

Innovation Solution

A system that includes wearable anklets or bracelets with GPS sensors and tools equipped with sensors, allowing for remote tracking and management of activities and tasks, with features like mutual authentication, encryption, pattern recognition, and sensor fusion to accurately determine and record the relative position of tools and activities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If supervisory persons are deployed to monitor and control activities of persons with anklets, then reliability of task execution is improved, but device complexity and operational cost increase due to requiring additional human resources

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetask execution monitoringVSAvoidsupervision system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service monitoring where the anklet-wearing person automatically tracks and reports their own location and activity data through the wearable device, eliminating the need for external supervisory persons to manually monitor and control their activities

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical system of human supervisory persons with an electronic monitoring system comprising GPS sensors, communication modules, and central processing that automatically tracks location, detects activities, and manages task execution

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If GPS sensors are used to track position of persons and tools, then measurement precision of location is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple sensors and processing requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocation tracking accuracyVSAvoidsensor system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple sensing functions (GPS location tracking, activity detection, tool identification) into an integrated anklet device that consolidates these capabilities in a single wearable unit, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining measurement precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The anklet device serves multiple functions simultaneously: it tracks the person's location via GPS, detects their activities through motion sensors, identifies associated tools through RFID or other recognition systems, and communicates with the central server, making the device universal and multi-functional

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Measurement precision

If relative position of tools with respect to persons is registered, then activity detection accuracy is improved, but loss of information increases due to additional data processing requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveactivity detection accuracyVSAvoiddata processing overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring activity thresholds, task parameters, and detection criteria in the central server before field deployment, allowing the anklet device to process and filter data locally against these pre-set parameters, thereby reducing the volume of information that needs to be transmitted and processed centrally

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables efficient remote monitoring and management of tasks, reduces the need for on-site supervision, and provides detailed records of task execution, allowing for accurate tracking and analysis of activities and tool usage.

Implementation Method 1

Each person wears an anklet, bracelet or wristlet (hereinafter referred to as anklet) comprising a sensor for determining the position of that person

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGPS (Global Positioning System):

Data Source

PatentEP3353757B1System and method for tracking the location and activities of persons
Publication Date: 2020.07.08 ACTIFINE NV
  • EP3353757B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3353757B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The invention relates to a system and method for tracking the location and activities of one or more persons, such as prisoners, persons under house arrest or persons who have to perform community service. A wearable device, such as an anklet, is carried by the person and provided with a location sensor for tracking the offender. A tool used by the offender is provided with sensors for determining its relative position to the wearable device. An association between tool and wearable device is established by physical contact between the two. Position information is communicated to a central server. Pattern recognition and location monitoring enable tracking of the offender and detection of deviation from assigned route or task.