Item Tracking via Sensor Identification and Location Data Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable information handling devices and other items are frequently misplaced due to sharing and lack of effective tracking solutions, leading to frustration and time consumption in locating them.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method utilizing sensors on information handling devices to identify and track items through image recognition, wireless signal detection, and location data sharing across devices, with the ability to register items and store location data on servers for later retrieval.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If portable information handling devices are shared among multiple users, then device versatility and utility are improved, but the risk of misplacement and loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors device locations through sensors and provides real-time location feedback to users. When a shared device is misplaced, the system automatically detects the location change and notifies relevant users, enabling them to retrieve the device. This continuous feedback loop resolves the contradiction by maintaining reliability through active monitoring while preserving sharing versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
A server acts as an intermediary between multiple information handling devices and users. The server collects, stores, and manages location data from various devices, coordinating information flow between device owners and users. This intermediary layer enables reliable tracking of shared devices across multiple users without requiring direct peer-to-peer communication, thus resolving the contradiction between sharing and tracking reliability.
2Reliability
If multiple sensors are deployed for item identification and tracking, then tracking accuracy and reliability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs multiple types of sensors (cameras, wireless signal sensors, other sensors) that can serve multiple functions. For example, cameras can identify items through image recognition while also capturing location data, and wireless signal sensors can detect both presence and location. This multi-functionality approach improves tracking reliability without proportionally increasing device complexity, as each sensor performs several tracking-related tasks simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The server acts as an intermediary that consolidates and processes data from multiple sensors. Instead of requiring each device to independently process complex sensor data, the server receives inputs from various sensors across multiple devices, integrates this information, and produces accurate tracking results. This distributes the computational complexity from individual devices to the server, improving tracking accuracy while keeping device complexity manageable.
3Speed
If location data is continuously collected and shared across multiple devices, then real-time tracking capability is improved, but network bandwidth and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements selective data collection and sharing based on needs. Not all devices continuously share all types of location data at full resolution. Instead, the system collects only necessary location information at appropriate frequencies and shares data partially based on user needs and device relevance. This partial action approach maintains real-time tracking capability for critical devices while reducing overall network resource consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The server serves as an intermediary that filters, aggregates, and manages location data from multiple devices. Instead of devices directly communicating with each other (which would create numerous data transmission paths), all location data flows through the server, which intelligently distributes only necessary information to relevant devices. This intermediary approach enables real-time tracking while significantly reducing redundant network traffic and processing requirements across the system.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatuses, methods, systems, and program products are disclosed for tracking items. An identification module identifies an item using one or more sensors of an information handling device. A location module receives location data for the item in response to identifying the item. A communication module shares the location data with one or more different information handling devices.