JP2023513984A - Wireless device and method for manufacturing and using wireless device - Google Patents

Abstract

A guest engagement system and associated methods use wireless sensing technology to provide seamless engagement with guests of a facility. The system utilizes individual guest devices, which are carried by guests and used to automatically identify and authenticate guests throughout the facility. This makes it possible to seamlessly provide services to guests throughout the facility. The service includes contact tracing and automatic unlocking of doors based on the guest's proximity to the door to their assigned room, including hotel room or stateroom doors. The service also includes automated payment services offered at checkout or vending machine terminals, automated logon to interactive displays and portals based on secure wireless authentication of guest devices. Guest devices may each include a device health sensor configured to measure at least one health function of a user wearing the guest device.

Description

Related application

This application claims priority to US Provisional Patent Application No. 63/005147, filed April 3, 2020. This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 17/067,468, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. , claiming the benefit thereof, is now issued as U.S. Patent No. 10,499,228 on December 3, 2019, and U.S. Application No. 16/252,269, filed on January 18, 2019. Continuing application, which is now issued as U.S. Patent No. 10304271 on May 28, 2019 and U.S. Application No. 15/460972 filed on March 16, 2017 which is now issued as U.S. Patent No. 10045184 on August 7, 2018 and U.S. Patent Application No. 15/459906 filed on March 15, 2017. No. 62/420,998 filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office on November 11, 2016, and the No. 62/440,938, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and for all purposes.

The present subject matter relates to systems and methods for providing automated engagement with guests of a facility using wireless sensing technology, and more particularly, without limitation, wireless devices and for manufacturing and using wireless devices. related to the method of

Guests at hotels and resorts, cruise ships, and other retail and commercial establishments have come to expect high standards of service and engagement from their hosts. This service allows access to private areas and/or This includes providing quick access to restricted areas. Engagement includes the guest identifying himself/herself and being personally recognized by the host without reminder of his or her preferences or existing bookings, and services and recommendations being provided on this basis. be

Relying on recent improvements in low-power wireless communication technology and distributed sensor networks, new guest engagement systems offer new services to guests without the guests actively identifying and/or authenticating themselves. being developed. This is described, for example, in co-owned US Pat. cited in the book. This allows the guest engagement system to allow hosts to seamlessly interact with guests throughout the property and provide recommendations to guests based on their past experiences.

However, hotel and resort guests are not the only beneficiaries of the new guest engagement system. For example, hotel and resort crews, employees and hosts can also utilize low power wireless communication technology for security, guest engagement, and other purposes.

U.S. Pat. No. 10045184

Conventional wireless devices have disclosed various techniques for estimating or determining the location of the device, but these techniques have always been designed to track the location of people and/or assets outside the sensor network. It doesn't necessarily work. This is particularly difficult, for example, on cruise ships, which may have limited resources. Therefore, these conventional techniques cannot accurately capture a guest's movements leading up to infection or exposure, for example for contact tracing purposes.

In view of the above, there is a need for systems and methods for improved guest devices and accessories for optimizing performance in low power wireless networks to overcome the aforementioned shortcomings and deficiencies of conventional guest devices. exists.

The present disclosure relates to wireless devices and methods for making and using the same.

According to a first aspect disclosed herein, a wireless device comprising:
a body having a tapered shape, the body including a front surface, a rear surface having the same shape as the front surface and having a larger dimension than the front surface, and a peripheral side surface connecting the front surface and the rear surface;
four magnets embedded within the body and disposed on the peripheral sides along the perimeter of the body;
a device health sensor disposed at least partially within the body and configured to measure at least one health function of a user wearing the wireless device;
the body includes a cavity in which the processor and at least one wireless communication antenna are disposed, the device health sensor in communication with the processor;
at least two adjacent magnets of the four magnets disposed on the peripheral side of the body each have a pole of the same polarity facing the outer periphery of the body;
A wireless device is presented.

In some embodiments of the disclosed wireless device, the device health sensor includes a temperature sensor and the at least one health function includes the user's body temperature.

In some embodiments of the disclosed wireless device, a device health sensor is disposed within the cavity and proximal to the back surface.

In some embodiments of the disclosed wireless device, the body defines a back surface and includes a bottom assembly made at least partially of a thermally conductive material.

In some embodiments of the disclosed wireless device, the bottom assembly includes a thermally conductive bottom cap.

In some embodiments of the disclosed wireless device, the bottom cap is made of a plastic conductive material.

In some embodiments of the disclosed wireless device, the bottom assembly comprises:
a bottom cap, the bottom cap defining an opening therethrough;
a bottom cap cover covering at least a portion of the opening.

In some embodiments of the disclosed wireless device, the bottom cap cover is made of a conductive material.

In some embodiments of the disclosed wireless device, the wireless device
a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) with a processor embedded on top;
a sensor printed circuit board (sensor PCB) within the cavity, the sensor PCB comprising:
a first end region coupled to the PCBA;
a second end region coupled to the device health sensor, the sensor PCB each having a first end region distal from the bottom assembly and a second end region proximal from the bottom assembly; and the device health sensor is bonded to the bottom assembly via thermally conductive adhesive.

In some embodiments of the disclosed wireless device, the wireless device comprises:
a PCBA with a processor built on top;
a sensor PCB in the cavity and coupled to the device health sensor on top;
and one or more leads connecting the sensor PCB to the PCBA, respectively, the PCBA being distal from the bottom assembly and the sensor PCB being proximal from the bottom assembly, the sensor PCB being connected via the thermally conductive adhesive. are connected to the bottom assembly.

In some embodiments of the disclosed wireless device, the processor is configured to transmit device health data associated with device health sensor measurements to a server via a wireless communication antenna.

According to another aspect disclosed herein, an accessory configured to releasably receive a wireless device and to be worn by a user on the right or left arm only is presented.

According to another aspect disclosed herein, a guest engagement system comprising:
A plurality of wireless devices, each wireless device provided to and carried by a user of the guest engagement system, each wireless device having a unique identifier and each configured for Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication. a plurality of wireless devices including a first wireless communication antenna configured for near field communication (NFC) communication and a second wireless communication antenna configured for near field communication (NFC) communication;
A sensor network including a plurality of sensors each mounted at different locations, wherein at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors detects a wireless device proximate to it and based on BLE communication with the wireless device. at least another sensor of the plurality of sensors detects the wireless device in proximity to it and receives the unique identifier therefrom based on NFC communication with the wireless device a sensor network operable to
a communication network connecting each of the plurality of sensors of the sensor network;
A central server communicatively coupled to each of a plurality of sensors of a sensor network via a communication network for providing each unique identifier of a wireless device received by the sensors of the sensor network using BLE or NFC communication. , a central server storing logs associated with sensor locations and timestamps;
A guest engagement system is shown, comprising:

In some embodiments of the disclosed guest engagement system, the central server comprises:
receiving from the sensor user health data associated with one of the users wearing the wireless device;
It is configured to store a log associating unique identifiers of wireless devices with user health data.

In some embodiments of the disclosed guest engagement system, the central server determines the number of users visiting the venue based on user health data associated with each user, the duration of the visit, the number of users visiting the venue, or a combination thereof. are configured to determine a schedule for cleaning the venue.

In some embodiments of the disclosed guest engagement system, a central server displays each digital clone of the user and their user health data on a user interface in association with the location and timestamp associated with the user health data. configured to present.

In some embodiments of the disclosed guest engagement system, user health data includes device health data based on one or more measurements by device health sensors of wireless devices.

In some embodiments of the disclosed guest engagement system, the guest engagement system further includes one or more system health sensors each associated with a sensor of the sensor network, each system health sensor wearing a wireless device. measuring at least one health function of a user proximate to a sensor associated with the system health sensor, wherein the user health data includes system health data based on one or more measurements by the system health sensor .

In some embodiments of the disclosed guest engagement system, at least one of the system health sensors includes a contactless body temperature scanner.

In some embodiments of the disclosed guest engagement system, the user health data is based on one or more measurements of the user's health features, where the health features are associated with symptoms of infectious diseases.

According to another aspect disclosed herein, a method for hygiene maintenance of a facility via a guest engagement system, the guest engagement system comprising:
a plurality of wireless devices provided to and carried by users of a guest engagement system, each wireless device having a unique identifier;
a processor;
at least one wireless communication antenna in communication with the processor and configured for Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication, Near Field Communication (NFC) communication, or a combination thereof;
a plurality of wireless devices in communication with the processor and including a device health sensor configured to measure at least one health function of a user wearing the wireless device;
A sensor network including a plurality of sensors each mounted at different locations, wherein at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors detects a wireless device in its proximity and is unique therefrom based on BLE or NFC communication a sensor network operable to receive an identifier for
a communication network connecting each of the plurality of sensors of the sensor network;
A central server communicatively coupled to each of a plurality of sensors of a sensor network via a communication network for providing each unique identifier of a wireless device received by the sensors of the sensor network using BLE or NFC communication. a central server storing logs associated with sensor locations and timestamps;
A method is implemented by a central server, the method comprising:
obtaining user health data from sensors based at least in part on measurements via device health sensors;
and determining sanitation activities for the facility based on the obtaining steps.

According to another aspect disclosed herein, a method for manufacturing a wireless device, comprising:
providing a body having a tapered shape, the body including a front surface, a back surface having the same shape as the front surface and having a larger dimension than the front surface, and a peripheral side surface connecting the front surface and the back surface;
embedding four magnets within the body and disposing the four magnets on the peripheral sides along the perimeter of the body;
disposing a device health sensor at least partially within the body, the device health sensor configured to measure at least one health function of the user wearing the wireless device; including
the body includes a cavity in which the processor and at least one wireless communication antenna are disposed, the device health sensor communicating with the processor;
at least two adjacent magnets of the four magnets disposed on the peripheral side of the body each have a pole of the same polarity facing the outer periphery of the body;
A method is shown.

The figures in the drawings show, by way of example only and not by way of limitation, one or more implementations consistent with the present teachings. For example, it should be noted that the figures are not drawn to scale and that elements of similar structure or function are generally designated by like reference numerals for purposes of illustration throughout the figures. It should also be noted that these figures are intended only to facilitate the description of the preferred embodiment. These figures do not depict all aspects of the described embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure.
1 is a high-level functional block diagram showing components of a guest engagement system; FIG. 1 is a high-level functional block diagram showing components of a guest engagement system; FIG. FIG. 3 illustrates a medal or guest device used in the guest engagement system and an accessory into which the medal may be releasably inserted; FIG. 3 illustrates a medal or guest device used in the guest engagement system and an accessory into which the medal may be releasably inserted; FIG. 3 illustrates a medal or guest device used in the guest engagement system and an accessory into which the medal may be releasably inserted; FIG. 3 illustrates a medal or guest device used in the guest engagement system and an accessory into which the medal may be releasably inserted; FIG. 3 illustrates a medal or guest device used in the guest engagement system and an accessory into which the medal may be releasably inserted; FIG. 3 illustrates a medal or guest device used in the guest engagement system and an accessory into which the medal may be releasably inserted; FIG. 3 illustrates a medal or guest device used in the guest engagement system and an accessory into which the medal may be releasably inserted; FIG. 3 illustrates a medal or guest device used in the guest engagement system and an accessory into which the medal may be releasably inserted; FIG. 3 illustrates a medal or guest device used in the guest engagement system and an accessory into which the medal may be releasably inserted; FIG. 3 illustrates a medal or guest device used in the guest engagement system and an accessory into which the medal may be releasably inserted; Fig. 10 shows an exploded perspective view of a further accessory into which medals can be releasably inserted; Fig. 10 shows an exploded perspective view of a further accessory into which medals can be releasably inserted; Fig. 10 shows an exploded perspective view of a further accessory into which medals can be releasably inserted; Fig. 10 shows an exploded perspective view of a further accessory into which medals can be releasably inserted; Fig. 10 shows an exploded perspective view of a further accessory into which medals can be releasably inserted; Fig. 10 shows an exploded perspective view of a further accessory into which medals can be releasably inserted; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing components of a medal or guest device; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing components of a medal or guest device; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing components of a medal or guest device; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing components of a medal or guest device; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing components of a medal or guest device; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing components of a medal or guest device; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing components of a medal or guest device; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing components of a medal or guest device; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing components of a medal or guest device; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing components of a medal or guest device; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing components of a medal or guest device; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing components of a medal or guest device; FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing functional components of a medal; FIG. 10 illustrates an automatic door lock assembly and its components that allow doors to be unlocked automatically based on interaction with a medal; FIG. 10 illustrates an automatic door lock assembly and its components that allow doors to be unlocked automatically based on interaction with a medal; FIG. 10 illustrates an automatic door lock assembly and its components that allow doors to be unlocked automatically based on interaction with a medal; FIG. 10 illustrates an automatic door lock assembly and its components that allow doors to be unlocked automatically based on interaction with a medal; FIG. 10 illustrates an automatic door lock assembly and its components that allow doors to be unlocked automatically based on interaction with a medal; FIG. 10 illustrates an automatic door lock assembly and its components that allow doors to be unlocked automatically based on interaction with a medal; FIG. 10 illustrates an automatic door lock assembly and its components that allow doors to be unlocked automatically based on interaction with a medal; FIG. 10 illustrates an automatic door lock assembly and its components that allow doors to be unlocked automatically based on interaction with a medal; FIG. 10 illustrates an automatic door lock assembly and its components that allow doors to be unlocked automatically based on interaction with a medal; FIG. 1 illustrates a guest engagement system sensor and its components; FIG. 1 illustrates a guest engagement system sensor and its components; FIG. 1 illustrates a guest engagement system sensor and its components; FIG. 1 illustrates a guest engagement system sensor and its components; FIG. 1 illustrates a guest engagement system sensor and its components; FIG. 1 illustrates a guest engagement system sensor and its components; FIG. 1 illustrates a guest engagement system sensor and its components; FIG. 1 illustrates a guest engagement system sensor and its components; FIG. 1 illustrates a guest engagement system sensor and its components; FIG. 1 illustrates a guest engagement system sensor and its components; FIG. 1 illustrates a guest engagement system sensor and its components; FIG. 1 illustrates a guest engagement system sensor and its components; FIG. 1 illustrates a guest engagement system sensor and its components; FIG. 1 illustrates a guest engagement system sensor and its components; 1 is a high-level functional block diagram showing additional components including terminal devices of the guest engagement system; FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a gaming station that may be used as part of a guest engagement system; FIG. 1 is a simplified functional block diagram of a computer hardware platform that may be used to implement functionality of the guest engagement system; FIG. 1 is a simplified functional block diagram of a computer hardware platform that may be used to implement functionality of the guest engagement system; FIG. 1B illustrates an alternative exemplary embodiment of the guest engagement system of FIG. 1A; FIG. 14 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of an antenna device adapted for the guest engagement system of FIG. 13; FIG. Figure 15 shows an alternative exemplary embodiment of the antenna device of Figure 14, wherein the antenna device comprises a Yagi antenna; Figure 15 shows another alternative exemplary embodiment of the antenna device of Figure 14, the antenna device being disposed on one or more printed circuit boards; FIG. 17 is a detail view illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a first wireless communication antenna of the antenna device of FIG. 16; FIG. 17 is a detail view illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a first wireless communication antenna of the antenna device of FIG. 16; FIG. 17 is a detail view illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a second wireless communication antenna of the antenna device of FIG. 16; FIG. 17 is a detail view illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a second wireless communication antenna of the antenna device of FIG. 16; FIG. 17 is a detailed view showing an alternative exemplary embodiment of the antenna device of FIG. 16, the antenna device including an antenna carrier; FIG. 17 is a detailed view showing an alternative exemplary embodiment of the antenna device of FIG. 16, the antenna device including an antenna carrier; 22 is an exploded perspective view of an alternative exemplary embodiment of the antenna device of FIG. 21; FIG. 17 is a three-dimensional (3D) radiation pattern and realized gain plot of an exemplary first wireless communication antenna of the antenna device of FIG. 16 without the second wireless communication antenna; FIG. 17 is a three-dimensional (3D) radiation pattern and realized gain plot of an exemplary first wireless communication antenna of the antenna device of FIG. 16 without the second wireless communication antenna; FIG. 17 is a three-dimensional (3D) radiation pattern and realized gain plot of an exemplary first wireless communication antenna of the antenna device of FIG. 16 with a second wireless communication antenna; FIG. 17 is a three-dimensional (3D) radiation pattern and realized gain plot of an exemplary first wireless communication antenna of the antenna device of FIG. 16 with a second wireless communication antenna; FIG. 17 is a three-dimensional (3D) radiation pattern and realized gain plot of another exemplary first wireless communication antenna of the antenna device of FIG. 16 having a second wireless communication antenna; FIG. 17 is a three-dimensional (3D) radiation pattern and realized gain plot of another exemplary first wireless communication antenna of the antenna device of FIG. 16 having a second wireless communication antenna; FIG. 14 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of an accessory adapted to the guest engagement system of FIG. 13; FIG. 28 illustrates an alternative exemplary embodiment of the accessory of FIG. 27, the accessory including hardware components including an antenna device; FIG. FIG. 28 is an exploded view of the accessory of FIG. 27 assembled to the crew device; FIG. 24 shows another alternative exemplary embodiment of the accessory of FIG. 23 with the antenna device in the retracted position; FIG. 24 shows another alternative exemplary embodiment of the accessory of FIG. 23 with the antenna device in the deployed position; 31 is a three-dimensional (3D) radiation pattern of the antenna device of FIG. 30; FIG. 32 is a three-dimensional (3D) radiation pattern of the antenna device of FIG. 31; FIG. 24 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a method for using the accessory of FIG. 23; FIG. Figure 31 is a detailed view showing the accessory of Figure 30 with the antenna device in the retracted position; Figure 32 is a detailed view showing the accessory of Figure 31 with the antenna device in the deployed position; 24 shows an alternative exemplary embodiment of the accessory of FIG. 23 with the antenna device in the retracted position and the antenna device including the first wireless communication antenna; FIG. 24 shows an alternative exemplary embodiment of the accessory of FIG. 23 with the antenna device in the deployed position and the antenna device including a first wireless communication antenna; FIG. Figure 38 is a detailed view of the accessory of Figure 37; 39 is a detailed view of the accessory of FIG. 38; FIG. FIG. 38 is a detailed view showing the accessory of FIG. 37 without the accessory attached to the crew device; FIG. 39 is a detailed view showing the accessory of FIG. 38 without the accessory attached to the crew device; 1B is an exemplary diagram illustrating an alternative embodiment of the guest engagement system of FIG. 1A; FIG. FIG. 7 is an exemplary diagram illustrating one embodiment of a mode of operation of the accessory of FIG. 6; 44B is an exemplary diagram illustrating another embodiment of the mode of operation of FIG. 44A; FIG. FIG. 44B is an exemplary functional flow diagram illustrating one embodiment using the mode of operation of FIG. 44A; FIG. 44B is an exemplary functional flow diagram illustrating another embodiment using the mode of operation of FIG. 44A; FIG. 44 is an exemplary functional flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of location detection using the guest engagement system of FIG. 43; FIG. 44 is an exemplary diagram illustrating one embodiment of signal strength detection using the guest engagement system of FIG. 43; FIG. 44 is an exemplary diagram illustrating another embodiment of signal strength detection using the guest engagement system of FIG. 43; 1B illustrates an alternative exemplary embodiment of the guest device shown in FIG. 1A, the guest device including a device health sensor; FIG. Figure 48 shows an alternative exemplary embodiment of the guest device of Figure 47, the guest device including a body; 49 shows an alternative exemplary embodiment of the guest device of FIG. 48, wherein the body includes a bottom assembly; Figure 50 shows an alternative exemplary embodiment of the guest device of Figure 49, wherein the bottom assembly includes a bottom cap; Figure 50 shows another alternative exemplary embodiment of the guest device of Figure 49, wherein the bottom assembly includes a bottom cap and a bottom cap cover; 52 is a detailed view showing assembly of the bottom assembly of FIG. 51; FIG. 52 is a detailed view showing a modification of the bottom cap to build the bottom assembly of FIG. 51; FIG. 52 is a detailed view showing a bottom cap for building the bottom assembly of FIG. 51; FIG. FIG. 50 shows another alternative exemplary embodiment of the guest device of FIG. 49, wherein the device health sensor is coupled with the bottom assembly via thermal conduction paths; 56 shows an alternative exemplary embodiment of the guest device of FIG. 55 with device health sensors coupled onto the sensor PCB; FIG. Figure 57 shows the guest device of Figure 56 with the sensor PCB bent; 56 shows another alternative exemplary embodiment of the guest device of FIG. 55 with device health sensors coupled onto the sensor PCB; FIG. Figure 59 is an exploded view showing the guest device of Figure 58, with the sensor PCB and device health sensor assembly shown assembled to the bottom assembly; 48 is a table showing events for sending device health data by the guest device of FIG. 47; FIG. 48 is a table showing device health sensor options for the guest device of FIG. 47; 48 is a table showing device health sensor options for the guest device of FIG. 47; 1B illustrates an alternative exemplary embodiment of the guest engagement system of FIG. 1A, wherein a server receives user health data; FIG. 1B illustrates an exemplary communication process between guest devices and sensors of the guest engagement system of FIG. 1A; FIG. 48 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a method for using the guest device of FIG. 47; 64 depicts an alternative exemplary embodiment of the guest engagement system of FIG. 63, the guest engagement system including one or more system health sensors; FIG. 64 is an exemplary user interface generated by the guest engagement system of FIG. 63, the user interface presenting interaction dwell times between the selected user and other users; 64 is another example user interface generated by the guest engagement system of FIG. 63, the user interface presenting interactions between the selected user and other users over a period of time; 64 is yet another example user interface generated by the guest engagement system of FIG. 63, the user interface presenting a cleaning schedule; 64 is yet another exemplary user interface generated by the guest engagement system of FIG. 63, the user interface presenting a digital clone of the user; 64 is yet another exemplary user interface generated by the guest engagement system of FIG. 63, the user interface presenting motion tracking of a digital clone of the user;

In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth by way of example in order to provide a thorough understanding of the related teachings. However, it should be apparent to one skilled in the art that the teachings of the present invention may be practiced without such details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, and/or circuits have been described at a high level without detail in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring aspects of the present teachings.

Various techniques and equipment systems disclosed herein use wireless sensing technology to enable automated engagement with facility users or guests.

The Guest Engagement System relies on wireless sensing technology to securely identify guests based on the medals they wear or carry, and automatically provide services to guests based on this secure identification. Additionally, the system enhances guest engagement by maintaining a database of guest locations and experiences, enabling seamless service delivery to guests regardless of their location.

FIG. 1A provides a general block diagram showing the components of guest engagement system 10. As shown in FIG. Guest engagement system 10 of FIG. amusement parks, arenas or stadiums, amusement parks or casinos), transportation centers (e.g. airports, seaports or terminals, train or bus stations, multimodal transportation centers), or any other facility or combination of such facilities can be In one example, the facility includes a cruise ship that accommodates a large number of guests, or multiple cruise ships, associated onshore facilities (e.g., port facilities), and affiliated facilities (e.g., partner facilities that provide onshore activities for cruise guests). ). In another example, the facility may be a resort that includes one or more hotels, restaurants, theaters, amusement parks, and other related facilities distributed over one or more geographic locations. In a further example, a facility is a collection of facilities associated with a particular event, such as a convention or trade show, including locations of multiple affiliated facilities (e.g., hotels, restaurants, museums, arenas, malls, or other retail locations). may be A user of the guest engagement system is generally referred to herein as a guest 12 . In the cruise ship example, guests 12 may include cruise passengers and, more generally, stewards, staff, and other users of guest devices 11 . In other examples, guests 12 may include anyone who interacts with guest engagement system 10 , including users of guest devices 11 . Thus, guests 12 can refer to patients, nurses, doctors, and visitors, among other users, in the exemplary context of a medical or therapeutic facility, and in the exemplary context of a convention facility. In the context of conventions, can refer to convention attendees and/or exhibitors, and in the exemplary context of various types of commercial establishments, can refer to shoppers, staff members, travelers, sales representatives, and the like.

Guest engagement system 10 is configured to communicate wirelessly with guest devices 11 , such as medallions worn or carried by guests 12 , each of which uniquely identifies the associated guest and establishes a secure connection with guest engagement system 10 . communication. In the examples detailed herein, the guest devices 11 take the form of medals and are collectively referred to as medals in this disclosure. However, the term medal is not intended to limit the scope of guest devices 11 that may be used as part of system 10, as devices/medal 11 may take other forms. The guest device/medal 11 is preferably lightweight and compact so that it can be easily worn or carried by the user. A guest device/medal 11 is configured to communicate using at least one wireless communication technology/protocol, and preferably two or more separate wireless communication technologies/protocols. be. For example, medal 11 can be configured to communicate according to both Near Field Communication (NFC) and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) standards, but medal 11 typically uses only one standard at any given time to reduce energy consumption. can work using

The guest engagement system 10 includes a sensor network 13 of sensors 15 mounted throughout the facility and configured to wirelessly communicate with guest medals 11 . Sensors 15 of network 13 may be used to sense a guest's location (or proximity to sensor 15), for example, by detecting beacon signals or other signals emitted by tokens 11. Sensor 15 can also be in two-way communication with medal 11 to send and receive information to and from medal 11 . Sensors 15 may also be located within specific interface devices 17, such as sensors associated with door locks 17a, automatic doors or turnstiles, vending machine terminals 17b, cash registers, slot machines, interactive displays 17c or portals 17d, or the like. It may be located within an interface facility of the system or otherwise associated. In some situations, the sensor 15 is mounted within the interface device 17, and in other situations the sensor 15 associated with the interface device 17 is mounted proximate to the interface device. For example, a spotlight sensor may be placed over where a user interacting with interface device 17 is located (eg, directly in front of interface device 17 and over about 1 foot away). It can sense only the beacon signals emitted by the user's tokens located directly in front of and near the interface device 17 . When associated with a particular interface device 17 or interface function, the sensor 15 is in two-way communication with the medallion 11, providing a secure communication channel between the device and the medallion, e.g. Automatic unlocking of door locks can be provided based on secure authentication.

Guest engagement system 10 may further utilize terminal devices such as BLE-enabled mobile devices, tablet computers, or interactive displays to provide services to guests through sensing (and communicating with) medals 11. The services provided using the terminal device may be provided in addition to the aforementioned services provided using the sensor network 13 and the sensors 15 of the interface device 17 for providing services. As will be explained in more detail below (see, for example, the description of FIG. 9), the services provided via the terminal device include location information services (e.g., medallions based on the terminal device sensing beacon signals of the medallions). location detection and reporting of sensed medals and location to the system server 21), switching the medals to various modes of operation (sleep, beacon, interactive mode, etc.), or switching to various modes of operation, among other services. You can switch from service.

The guest engagement system 10 also includes one or more servers 21 that are connected to a network of sensors 13, interface devices 17, and various sensors provided throughout the guest engagement system 10 and associated facilities. It is communicatively connected to medal 11 via 15 . One or more communication networks 19 provide communication capabilities between the various elements of system 10 . In one example, the guest engagement system 10 includes at least one authentication server, which is used to authenticate guest medals and provide encryption and decryption services. The system includes a database of guest information (e.g., guest reservations, guest preferences, status of activities in which guests have participated, etc.), payment transaction servers (e.g., containing guest billing information), and location information (e.g., on-site and locations of medals 11 throughout the facility and at other locations).

A detailed description of the various components of guest engagement system 10 is provided with reference to the accompanying figures. The description focuses on exemplary embodiments of the components of the system and does not limit the scope of attributes and functionality of the components and system.

Two different structures of sensor 15 can be used in the system. In one example, individual sensors 15 within guest engagement system 10 include, at least in part, processors and memory that control the operation of sensors 15 . In such examples, each sensor may further include a network transceiver, which includes a communication port for communicatively connecting sensor 15 to communication network 19 . Network transceivers may be Ethernet, Wifi, or other suitable transceivers.

Alternatively or additionally, guest engagement system 10 may include sensor network peripherals 14 that are distributed throughout the facility and that are directly connected to sensors 15 . works. In such an example, FIG. 1B provides a general block diagram showing a more detailed view of sensor network 13 of guest engagement system 10, the sensor network used to connect sensors 15 to communication network 19. A peripheral device 14 is shown. In particular, as shown, the sensors 15 of the sensor network 13 are directly connected to respective sensor network peripherals 14, each receiving power from the corresponding sensor network peripheral 14 and under its control. Operate. On the other hand, the sensor network peripheral device 14 is connected to the communication network 19 and communicates with the server 21 via the network 19 .

Each sensor network peripheral generally includes a network transceiver for communicating with communication network 19, such as Ethernet, Wifi, or other suitable network transceiver. Each sensor network peripheral 14 further includes at least one port for connecting at least one associated sensor 15 . For example, a sensor network peripheral 14 typically includes one or more communication buses that may connect multiple sensors 15 or other devices. For example, the sensor network peripheral 14 may include two buses each operating to connect to up to 16 sensors 15 in one example. Through these connections, sensor network peripheral 14 relays sensing information captured by sensors 15 to communications network 19 and server 21 and relays control or communications from communications network 19 and server 21 to sensors 15. function as Sensor network peripheral 14 further relays data or other communications received from medal 11 by sensor 15 to communications network 19 and server 21, and controls or communicates from communications network 19 and server 21 to sensor 15. can be relayed to the medal 11 via the

Each sensor network peripheral 14 includes a processor and memory and operates to control the operation of the sensor(s) 15 connected thereto. In particular, using the sensor network peripheral 14, the guest engagement system 10 allows the sensor 15 to have minimal (or no) on-board processing power and memory, and minimal memory during initial system installation. It may be possible to function with sensors 15 that require configuration. In particular, through the use of sensor network peripherals 14, individual sensors 15 identify themselves on communications network 19 and generate data transmitted by respective sensors 15 on network 19. It eliminates the need to store individual network identifiers (eg, unique network addresses) that are used to identify as one. Instead, sensor network peripheral 14 is configured to package data received from sensors 15 connected to sensor network peripheral 14 for communication over network 19, and in particular to It is arranged to associate the data received from 15 with the identifier of each sensor 15 . Sensor network peripheral 14 is further configured to packetize data from sensor 15 for communication over network 19 . Further, individual sensors 15 need not be operable to communicate over network 19, and each sensor 15 identifies packets intended for it from among packets communicated over network 19. and does not need to have sufficient processing power to process. Instead, sensor network peripherals 14 process data communicated over network 19 to identify packets destined for each sensor network peripheral 14 and/or sensors 15 connected thereto, and It is configured to process the contained instructions and control the appropriate sensor(s) 15 connected to the sensor network peripheral 14 in accordance with the processed instructions.

As noted above, the use of sensor network peripherals 14 allows wireless guest engagement system 10 to operate using low cost sensors 15, which do not include network communication circuitry. , has no or minimal processing power and memory. Further, by using sensor network peripherals 14, wireless guest engagement system 10 can communicate with server 21 without the need to assign individual network identifiers to each sensor 15 and/or with information about individual sensors 15 within the system. It can be configured and start working without the need to configure. Instead, the wireless guest engagement system 10 connects the plurality of sensors 15 directly to nearby sensor network peripherals 14 located throughout the facility, which sensor network peripherals communicate with the server 21 via the communications network 19 . 14 can be configured to operate.

Although the foregoing description focuses on sensor network peripherals 14 directly connected to sensors 15 configured to sense the presence of and/or communicate with medallions 11, sensors Network 13 and sensor network peripherals 14 may more generally support other types of sensors or devices (generally referenced by numeral 16 in FIG. 1B). Specifically, the sensor network 13 and sensor network peripherals 14 can be used to control the operation of other sensors or devices 16 over the communication network 19 and relay sensing data. Sensors or devices 16 may include sensors such as smoke or CO (carbon monoxide) sensors, infrared or occupancy sensors, photodiodes or light sensors, temperature and/or humidity sensors. Other sensors or devices 16 may also include speakers and/or microphones (eg, part of a public address (PA) system), actuators or controllers (eg, for opening and closing vents or window shades), switches or relays (eg, lighting on/off, heating and ventilation, power), cameras (eg, as part of a security system), and other devices. Sensor network peripheral 14 is further configured to support sensors attached to (or associated with) vending machine terminals 17b, interactive displays 17c, and other interface devices 17 described throughout this specification. can do.

The functionality provided by sensor network peripheral 14 may also be incorporated into other components of wireless guest engagement system 10 . In particular, the functionality of sensor network peripheral 14 may be incorporated into components including processors, memory, and network transceivers for communicating over communications network 19 . For example, an access panel 705 provided in association with door lock 17a may be configured for use as sensor network peripheral 14, as shown in FIG. 1B. Note that access panel 705 is described in further detail below in connection with FIGS. 7A-7I. In the example of FIG. 1B, access panel 705 can include at least one port and/or bus for connecting one or more sensors 15 to itself, and access panel 705 is associated with sensor network peripherals 14. can be configured to support the operation of sensor 15 as described above.

As detailed above, the guest device 11 may take the form of a medallion 11, such as the exemplary medallion 11 shown in FIG. 2A. As shown, the medal 11 has an outer diameter of approximately 1.25 inches (approximately 3.175 cm) (ranging from 0.75 to 2.5 inches (approximately 1.905 to 6.35 cm)), 0.9525 cm) (ranging from 1/8 to 5/8 inch (about 0.3175 to about 1.5875 cm)), and about 1.8 oz (about 51.03 g) (1.2 to 2.4 oz ( It takes the form of a token having a weight in the range of about 34.02-68.04 g)).

Medal 11 is configured to be insertable into various accessories worn by guest 12 . The accessory allows the medal 11 to be securely attached to the guest 12 and prevents the guest from inadvertently losing or misplacing the medal. FIG. 2B shows an exemplary accessory 201 in the form of a wristband or bracelet. Other types of accessories can also be used, including straps, pendants, key chains, necklaces, belt buckles, swimwear (eg, bikini rings), body piercings, etc., some of which are shown in FIGS. 4A-4F. . Medal 11 is configured to be inserted into a cavity of wristband accessory 201 shaped and sized to receive medal 11 . As shown, the medallion 11 faces the user through the back of the wristband accessory 201, i.e., the inner surface of the wristband designed to contact the user's wrist when the wristband is worn. is inserted through the side of accessory 201 designed for Medal 11 is inserted through the back of wristband accessory 201 to ensure that medal 11 does not inadvertently slide off accessory 201 when accessory 201 is worn by a user. In particular, as shown in FIG. 2C, the cavity of the accessory 201 configured to receive the medallion can be tapered so that the medallion 11 can be inserted into the cavity of the accessory 201 but not through the cavity. It can have angled or chamfered edges that keep it from protruding out of the accessory 201 through its front surface. In the example of FIG. 2C, the edge is angled at approximately 3° (corresponding to an angle of 87° for the front or back surface) with respect to the perpendicular edge. Specifically, the cavity in the example of FIG. 2C may have a tapered shape rather than a cylindrical shape, for example, a circular base and a predetermined angle (e.g., 3° (+/ −1°), corresponding to an angle of 87° (range 86-88°) to the anterior or posterior surface. may have. This angle is such that the rear/lower opening of the cavity is larger than the front/upper opening, thereby preventing medals 11 from passing through the cavity.

Similarly, the medallion 11 can have a tapered shape with an angled edge along the outer peripheral surface, and as also shown in FIG. . The angled edge of the medal is an angled edge such that the medal has a smaller dimension (eg, smaller diameter) on the front/top surface 11a of the medal 11 relative to the back/bottom surface 11b of the medal 11 . Therefore, the combination of the angled edge of the medal 11 and the cavity of the accessory 201 means that the medal can only be placed in the accessory 201 such that the front surface 11a of the medal 11 faces outward and the back surface 11b faces rearward. Assure. Additionally, the medallion 11 can be sized slightly smaller than the cavity to facilitate the fitting of the medallion 11 within the cavity. For example, the medallion 11 may have an outer dimension, such as an outer diameter, that is 0.75 mm (eg, in the range of 0.5-1 mm) smaller than the inner dimension/inner diameter of the cavity, thereby allowing the medallion to fit perfectly with the cavity. It allows the medal 11 to be inserted into the cavity even if it is not aligned and/or tilted with respect to the cavity.

Summarizing here, the medal can be easily and safely coupled to the accessory 201 due to the following features. The medallion 11 has an angled edge that slopes at a predetermined angle (e.g., 3°) from the medal's "front" face to the "back" face for alignment to the oppositely formed angled edge of the accessory 201. have a part. The angled edge design allows the medallion 11 to be aligned with the accessory by inserting the medallion on the "back" side of the accessory. Since the medal 11 can only be inserted or removed from the back of the accessory 201, the force required to remove the medal 11 from the accessory 201 will be rearward, and when the medal is in the accessory 201, the guest wearing the accessory 201 will be forced to move. It will face the body (and/or face another surface that prevents the medal from being easily removed). Therefore, when the accessory 201 is worn, the medal 11 cannot be easily detached from the accessory 201 or removed.

The foregoing description has focused on medallions 11 having a circular shape and corresponding cavities having a circular shape. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such medals and cavities. More generally, the medallions 11 and corresponding cavities in the accessory have oval or other rounded shapes, or square, rectangular, or other angular shapes (e.g., triangles, pentagons, hexagons, etc.). I can. In either case, the medallion 11 and corresponding cavity are angled from the medallion's "front" side to the "back" side to ensure that the medallion 11 can only be inserted or removed from the back side of the accessory 201. It may have a tapered shape with sloping angled edges. In such a case, the medallion 11 may have front and back surfaces with substantially similar (or identical) shapes and different dimensions to give the medallion 11 a tapered shape, and the accessory cavity may likewise: It may have front and rear openings with substantially similar (or identical) shapes and different dimensions to give the cavity a tapered shape.

Further, the medallion 11 and the accessory 201 can include magnets that automatically position the medallion 11 in a predetermined rotational orientation with respect to the cavity of the accessory 201 (e.g. self-alignment). The magnets also provide magnetic adhesion between the medallion 11 and the accessory 201 to reduce the likelihood of the medallion 11 loosening (and/or falling off) from the accessory 201 . Various numbers of magnets can be used for this purpose. For example, 2, 3, 4, 5 or more magnets can be used. The magnets may be evenly spaced around the medallion 11 and the cavity, or more generally each magnet attached to the medallion 11 when the medallion 11 is inserted into the accessory cavity in the desired orientation. The magnets can be placed at predetermined locations on the selected perimeter such that the magnets are aligned with corresponding magnets mounted on the perimeter of the cavity.

As shown in FIG. 2D, in order to ensure that the medallion 11 is always oriented in the correct position of the X and Y axes, the accessory 201 is positioned to align with the four magnets provided on the medallion 11 . , four magnets may be provided. In particular, as shown in FIG. 2E, opposite polarity magnets can be provided at each location on the medallion 11 and the accessory 201 to automatically align the medallion 11 in a particular rotational orientation with respect to the accessory 201 . For example, in the magnetic coupling mechanism of FIG. 2E, the magnets on the top of the medallion 11 and accessory 201 (eg, the "top" in the orientation shown in FIG. 2D) cause the medallion 11 to rotate relative to the orientation shown in FIGS. 2D and 2E. To prevent it from being rotated and inserted upside down, it has a reversed polarity with respect to the magnets on the bottom of the medal 11 and accessory 201 (eg, "bottom" in the orientation shown in FIG. 2D). This feature, together with the angled edges detailed in connection with FIGS. 2B and 2C, ensures that medal 11 can be inserted into accessory 201 in only one orientation (or preferentially in one orientation). . As shown in FIG. 3A, medal 11 may have a metal rim and a plastic body disposed within the metal rim. The electronics contained in the medal 11 are mounted within a plastic body. The metal rim is interrupted in at least one place to form an open ring and contains a plastic or other non-conductive spacer within the resulting gap. For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 3A, the metal perimeter is formed from two separate semi-circular metal housings that, when disposed along the perimeter of the medal 11, are diametrically opposed. They are partially separated from each other by two gaps. The gaps within the metal rim (or between the metal rim parts) prevent eddy currents from flowing around the metal rim, thereby preventing eddy current flow from significantly weakening the medal 11's ability to communicate wirelessly. . Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 3E, a circular metal housing may include one or more gaps filled with injection molded plastic. As also shown in FIG. 3E, the circular metal housing may include recesses for locating magnets as described above with respect to FIGS. 2D-2E. The metal outer ring is generally made of a non-magnetic metallic material, and may be made of polished aluminum, for example.

A similar gap within the metal rim can be included in the accessory 201, as shown in FIG. 3B. Specifically, in embodiments in which the accessory 201 is made of metal or includes metal parts around the perimeter of the cavity configured to house the medal 11, the accessory 201 leaves a gap within the metal perimeter of the cavity. include. The gaps within the metal rim (or between the metal rim parts) prevent eddy currents from flowing around the metal rim, such that eddy current flow interferes with the wireless communication capabilities of the medal 11 contained in the accessory 201. not weaken significantly. In order to ensure proper functioning of the gaps within the metal outer edges of the medal 11 and the accessory 201, the gaps of the medal 11 and the accessory 201 should be aligned when the medal 11 is attached to the accessory 201. Specifically, the alignment of the gap ensures that the metal rims do not together form a closed metal loop around the electronics of the medal 11 even if the outer metal rim of the medal 11 and the accessory 201 contact each other. becomes. To ensure gap alignment, magnets such as those described above in connection with FIGS. 2D and 2E may be used to provide the desired rotational alignment of medallion 11 within accessory 201. FIG. The geometry and polarity of the magnets are arranged such that the medallions are self-oriented within the accessory and the gaps of the metal outer rings are aligned with each other (eg, next to each other or in contact with each other).

The gap between medal 11 and accessory 201 has a width selected to ensure that a closed metal loop is not formed even if medal 11 and accessory 201 are not perfectly aligned. Alternatively or additionally, an insulating liner 41, such as the plastic or other insulating liner shown in FIGS. The insulating liner 41 may extend along the entire perimeter of the cavity, or the insulating liner 41 may extend into the gaps within the metal outer edge of the medal 11 when the medal 11 is mounted on the accessory 201 in the desired orientation. can be placed in contact. The insulating liner 41 provides insulation between the gap within the metal rim of the medal 11 and the accessory 201 to ensure that the metal rim of the accessory 201 does not form a short across the gap within the metal rim of the medal 11. .

As shown in Figure 2B, accessory 201 may take the form of a wristband. However, other accessory formats are also available. For example, FIGS. 4A-4E show various other types of accessories configured to receive medals 11. FIG. In this regard, FIG. 4A shows a sports band accessory, which includes a sports band (eg, made of silicone) and a retaining ring (eg, stainless steel) that fits over the sports band and includes recesses to retain the magnets. made of steel and containing a gap filled with a non-conductive material 31) and a two-part clasp designed to close the band around the user's wrist. The retaining ring includes at its center a cavity configured to releasably receive the medal 11 . FIG. 4B shows a clip (eg, made of aluminum) that includes a cavity configured to releasably receive a medal 11 and further including a gap filled with a non-conductive material 31 around the perimeter of the cavity. there is In some examples, the clip may be attached to a keychain. FIG. 4C shows a cuff (e.g., a cuff) containing a retaining ring (e.g., made of stainless steel and containing a gap filled with a non-conductive material such as plastic) that fits over the cuff and includes a recess for holding a magnet. made of nylon). The retaining ring includes at its center a cavity configured to releasably receive the medal 11 .

FIG. 4D shows a bracelet (e.g., made of stainless steel and including a gap 32 filled with a non-conductive material 31) and a retaining ring 33 (e.g., a , made of stainless steel and including gaps filled with non-conductive material 31). The retaining ring includes at its center a cavity configured to releasably receive the medal 11 . FIG. 4E shows a pendant (eg, made of stainless steel and including a gap 32 filled with a non-conductive material 31) and a retaining ring 33 (eg, stainless steel) that fits over the pendant and includes a recess to retain the magnet. made of steel and including gaps filled with non-conductive material 31). The retaining ring includes at its center a cavity configured to releasably receive the medal 11 . In some examples, the pendant is configured to attach to a decorative chain for the guest to wear. In other examples, the pendant is configured to attach to a key fob or other item. Finally, Figure 4F shows a mount configured to be worn using a watch-type band. A mount (e.g., made of stainless steel and containing a gap filled with a non-conductive material) fits over the mount and includes a retaining ring (e.g., made of stainless steel and containing a non-conductive material) containing a recess for retaining the magnet. including gaps filled with conductive material 31).

The accessories shown in FIGS. 4A-4E are non-limiting examples of accessories to which medals 11 may be attached. However, other types of accessories such as neck straps, pendants, key chains, necklaces, belt buckles, swimwear (eg bikini rings), body piercings, etc. can also be used.

The preceding description of medal 11 has focused on external attributes of medal 11, such as the medal shown in FIG. 5A. Specifically, FIG. 5A shows top, bottom, and side views of an exemplary medal 11. FIG. The following description of Figures 5B-5E details the internal structure of various embodiments of the medallion.

As shown in FIGS. 5B, 5C, 5D and 5E, different embodiments of medallion 11 include magnet 501, bottom cap 503, foam filler 505, battery assembly 507 (eg, CR2025 battery), insulating film spacer 509. , a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) 511, a BLE antenna 513 (eg, a J-shaped BLE antenna), an NFC antenna 515 (eg, a wound wire coil antenna), a metal housing 517 (eg, made of aluminum), and a top cap 519. include. The BLE antenna 513 can be soldered to the top surface of the PCB 511, while the NFC antenna 515 can be connected to the PCB 511 by pogo pins. In the embodiment of Figure 5E, the NFC antenna 515 is coated with silicone for durability. As shown in FIG. 5B, magnet 501 may fit within a recess provided in top cap 519 (or alternatively bottom cap 503) and be held in place by the recess. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5E, magnet 501 may fit within a recess provided in the silicone coating NFC antenna 515 and may be held in place by the recess.

5B, 5D and 5E, metal housing 517 is manufactured separately from bottom and top caps 503 and 519. In the embodiment of FIGS. Metal housing 517 may be made of aluminum or other metal, and bottom and top caps 503 and 519 may be made of plastic. In contrast, in the embodiment of FIG. 5C, top cap 519 is integrally formed with metal housing 517 . For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 5C, top cap 519 and metal housing 517 are configured such that, after machining, top cap 519 is interrupted by one or more gaps filled with plastic or other insulating material on its outer periphery. It may be machined from a block of material including metal and plastic materials disposed within the block to have an open metal ring (eg, 517) disposed therearound. Additionally, after machining, the top cap 519 has a plastic (or insulating) center. For this purpose, the block of material used for machining can be metal impregnated with plastic.

Figures 5F and 5G show detailed views of the PCB assembly 511 used in the medal 11, detailing the J-shaped BLE antenna mounted on the top side of the PCB. As shown in FIG. 5F, the J-shaped BLE antenna can be formed of stamp cut steel, includes mechanical bend tabs, and includes alignment pins for placement on the PCB. Pins can also provide connections to ground and feed pads. As shown in FIG. 5G, the J-shaped BL antenna can be formed using a laser direct structuring (LDS) process as a metal plated injection molded plastic part for use in placement and alignment on the PCB. Additionally, a snap feature can be included at the bottom of the molded part.

Detailed schematics of the J-shaped BLE antenna are shown in FIGS. 5H-5L. 5H-5K show detailed schematic views of the BLE antenna provided from the front, side, back and bottom respectively, and FIG. 5L provides a perspective view of the BLE antenna. Antenna dimensions and dimensional design tolerances are shown in the figure in millimeters (mm). The dimensions provided are exemplary and the BLE antenna may be scaled up or down with respect to the dimensions shown depending on the particular application in which the BLE antenna element is used. In the illustrated embodiment, the dimensions of the antenna are such that the total length of the antenna is such that, for example, by setting the total length of the radiating element to approximately 1/4 wavelength at 2.4 GHz, the antenna can It is set up to allow it to resonate. Also, the radius of curvature of the J-shaped antenna is set to maximize the radius of curvature of the antenna within the spatial constraints imposed by the cavity of the medallion in which it is located, while preventing the antenna from contacting the metal outer ring of the medallion. be able to.

In embodiments where the J-shaped BLE antenna is formed as a metal plated injection molded plastic part using a Laser Direct Structuring (LDS) process, the back surface (shown in FIG. 5J) is injection molded. The front surface (shown in FIG. 5H) may be substantially completely plated with metal, although the front surface (shown in FIG. 5H) may be formed from a single plastic part. The metal plating formed on the front surface can extend to the back surface, and in particular to the portion of the back surface shown in gray shading in FIG. 5J. In particular, the metal plating can extend along the top edge 521 of the J-shaped antenna to the back of the antenna, thereby providing an antenna ground terminal electrically connected to the ground terminal of the PCBA 511 . The metal plating can further extend over the side protrusions 523 of the J-shaped antenna to the back of the antenna, thereby providing RF signal terminals electrically connected to the PCBA 511 . Thus, in operation, the PCBA 511 can apply a signal between the ground terminal (521) and the RF signal terminal (523) to emit BLE signals using the antenna, and BLE signals using the antenna. Signals can be sensed at these terminals to receive signals.

Additionally, as shown in the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 5I, the J-shaped antenna has a non-planar profile that includes two bending points that are used to lift the antenna element above the ground plane of PCBA 511. FIG. Placing the antenna element higher than the ground plane allows the antenna element to radiate more RF energy. Finally, the corners of the J antenna can be laser trimmed so that they are not at right angles (90°) to allow fine tuning of the frequency.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing functional components of the medal 11. As shown in FIG. The components shown in FIG. 6 include microprocessor 603, memory 601, transceivers 607 and 609, and sensor 605 and form part of PCBA 511 shown in FIGS. 5B-5E.

As shown in FIG. 6, medal 11 includes memory 601, microprocessor 603, optional sensor(s) 605 such as an accelerometer, one or more transceivers 607, 609 and associated antennas 513, 515, and battery 507. including. The components may communicate and/or be electrically connected to each other by circuitry integrated on the PCB of PCBA 511 . In particular, memory 601 is communicatively connected to microprocessor 603 for execution by microprocessor 603 of machine-executable programming instructions stored in memory 601 to cause medal 11 to perform functions as described throughout this disclosure. can be executed. In addition to programming instructions, memory 601 stores a unique identifier used by guest engagement system 10 to uniquely identify each medal. Memory 610 may also store encryption and decryption keys, as well as encrypted data. For example, in one example, the memory uniquely identifies the medal, a public identifier of the medal 11 broadcast in a beacon signal emitted by the medal, as well as uniquely identifying the medal and stored in encrypted form in the memory. , stores both private identifiers used to securely authenticate medals (e.g. used for payment and door unlocking). In addition, microprocessor 603 is communicatively connected to one or more optional sensors 605, such as accelerometer sensors, and one or more transceivers 607,609.

As noted above, the medallion includes at least one transceiver and associated antenna configured for wireless communication with guest engagement system 10 . As shown, medallion 11 includes two transceivers, each operating according to a different communication standard. In this example, the first transceiver 607 operates according to the BLE standard and is connected to an associated antenna 513 used for BLE communication, while the second transceiver 609 operates according to the NFC standard (eg, radio frequency identification (RFID) standard). ) and is connected to an associated antenna 515 used for NFC communication. Although FIG. 6 shows each transceiver as having a dedicated antenna, in some embodiments two or more transceivers may share the same antenna.

As noted above, BLE transceivers and antennas are used by Medal 11 to emit periodic beacon signals to enable Guest Engagement System 10 to determine the guest's location and identity and to serve the guest. do. BLE transceivers and antennas can also be used for secure communications. However, operation of the BLE transceiver and antenna generally requires battery 507 to provide medal 11 with sufficient power for operation. If the charge level of battery 507 falls below a threshold and/or if the battery or BLE transceiver fails, medallion 11 may not be able to communicate using BLE signals. Even in such a situation, the medal can act as a passive NFC/RFID device. In particular, to function as a passive NFC/RFID device, the medal does not require power for operation from batteries. Instead, the medallion operates on power harvested through the NFC antenna from radio frequency signals that induce current in the antenna. When operating as a passive NFC/RFID device, the medallion can be configured to transmit a signal containing the medallion's unique identifier in response to receiving an RFID interrogation signal or other signal that induces sufficient current in the antenna. . Thus, guest engagement system 10 may be able to provide limited services to guests even if their tokens do not receive sufficient operating power from their batteries.

If the battery 507 provides sufficient power for the operation of the BLE transceiver, the medallion 11 is configured to operate using three different modes of operation. Specifically, memory 601 stores programming instructions which, when executed by microprocessor 603, cause medallion 11 to operate according to a selected one of three modes of operation. First, when the medal 11 is equipped with the battery 507 and is operated for the first time, the medal 11 operates in a mode of sleep operation. Sleep mode operation is a very low power mode of operation that conserves battery power. In sleep mode operation, the medallion 11 periodically listens for network advertisements from recognized guest engagement systems 10 and remains in sleep mode operation unless an advertisement is received from a recognized guest engagement system 10. is. In sleep mode operation, the medallion 11 listens for network advertisements on a regular schedule, such as once every 30 seconds, once every minute, once every 5 minutes. If a network advertisement is received during the periodic listening period, Medal 11 determines whether the advertisement is for a recognized guest engagement system 10 and determines whether the advertisement is for a recognized guest engagement system. 10, the medal 11 switches to the bi-directional operation mode.

In the interactive mode of operation, medallion 11 is configured to emit beacon signals via BLE transceiver 607 and antenna 513 and listen for communications from perceived guest engagement systems 10 via BLE transceiver 607 and antenna 513. be. Medal 11 is also capable of listening for communications via NFC transceiver 609 and antenna 515 in a two-way mode of operation. Medal 11 listens for communications from recognized guest engagement systems 10 periodically, eg, every 10ms, every 100ms, etc. in an interactive mode of operation. Details of the bi-directional mode of operation are provided below in connection with the discussion of door locking. The medallion 11 may continue to operate in the interactive mode of operation until it receives a communication from the guest engagement system 10 in which the medallion 11 has been recognized and switches the mode of operation to the beacon mode of operation. The bi-directional mode of operation may consume more power than the sleep mode of operation.

In the beacon mode of operation, Medal 11 is configured to emit beacon signals via BLE transceiver 607 and antenna 513 . If desired, the Medal can periodically listen for communications from recognized Guest Engagement Systems 10 via BLE transceiver 607 and antenna 513, although the listening time may be greater in Beacon mode of operation than in Interactive mode of operation. occurs less frequently (eg, every second, every 5 seconds, etc.). As a result, the beacon mode of operation is associated with lower power consumption than the interactive mode of operation, but higher power consumption than the sleep mode of operation. The beacon mode of operation periodic listen period is used to listen for communications from recognized guest engagement systems 10 and switch the mode of operation to an interactive mode of operation.

A periodic beacon signal is transmitted from the medal 11 in both the interactive mode of operation and the beacon mode of operation. Generally, the beacon signal contains the medal's unique identifier and is transmitted periodically (eg, every 10 ms, 100 ms, 1 s, etc.). The beacon signals can be sensed by sensors 15 of recognized guest engagement systems 10 and used by guest engagement systems 10 to determine the approximate location of medals 11 within the facility. Beacon signals are also used by recognized guest engagement systems 10 to provide services to guests, as described in more detail below.

The medallion 11 wirelessly communicates with the sensor 15 of the recognized guest engagement system 10 to enable the guest engagement system to provide automated engagement with users or guests of the establishment to which the sensor 15 is attached. Although sensors 15 may be installed throughout the facility, some sensors 15 are installed or otherwise associated with particular interface devices 17 or system interface functions. As shown in FIG. 1A, interface devices 17 include door locks 17a, automatic doors or turnstiles, vending machine terminals 17b, cash registers, slot machines, interactive displays 17c or portals 17d, and the like. The particular interface device 17 that provides the functionality of the door lock 17a is described in detail below with respect to Figures 7A-7I.

The door lock part 17a allows the guest to access the cruise ship by simply opening the door that is automatically unlocked based on wireless communication with the guest's token 11 by the guest walking up to the door, reaching out and grasping the handle. Provide access to staterooms, resort rooms, or other facilities with limited access (eg, VIP lounges, spas, fitness facilities, elevator banks, etc.). Specifically, the door lock 17a detects the presence of a medallion 11 in front of (or in the immediate vicinity of) the door and allows authorized guest(s) or service personnel (e.g., stateroom stewards) to , maid, or facility engineer). Additionally, the door lock 17a may include a display panel that provides visual and audio greetings to the guest, real-time information regarding the guest's upcoming activities, and/or Can provide messages from other members. The door lock display panel may include a panel-mounted camera used to record images and videos of unauthorized persons attempting to access the room, as well as images of crew members, staff members, and others accessing the room.

7A-7I illustratively illustrate an automatic door lock assembly 700 that provides the functionality of door lock 17a to automatically unlock the door based on guest interaction with medallion 11. do. As shown in FIG. 7A, an automatic door lock assembly 700 may be used on a ship (e.g., cruise ship) or hotel to selectively unlock the doors of guest rooms (e.g., staterooms or hotel rooms). . Specifically, the automatic door lock assembly 700 may be used to selectively unlock a guest room door to allow entry into the room. Generally, the door is always left unlocked from the inside of the room and guests are free to leave the room.

The automatic door lock assembly 700 includes a latch assembly 701, shown in more detail in FIGS. 7E, 7G, and 7I, a door lock module 703 that selectively unlocks the latch assembly 701, and an access panel mounted near the door. 705 included. Latch assembly 701 includes a latch and door handle, knob, or other mechanical component(s) that provide door handle/knob functionality, and is generally mounted within a door to be controlled. . Latch assembly 701 also includes electronically controlled locking and unlocking mechanisms, such as solenoid controlled locking mechanisms. The locking and unlocking mechanisms of latch assembly 701 are controlled by door locking module 703, which is an electronic module operable to send locking and unlocking signals to an electronically controlled locking mechanism. . Latch assembly 701 also includes mechanical locking and unlocking mechanisms, such as key-based mechanisms that generally allow the door to be unlocked using a physical key.

Door lock module 703 is electrically connected by wires or other conductors to latch assembly 701 and, more specifically, to the locking mechanism of latch assembly 701 . The door lock module 703 is generally battery powered and mounted within the door, although the door lock module 703 can be located in different locations depending on the implementation. The same battery can be used to power both the door lock module 703 and the electronically controlled locking and unlocking mechanisms of the latch assembly 701 . In addition to controlling the electronically controlled locking mechanism, door lock module 703 communicates wirelessly with access panel 705 from which it receives instructions to unlock the door.

The access panel 705 communicates wirelessly with the door lock module 703 and provides instructions to the door lock module 703 to unlock the door. The access panel 705 also communicates wirelessly with the guest's medallion 11 and whether to instruct the door lock module 703 to unlock the door based on the secure reading of the information stored in the guest's medallion 11. judge. The access panel 705 also communicates with the central reservation server 21 of the guest engagement system 10 to securely obtain information about guests granted door access, and information obtained from the guest's medallion 11 (e.g., unique ) matches the information of the guest authorized to access the door, determines whether to instruct the door lock module 703 to unlock the door. Access panel 705 may be battery powered, but access panel 705 generally receives power from an external power source (eg, via Power over Ethernet (POE)). In some examples, the access panel 705 communicates wirelessly with the central reservation server 21, eg, via a Wi-Fi network. Generally, however, the access panel 705 is connected to a wired network (eg, an Ethernet network) through which it communicates wirelessly with the central reservation server 21 and through which it receives power for operation. Note that the access panel 705 may be connected to an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) so that it can continue to function even if power received from the power grid or generator is interrupted.

7C and 7D provide detailed views of an exemplary access panel 705. FIG. As shown, the access panel includes a flat panel display (e.g., a 7-inch touch-sensitive display), an integrated camera, and a radio transceiver and associated antenna ( multiple) are included. Flat panel displays can be used to greet guests with unlocked doors, provide information to guests with unlocked doors, or provide other information. Further features of access panel 705 are described in greater detail below.

Figures 7E, 7G and 7I provide exploded views of the latch assembly 701, including the door handle/knob and door latch mechanism. Additionally, FIG. 7E shows a door lock module 703 located within the casing of latch assembly 701 and capable of controlling the operation of the electronically controlled unlock mechanism of latch assembly 701 .

Additionally, as shown in FIGS. 7E, 7G and 7I, the latch assembly 701 is mounted on the spindle of the door handle and configured to electrically isolate the door handle from the rest of the latch assembly 701. Includes insulating sleeve. For example, an electrically insulating sleeve may insulate the door handle from the latch mechanism. Electrically isolating the door handle may allow the door lock module 703 to use the door handle as a communication antenna for its ISM radio. Electrical isolation of the door handle may further allow the door lock module 703 to monitor the door handle capacitance and identify changes in the door handle capacitance. In one example, the door lock module 703 measures changes in the potential of the door handle by charging the door handle to a nominal voltage (eg, 0.05V) and determining when the potential of the door handle returns to zero. . Capacitive monitoring performed by the door lock module 703 allows the door lock module 703 to determine when a person is touching, touching, or in close proximity (e.g., less than a few centimeters) to the door handle. However, only when a person contacts or is in close proximity to the door handle can the unlocking mechanism of latch assembly 701 be activated.

FIG. 7F shows a semi-transparent view of an alternative latch assembly 701. FIG. As shown, the latch assembly includes an LED status indicator, shown as a translucent ring indicator disposed around the base of the door handle, which is used to provide status information for the door latch assembly. be done. In one example, the LED status indicator may provide green lighting when the guest is allowed to open the door, and red lighting when the guest is denied permission to open the door.

FIG. 7H is a block diagram illustrating exemplary components of door lock module 703 and access panel 705 . As shown in FIG. 7H, door lock module 703 includes a microprocessor that controls the operation of door lock module 703 and memory that stores instructions for execution on the microprocessor. The door lock module 703 further includes sensors, such as radio frequency (RF) sensors, infrared (IR) sensors, or capacitive proximity sensors, which detect when a guest's hand touches or approaches the door handle. used to determine whether Door lock module 703 further includes a short range radio such as a radio operating in the ISM band for encrypted wireless communication with access panel 705 . Door lock module 703 is powered by a battery and a voltage boost converter such as a 4.5V boost converter.

Access panel 705 includes a microprocessor that controls the operation of access panel 705 and memory storage instructions for execution on the microprocessor. Access panel 705 further includes a short range radio such as a radio operating in the ISM band for encrypted wireless communication with door lock module 703 . The access panel 705 can include a backup battery for providing backup power, and generally includes a power supply that receives power from an external power source, such as power received via an Ethernet cable. Access panel 705 further includes one or more transceivers and associated antennas for communicating with medallion 11, such as BLE transceivers and antennas and NFC transceivers and antennas. In some examples, the antenna(s) of access panel 705 are specially designed to surround the outer edge of the display of access panel 705 . Additionally or alternatively, the access panel 705 may be associated with (and connected to) a spotlight sensor 15 located in the ceiling directly in front of the door. Operation of the access panel 705 may be based on a beacon signal detected by the spotlight sensor 15 and emitted from a guest medallion 11 located directly in front of the door. Additionally, the network transceiver allows the access panel 705 to communicate over a wired or wireless network, for example, the communication network 19 of the guest engagement system 10 with the central reservation server 21 . Generally, each access panel 705 is associated with one particular door located adjacently, the access panel 705 can only control the unlocking of one door, and the door lock module 703 can only control the unlocking of one door. It is associated one-to-one with the door lock module 703 of that one door so as to operate in response to commands from that access panel 705 only.

In operation, latch assembly 701 generally keeps the door locked as a default. The access panel 705 maintains its BLE transceiver (or the BLE transceiver of the associated sensor 15) in an operational state to detect beacon signals transmitted by medallions 11 operating near the access panel 705. To this end, the access panel 705 and/or its associated sensor 15 will receive beacon signals transmitted by recognized tokens within 2-4 feet of the access panel. can be configured to detect Thus, when a recognized medallion 11 comes within read range of the access panel 705 and/or its associated sensor 15, the access panel 705 begins receiving periodic beacon signals transmitted by the medallion 11 and opens the door. Initiate lock sequence.

First, based on the timing of receipt of the recognized beacon signal, the access panel 705 determines when the next period during which the medal will listen for communications from the guest engagement system 10 will occur. Then, during the determined period of time, the access panel 705 initiates a secure connection to the medallion 11, through which the access panel 705 establishes a cryptographic (e.g., elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) encryption, etc.) ) to request a unique private identifier for the medal. A unique private identifier may take the form of an encrypted code, such as a 48-byte encrypted code, that uniquely identifies the medal 11 . In response to this request, access panel 705 and medal 11 establish a secure and/or encrypted communication channel through which medal provides access panel 705 with its unique private identifier. Generally, a unique private ID is communicated over an encrypted BLE connection. Once the unique private identifier is received, the access panel 705 activates the lock control unit (LCU), which references its local memory to determine if the guest associated with the unique private identifier and medal 11 is currently Acts to determine whether access to the door is permitted. For this purpose, the access panel 705 maintains in its local memory a whitelist containing a record of the unique private identifiers of the medals that are permitted access to the door at present and future times. . If the unique private identifier received from medal 11 is encrypted, the LCU decrypts the identifier and determines if the decrypted identifier is on the whitelist. If the access panel 705 determines that the guest associated with the unique private identifier and medal 11 is currently allowed access to the door (e.g., if the unique private identifier is whitelisted), Access panel 705 displays a welcome message on its display screen and begins unlocking the door. Alternatively, if the access panel 705 determines that the received identifier is not listed in the record of identifiers authorized to access the door, the access panel 705 references the reservation server 21 via the network 19. to get updated information about medal identifiers that are allowed access to the door (if any). Then, if the received identifier is not listed in the updated information, access panel 705 determines that the guest is not currently authorized to access the door and optionally activates the camera to , and send the photo to the central server 21 . If the access panel 705 detects multiple medallions 11 within its vicinity, the access panel 705 performs the above steps for each medallion detected and is authorized to access the door in the language of the selected guest. Note that it displays a welcome message on the display screen identifying each guest associated with medal 11 and initiates door unlocking if at least one of the detected medals is on the whitelist.

As part of unlocking the door, the access panel 705 activates its ISM radio and establishes a secure communication channel with the ISM radio of the associated door lock module 703 . Once a secure communication channel has been established and it is determined that a guest or crew member has been granted access to a door, the access panel 705 sends an arming code (e.g., a door unlock permission signal) via the secure ISM channel. Send to door locking module 703 . The arming code may be sent as an encrypted message using, for example, 128-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). In response to receiving the arming code, door lock module 703 activates a proximity sensor (eg, a capacitive proximity sensor) to monitor when a guest's (or crew member's) hand contacts or approaches the door handle. Upon determining that a guest's (or crew member's) hand has contacted or approached the door handle, the door lock module 703 activates the unlocking mechanism (eg, solenoid) of the latch assembly 701 . When the door is unlocked and opened, the door lock module 703 can communicate that the door is open to the access panel 705, which in turn instructs the medallion 11 to return to the beacon mode of operation. can do.

If desired, the door lock module 703 can constantly monitor when a person's hand contacts or approaches the door handle. Next, if a door unlock permission signal has not been received from the access panel 705 and the door lock module 703 determines that a human hand has touched or approached the door handle, the door lock module 703 will initiate an unauthorized access attempt. A signal can be sent to the access panel 705 . In response to receiving this unauthorized access attempt signal, access panel 705 activates its camera to capture a picture of the person attempting to access the door and transmits the picture to central server 21 .

In embodiments in which medallion 11 is configured to operate in both interactive and beacon modes of operation, the door unlocking sequence described above may include additional steps. If the medallion 11 is operating in the interactive mode of operation, the door unlocking sequence can proceed as described above. Optionally, upon determining that the door is unlocked, the door lock module 703 can communicate that the door has been opened to the access panel 705, which then communicates that the medallion is beaconing. Medal 11 can be communicated that it can return to mode.

When the Medal 11 is operating in the beacon mode of operation, Guest Engagement is enabled to enable the Medal 11 to establish a secure communication channel with the Access Panel 705 and to provide the Access Panel 705 with the Medal's unique private identifier. System 10 may need to instruct medallion 11 to switch to an interactive mode of operation. To this end, the access panel 705, in one example, makes a determination based on the timing of receipt of the beacon signal from the medallion when the next period for which the medallion will listen for communications from the guest engagement system 10 occurs. be able to. Then, during the determined period of time, the access panel 705 sends a communication to the medallion 11 to switch the medallion to the interactive mode of operation. For example, the access panel 705 can send a request for the medal's unique private identifier, and in response to receiving the request, the medal switches to interactive mode while continuing to transmit periodic beacon signals. be able to.

In another example, guest engagement system 10 may determine that medallion 11 reaches proximity of access panel 705 (eg, before it is within 2-4 feet of access panel 705). , the medal 11 can be switched to an interactive mode of operation. In this example, the location information service provided by the guest engagement system 10 monitors each guest's location within the facility via the guest's medallion 11 . Specifically, the network 13 of sensors 15 of the guest engagement system 10 continuously monitors the beacon signals received from the medallions 11 within each sensor 15 of the network and identifies the received beacon signals and the public identifiers contained therein. Based on this, the medals 11 that are close to each sensor 15 are identified. Based on monitoring the location of medal 11 , guest engagement system 10 can determine whether a recognized medal is approaching a locked door associated with medal 11 . For example, system 10 detects that medal 11 has entered a hallway containing a door accessible by the guest associated with the medal, or a predetermined proximity (e.g., 100 feet or less) from the door from which medal 11 hangs. It may be determined that the point has been reached. In response to this determination, guest engagement system 10 causes one or more sensors 15 within communication range of medal 11 to transmit a wake command to medal 11, causing medal 11 to switch to an interactive mode of operation.

In the above example, the guest engagement system 10 may also send a wake command to the door access panel 705 to which the medal is accessible when the medal 11 approaches the vicinity of the door. In response to the wake command, the access panel begins monitoring its BLE transceiver for medals 11 within its read range and on the authorized user list (eg, white list) stored by the access panel 705. be able to.

The functional description of automatic door lock assembly 700 provided above focuses on BLE-based detection and communication between access panel 705 and medallion 11 . However, both access panel 705 and medallion 11 are also configured for NFC-based detection and communication, and access panel 705 is also configured for unlocking associated doors based on NFC-based communication. provide functionality. NFC-based communication can be used in situations where the token's battery has run out, rendering it incapable of emitting BLE-based beacon signals or BLE-based communications, among other use cases. To support NFC-based communications, access panel 705 periodically emits an NFC read or NFC interrogation signal, which energizes any passive NFC-based devices in its vicinity. used for When the medallion 11 is located in proximity to the access panel 705 , the NFC read signal activates the medallion's NFC antenna and transceiver, causing the medallion 11 to send an NFC-based response beacon signal to the access panel 705 containing the medallion 11 public identifier. and provide. Based on the received response signal, the access panel 705 then establishes a secure NFC-based communication channel with the medallion 11 and performs an NFC-based unlocking process ( (unless all communication is performed using NFC transceivers rather than BLE transceivers). The NFC-based unlocking process can also be used with NFC-enabled devices other than medallions (eg, including NFC-enabled access cards).

In addition to sensors 15 attached to interface devices 17, guest engagement system 10 includes a sensor network 13 of stand-alone sensors 15 distributed throughout a single facility (or multiple facilities). Each sensor 15 has a known location, and the sensors 15 in the network 13 can track the number of medals 11 within the facility by creating a log of each medal 11 detected by each sensor 15 with an associated timestamp. Used to track location. In addition, each sensor 15 is capable of two-way communication with medallions 11 within its communication range, including sensing medallions 11 by sensing beacons and other signals transmitted by medallions 11, and including sending and receiving signals to and from Examples of stand-alone sensors 15 are shown and described in FIGS. 8A-8D. Specifically, FIGS. 8A and 8B show diagrams of a directional or omnidirectional sensor, and FIGS. 8C and 8D show diagrams of a spotlight sensor. Omni-directional sensors have a long communication range (e.g., 30-50 feet, and up to 100 feet or more) extending in all directions around the sensor. are doing. Directional sensors have similarly long communication ranges extending in some (but not all) directions around the sensor (e.g., 30-50 ft, and up to 100 ft). 30.48 m) or more). Spotlight sensors have a shorter beam-shaped communication range that can be adjustable in diameter and up to 7-10 feet or more; have a communication range extending in a selected direction from the sensor at a distance less than 15 feet (eg, 15 feet or less). Note that the communication range of each sensor can be adjusted downward from the maximum range values given above.

FIG. 8A shows an exploded view of a directional or omnidirectional sensor including electronics PCB 807 and antenna PCB 803 mounted between baseplate 811 and radome 801 . Antenna PCB 803 has mounted thereon an antenna element 802 that is communicatively connected to the circuitry of antenna PCB 803 . Antenna element 802 has a unique shape, as detailed in FIGS. 8E-8H and 8K-8N, which gives the sensor directional or omnidirectional sensitivity. Antenna PCB 803 communicates with electronics PCB 807 via cable 805 and connector 809 provides a connection between electronics PCB 807 and wired network 19 . The sensor 15 can be mounted (e.g., using a connector nut 813) on or within the ceiling or wall of the facility to monitor and communicate with tokens disposed in close proximity (e.g., within communication range) of the sensor. can be used. FIG. 8B shows a directional or omnidirectional sensor when all components are mounted together.

FIG. 8C shows an exploded view of the spotlight sensor including the electronics PCB 807 and the antenna mounted between the baseplate 811 and the radome 801. FIG. A cosmetic base 814 may also be provided. Antenna PCB 803 has mounted thereon an antenna element 802 that is communicatively connected to the circuitry of antenna PCB 803 . Antenna element 802 has a unique shape, shown in detail in FIGS. 8I-8J, which gives the sensor directional sensitivity to a spotlight or spot beam. The antenna includes an antenna PCB 803 having a foam spacer 804 attached to its surface and an antenna element 802 attached to the foam spacer 804 . Antenna PCB 803 communicates with electronics PCB 807 via cable 805 and connector 809 provides a connection between electronics PCB 807 and wired network 19 . The sensor 15 can be attached to or within the ceiling or wall of the facility (eg, using connector nut 813), and a medallion disposed in the vicinity of the sensor (eg, within communication range and beam). Can be used for monitoring and communication. FIG. 8D shows the spotlight sensor when all components are mounted together.

Detailed views of antenna element 802 that may be attached to antenna PCB 803 provided on sensor 15 as shown in FIGS. 8A-8D are provided in connection with FIGS. 8E-8M. Figures 8E-8H show detailed views of antenna elements 802 provided in directional sensors such as those shown in Figures 8A and 8B. Antenna element 802 may be designed for wall or ceiling mounting locations within a facility and may provide directional sensing capability with a wide beamwidth for obtaining linearly polarized radiation direction to the front of the antenna. . As shown in the top and side views shown in FIGS. 8E-8G, antenna element 802 has an inverted V shape that is generally symmetrical about a centerline and is the primary antenna element used for attachment to antenna PCB 803. It includes two tabs extending downwardly from the face. The main surface of the antenna shown in FIG. 8E includes a rectangular central portion with symmetrical parallelogram extensions extending from opposite sides of the rectangular central portion. Exemplary dimensions of antenna element 802 measured in inches are provided in the figure. The dimensions provided are exemplary, and antenna element 802 may be scaled up or down with respect to the dimensions shown, depending on the particular application for which antenna element 802 (and associated sensor 15) is designed. In particular, the dimensions can be selected and adjusted to change the center frequency and impedance match of the antenna. For example, the dimensions provided are such as to provide antenna element 802 with a resonant operating frequency of 2.4 GHz (within the BLE operating range of the ISM band) when corresponding PCB ground spacing and housing dielectric proximity are considered. can be selected to A lower tab extending downward from the main surface of the antenna serves as a feed and ground tap electrically connected to the PCB 803, and also to maintain the antenna element 802 at the proper height separation from the PCB ground plane. function.

Figures 8I-8J show detailed views of the antenna element 802 provided in a spotlight (or spot beam) sensor such as that shown in Figures 8C and 8D. Antenna element 802 may be designed for indoor ceiling mounting (or downward sloping elevated wall mounting) and provides a high gain and directional narrow beam for obtaining circularly polarized (CP) radiation. (ie, spotlight) sensing capabilities. As shown in the top and side views shown in FIGS. 8I-8J, the antenna element 802 is generally planar with corners removed that are diagonally opposed at a 45° angle to the sides of the square. It has a square shape. The antenna element 802 of Figures 8I and 8J can be attached to the antenna PCB 803 via foam spacers 804, as shown in Figure 8C. Exemplary dimensions of antenna element 802 measured in millimeters (mm) are provided in the figure. The dimensions provided are exemplary, and antenna element 802 may be scaled up or down with respect to the dimensions shown, depending on the particular application for which antenna element 802 (and associated sensor 15) is designed. In particular, dimensions can be selected and adjusted to vary the center frequency, axial ratio, and impedance match of the antenna. For example, the dimensions provided are such as to provide antenna element 802 with a resonant operating frequency of 2.4 GHz (within the BLE operating range of the ISM band) when corresponding PCB ground spacing and housing dielectric proximity are considered. can be selected to

Figures 8K-8N show detailed views of the antenna element 802 provided on the circular sensor. For example, the antenna elements shown in FIGS. 8K-8N may provide omnidirectional sensing and may be used within sensor 15 as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B. Antenna element 802 may be designed for ceiling mounted locations within a facility and may provide a wide beamwidth of linear polarization for obtaining an azimuth omnidirectional sensing pattern. As shown in the top and side views shown in FIGS. 8K-8M, antenna element 802 has a generally symmetrical shape about a centerline and can be mounted to antenna PCB 803 (eg, as shown in FIG. 8A). includes two tabs extending downwardly from the main surface of the antenna used for The main plane of the antenna shown in FIG. 8K is substantially circular. Exemplary dimensions of antenna element 802 measured in inches are provided in the figure. The dimensions provided are exemplary, and antenna element 802 may be scaled up or down with respect to the dimensions shown, depending on the particular application for which antenna element 802 (and associated sensor 15) is designed. In particular, the dimensions can be selected and adjusted to change the center frequency and impedance match of the antenna. For example, the dimensions provided are such as to provide antenna element 802 with a resonant operating frequency of 2.4 GHz (within the BLE operating range of the ISM band) when corresponding PCB ground spacing and housing dielectric proximity are considered. can be selected to A lower tab extending downward from the main surface of the antenna serves as a feed and ground tap electrically connected to the PCB 803, and also to maintain the antenna element 802 at the proper height separation from the PCB ground plane. function. The feed tap and ground tap can provide different current flow directions on the surface of the antenna radiating element 802 .

Generally, a sensor 15 attached to an interface device 17 of the guest engagement system 10, such as an antenna on an access panel 705 used to unlock a door, will only detect guest medals 11 that are in close proximity to the interface device 17. It is tailored to have a limited range of sensing (eg, 2-4ft). Additionally, the sensor 15 of the interface device 17 can be a directional or spotlight type sensor that operates to detect medals 11 only in selected directions. Thus, the sensor associated with the access panel 705 can operate to detect only tokens 11 disposed within a limited distance in any direction from the sensor, while the payment terminal or automatic The vending machine sensor is placed within a limited angular range (e.g., directly in front of the payment terminal or vending machine) and within a limited distance (e.g., less than 2 feet) from the sensor. Only 11 can be detected.

As described above, sensors 15 are disposed throughout the facility and are used to monitor the locations of medals 11 throughout the facility and provide services to guests based on sensed signals. Specifically, sensors 15 are used by guest engagement system 10 to provide location information to guest engagement system 10 with a selectable level of accuracy. At a low level of accuracy, the location of medal 11 is identified based on the identity(s) of one or more sensors 15 or other devices detecting beacon signals from medal 11 at any given time. In this way, the medal's position, at any given time, is the known position of the sensor(s) that detected the medal's last detected beacon signal(s) (and/or the position of other devices, if known). ) can be estimated based on In order to determine the position of the medallion 11 with a higher level of granularity, the position of the medallion is based on the relative received signal strength of the beacon signal measured at each of the sensor(s) that received the beacon signal. and/or based on the sensing range of the sensor(s) and sensing beam characteristics (eg, sensing range and sensing direction). In particular, if the beacon signal from the medal 11 is received by more than two sensors 15, the relative received signal strength of the beacon signal at each of the sensors 15 (and/or the reception of the beacon signal at each of the sensors 15). time delay) can be used to triangulate the position of medal 11 with respect to each known location of sensor 15 .

Monitoring the location of medals 11 within the facility may be performed by sensors 15 attached to interface devices 17 of guest engagement system 10 as well as sensors 15 of sensor network 13 . For example, access panels 705 of automatic door locking assemblies 700 located throughout the facility may be used to detect all medals 11 passing through the access panels 705 . The access panel 705 can relay the identity of all detected medals 11 to a central location server that maintains a log of all medal locations along with associated timestamps. Additionally, location monitoring can be performed through sensing of medals 11 by BLE or NFC enabled devices such as BLE or NFC enabled mobile devices, tablet computers, or interactive displays in communication with server 21 of guest engagement system 10. . A BLE- or NFC-enabled mobile device, such as a guest's mobile device or a staff member's tablet, detects medals 11 located within communication range of the device and provides identification information for the detected medals 11 along with the timestamp of detection and the device location information (if available) to a central location server.

In order to provide continuous real-time monitoring of the location of medals 11, each of the sensors and devices detecting medals 11 sends the identities of all detected medals 11 along the detection time timestamp to the same central location server. Relay. Thus, the central location server maintains a log of all medal locations along with associated timestamps. Therefore, using a central location server, based on the most recent log entry for Medal 11, or where appropriate based on two or more most recent entries in Medal 11's log (e.g., two different By combining location detection methods, the most recent detected location of each medal can be identified (to improve location accuracy). In this manner, guest engagement system 10 provides a real-time (or near-real-time) assessment of each medal's location. The location information can further be used by the guest engagement system 10 to provide additional services to guests or others, such as when a medal 11 has arrived in an area or is moving around an area; or when determined to have stayed in an area for a defined amount of time, or exited an area or space equipped with sensor 15, can provide a notification event to the system, and the system can initiate a personalized interaction. Used to activate.

Location-based services can be further enhanced by using sensors 15 located near facility entrances and/or exits. Specifically, if the last entry associated with a particular medallion 11 in the log maintained by the central location server is for an entry/exit location (the log is at a point after the medallion 11 within the facility). ), the system can determine that medal 11 (and the guest associated with this medal 11) has left the facility. Then, if the medal 11 is detected again at the same (or different) entrance/exit location, it can be determined that the medal has re-entered the facility. This allows the guest engagement system 10 to maintain a log of medals 11 in the facility and a log of medals 11 leaving the facility. Notifications can be provided to the user based on these logs, such as notifying another guest that the family member has left and/or returned to the facility.

In addition to the functions described above, the guest engagement system 10 can be further used for maritime gatherings, emergency evacuations, and the like. Specifically, since guest engagement system 10 includes facility (or vessel)-wide sensors 15 configured to monitor the location of medals 11 , guest engagement system 10 is capable of monitoring all guest medals 11 . We maintain up-to-date information regarding the location of our guests within the facility based on their location. The guest engagement system 10 can dynamically assign guests to meeting points or evacuation routes when gathering or evacuation operations are conducted based on current information about the guest's location. Specifically, guest engagement system 10 dynamically assigns guests to meeting points or evacuation routes such that, if a rally or evacuation action is triggered, the guest is assigned to the meeting point or evacuation route closest to their current location. can be assigned to The guest engagement system 10 may additionally or alternatively assign guests to meeting places or escape routes so that a particular meeting place or escape route is not overloaded when a meeting or escape action is triggered. can be done. For example, in situations where a large number of guests are concentrated in a particular part of the facility (e.g., a situation in which a large number of guests are in or near the stern of the vessel), dynamic allocation can be used to direct certain guests to the bow. Can be assigned to meeting points or escape routes inboard or near the bow to ensure that the meeting points or escape routes are not overloaded by guests. In addition, the guest engagement system 10 monitors medal and guest positions during assembly or evacuation operations and provides updated real-time information obtained based on real-time monitoring of guest location changes (i.e. movement) within the facility. Based on this, the meeting point or evacuation route assigned to a particular guest can be dynamically changed. In this way, if a guest takes an unexpected route during a gathering or evacuation operation, for example, if a guest takes an unexpected route to retrieve a child during an assembly or evacuation operation, or if a guest smokes during an evacuation. The meeting place or evacuation route assigned to the guest can be updated if it is necessary to circumvent a crowded hallway.

Additionally, the guest engagement system 10 may be used, for example, to determine that no medals are present in the room and/or that all guests associated with the room (based on the guest's medal monitoring location) By determining that it is located at the location of , it is possible to automatically identify rooms that have been cleared of all guests during a gathering or evacuation operation. Conversely, the guest engagement system 10 can be used to automatically identify the room a guest is in during a rally or evacuation operation (based on the monitored location of the guest's medallion) and A responder can be directed to the identified room to assist the guest in evacuating.

The functionality of the guest engagement system 10 used for assembly and/or evacuation identified above is enabled, in part, by the guest engagement system's ability to communicate information to guests during assembly or evacuation operations. To this end, the guest engagement system 10 relies on access panels 705, interactive displays 17c, portals 17d, etc. located throughout the facility. Specifically, guest engagement system 10 provides on the display of interface device 17 assembly and/or evacuation instructions, such as arrows (or more detailed instructions) pointing to meeting points and evacuation routes. The instructions can further be customized to the individual guests whose medals are detected in the vicinity of each interface device 17, for example directing one guest to evacuate in a particular direction and another guest to evacuate in a different direction. can be instructed to evacuate in the direction of (e.g., have other guests regroup with other guests of the party). The instructions may also provide the guest with information about other guests at the same party, for example, information about the current location of the guest's children, spouses, or friends, the assigned meeting place, and/or the assigned evacuation route. can be provided to guests. Instructions can also be customized for each guest and displayed in the guest's language of choice.

Guest engagement system 10 provides services and engagement with guests through a variety of different modalities and terminals. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the guest engagement system 10 includes, among others, a mobile device 18a (e.g., smart phone), a tablet computer 18b, an interactive display 18c (e.g., touch-enabled display screen), a web-enabled television (e.g., state room television), desktop computer 18d and/or web interface, kiosk, etc., can provide services and engagement. Terminal device 18 generally includes a processor, memory stored program instructions, a display, and a user input interface such as a touch screen, although additional (or fewer) components may be used. Some terminal devices 18, including interactive displays 18c, web-enabled televisions, kiosks, etc., can also function as interface devices 17, and vice versa. In particular, a terminal device 18 that is BLE-enabled (eg, includes a BLE transceiver) may generally function as interface device 17 . Conversely, an interface device 17 that includes a user input interface and provides access to the guest engagement application described in more detail below may function as a terminal device 18 .

The services and engagements provided by the guest engagement system 10 may be provided via an application or other executable program stored and executed on the terminal device 18, such as a dedicated guest engagement application. Services and engagements may alternatively or additionally be web-based, such as a guest engagement interface running on a server 21 run by a terminal device 18 and accessed via a web browser having a communication connection to the server 21. can be provided through the interface of Services and engagements generally rely, at least in part, on data and information obtained from server 21 of guest engagement system 10 via a network connection (e.g., Internet connection) of terminal device 18, although certain services and engagements may may be provided without a network connection or obtaining data and information from server 21 . For the purpose of communicating with the server 21, the terminal device 18 may have a wireless connection (eg, in the case of terminal devices 18a and 18b) or a wired connection (eg, in the case of terminal devices 18c and 18d) to the server 21 via the communication network 19. 9 as having . Note that communication network 19 may include one or more of a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), the Internet, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 9, some of the terminal devices 18 on which services and engagements are provided may be BLE enabled devices such as BLE enabled mobile devices 18a, tablet computers 18b, or interactive displays 18c. When such a terminal device 18 runs a guest engagement application, the guest engagement application can optionally activate the BLE transceiver of the terminal device 18 to provide additional services to the user. For example, the guest engagement application may activate the BLE transceiver of the terminal device 18 and use the activated BLE transceiver to listen for beacon signals emitted by medallions 11 located within BLE communication range of the terminal device 18. can. The guest engagement application can optionally report to the server 21 the identifier of the medal 11 for which the beacon signal was received, along with the timestamp of receipt and the location information of the terminal device 18 (if available). The Guest Engagement Application can further use the activated BLE transceiver to communicate bi-directionally with the Medal 11 from which the beacon signal was received. In one example, the guest engagement application may cause the operational mode of medal 11 to change. In one use case, the guest engagement application emits an advertisement from the guest engagement system to the BLE transceiver of the terminal device 18 and exits sleep mode to medallions 11 within its communication range when the medallion 11 detects the advertisement. can be made In another use case, the guest engagement application transitions medallions 11 operating in beacon mode to interactive mode or sleep operation mode, or transitions medallions 11 operating in interactive mode to beacon mode or sleep operation mode. be able to.

In some examples, the guest engagement application may additionally or alternatively activate the NFC transceiver of terminal device 18 when the application is running on NFC-enabled terminal device 18 . In such situations, the application can be used to detect the medal 11 and communicate with the medal 11 via NFC. In particular, although the description herein focuses on BLE-based communication between the terminal device 18 and the medallion 11, the functionality described in the BLE-based context uses the NFC-enabled terminal device 18. If so, it can likewise be enabled via NFC-based communication between the terminal device 18 and the medallion 11 .

References to the guest engagement application throughout this specification refer not only to instances where the guest engagement application takes the form of an application or other executable program stored and executed on the terminal device 18, but also to instances where the guest engagement application may also take the form of a web-based interface or other terminal-based interface. Although the user interfaces provided through the application-based interface and the web-based interface are generally similar, certain features of the guest engagement application may be provided only in the application-based or web-based interface. Further, references to the Guest Engagement Application may refer to various versions of the application, including a guest version that includes only the functionality provided to guests, and additional functionality provided to hosts or staff. A staff version is included, a supervisor version containing functions provided to supervisors overseeing staff members, and an administrator version containing functions provided only to system administrators.

In order to use a guest engagement application via terminal device 18, guests typically need to identify and authenticate themselves. Without being identified and authenticated, guests may only have access to limited functionality of the application, and in particular may not be able to access user profile-based information. When the guest engagement application runs on the BLE-enabled terminal device 18, the guest engagement application can listen for BLE beacon signals from the guest's medallions 11 and, in response to detection of one or more beacon signals, A personalized logon page can be provided for the guest(s) that are automatically identified based on the beacon signal. The guest can then authenticate himself and log into the application by entering a password or personal identification number (PIN) into the application. If the application is running on a terminal device 18 that is not BLE-enabled and/or if the guest's medal beacon signal is not detected by the application, the guest must enter both the username and password or personal identification number (PIN). You can authenticate yourself and log into the application by filling out the application. Note that if the application runs on the guest's own mobile device 18a, the guest may choose to remain logged into the application so that the guest does not have to enter a password or PIN each time the application is accessed. want to be Otherwise, the guest may be automatically logged out of the application if no user interaction occurs within a predetermined amount of time. Further, if the logon is based on detection of a medal beacon signal, if the medal beacon signal is not detected by the application or the terminal device 18 within a predetermined period of time, or if it is determined that the medal 11 has left the terminal device 18, the guest may be automatically logged out.

Upon login, the application can automatically access profile information associated with the identified and authenticated guest and securely retrieve profile information from server 21 . The application may also be used to prompt the guest to provide, complete, or confirm any missing profile information, which is uploaded from the application to the server 21 . Profile information may include name, identification, booking and other reservation information, payment information (eg, information regarding payment methods stored for the guest), and the like. Profile information may also include additional data associated with a guest, including the guest's past, current, and future activities (as determined based on bookings and reservations and location data), past, Included is information about current and future locations (determined based on bookings and reservations and location data), past, current and planned future orders and preferences, and the like. Profile information can also include photos, music, videos, and other types of data associated with the guest.

The guest engagement system 10 provides various services to guests through guest versions of the application. For example, guests using the application can use the application to check their bookings, registrations, and reservations. This includes past, present and future registrations for accommodations, restaurants, shows, activities, etc. Guests can also use the application to receive information and make reservations regarding available accommodations, restaurants, shows, activities, and more. The information may be based on recommendations for future bookings, registrations, and personalized reservations for guests based on their profile information. The guest may also use the application to review photos, videos, and other media items made available by the guest engagement system 10, including photos, videos, and other media items associated with the guest. can be done. The association of a media item with a guest is based on the guest profile information and tagged information in the media item, e.g. It may be based on matching with profile and tag information, etc., indicating that a person associated with the guest is included in the photo, such as based on medallions of people detected in the vicinity of the photographer. The application may also provide access to games (including wagering games, if desired), shopping, and other features.

The guest engagement system 10 may also use a guest version of the application to allow guests to view the live show. The program can be viewed, for example, on the guest's stateroom television with access to the guest engagement application. Specifically, a guest using the guest engagement application may choose to view a live show via the application, such as a show taking place at a theater or other venue, either on-site or off-site where the guest engagement system 10 is installed. You can choose. Depending on their selection, guests are shown a live audio and/or video stream of the event. Additionally, the application allows guests to interact with the performers participating in the live show. In particular, the application may, for example, enter a message to the performer at the application's user input interface (e.g., an on-screen keyboard or remote control for the stateroom television), or use a feedback button (e.g., a "applause" button, " Selecting a "lol" button, a "thumbs up" button, a "heart" button, etc.) may allow the guest to send an instant message or other feedback to the performer. Instant messages and feedback are then displayed on a screen provided in front of the performer and/or provided as auditory feedback to the performer (e.g., by activating pre-recorded applause or laughter). , can notify performers of feedback received from guests and allow performers to interact with guests during the show.

In some examples, the guest engagement application provides communication features that allow users of the application (including both guests and staff) to use the application to communicate with each other. Communication capabilities may include text, audio, and/or video-based communication between users, such as chat-based communication, instant messaging (IM), voicemail or video voicemail. Additionally, the communication feature allows users to obtain information about other linked users, including location information. Linked users may include, if a guest, other guests of the party (e.g. other guests who are part of the same booking, such as children or parents), or guests who have accepted a request to link to the guest. or, in the case of a staff member, it can include one or more persons whom the staff member serves (eg, guests whom the staff member has ordered food or drinks to be delivered). For example, when a user is linked, communication features of the guest engagement application may provide the guest with general location information (e.g., to indicate that another guest is in or has left the facility) and/or Precise location information can be provided (eg, to indicate that other guests are in their stateroom). The communications feature may also indicate whether another linked guest is available for immediate communications, and in some instances may identify guests who have left the facility as unavailable for communications.

Guest engagement system 10 provides additional functionality through a staff version of the guest engagement application. A staff version of the guest engagement application can run on the terminal device 18, which is used by the host and staff to provide service and engagement to the facility's guests. Typically, the host and staff access the staff version of the guest engagement application on a BLE-enabled tablet computer 18b terminal device (the terminal device includes a BLE transceiver and BLE antenna), but in some circumstances the host and staff Staff access the application through other terminal devices (eg, interactive display 18c, portal, door lock access panel 705, etc.).

In one example, a staff version of the guest engagement application can be used by staff members to interact with guests. For this purpose, the guest engagement application uses the BLE transceiver of the terminal device 18 to detect medals 11 within proximity (eg, BLE communication range) of the terminal device 18 . Specifically, the BLE transceiver is used to detect beacon signals emitted by tokens 11 within proximity of the terminal device 18 . When one or more beacon signals are detected, the staff version of the Guest Engagement Application obtains the public identifier for each medal contained in the emitted beacon signal, and returns the obtained identifier(s) and the associated guest ( multiple) is acquired from the server 21. The profile information obtained typically includes a photo and name (or nickname) associated with the guest. The retrieved profile information is then provided on the display of the terminal device 18 to allow the staff member or host to interact with the guest based on the retrieved profile information. For example, based on the profile information obtained, staff members can visually identify the guest, greet the guest by name or nickname, and discuss the guest's future bookings with the guest.

In situations where multiple guests' profile information is received by the terminal device 18, the guest engagement application may display the multiple guests' profile information. In some examples, the profiles may be displayed in order of estimated distance from each guest's terminal device 18, where the estimated distance is associated with each guest's medal 11 and detected by the terminal device 18. can be determined based on the signal strength or transmission delay associated with each BLE beacon signal.

Staff members or hosts can assist guests based on the profile information obtained. For example, a staff member or host may review guest bookings, registrations, and reservations, provide information on behalf of guests, and/or recommend future bookings, registrations, and reservations or based on guest profile information. You can make personalized reservations, order drinks and food for delivery to guests, and help guests through the property. The application also allows staff members or hosts to interact with guests at games (including wagering games, if desired) and can provide additional functionality.

Guest engagement system 10 may further provide payment functionality through a staff version of the application. As described above, the medal 11 is based on the establishment of a secure communication channel between the medal 11 and the payment terminal (e.g. 17b) and the unique private identifier of the medal or other encrypted data stored on the medal 11. authenticating the identity of the medallion 11 over a secure communication channel using the information obtained and, based on the authenticated identity, executing a payment transaction using the payment information associated with the authenticated medallion 11; processed and used for settlement. Such payment transactions can be performed via BLE or NFC communication between medallions 11 and payment terminals (e.g. 17b) and can be used in vending machines, cash registers and other payments without the need for staff members or cashiers to be present. You can run it on your terminal. Additionally, a streamlined checkout process may be used through the staff version of the application. Specifically, through the staff version of the application, staff members can visually recognize and authenticate guests based on a comparison of the guest's appearance with photos stored in the guest's profile. . In particular, the guest engagement system 10 can prompt staff members using the staff version of the application to authorize payments to guest accounts. This prompt may be sent through the application to place an order on behalf of the guest (e.g., order food or drinks, register for a sightseeing trip, book seats for a show, upgrade a room, pay to participate in a game, etc.). may be presented according to the staff member's selection. Although this prompt may generally rely on two complementary modalities of identification to allow staff to approve the payment, different numbers of identification modalities (including a single identification modality) can be used. For example, this prompting may rely on a terminal device 18 running a staff version of an application that detects the guest's token 11 for which payment is requested (e.g., using BLE and NFC communication modalities). to detect the medal 11), obtain the profile information (including the photo) of the detected medal 11 from the server 21, display the photo of the guest associated with the medal 11, and display the guest with whom the staff member is interacting. Prompt the staff member to visually confirm that the displayed photo matches, and process the payment after confirmation from the staff member that the guest matches the photo. In this example, the two complementary identification modalities used are medal 11 detection and visual confirmation of the guest's identity, although other modalities (and different numbers and combinations thereof) are used in other examples. sell.

The guest engagement system 10 also provides wayfinding functionality and provides an interface for guiding through guest engagement applications. The wayfinding functionality provided by the guest engagement system 10 can be used for guidance in moving and fixed frames of reference. For example, for cruise ship guidance, traditional location determination systems such as GPS cannot be readily used for several reasons. First, because cruise ships can move, onboard guidance needs to be based on a moving ship's frame of reference rather than a fixed (eg, land-based) frame of reference. As a result, GPS-based location determination and other fixed reference frame location determinations are Limited use. Second, cruise ships contain an enormous amount of metal and other surfaces that interfere with the propagation of GPS-based signals (GPS signals cannot be received onboard the ship) and/or electromagnetic radiation on metal surfaces. The signal bounces, resulting in enormous signal noise. For this reason, conventional location determination systems are generally not useful for guidance on ships.

To address the above shortcomings, guest engagement system 10 provides a unique wayfinding feature based on the network of sensors 13 of guest engagement system 10 . Specifically, the guest engagement system 10 maintains a database of locations where medals 11 have been detected. Each record in the database contains a medal identifier (e.g., the public identifier of the medal 11 broadcast as part of the device's beacon signal), a location identifier (e.g., the sensor(s) 15 or Identifier(s) of location(s) of other antennas or devices, and/or more accurate location determination based on triangulation, multilateration, or other location determination methods), and timestamps. Accordingly, location determination performed by guest engagement system 10 may be performed based on sensors of sensor network 13 as well as based on beacon signals detected by terminal devices 18, interface devices 17, and the like. As previously mentioned, the location determination depends on the number of sensors 15 that detected the beacon signal, whether triangulation, multilateration, transmission delay, or signal strength information from multiple sensors is used, and the like. Thus, different levels of accuracy may be performed depending on the type of sensor 15 from which the beacon signal was detected (eg, spotlight sensors provide more detailed location information than omnidirectional sensors).

Thus, wayfinding functionality provided by guest engagement system 10 , including directions provided via guest engagement applications, is provided based on location determinations performed by guest engagement system 10 . Specifically, the guest's location is determined by the server 21 of the guest engagement system 10 by determining the location of the user's medal 11 and reporting the determined location to the guest via the guest engagement application. For example, the guest's location may be overlaid on a map or three-dimensional model of the vessel shown on the user interface of an application provided on the terminal device 18 currently being used by the guest. As such, the guest's location is generally not determined by the terminal device 18 being used by the guest, but instead the guest's position is determined by the guest's medallion 11 detected by the sensor network 13 of the guest engagement system 10 . Determined globally by guest engagement system 10 (eg, by server 21 of guest engagement system 10) based on location.

Note that, as noted above, the sensor network 13 of the guest engagement system 10 may be extended to multiple different facilities, including facilities located onboard the vessel and facilities located off the vessel. Thus, guest engagement system 10 can be used to provide accurate location determination and guidance at any facility, including fixed facilities (e.g., land-based), mobile facilities (e.g., ship-based), and facilities that include both fixed and mobile components (eg, facilities accessed by cruise passengers during the cruise, which may include both ship-based and land-based facilities). In such a case, guest engagement system 10 will follow an appropriate fixed or mobile frame of reference, depending on whether the guest is currently positioned on a fixed (e.g., land-based) or mobile (e.g., ship-based) frame of reference. A guest's location can be automatically determined and location information provided via the guest engagement application in a frame of reference determined to correspond to the guest's current location.

As detailed above, the guest engagement system 10 determines the location/position of the guest based on the medallion 11, and more specifically, based on the location at which the beacon signal emitted by the medallion 11 was detected. can do. This detection relies on the operation of the sensors 15 of the system 10 and, more specifically, the known location where each sensor 15 is located and the sensing range of each sensor (e.g., the shape and size of the directional sensing range). orientation). This detection may also rely on the detection of beacon signals by terminal devices 18, including terminal devices 18 with movable locations, such as mobile devices 18a and tablet computers 18b. Specifically, in the case of a terminal device 18, the location of the terminal device 18 having a fixed location may be stored on the server 21 of the guest engagement system 10, and the stored location information may be used to locate the detected medal 11. can be used to determine location.

In the case of a mobile terminal device 18, the guest engagement system 10 relies on two sources of information to determine the current location of the terminal device 18 and thereby infer the location of medals 11 detected by the terminal device 18. be able to. First, the guest engagement system 10 can receive periodic reports from the terminal device 18 containing the identifier of the medal 11 for which the beacon signal was detected, and determine the location of the terminal device 18 that received the report. The location of the medal 11 can be guessed by. The guest engagement system 10 then determines the location of the terminal device 18 based on the identity of the Wi-Fi or other wireless access point through which the terminal device 18 is connected to the communication network 19 of the system 10. can do. To this end, guest engagement system 10 maintains a database that identifies the mounting location of each wireless access point within the facility, and uses the database to identify terminal devices 18 and medals 11 detected by terminal device 18. Identify location. The identity of the wireless access point may be reported to guest engagement system 10 by terminal device 18 or determined by guest engagement system 10 based on header information included in packets received from terminal device 18 .

Second, the guest engagement system 10 may, if such information is available, as part of a periodic report identifying medals 11 received from and detected by the terminal device 18 the Location information can be received. The location information reported by terminal device 18 may be a location determined by terminal device 18 based on the terminal device's own location determination capabilities, such as GPS-based location determination. In such circumstances, guest engagement system 10 may use reported location information provided by terminal device 18 to determine the location of medal 11 detected by terminal device 18 . Guest engagement system 10 may further use information about the location of the moving frame of reference (eg, the GPS location of the vessel on which terminal device 18 is traveling) to determine the position of terminal device 18 relative to the moving frame of reference. .

The wayfinding feature may be used by guest engagement system 10 to allow users of guest engagement applications to discover other guests or staff members by tracking them in real time. This guest tracking feature can be used by guests to discover other guests (e.g., friends, spouses, children, etc.), as well as by staff members or hosts, among other circumstances, to discover guests (e.g., to deliver food, drink or other orders, or otherwise assist guests). The guest tracking feature allows one user of the application to provide information via the guest engagement application regarding the current location of other guests as determined by the guest engagement system 10, which includes the application's Included is an indication of the current location of other guests superimposed on a map or three-dimensional model of the vessel (or other facility) displayed in the user interface. The Guest Tracking feature allows one user to track one user's location (determined by the guest engagement system 10 based on the detected location of the user's medal 11) and the detected location of the other guest's medal 11. Directions to the other guest's current location may also be provided based on a combination of the other guest's locations (determined by the guest engagement system 10 based on ). As users and guests move through the facility, their locations can be updated in real-time, and guidance directions can be updated in real-time accordingly.

The functionality of the guest engagement system 10 described above may enable the following services to be provided (described in the illustrative context of the cruise ship example).

The guest engagement system 10 allows guests to participate in the system from outside the facility where the system is installed via the guest engagement application. For example, guests can access their profile through a web-based version of the application or through a terminal device 18 (e.g., mobile phone 18a, tablet computer 18b, desktop computer 18d, etc.) running the application. can participate from home. Guests are then free to fill in their profile by entering the required documents such as passport information, health forms and travel details, and entering their preferred payment method. Guests can also upload a photo, create a digital avatar to further personalize their profile, arrange or book services, and have packages delivered directly to their stateroom.

In particular, if the guest has obtained medals 11 prior to travel, the guest can further utilize this at the airport. For example, for a guest traveling to a facility where the guest engagement system 10 is operating, the guest may be met by a staff member at the destination airport. In this example, a staff member located at an airport may be equipped with a terminal device 18 running a guest engagement application. Staff members use terminal devices 18 and applications to detect arriving guest medallions 11, obtain guest profile information including photographs, recognize guests based on proximity of medallions 11, and visually recognize guests based on In this way, a staff member can personally meet the guest, check the status of documents, and guide the guest through the airport (eg, to escort the guest to the motorcoach vehicle destined for the port terminal).

During transportation in the motor coach vehicle, the guest again accesses the guest-centric application via the terminal device 18 (e.g., mobile phone 18a or tablet computer 18b) to view the destination facility (e.g., cruise ship in one example). Explore the options offered in your booked activities and learn more about the people, places and cultures your guests will experience.

Additionally, upon arrival at the cruise terminal (for example, in the cruise ship example), guests are already equipped with medallions 11 that act as keys to their cabins, allowing guests to board the ship with minimal interaction with staff members. can board. In addition, terminal staff members use terminal devices 18 running staff applications to identify arriving guests, to identify guests who have not yet completed the registration process, and to assist in completing the process. These guests can be approached.

A further example of an interface device 17 that may be used as part of the guest engagement system 10 is a gaming station 100 as shown in FIG. The gaming station 100 provides an environment in which guests can participate in games, including wagering games, cooperative games with other guests, and games directly with other guests.

Each gaming station 100 generally includes ergonomic seating 101 for multiple guests (eg, four guests in the example shown in FIG. 10), although gaming station 100 for a single guest or Modular gaming stations 100 for variable guests are also available. Seats 101 may position guests opposite each other with a central frame positioned between the guests and the supporting components of the gaming station. Several guests can also be seated next to each other, as shown in FIG. The gaming station 100 also has one or more display screens 102 attached to the central frame and used for displaying gameplay screens and images to the user, and one or more display screens 102 attached to the central frame for receiving input from the user. an input device 103 such as a keyboard, touchpad, touch-sensitive display, etc., that may be used. The input device 103 may also include a microphone (eg, a microphone array including multiple microphones disposed at different locations within the gaming station 100), optical sensors, and/or enhanced user input of a user within the gaming station. Includes ultrasonic proximity sensors used to provide location data and/or user movement data.

Gaming station 100 also includes one or more sensors 15 (not shown) that are mounted within station 100 (e.g., in hidden or discrete locations) and that are currently seated at station 100 . station 100 is used to identify the guest who is using the station 100. Using the sensor 15, the tokens 11 of the user of the station 100 are detected to allow the user to log into the gaming station 100 and participate in the game. The sensor 15 can also be used to establish a secure communication connection to the token 11 of the user of the station 100 to authenticate the token 11 and conduct payment transactions. Generally, sensor 15 has a sensing beam directed at seat 101 of gaming station 100 to detect medals 11 of guests seated on gaming station 100 . In some examples, the sensing beam of sensor 15 is adjusted such that only medals 11 that are within gaming station 100 can be detected by sensor 15 . In one example, sensors 15 are positioned and adjusted to separately detect medals 11 at each seating location so that the gaming station can distinguish between guests located at different seating locations. The seating area is 2 ft wide, 0-5 ft from the floor, 1 ft behind the edge of the table (cover purse/bag at user's feet) It can be defined as an area from 3 feet (approximately 91.44 cm). The medal 11 can be detected if it is in an accessory located within the seating area, in a pocket (front or rear), or in a bag.

In some embodiments, gaming station 100 also includes a canopy 105 that extends over seats 101 of gaming station 100 . In the example of Figure 10, the canopy 105 is supported by two braces 107 and is made of translucent or mesh material. Brace 107 supports canopy 105 and integrates lighting therein (eg, LED lighting) that is used to provide multi-color lighting. The lighting may be controlled by the processor of gaming station 100 to output lighting having activation patterns and/or color patterns synchronized with the game being played on gaming station 100 . Brace 107 may further integrate a water mist spout and/or a scent/fragrance mist spout therein. The mist spout may be connected to a water valve or reservoir (eg, scent reservoir) by tubing extending through braces 107 to seat 101 of gaming station 100 . A mist spout connected to the water valve can be selectively controlled by the gaming station 100 processor to output water mist having an activation pattern synchronized with the game being played on the gaming station 100 . Mist spouts connected to one or more scent reservoirs are selectively controlled by the processor of gaming station 100 to produce scents (or mixture of scents) can be output. Separate mist spouts and piping can be provided on brace 107 to provide separate and independent mist and scent. Additionally, different mist spouts and plumbing can be provided to emit different scents at the gaming station 100 .

Gaming station 100 typically includes additional sensory feedback modalities for the user in addition to visual feedback provided via display screens and lighting. For example, gaming station 100 typically includes speakers for auditory feedback (e.g., speakers attached to center frame, seat 101, and braces 107), and user input devices 103 and seats, among other locations. Including tactile or touch feedback provided by actuators attached to 101 .

Gaming station 100 may also include one or more outward-facing display screens 109 that may display gameplay screens and images in real-time so that other guests can view games in progress. In some examples, the outward-facing display screen 109 is touch-enabled, allowing spectators to participate in gameplay and place bets on gameplay and/or player outcomes. In such an example, the gaming station 100 may include one or more outward-facing sensors 15 arranged to sense the guest's tokens 11 positioned in front of the outward-facing display screen 109 . Outward-facing sensors 15 are used to detect guests' medals 11 and allow those guests to log into gaming station 100 via outward-facing display screens 109 to participate in game play and place bets. become. The outward-facing display screen 109 can also be used by guests to register or join a queue for gameplay, which allows guests to register or wait when gaming station 100 seating locations become available. You may be invited to participate in gameplay in queue order.

Operation of gaming station 100 may be controlled by a computing platform provided within seat 101 . A computing platform typically includes one or more processors (eg, three or more processors in some embodiments), memory-stored program instructions for game play, and a power source (eg, an uninterruptible power supply (UPS)). ), and connections to display and input devices 102, 103, and 109, respectively. The computing platform is also connected to server 21 of guest engagement system 10 via communications network 19 . The computing platform is further connected to actuators that control the mist spout and controllers that control lighting, sound, tactile or touch feedback. Different feedback modalities can be applied to each player's seating position to provide different sensory feedback (including mist, scent, sound, tactile, touch, light, and display) to different players at any given time under the control of the computing platform. can be individually controlled.

Additionally and/or alternatively, the above-identified features of the guest engagement system 10 can provide guests with a seamless experience as the user moves through the facility. As an example, a user may start a game on a selected display screen 109 of gaming station 100 and continue the same game on a selected access panel 705 of a stateroom. To this end, the guest engagement system 10 relies on access panels 705, interactive displays 17c, portals 17d, etc. located throughout the facility. In such examples, for example, the user's proximity based on the location determination of the medal 11 as described herein triggers the interface device 17 to access the user's profile information associated with the detected medal 11. can be done. Thus, the access panel 705, interactive display 17c, portal 17d, etc., displays the profile information of the guest's detected medal 11 (including game preferences, status of the game currently being played, user biographical information, payment information, etc.). is communicated wirelessly with the server 21 to obtain the Once the profile information is received, the interface device 17 can display the status of the last game played to the user and ask the user if they would like to continue playing directly on the interface device 17 .

In some embodiments, the game may be affected by events and activities that are enabled by all guests playing the ship game. For example, gaming station 100 may support lottery games, which provide opportunities for users to participate in games at access panel 705, interactive display 17c, portal 17d, and the like. Each time access panel 705, interactive display 17c, and/or portal 17d is accessed by a guest, an entry into the lottery game may be made and a cumulative jackpot may be tallied. In other examples, interactions with access panel 705, interactive display 17c, portal 17d, etc. may count against users who have already entered the drawing. Guest engagement system 10 thereby provides interaction with all users on the vessel based on seamless interaction with system 10 .

11 and 12 show functional block diagrams of general-purpose computer hardware platforms. FIG. 11 illustrates a network or host computer platform that may typically be used to implement a server such as any of server 21 described herein. FIG. 12 shows a computer with user interface elements usable for implementation of a portal (eg, 17d) or other type of workstation or terminal device of guest engagement system 10, but the computer of FIG. can also act as a server if properly programmed. Those skilled in the art will be familiar with the construction, programming, and general operation of such computer equipment, and the drawings should also be self-explanatory.

For example, the server includes a data communication interface for packet data communication. The server also includes a central processing unit (CPU) in the form of one or more processors for executing program instructions. Server platforms typically include an internal communication bus, program storage, and data storage for various data files processed and/or communicated by the server, although servers often transmit programming and data via network communications. receive. The hardware elements, operating systems, and programming languages of such servers are conventional in nature and are presumed to be well-familiar to those skilled in the art. Of course, the server functionality can be distributed and implemented across multiple similar platforms in order to spread the processing load.

Referring to FIG. 13, guest engagement system 10 is shown as including at least one flight attendant 40 . Crew 40 may include anyone who provides services or products to guests 12 . Exemplary crew members 40 may include hotel and/or resort crew members, staff members, employees, and hosts. A crew member 40 is shown operating a crew device 402 . Crew device 402 may include handheld, mobile, and/or portable electronic devices configured for wireless communication, optionally with mobile computing capabilities. Exemplary crew devices 402 may include two-way radio transceivers, walkie-talkies, cell phones, smart phones, tables, and the like. Crew device 402 may be configured to communicate with guest device 11 and/or sensor 15 via one or more selected wireless communication technologies. Additionally and/or alternatively, crew device 402 may communicate with system server 21 via communications network 19 . Additionally and/or alternatively, crew device 402 communicates with interface device 17 (shown in FIG. 1) and/or terminal device 18 (shown in FIG. 9) in a manner similar to guest device 11. be able to.

A crew member device 402 is shown coupled with an antenna device 300 configured to emit a signal provided by the crew member device 402 . Additionally and/or alternatively, antenna device 300 can receive a signal and transmit the signal to crew device 402 . In other words, regardless of whether the crew device 402 includes a built-in antenna and/or whether a built-in antenna can provide the necessary functionality for the guest engagement system 10, the antenna device 300 can be used to communicate with the crew device 402 and other wireless devices. It can serve as an interface between networks and/or devices to provide additional and/or alternative wireless communication capabilities for the crew device 402 . Further, because the antenna device 300 can provide wireless communication capabilities independent of the built-in capabilities of the crew device 402, the hardware and/or software of the antenna device 300 can be reprogrammed or Where customization is not possible, it may be programmable and/or custom-developable. Advantageously, hotel and resort crews, employees and hosts can fully utilize the guest engagement system 10 with the specially customized antenna device 300 .

Antenna device 300 is shown positioned inside and/or on top of accessory 400 as desired for crew device 402 . Accessory 400 may be attached to and/or carried with crew member device 402 . In one embodiment, accessory 400 may include casing 420 (shown in FIG. 28) for at least partially enclosing crew member device 402 . Accessory 400 may include additional elements that can provide selected functionality. The hardware and/or software of accessory 400 may be programmable and/or custom developed even if crew device 402 is commercially acquired and cannot be reprogrammed or customized. Advantageously, accessory 400 can be easily used with crew devices to provide customized functionality to fully utilize guest engagement system 10 .

Referring to FIG. 14, antenna device 300 is shown as including a first wireless communication antenna 320 and optionally a second wireless communication antenna 340 . The first wireless communication antenna may be configured to operate according to a first communication standard and the second wireless communication antennas 320, 340 may be configured to operate according to a second communication standard, respectively. The first communication standard can be different than the second communication standard. In one embodiment, the first communication standard may include the Bluetooth communication standard and the second communication standard may include the Near Field Communication (NFC) communication standard. Exemplary Bluetooth communication standards may include the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication standard.

In some embodiments, first wireless communication antenna 320 may include a directional antenna. In other words, first wireless communication antenna 320 is shown to radiate power with maximum gain and/or minimum interference in direction 360 (or z-direction) relative to other directions. ing. For example, first wireless communication antenna 320 may include a Yagi antenna, a log-periodic antenna, a corner reflector antenna, or combinations thereof. Using the first wireless communication antenna 320, the flight attendant 40 (shown in FIG. 13) can carry the guest device 11 to obtain information associated with the selected guest 12 via BLE communication. A first wireless communication antenna 320 can be directed toward the selected guest 12 who will be visiting. Advantageously, even if the selected guest 12 is in a crowded environment and is surrounded by other guests 12, the first wireless communication antenna 320 with a high level of directivity will be able to identify, like, and /or Information from selected guests 12, such as past experiences, can be captured. Thus, interactions between crew members 40 and selected guests 12 can be personalized.

Directivity can be measured via parameters such as directivity and/or peak directivity. Directivity may be the ratio of the power density of the antenna device 300 in a particular direction to the power density of a theoretical isotropic emitter with the same total power transfer level. Peak directivity may be the ratio of the power density of the antenna device 300 in the most concentrated direction (or end-fire (EF) region) to the power density of a theoretical isotropic emitter with the same total power transfer level. . In other words, the peak directivity of antenna device 300 using the first communication standard can be measured in direction 360 .

The second wireless communication antenna 340 can increase the directivity and/or peak directivity of the first wireless communication antenna 320 . In other words, the second wireless communication antenna 340 can increase the gain in the direction 360 of the first wireless communication antenna 320 . The second wireless communication antenna 340 has a particular shape, geometry, dimensions, and/or electrical properties to constructively interfere with the power emitted from the first wireless communication antenna 320 in a direction 360. By doing so, the directivity of the first wireless communication antenna 320 can be enhanced. In one embodiment, the second wireless communications antenna 340 is positioned at a selected distance and distance relative to the first wireless communications antenna 320 to enhance the power radiated from the first wireless communications antenna 320 in the direction 360 . /or can be positioned in a selected orientation. Advantageously, the second wireless communication antenna 340 can be used for more than one purpose, thus simplifying the structure of the antenna device 300 .

Referring to FIG. 15, first wireless communication antenna 320 is shown as comprising a Yagi antenna. A Yagi antenna may include a driven element 324, a reflector 322, and an optional director 326, each parallel to the x-direction and dispersed along the z-direction. Driven element 324 is driven and/or excited by RF current from a transmitter (not shown) located on accessory 400 (shown in FIG. 13) and/or crew device 402 (shown in FIG. 13). can contain dipoles. Driven element 324 can be a source of radio waves.

Reflector 322 and director 326 may be parasitic elements, each comprising a thin rod element of selected length parallel to the x-direction. Waves from reflector 322 and director 326 can be superimposed and interfered to enhance z-direction radiation, resulting in a substantial gain of first wireless communication antenna 320 compared to the dipole of driven element 324. achieve significant growth.

Second wireless communication antenna 340 may include an antenna suitable for NFC communication. The exemplary second wireless communication antenna 340 can be configured for inductive coupling. In one embodiment, second wireless communication antenna 340 may include at least one electromagnetic coil 342 (shown in FIG. 19). The exemplary electromagnetic coil 342 can be wound in the xy plane.

The second wireless communication antenna 340 can act as a director for the first wireless communication antenna 320 and increase the gain of the first wireless communication antenna 320 in direction 360 . In other words, the second wireless communication antenna 340 can re-radiate waves received in the direction 360 from the first wireless communication antenna 320 . A second wireless communication antenna 340 can be positioned at a selected distance D from the nearest director 326 so that the re-radiated waves are in-phase with the received waves in direction 360 causing constructive interference. and increase the gain of the first wireless communication antenna 320 . The selected distance D may depend on the wave frequency of the first wireless communication antenna 320 . An exemplary distance D may be 2 mm at a frequency of 2.4 GHz for a Yagi antenna (as first wireless communication antenna 320). In an illustrative example, the Yagi antenna may comprise a Yagi Uda microstrip antenna on FR (flame retardant)-4 material with a dielectric constant (Er) of 4.

Referring to FIG. 16, a first wireless communication antenna 320 is disposed on a first printed circuit board (PCB) 328 and a second wireless communication antenna 340 is disposed on a second printed circuit board (PCB) 348, respectively. can do. In other words, the first wireless communication antenna 320 can be integrated with the first PCB 328 to form a PCB assembly. Similarly, second wireless communication antenna 340 can be integrated with second PCB 348 to form another PCB assembly. The first PCB 328 is shown parallel to the xz plane. A second PCB 348 is shown parallel to the xy plane and orthogonal to the first PCB 328 .

Although the first and second wireless communication antennas 320, 340 and the first and second PCBs 328, 348 are shown in a particular spatial orientation for purposes of illustration only, the first The radio and second radio communication antennas 320, 340 and the first and second PCBs 328, 348 may be oriented, without limitation, in other manners suitable to perform the functions described above. can be done. Although the first PCB 328 is shown coupled to the second PCB 348 at an end region of the second PCB 348 along the y-direction for illustrative purposes only, the first PCB 328 is can be coupled to the second PCB 348 at any other suitable area of the second PCB 348 without being bonded to the second PCB 348 . For example, the first PCB 328 can be coupled to the second PCB 348 at a central region of the second PCB 348 , ie, a central region along the height H of the second wireless communication antenna 340 .

In one embodiment, the first PCB and the second PCB 328, 348 are arranged side by side such that the first wireless communication antenna and the second wireless communication antenna 320, 340 are both aligned in the xz plane. be able to. In other words, both the first and second wireless communication antennas 320, 340 can be located on the bottom of the crew member device 402 (shown in FIG. 31) and/or can be positioned parallel to the

However, the second PCB 348, which is shown in FIG. 16 as orthogonal to the first PCB 328, can be used by the crew 40 (shown in FIG. 13) or (shown in FIG. 13) when scanning nearby devices (such as guest devices). ) can more easily identify the location of the second wireless communication antenna 340 and does not have to search for the second wireless communication antenna 340 over a large bottom area of the crew device 402. can be used for Additionally and/or alternatively, the radiation of the second wireless communication antenna 340 can be more non-coherent with respect to the radiation of the first wireless communication antenna 320 .

In order for the second radio communication antenna 340 to achieve sufficient gain for the second communication standard and to improve the directivity of the first radio communication antenna 320, the first radio communication antenna and the second radio One or both of the communication antennas 320, 340 may need to be configured in the selected manner. In one embodiment, the second wireless communication antenna 340 may need to be configured to achieve a gain less than the maximum possible gain of the second communication standard (eg, NFC communication standard). The maximum possible gain is the gain that can be achieved when the second wireless communication antenna 340 is independently optimized under the second communication standard without considering the first wireless communication antenna 320. . In other words, a sacrifice in the gain of the second wireless communication antenna 340 may be required so that the second wireless communication antenna 340 does not compromise or even improve the directivity of the first wireless communication antenna 320. .

In one embodiment, the second wireless communication antenna 340 can have a width W (shown in FIGS. 15 and 19) and a height H (further shown in FIG. 19). In other words, the second wireless communication antenna 340 can span an area of W×H. It is desirable to maximize this area to individually improve the gain of the second wireless communication antenna 340 . In other words, it is usually desirable to maximize W and H. Additionally, a W:H ratio of 2:1 is typically used to achieve the maximum possible gain.

However, to manufacture the antenna device 300, it may be necessary to change the above W:H ratio for the following reasons. For a given W, increasing H may extend the second wireless communication antenna 340 further beyond the xz plane, which is parallel to the plane of the first wireless communication antenna 320 . If extended further, the directivity of the first wireless communication antenna 320 may be degraded because it results in greater scattering of the radiation of the first wireless communication antenna 320 beyond the xz plane. Therefore, the W:H ratio may be reduced. In one example, if the first wireless communication antenna 320 includes a Yagi-Uda microstrip antenna on a FR (flame retardant)-4 material with a dielectric constant (Er) of 4, for the second wireless communication antenna 340: , a W:H ratio of 3:1 may be found to achieve sufficient gain for the second communication standard and improve the directivity of the first wireless communication antenna 320 . Optimization of the configuration of the first and/or second wireless communication antennas 320, 340 may be performed using any suitable antenna design and simulation software tools. In some embodiments, the Yagi antenna can be shaped based on wavelength and coupling coefficient. The height and width of the second wireless communication antenna 340 acting as director 326 (shown in FIG. 15) should be optimized based on the parasitic loading of the first and/or second wireless communication antennas 320, 340. can be done. In some embodiments, the shorter second wireless communication antenna 340 (i.e., small H) may more resemble a typical director element of a Yagi antenna and may have better performance as a director 326. . Such results are predictable based on theoretical calculations and/or simulations.

17 and 18 show top and bottom views, respectively, of an exemplary first wireless communication antenna 320 on first PCB 328. FIG. The top and bottom surfaces are on opposite sides in the y-direction. A first wireless communication antenna 320 is shown as including three directors 326 distributed in parallel, including directors 326A-326C. Driven element 324 is shown as including a folded dipole.

19 and 20 show top and bottom views, respectively, of an exemplary second wireless communication antenna 340 on a second PCB 348. FIG. A second wireless communication antenna 340 is shown including an electromagnetic coil 342 wound in parallel with a second PCB 348 .

Although the top surface of the second wireless communication antenna 340 is shown facing in the z-direction for illustrative purposes only, the top surface of the second wireless communication antenna 340 faces the z-direction with respect to the z-direction. It can be oriented at selected angles with respect to directions and/or in other manners suitable for performing the functions described without limitation.

Referring to FIG. 21, the antenna device 300 is shown as including an antenna carrier 380 that at least partially surrounds the first and second wireless communication antennas 320,340. The antenna carrier 380 can be made of any suitable material and can provide predetermined slots for holding the first and second wireless communication antennas 320,340. Antenna carrier 380 is shown as having an L-shape, but may have any other suitable shape, size and/or dimensions.

Referring to FIG. 22, the antenna carrier 380 is viewed from a different viewing angle than in FIG. An antenna carrier 380 is shown covering at least one side of the first and second wireless communication antennas 320,340. In one embodiment, the antenna carrier 380 can cover the entire surface of the first wireless communication antenna and the second wireless communication antenna 320, 340, but not the first wireless communication antenna and/or the second wireless communication antenna. defines an optional opening in a selected area of the surface of the wireless communication antenna 320,340.

Referring to FIG. 23, an exploded view of antenna device 300 is shown. The antenna carrier 380 is shown as including top and bottom covers 380A, 380B that sandwich the first and second wireless communication antennas 320,340. The top and bottom covers 380A, 380B can be made of any suitable material and provide predetermined slots for holding the first and second wireless communication antennas 320, 340. can do.

FIG. 24A is a three-dimensional (3D) radiation pattern of an exemplary first wireless communications antenna 320 that does not include a second wireless communications antenna 340. FIG. The gain of the first wireless communication antenna 320 reaches a maximum at its edge regions along the z-direction. FIG. 24B is a plot showing the realized gain as a function of frequency for an exemplary first wireless communication antenna 320. FIG.

25A is a 3D radiation pattern of an antenna device 300 including first and second wireless communication antennas 320, 340 and antenna carrier 380. FIG. The radiation pattern shows that the gain of antenna device 300 reaches a maximum at its edge regions along the z-direction. Furthermore, the gain reaches a minimum near the middle region of the antenna device 300, which is more pronounced than the gain minimum in FIG. 24A. Therefore, the peak directivity of the first radio communication antenna 320 is improved in combination with the second radio communication antenna 340. FIG. The antenna device 300 shown in FIG. 25 has a resonant center frequency (i.e., resonance at a desired frequency of 2.45 GHz, for example) in the region sandwiched between the top cover 380A (shown in FIG. 23) and the bottom cover 380B. can be achieved by optimizing to achieve FIG. 25B is a plot showing the realized gain as a function of frequency.

FIG. 26A is a 3D radiation pattern of antenna device 300 including first wireless communication antenna 320, second wireless communication antenna 340, and antenna carrier 380 after a selected optimization process. In other words, the antenna device 300 shown in FIG. 26A is achieved by further optimization through tuning compared to the antenna device 300 shown in FIG. 25A. The radiation pattern shows that the gain of the antenna device 300 reaches a maximum at its edge regions along the z-direction and is large compared to the gain of the radiation pattern of FIG. 24A. Furthermore, the gain reaches a minimum near the middle region of the antenna device 300, which is more pronounced than the gain minimum in FIG. 24A. Therefore, the peak directivity of the first radio communication antenna 320 is improved in combination with the second radio communication antenna 340. FIG. FIG. 26B is a plot showing the realized gain as a function of frequency.

Referring to FIG. 27, exemplary accessory 400 is shown as including casing 420 and antenna device 300 attached to casing 420 . Casing 420 may at least partially enclose crew member device 402 (shown in FIG. 13). Casing 420 is shown as having a planar shape parallel to the xz plane. When the crew device 402 is within the casing 420, the side of the crew device 402 with the largest surface area can be parallel to the xz plane.

Antenna device 300 can optionally be movably coupled to casing 420 such that the antenna device can move along direction 362 relative to casing 420 and/or crew device 402 . For example, this movement can include sliding motion. In other words, antenna device 300 can be slidably coupled to casing 420 such that antenna device 300 can slide relative to casing 420 and/or crew device 402 . Since the electromagnetic fields generated by the crew device 402 and/or the casing 420 can change the radiation pattern of the antenna device 300, sliding the antenna device 300 can adjust the radiation pattern of the antenna device 300. Advantageously, the directivity of the radiation pattern of the antenna device 300 can be changed in a simple manner.

Referring to FIG. 28, accessory 400 is shown including one or more additional hardware components as desired, including battery 440 . Battery 440 may include a power source for powering the hardware components of accessory 400 and/or powering crew device 402 (shown in FIG. 13). Exemplary batteries 440 may include lead acid batteries, lithium air batteries, lithium ion batteries, nickel cadmium batteries, nickel metal hydride batteries, or combinations thereof. If desired, battery 440 can be rechargeable.

Additionally and/or alternatively, accessory 400 may include NFC reader 460 . NFC reader 460 can be integrated with an NFC writer (not shown) if desired. NFC reader 460 can read information stored on NFC devices, such as NFC tags, embedded in guest device 11 (shown in FIG. 13).

Additionally and/or alternatively, accessory 400 may include communication interface 480 for communicating with crew device 402 . In one embodiment, communication interface 480 includes a connector and/or antenna for connection to a transceiver (not shown) on crew device 402 so that the transceiver can receive and/or transmit data via antenna device 300 . It can contain ports. Exemplary communication interfaces 480 include Universal Serial Bus (USB), Digital Visual Interface (DVI), DisplayPort, Serial ATA (SATA), IEEE 1394 interface (also known as FireWire), Serial, Video Graphics Array (VGA ), Super Video Graphics Array (SVGA), Small Computer System Interface (SCSI), High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), audio ports, and/or proprietary input/output interfaces. In one embodiment, communication interface 480 may include a USB connector, such as a USB-C connector.

Additionally and/or alternatively, accessory 400 may include one or more processors 410 . Processor 410 can act as a controller to direct the operation of some or all of accessory 400 such that the computing capabilities of accessory 400 can be customized without being limited to the capabilities of crew device 402 . Without limitation, each processor 410 may comprise one or more general-purpose microprocessors (e.g., single-core or multi-core processors), application-specific integrated circuits, application-specific instruction set processors, graphics processing units, physical processing units, It may include a digital signal processing unit, a co-processor, a network processing unit, an audio processing unit, a cryptographic processing unit, and the like. The processor 410 can be configured to perform any of the methods described herein, turning on and/or one or both of the first and second wireless communication antennas 320, 340 Including, but not limited to, various operations associated with turning off. Additionally and/or alternatively, processor 410 may be configured to control power delivery from battery 440, communication with crew device 402, or a combination thereof.

Additionally and/or alternatively, accessory 400 may include an indicator device 430 for indicating to the operator the status of the selected operation visually, audibly, mechanically, and/or by other techniques. Exemplary indicator device 430 may include one or more light emitting devices. In one embodiment, when the NFC reader 460 receives data via the second wireless communication antenna 340, the lighting device can turn on and/or change intensity. Additionally and/or alternatively, accessory 400 may include memory 450 (e.g., random access memory (RAM), static RAM, dynamic RAM, read-only memory (ROM), programmable ROM, erasable programmable ROM, electrically erasable programmable ROM, flash memory, secure digital (SD) cards, etc.).

Additionally and/or alternatively, accessory 400 may use any wired and/or wireless communication method to transfer data and/or instructions between accessory 400 and another computer system (not shown). A communication module (not shown) may be included for replacement. Exemplary communication methods include, for example, radio, wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi), cellular, satellite, broadcast, or combinations thereof.

The hardware components of accessory 400 may be configured to communicate using hardware connectors and buses and/or wirelessly, for example. Some of the hardware components of accessory 400 may be located on and/or distributed between casing 420 and antenna device 300 .

Referring to FIG. 29, an exploded view of accessory 400 is shown with crew device 402 . Casing 420 is shown as including bottom assembly 420A, top assembly 420B, and elastic skin 420C. The antenna device 300 can be attached to the antenna cover 382 for protection. The accessory 400 may include a PCB assembly 470 with selected components mounted thereon, including, for example, an NFC reader 460 (shown in FIG. 28), a communication interface 480 (shown in FIG. 28), , processor 410 (shown in FIG. 28), and/or memory 450 (shown in FIG. 28).

Referring to Figure 30, the antenna device 300 is shown in the retracted position. In the retracted position, first wireless communication antenna 320 can stack with PCB assembly 470 (shown in FIG. 29), casing 420 and/or crew device 402 . Circuitry (not shown) within PCB assembly 470 allows casing 420 and/or crew device 402 to emit an electromagnetic field that may change the radiation pattern of antenna device 300, and first wireless communication antenna 320 may: It can be detuned (or loaded) by an electromagnetic field at its resonant frequency, making it omnidirectional (or less directional). In other words, the first wireless communication antenna 320 may have more even gain in all directions. Advantageously, the antenna device 300 can be used in any direction (shown in FIG. 13) when the crew member 40 (shown in FIG. 13) is waiting for an instruction or command from the guest 12 (shown in FIG. 13). ) the proximity of the guest device 11 can be sensed.

Referring to Figure 31, the antenna device 300 is shown in the deployed position. In the deployed position, first wireless communication antenna 320 moves distally from PCB assembly 470, casing 420, and/or crew device 402 (shown in FIG. 29) by moving a selected distance from the retracted position. can be located. Because the circuitry (not shown) in PCB assembly 470 (shown in FIG. 29), casing 420 and/or crew device 402 may be more distal from first wireless communication antenna 320, the electromagnetic field from the circuitry may be It is less effective for detuning the first wireless communication antenna 320 . Accordingly, the first wireless communication antenna 320 can be more directional. In other words, first wireless communication antenna 320 may have greater gain in direction 360 . Therefore, instead of installing relatively omnidirectional and directional antennas and switching between them, by changing the position of the first wireless communication antenna 320, relatively omnidirectional or directional and can do. Advantageously, the structure and operation of the antenna device 300 can be simplified. Antenna device 300 connects with accessory 400 and/or crew device 402 via appropriately routed cables (such as coaxial cables) such that cable connections can be maintained during transitions between retracted and deployed positions. be able to. In contrast to antenna device 300, conventional antennas do not exhibit a directional radiation pattern in a handheld electronic device form factor. In particular, conventional antennas exhibit even less directional radiation patterns in handheld electronic devices with NFC integrated into the antenna structure. An additional and/or alternative unique aspect of antenna 300 is the intentional change of the radiation pattern from directional to isotropic based on deployment of antenna 300 .

Antenna device 300 can be moved to a deployed position along direction 360 . Advantageously, operation of the antenna device 300 can be simple and intuitive as the operator can slide the antenna device 300 in a direction towards the selected guest 12 . However, the transition of antenna device 300 between retracted and deployed positions is shown in FIGS. 25 and 26 for illustrative purposes only. Antenna device 300 can be moved to the deployed position in another direction different from direction 360 . In other words, the motion direction of the antenna device 300 can be different from the direction of the first wireless communication antenna 320 without limitation.

FIG. 32 is a 3D radiation pattern of antenna device 300 in the retracted position. Radiation patterns are shown to be similar in all directions. FIG. 33 is a 3D radiation pattern of antenna device 300 in the deployed position. The radiation pattern shows that the peak directivity of the antenna device 300 is obtained at its edge region (or EF region) along the z-direction and is large compared to the peak directivity of the radiation pattern of FIG. . Therefore, the peak directivity of the antenna device 300 is improved in the deployed position.

Referring to FIG. 34, an exemplary method 490 for using antenna device 300 is shown. Antenna device 300 can be placed in a retracted position at 491 if desired. In the retracted position, antenna device 300 may be proximal to crew device 402 . In other words, antenna device 300 may be proximal to casing 420 that holds crew device 402 . Accordingly, the first wireless communication antenna 320 (shown in FIG. 30) may be more omnidirectional. In some embodiments, the antenna device 300 may assume a retracted position when carried by the crew member along with the crew member device 402, and thus need not be placed in the retracted position by some action of the crew member.

Antenna device 300 can be transitioned at 492 to a deployed position distal from accessory 400 . Antenna device 300 may be directional in a deployed position for establishing wireless communication between crew device 402 at which antenna device 300 is directed and guest device 11 (shown in FIG. 13). For example, antenna device 300 can be moved to a deployed position toward guest device 11 . In other words, the direction 360 (shown in FIG. 31) can be aligned from the antenna device 300 towards the guest device 11 . In some embodiments, first wireless communication antenna 320 may be directional such that crew device 402 may establish wireless communication with guest device 11 via BLE communication.

Referring to FIG. 35, a detailed view of antenna device 300 in the retracted position is shown. The antenna device 300 is shown as having an L shape, with a first wireless communication antenna 320 stacked with the crew device 402 and a second wireless communication antenna 340 in contact with the edge of the casing 420 .

Referring to Figure 36, a detailed view of the antenna device 300 in the deployed position is shown. Antenna device 300 can be transitioned distally from crew device 402 . The antenna carrier 380 can be manually pulled and/or pushed by an operator to move the entire first and second wireless communication antennas 320,340. Additionally and/or alternatively, the transition of antenna device 300 between retracted and deployed positions can be performed automatically and/or robotically.

Figures 37 and 38 show the antenna device 300 in the retracted and deployed positions, respectively. In contrast to the antenna device 300 shown in FIGS. 25-26, the antenna device 300 includes the first wireless communication antenna 320 without the second wireless communication antenna 340 (shown in FIGS. 30-31). include. Accordingly, the first wireless communication antenna 320 can be configured for BLE communication and the NFC antenna within the crew device 402 can be used for NFC communication. In this case, the second radio communication antenna 340 is not available to achieve the constructive interference required for directional radiation, so the first radio communication antenna 320 is at least one director (shown in FIG. 15). 326.

Figures 39 and 40 show detailed drawings of the antenna device 300 in the retracted and deployed positions, respectively. 41 and 42 show detailed views of accessory 400 without crew device 402, with antenna device 300 in retracted and deployed positions, respectively.

Various embodiments described in this disclosure relate to antenna devices and methods for making and using antenna devices.

According to a first aspect disclosed herein, there is provided an antenna device, the antenna device comprising:
a first wireless communication antenna configured to operate using a first communication standard having a first peak directivity in a selected direction;
a second wireless communication antenna positioned proximate an end region of the first wireless communication antenna along a selected direction and configured to operate using a second communication standard different from the first communication standard; in a selected direction and aggregated with the first wireless communication antenna using a first communication standard having a second peak directivity greater than the first peak directivity and a second wireless communication antenna that is further operative.

In some embodiments of the disclosed antenna device, respectively, the first communication standard comprises a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication standard and the second communication standard comprises a Near Field Communication (NFC) communication standard.

In some embodiments of the disclosed antenna device, the first wireless communication antenna comprises a Yagi antenna including one or more directors arranged in a line extending along the selected direction; is configured to be one director of the one or more directors.

In some embodiments of the disclosed antenna device, the antenna device has a first wireless communication antenna and a second wireless communication antenna disposed thereon, respectively, and the first PCB and the second PCB are vertically oriented. further including a first printed circuit board and a second printed circuit board (PCB) disposed on the substrate;

In some embodiments of the disclosed antenna device, the second PCB is attached to the first PCB at an edge region of the first PCB.

In some embodiments of the disclosed antenna device, the first PCB and the second PCB are each arranged to form two L-shaped segments.

In some embodiments of the disclosed antenna device, the first PCB and the second PCB are arranged to respectively form a long segment and a short segment of the two L-shaped segments.

In some embodiments of the disclosed antenna device, the second wireless communication antenna includes a coil wrapped around a rectangular area defined on the second PCB, the area having a width and and a width measured parallel to the plane defined by the first wireless communication antenna.

In some embodiments of the disclosed antenna device, the width to height ratio is greater than 2:1.

According to a first aspect disclosed herein, there is presented an accessory portable with a mobile electronic device, the accessory comprising:
an antenna device;
a casing attached to the antenna device and configured to at least partially enclose the mobile electronic device.

In some embodiments of the disclosed accessory, the antenna device is slidably attached to the casing.

In some embodiments of the disclosed accessory, the first wireless communication antenna is parallel to the plane defined by the casing and the antenna device is adapted to be transitioned between deployed and retracted positions. is configured to
In the retracted position, the first wireless communication antenna is stacked on the casing, and
In the deployed position, at least a portion of the first wireless communication antenna is unstacked with the casing.

In some embodiments of the disclosed accessory, the antenna device is configured to transition from the retracted position to the deployed position by sliding in a selected direction.

In some embodiments of the disclosed accessory, the second wireless communication antenna is proximal to the casing in the retracted position and distal to the casing in the deployed position.

In some embodiments of the disclosed accessory, the antenna device is more directional in the deployed position than in the retracted position for operation using the first communication standard.

In some embodiments of the disclosed accessory, the accessory comprises:
a communication interface for connection with a mobile electronic device;
and a PCB assembly associated with the antenna device.

In some embodiments of the disclosed accessory, the accessory further includes an NFC reader at least partially assembled onto the PCB assembly.

In some embodiments of the disclosed accessory, the accessory further includes a battery electrically connected to the PCB assembly.

According to a first aspect disclosed herein, a method is presented for using an accessory including a portable antenna device with a mobile electronic device, the accessory at least partially a first wireless communication antenna configured to surround and configured to operate using a first communication standard at a first peak directivity in a selected direction, the method comprising:
transitioning the antenna device from a retracted position to a deployed position, wherein the peak directivity of the antenna device increases based on the transition;
returning the antenna device from a deployed position to a retracted position, the antenna device becoming more omnidirectional upon said returning, wherein the plane defined by the first wireless communication antenna is defined by the casing; parallel to the plane of
In the retracted position, the first wireless communication antenna is stacked on the casing, and
In the deployed position, at least a portion of the first wireless communication antenna is unstacked with the casing.

In some embodiments of the disclosed method, the method aligns the selected direction with the direction from the antenna device toward the distal electronic device so that the mobile electronic device can communicate remotely using the first communication standard. Further comprising providing for communication with the electronic device.

Additionally and/or alternatively, the above-identified features of guest engagement system 10 may provide an advanced security platform, or the like. For example, in some embodiments, guest engagement system 10 may be used to determine location-based information for each medallion 11 and maintain descriptive data about each of a plurality of guests 12, which guests may Each is associated with a respective medal 11 .

Referring to FIG. 43, an exemplary block diagram illustrating an alternate embodiment of guest engagement system 10 is shown. As previously mentioned, guest engagement system 10 is configured to wirelessly communicate with guest devices 11, such as medallions worn or carried by guests 12 (shown, for example, in FIG. 1A), each of which: Uniquely identifies the associated guest and is configured for secure communication with the guest engagement system 10 . In some embodiments, each medal 11 can be labeled to identify the associated guest 12 . For example, the name of the guest 12 may be physically imprinted on the medallion 11 and/or electronically encoded in local storage of the device (eg, memory 601 of the medallion 11). Alternatively and/or additionally, such relationships or associations between guests 12 and medals 11 may be maintained at server 21 as described herein.

A sensor network 13 of sensors 15 is installed throughout the facility and is configured to communicate wirelessly with guest tokens 11 . Selected sensors 15 of network 13 may be used to sense the location (or proximity to sensors 15) of guests, for example, by detecting beacon signals or other signals emitted by tokens 11. . The sensor 15 is also capable of two-way communication with the medal 11 to send and receive information to and from the medal 11 . Thus, and as explained in more detail above (see, for example, the description of FIG. 9), services provided via terminal devices can include location information services (such as sensing beacon signals on medallions). (including location detection of medals based on the terminal device used, and reporting of sensed medals and locations to system server 21), allowing medals to trigger security features among other services. For example, server 21 may maintain a log of known locations of each guest 12, such as for contact tracing purposes.

However, if medallions 11 are out of range of sensor network 13, guest engagement system 10 may advantageously rely on communication and storage of each medallion 11 to maintain its precise location. For example, Guest Devices/Medals 11 are configured to communicate using at least one wireless communication technology/protocol, and preferably to communicate using two or more separate wireless communication technologies/protocols. Configured. For example, although medallion 11 can be configured to communicate according to both the Near Field Communication (NFC) standard and the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) standard, medallion 11 typically always always uses one device to reduce energy consumption. It can operate using only standards. In some embodiments, a primary medallion 11 can communicate with one or more secondary medallions 11 to communicate location-based information such as shown in FIGS. 44A-44D.

Additionally and/or alternatively, the first medallion 11 communicates with one or more second medallions 11 to determine the proximity when a signal is acquired, as described herein. A unique identifier and/or signal strength can be communicated so that the determination can be made. As noted above, location information can be inferred when the medal 11 is detected by one or more of the sensors 15 of the sensor network 13 . If the medal 11 is outside the sensor network 13 , the guest engagement system 10 can advantageously determine the “unknown” location information until the medal 11 is back within range of the sensor network 13 . In some embodiments, this "unknown" location information is timestamped and (hereinafter (as described in ).

Referring to FIG. 44A, the medallion 11 can be configured to alternate between listening and broadcasting modes during a single predetermined time unit 90 . A predetermined time unit 90 is defined by the length of the cycle of a listening window 91 during listening mode and one or more broadcasting windows 92 during broadcasting mode. As shown in the example of FIG. 44A, medals 11 are defined in time units of 10000 ms. A listening window (or listening period) 91 is the period per unit of time 90 that the medal 11 listens. In this example Medal 11 listens for 80ms. In another exemplary embodiment, the medallion 11 can listen for 0.16 seconds, as shown in FIG. 44B. Similarly, broadcast window (or broadcast interval) 92 is the interval of the broadcast window (eg, 70 ms in FIGS. 44A-44B).

In other words, the medal 11 operates on an hourly basis. The selected Medal 11 can listen to other Medals broadcasting at a predetermined signal strength. For example, the predetermined signal strength can be measured using the medal 11 Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI). RSSI is an estimated measurement of the power level that an RF client device receives from a wireless device. As an example, a predetermined signal strength (or signal strength cutoff) may be set to -63 so that Medal 11 will only listen to other devices broadcasting with an RSSI greater than -63. can. In other words, the selected token broadcasting a signal during the broadcast window 92 will be picked up by the token 11 in its listening window 91 cycle.

In some embodiments, a predetermined number of detections are required before a contact is recorded. In the example shown in FIG. 44A, two time unit detections are required to establish a "contact". As used herein, "contact" may include contact sessions, network sessions, or sessions. Therefore, over a period of at least 20s, medal 11 must detect a broadcast signal with an RSSI of −63 for the selected medal at least twice during listening window 91 . Similarly, a predetermined number of time units required to disconnect a contact can be defined. For example, if the selected medal 11 is not detected for 2-15 time units (20-150 s), the existing contact with the selected medal 11 is broken.

Although specific examples are given, the duration of a predetermined time unit 90, the listening window 91, the broadcast window 92, the predetermined signal strength, the number of detections required for contact, and the number of detections to disconnect the contact. The number of missing time units is configurable as desired. In some embodiments, these parameters can be configured or adjusted to match a desired approximation of distance. This desired distance approximation often depends on multiple factors (eg, room size, physical obstructions, competing wireless signals, competing device signals, distance, technology settings, etc.). In other words, parameters can be adjusted to account for these factors so that the piano is tuned differently in a large proscenium and a small controlled studio environment. Therefore, an RSSI of −63 is described above as an exemplary cutoff for selected medals only. Therefore, it should be understood that in some embodiments, two consecutive readings of -0 to -65 RSSI for 20 seconds may be used in the range 0ft (0cm) to 2M. Some locations (eg, primarily outdoor locations, but including some indoor locations) require a signal strength of at least -65. These conditions include where/how the medal 11 is worn (e.g., chest, wrist, stomach, in clothing, out of clothing), user size (e.g., large, small, short, tall). , and physical barriers in the environment can change the signal strength behavior of the device 11 . Referring to FIG. 46b, an exemplary signal strength reading as a function of distance is shown. An exemplary contact between two medallions 11 is shown in FIG. 44C. Another exemplary contact between two medallions 11 is shown in FIG. 44D.

Each medallion 11 can maintain information about the medallion with which it has been in contact and/or has lost contact during a given unit of time. For example, memory 601 stores a unique identifier used by guest engagement system 10 to uniquely identify each medal. Memory 610 may also store encryption and decryption keys, as well as encrypted data. For example, in one example, the memory uniquely identifies the medal, and the public identifier of the medal 11 broadcast during the broadcast window 92 emitted by the medal, and the memory uniquely identifies the medal, in encrypted form. and a private identifier used to securely authenticate the medal (e.g. used for payment and door unlocking). Additionally and/or alternatively, memory 601 may maintain a relational database of other public identifiers for other medals 11 in contact and related users. This information can be provided to the server 21 for processing, for example when the token 11 is within broadcast range of the sensor network 13 . Advantageously, each medal 11 maintains an accurate history of other medals 11 within broadcast range to provide a location history for any medal regardless of whether they are within broadcast range of the sensor network 13. can be completed. Medals 11 together extend the range of signal processing of sensor network 13 for guest engagement system 10 .

FIG. 45 illustrates an exemplary method for determining location-based information using medals 11. FIG. As explained, the medallion 11 can be configured to alternate between listening and broadcasting modes during a single predetermined time unit 90 . While in broadcast mode, medal 11 may broadcast its unique identifier and/or signal strength at predetermined intervals (step 4501). While in listening mode, Medal 11 can listen to other Medals broadcasting at a predetermined signal strength (step 4502). For example, a predetermined signal strength can be measured using the medal 11 RSSI. Multiple samples are taken over time to generate a confidence indicator of contact session initiation.

In some embodiments, a falloff period can be used to keep the contact session alive. The falloff period is particularly advantageous in situations where the selected medal 11 fails to rebroadcast with expected signal strength for a certain period of time after the initial connection occurs. In other words, the selected Medal 11 may be in physical proximity to the second Medal 11 after the initial connection occurs, but the selected Medal 11 is expected to remain in the forecast for a sufficient period of time after the initial connection. signal strength may not be rebroadcast. Thus, the falloff period can be used to prevent immediate (and imprecise) interruptions in contact sessions established between the selected medal 11 and the second medal 11 . Therefore, the fall-off period shall be defined as the predetermined n listening periods during which no medal 11 is sensed, which must occur after initial contact is established but before disconnection or interruption of the contact session is determined. can be done. As an example, the falloff period is used to capture as many contacts as possible while minimizing false positives, as shown in FIG. 46a. As shown in Figure 46a, each dot represents the user of medal 11, the actual distance from one or more receivers (e.g. sensor 15, sensor network 13, or other medal 11), and the selected It represents the statistical average of the signal strength read over a few seconds by an individual.

Each contact session can be stored with one or more timestamps indicating, for example, the start time of the session and the end time of the session along with the associated signal strength. Once Medal 11 comes within range of sensor network 13, Medal 11 offloads data to central server 21 (step 4503). In some embodiments, for example, when a specified capacity is reached (eg, 75% storage), when a specified period of time (eg, every 6 hours) arrives, and/or the central server 21 collects the medals 11 Data stored in medal 11 can be offloaded when forced to fetch from. A server, such as appliance 21 (Fig. 43), can then post-process the data received from medal 11 (step 4504). Additionally and/or alternatively, a report of this information can be generated (not shown).

Returning to FIG. 43, appliance 21a can function as a central management device that aggregates data from medals 11 for communication with cloud-based web server 21b. As shown, appliance 21 a may reside in a data center and mediate communications from one or more collectors 23 . However, the appliance 21a can be located on-site or at a remote location, if desired. Collector 23 may be wired and/or wireless.

In a preferred embodiment, the appliance 21a smoothes time gaps, bi-directionally correlates missing location intervals between two medals 11, sorts/organizes by time interval and session interval, and is used in combination with a location sensor. to augment the location data. For example, the appliance 21a can enhance the fidelity of possible global contacts for each medallion 11 . In some embodiments, the appliance 21a combines and merges connection sessions with a gap of up to a predetermined x minutes into a single combined session. Additionally, the appliance 21a can compare the connection sessions of the two medals 11 and combine/merge the missing sessions. For example, the appliance 21a can bi-directionally correlate at least two (and often up to several hundred) uploaded data sets representing established network sessions/contacts. The bi-directional correlation process identifies selected times to compare. At this selected time, the appliance 21a compares the time stamps when the second medal 11 came within range of the first medal 11 . In this way, this missing contact to the first medal is made as if the first medal 11 existed in a third party's account for some period of time during which the first medal 11 was unknown. can be filled. The appliance 21a may also consolidate sessions by excluding connection sessions that are less than a predetermined y minutes or older than a predetermined number of days.

Additionally, the appliance 21a can facilitate more than one contact session. For example, a first medal 11 may have a 30 second contact session with a second medal 11, followed by a 45 second period in which no contact is established/maintained with any other medal, followed by another 30 seconds of contact. can have a session. Appliance 21a can optionally smooth these three periods by concatenating the first 30s contact session and the second 30s contact session and averaging over the total time. Similarly, appliance 21a may perform parameterized smoothing based on a predetermined duration (parameter) in which a contactless window may be combined with two other windows in which contact has been established. can. In some embodiments, feedback or machine learning methods can be used as best guesses to maximize the smoothing parameter. Additionally and/or alternatively, other post-processing may be used, e.g., averaging intervals and stitching events, using the best approximation of distance, analysis of known samples for feedback, etc. can automatically determine the stitching (eg, a tertiary sensor or multiple medals 11).

Referring to FIG. 47, an alternative embodiment of guest device 11 is shown as including microprocessor (or processor) 603 , at least one wireless communication antenna 512 , and at least one device health sensor 530 . Wireless communication antenna 512 and device health sensor 530 can communicate with processor 603 . In various embodiments, wireless communication antenna 512 may include BLE antenna 513 (shown in FIG. 5B), NFC antenna 515 (shown in FIG. 5B), or a combination thereof.

Device health sensor 530 may be configured to detect at least one health function of user 52 (shown in FIG. 63) wearing guest device 11 . Exemplary users 52 may include guests 12 (shown in FIG. 1A) and/or flight attendants 40 (shown in FIG. 13). In one embodiment, each of users 52 may be guest 12 . A health function may include any bodily function that may indicate a health condition of user 52 . A measure of health function that is indicative of an abnormality can be a symptom of an illness, injury and/or medical condition. Exemplary health functions include body temperature, skin temperature, blood pressure, pulse (or heart rate), and breathing rate (or respiratory rate), skin, pupils, pain, menstrual cycle, oxygen saturation (or, for example, pulse SpO2 as measured by oximetry), blood glucose levels, shortness of breath, walking speed, coughing, sneezing, etc. may be included. Device health sensors 530 may include any sensor, measurement device, and/or sensing device that measures at least one health function. Exemplary device health sensors 530 include temperature sensors, pulse oximeters, heart rate monitors, respiration rate monitors, cough detectors (e.g., accelerometers and/or audio signal sensors), electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) sensors, or Combinations of these may be included.

Referring to FIG. 48, guest device 11 is shown as including a body 540 having front (or top) and back (or rear or bottom) sides 11a, 11b. Body 540 is shown defining cavity 542 therein. Microprocessor 603, wireless communication antenna 512, and device health sensor 530 are shown disposed within the cavity.

In one embodiment, health features may include the temperature of user 52 (shown in FIG. 63). Device health sensors 530 may include temperature sensors. When the user 52 wears the guest device 11, the front surface 11a can be distal from the user's 52 body surface and the back surface 11b can be proximal to the user's 52 body surface, respectively. Device health sensor 530 is shown as being proximal to back surface 11b. Advantageously, device health sensor 530 can accurately detect the temperature of user 52 .

Although device health sensor 530 is shown as disposed within body 540 for purposes of illustration only, device health sensor 530 may be disposed partially within body 540 without limitation. and/or may be disposed outside of body 540 .

Referring to FIG. 49, guest device 11 is shown as including a bottom assembly 546 that defines back surface 11b. In various embodiments, bottom assembly 546 can be made at least partially of a thermally conductive material. In one embodiment, the back surface 11b can be at least partially thermally conductive. Advantageously, when the back surface 11b is in contact with and/or proximate to the body surface of the user 52 (shown in FIG. 63), the temperature of the back surface 11b is equal to that of the body surface. can quickly equalize.

Referring to FIG. 50, bottom assembly 546 is shown including bottom cap 503 . Bottom cap 503 may define the shape and/or size of back surface 11b. In one embodiment, bottom cap 503 may be a cap as shown in FIGS. 5B-5E. In one embodiment, bottom cap 503 can be made of a thermally conductive material. For example, the bottom cap 503 can be made at least partially of a thermally conductive plastic material. Exemplary plastic thermally conductive plastic materials can include conductive polymers, polymers with thermally conductive fillers (eg, metals, graphite, nanofillers, carbon black). Advantageously, the shape and size of bottom cap 503 can be changed to incorporate device health sensor 530 into guest device 11 simply by changing the material of bottom cap 503 .

Referring to FIG. 51, bottom assembly 546 is shown as including bottom cap 503 and bottom cap cover 541 stacked on bottom cap 503 . A bottom cap cover 541 is shown covering at least a portion of the bottom cap 503 . Bottom cap cover 541 may include a layer of material of selected thickness. The bottom cap cover 541 can define the shape and size of the back surface 11b. If desired, portions of bottom cap 503 not covered by bottom cap cover 541 can define additional portions of back surface 11b. In one embodiment, bottom cap cover 541 can be made of a thermally conductive material. Exemplary thermally conductive materials may include conductive plastics, metals. For example, the bottom cap cover 541 can be made of an anodized metal.

Bottom assembly 546 is shown defining opening 548 . Opening 548 can be a hole through the entire thickness of bottom cap 503 . As such, the bottom cap cover 541 can connect to selected component(s) within the cavity 542 via the openings 548 . In one embodiment, bottom cap cover 541 can partially or wholly cover opening 548 .

Referring to FIG. 52, an exemplary bottom assembly 546 is shown with bottom cap 503 and bottom cap cover 541 shown collectively (on the right) and individually (on the top left and bottom). If desired, opening 548 can be at least partially filled with adhesive 535 . In one embodiment, adhesive 535 may comprise a thermal adhesive. Because the thermal adhesive can be thermally conductive, the temperature of selected component(s) within cavity 542 (shown in FIG. 51) can equal the temperature of bottom cap cover 541 . Exemplary thermal adhesives may include thermal epoxies. Bottom cap 503 is shown defining optional grooves 543, 545 for coating adhesive 535 and for retaining overflow of adhesive 535, respectively.

Referring to FIG. 53, bottom cap 503 is shown (on the left) before modification to incorporate device health sensor 530 . Bottom cap 503 after being modified to incorporate device health sensor 530 is shown in perspective view (bottom right). Sectional bottom assembly 546 is shown in perspective view (upper right).

Opening 548 may be of any selected size, shape and/or dimensions that are smaller than the size of bottom kip 503 (shown in FIG. 51) and/or back surface 11b. An exemplary opening 548 can have a circular shape with a diameter in the range of 6 mm to 10 mm. Opening 548 can be at any selected location on bottom cap 503 . An exemplary opening 548 may be located in the center of bottom cap 503 . In other words, opening 548 and bottom cap 503 can be concentric. Bottom cap cover 541 can increase the overall thickness of guest device 11 (shown in FIG. 47) by a selected amount. In one embodiment, the thickness increase may range from 1 mm to 2 mm. FIG. 54 shows a cross-sectional view of cross-sectional bottom assembly 546 (also shown in the top right of FIG. 53).

Referring to FIG. 55, bottom assembly 546 and device health sensor 530 are shown connected via thermal conduction path 548 . Thermally conductive path 548 may include any hardware, material, and/or heat transfer medium that functions as a thermally conductive connector between bottom assembly 546 and device health sensor 530 . Thus, heat can be transferred between device health sensor 530 and bottom assembly 546, and device health sensor 530 can detect the temperature of bottom assembly 546 in an accurate manner.

In one embodiment, thermally conductive pathways 548 may include a thermally conductive adhesive. Exemplary thermally conductive adhesives may include thermal adhesives and/or thermal epoxies.

Referring to FIG. 56, the guest device 11 is shown as including a sensor printed circuit board (sensor PCB) 534 having first and second ends 531,532. In one embodiment, the first and second ends 531, 532 may be located opposite each other. Device health sensor 530 can be disposed on second end 532 . In other words, device health sensor 530 can be integrated with sensor PCB 534 to form a PCB assembly. First end 531 is shown coupled to PCBA 511 , and sensor PCB 534 is electrically connected to microprocessor 603 of PCBA 511 for transmitting measurement data or signals from device health sensor 530 to microprocessor 603 . can be connected to

Referring to FIG. 57, the sensor PCB 534 is shown as bendable. In other words, sensor PCB 534 may be a flex PCB and/or may be flexible. The sensor PCB 534 is shown bent so that the first and second ends 531, 532 can face each other in parallel. The first and second ends 531, 532 can at least partially enclose other components including, for example, the battery 507 of the guest device 11 therebetween. Advantageously, sensor PCB 534 can be accommodated in guest device 11 without significantly increasing the size of guest device 11 . In one embodiment, device health sensor 530 can be proximal to back surface 11b (shown in FIG. 55) and second end 532 can be distal from back surface 11b, respectively. If desired, the first and/or second ends 531, 532 can be bonded and/or connected with stiffeners to maintain a flat shape.

If bottom assembly 546 includes bottom cap 503 (shown in FIG. 50), device health sensor 530 can be coupled to bottom cap 503 via a thermally conductive adhesive. If the bottom assembly 546 includes a bottom cap cover 541 (shown in FIG. 51), the device health sensor 530 is attached to the bottom cap via an adhesive 535 (shown in FIG. 52) that at least partially fills the opening 548. It can be coupled to cover 541 .

Referring to FIG. 58, sensor PCB 534 is shown positioned between device health sensor 530 and bottom assembly 546 . As shown, the sensor PCB 534 need not necessarily be bendable. Device health sensor 530 is shown disposed on sensor PCB 534 . Sensor PCB 534 can be connected to PCBA 511 (shown in FIGS. 5B-5D) via one or more leads 533 . Device health sensor 530 is shown distal from back surface 11b and sensor PCB 534 is shown proximal to back surface 11b, respectively.

If the bottom assembly 546 includes a bottom cap 503 (shown in FIG. 50), the sensor PCB 534 can be coupled to the bottom cap 503 via thermally conductive adhesive. 58 shows the bottom assembly 546 as including the bottom cap cover 541 (also shown in FIG. 51) and the sensor PCB 534 is attached to the bottom via adhesive 535 which at least partially fills the opening 548. FIG. It can be coupled to the cap cover 541 . Regardless of the configuration of bottom assembly 546 , various techniques can be used to enhance heat transfer between bottom assembly 546 and device health sensor 530 . For example, the sensor PCB 534 can be thermally conductive. In another example, adhesive 535 can overflow and contact device health sensor 530 . In yet another example, the device health sensor 530 can be proximal to the back surface 11b and the sensor PCB 534 can be distal from the back surface 11b, respectively, thus having different relative positions than shown in FIG. can be done.

Referring to FIG. 59, an exploded view of a portion of guest device 11 is shown showing further details of bottom assembly 546, adhesive 535, device health sensor 530, and sensor PCB 534. Guest device 11 includes an optional insulating layer 536 to thermally isolate device health sensor 530 from other components within guest device 11 (eg, battery 507 shown in FIGS. 5B-5E). It is shown. Advantageously, the effect of temperature changes of other components on device health sensor 530 can be reduced, and device health sensor 530 can accurately measure the temperature of bottom assembly 546 . In one embodiment, insulating layer 536 may include a separating tape and/or an insulating tape.

Referring to FIG. 60, an exemplary event priority table 550 for advertisement packets is shown. In one embodiment, measurements by device health sensor 530 (shown in FIG. 47) can be sent to microprocessor 603 (shown in FIG. 47). Microprocessor 603 can generate device health data 538 (shown in FIG. 63) based on the results. Exemplary device health data 538 may include temperature data indicative of measurements made by device health sensor 530 . Microprocessor 603 can transmit device health data 538 to server 21 (shown in FIG. 63) via wireless communication antenna 512 (shown in FIG. 47). Microprocessor 603 can transmit device health data 538 via any selected communication protocol(s).

In some embodiments, device health data 538 can be presented in advertisement packets by overloading received signal strength indicator (RSSI) bytes. The event priority table 550 shows overloaded events. The two rows with priority “4” may be suggested events for device health data 538 . For example, temperature data can be represented using one byte. The two nibbles can be transferred one by one and captured using one or more sensors 15 (shown in FIG. 63). Sensors 15 may include, for example, ultrabeam/spotlight sensors mounted on the facility ceiling (or other selected location). Advantageously, device health data 538 may be captured by sensors 15 live, in real time, and/or at short time intervals.

Additionally and/or alternatively, device health data 538 can be exposed via BLE characteristics. Device health data 538 can be added as a new feature to existing Medal (and/or guest device) services. In one embodiment, when user 52 (shown in FIG. 63) approaches the vicinity of the room, the processor (eg, the XAP processor of interface device 17 (shown in FIG. 1A)) performs an authentication process each time. be able to. Therefore, device health data 538 can be read at the same time. Accordingly, device health data 538 can be updated when the processor performs authentication.

In various embodiments, device health data 538 may be presented via, without limitation, advertisement packets and/or BLE characteristics. For example, device health data 538 may be transmitted at a selected frequency, eg, once per second, once per minute and/or once per hour. A high frequency may keep the transmitted device health data 538 up to date, but may require higher power consumption by the guest device 11 (shown in FIG. 47). Accordingly, the frequency can be selected based on a trade-off between timeliness of transmitted device health data 538 and power consumption.

61-62, a comparison table 552 of multiple device health sensor 530 options is shown. Options 1-5 are open-ended examples for illustrative purposes only. The device health sensor 530 can be selected from any of options 1-5 and can sense a suitable temperature range for purposes of temperature sensing by the device health sensor 530 .

In one embodiment, within this option, the appropriate temperature range may be the moderate range to encompass normal human body temperature. Additionally and/or alternatively, selection may be made based on other factors such as power consumption, size, and the like. For example, compared to Option 2 and Option 5, Option 1 has a narrower temperature range but lower power consumption.

In some embodiments, the accuracy and/or consistency of detection of health features, such as body temperature, by guest device 11 depends on device health sensors 530 measuring the body temperature of user 52 (shown in FIG. 63) in each measurement. can be improved if they are close to the same location of For example, when worn on the user's wrist (or arm), the guest device 11 can preferably be worn on the left wrist during each measurement or on the right wrist during each measurement. In one embodiment, guest device 11 may be disposed within accessory 201 (shown in FIG. 2B). Accessory 201 may be shaped or configured to be most safe and/or comfortable for user 52 when worn on only one wrist.

Referring to Figure 63, the guest engagement system 10 is shown as including a plurality of guest devices 11, each being a wireless device. In various embodiments, server 21 is communicatively connected to each of sensors 15 via communication network 19 and sends each unique identifier of guest device 11 detected by any of sensors 15 to the sensor 15 known locations of, timestamps, and logs associated with user health data 537. User health data 537 may include any data associated with health function(s) of user 52 wearing guest device 11 . In various embodiments, user health data 537 may be obtained by sensors 15 and transmitted to server 21 via communication network 19 . In one embodiment, user health data 537 may include device health data 538 associated with guest device 11 . Guest device 11 can transmit the unique identifier and device health data 538 to sensor 15 .

Referring now to FIG. 64, a diagram of an exemplary communication process 580 between guest device 11 (shown in FIG. 63) and sensor 15 (shown in FIG. 63) is shown. In various embodiments, guest device 11 may store device health data 538 (shown in FIG. 63) in memory 601 (shown in FIG. 6). Communication between guest device 11 and sensor 15 may be performed when guest device 11 is in the interactive mode of operation. Guest device 11 can send a ping at 581 on a selected frequency (eg, once every N seconds, where N is a selected number). Guest device 11 can listen for responses from any sensor 15 . Upon receiving the ping, one of sensors 15 can send a response to guest device 11 at 582 . Upon receiving the response from the sensor 15 , the guest device 11 can determine that the guest device 11 has made contact with the sensor 15 . Thus, guest device 11 can establish a secure communication channel between guest device 11 and sensor 15 . 581 and 582 can be optional means. In some embodiments, secure communication channels are not established using 581 and/or 582, but in any other suitable manner.

Sensor 15 may send a “fetch” command to guest device 11 at 583 . Guest device 11 may send device health data 538 to sensor 15 at 584 upon receiving the “fetch” command. In other words, guest device 11 can offload device health data 538 . For example, guest device 11 may transfer device health data 538 to sensor 15 via BLE and/or NFC communication.

In some embodiments, 583 may be optional. In other words, the guest device 11 can send the device health data 538 to the sensor 15 at 584 without receiving a "fetch" command. In one embodiment, guest device 11 may transmit device health data 538 to sensor 15 at 584 when memory 601 is at a selected capacity, eg, a selected percentage of total capacity. Exemplary percentages can be 75% or greater. Thus, upon establishing a secure communication channel with sensor 15, guest device 11 can transmit device health data 538 to sensor 15, thereby removing device health data 538 from memory 601 in a timely manner. , can generate more memory space.

Referring now to FIG. 65, a method 560 for sanitation of a facility using guest engagement system 10 is shown. In some embodiments, server 21 may implement method 560 . At 561, user health data 537 can optionally be obtained. User health data 537 may be associated with users 52 each wearing a guest device 11 within the facility. In one embodiment, user health data 537 may be based at least in part on measurements via one or more device health sensors 530 each associated with a user 52 of the facility. At 562, sanitation activities for the facility can be determined based on this acquisition. Sanitation activities include maintaining and/or improving overall sanitary conditions of the facility, preventing communicable diseases or the outbreak of communicable diseases, and/or providing services to users or guests to reduce the spread of communicable diseases. can include any activity related to engaging Advantageously, the guest engagement system 10 can determine hygiene activities in an accurate and customized manner based on up-to-date information on the user's health status and location.

In various embodiments, device health sensor 530 can be configured to measure at least one health function associated with symptoms of an infectious disease. For example, a user 52 suffering from an infectious respiratory disease (shown in FIG. 63) may have symptoms including fever, cough, or a combination thereof. Guest device 11 can detect the heat of user(s) 12 and transmit device health data 538 . Accordingly, the server 21 can obtain the user health data 537 indicating fever and perform hygiene maintenance activities to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

In one embodiment, hygiene activities may include isolating and/or quarantining user 52 . For example, server 21 determines users 52 to be isolated and/or quarantined from other users 52 based on user health data 537 indicating that user 52 has symptoms of an infectious disease, such as fever. can be configured as Additionally and/or alternatively, server 21 may monitor compliance of users 52 under isolation and/or quarantine protocols to enforce the protocols. In one embodiment, server 21 may alert user 52 and/or crew 40 (shown in FIG. 13) when user 52 violates the protocol. For example, if server 21 detects, via guest device 11, that user 52 has moved beyond a predetermined range (e.g., moved out of the cabin), server 21 may contact nearby crew member 40 and/or user 52. (eg, on user 52's mobile phone) to remind user 52 to return to the predetermined range. Advantageously, the spread of infectious diseases can be more effectively suppressed.

Additionally and/or alternatively, hygiene activities may include cleaning or prioritizing the location (or venue). In one embodiment, server 21 determines the level of priority for cleaning the selected location based on user health data 537 associated with users 52 who visited (or were near) the location. can be configured to For example, the server 21 may select based on the duration of the selected user 52 at the location, the number of users 52 who visited the location during the interaction with the user 52, the importance of the location, or a combination thereof. A level of priority can be determined.

Referring now to FIG. 66, user health data 537 is shown including system health data 539 . In other words, user health data 537 may include device health data 538, system health data 539, or a combination thereof. System health data 539 may include results of measurements of at least one health function of user 52 by appropriate equipment of guest engagement system 10 and not by guest device 11 . System health data 539 may supplement and/or replace device health data 538 when device health data 538 is inaccurate or not timely. Advantageously, user health data 537 can be more accurate and up-to-date.

Guest engagement system 10 measures health functions of user 52 , generates system health data 539 based on the measurements, and transmits system health data 539 via sensors 15 and/or directly (or not via sensors 15 ). 2) further includes one or more system health sensors 50 for transmission to server 21; In one embodiment, system health sensor 50 may include a temperature scanner for measuring the temperature of user 52 in contact and/or non-contact manners. Exemplary system health sensors 50 may include, for example, non-contact body temperature scanners such as forehead temperature scanners and/or ear temperature scanners. For example, system health sensor 50 may measure forehead temple temperature using any suitable method.

Each of the system health sensors 50 can be associated with selected sensors as desired. Each system health sensor 50 can have a known location and can be used to perform measurements of the user 52 of guest device 11 . One or more of system health sensors 50 are each shown associated with sensor 15 . For example, system health sensor 50 and associated sensor 15 can detect guest device 11 carried by user 52 and simultaneously and/or within a preset time interval, system health sensor 50 may be proximate to each other, positioned within a predetermined distance, and/or oriented such that they can perform measurements of the same user's 52 health function. For example, if guest device 11 is within range of sensor 15, a body part of user 52 (e.g., forehead) may be within scanning range of system health sensor 50, and system health sensor 50 may Temperature can be measured. Accordingly, when user 52 is authenticated with sensor 15 to access the venue or interface device 17 (shown in FIG. 1A), user 52's temperature can be measured. Additionally and/or alternatively, when sensor 15 and system health sensor 50 are in close proximity, the sensing range of sensor 15 (eg, the shape and orientation of the directional sensing range) may affect the health function of system health sensor 50. It may overlap with the measurement range (eg, temperature detection range). System health sensor 50 and associated sensors 15 are shown collectively forming health detection sensor group 55 .

In one example, system health sensor 50 and associated sensor 15 may be integrated into a module or assembly, communicated, and/or share the same sensor network peripheral 14 (shown in FIG. 1B). Additionally and/or alternatively, the selected sensor 15 and the selected system health sensor 50 may reside on separate hardware components and/or may reside on separate hardware components such as the sensor network peripheral 14. May include intermediate hardware.

In another example, system health sensor 50 and associated sensor 15 can be located in close proximity to each other and not connected or in communication with each other, but each in communication with server 21 .

In various embodiments, server 21 may determine the health status of user 52 based on user health data 537 . In one embodiment, server 21 may determine the health status of user 52 based solely on system health data 539 or device health data 538 alone. For example, if system health sensor 50 is more accurate than device health sensor 530, server 21 may only use system health data 539.

In another embodiment, server 21 may modify (and/or change) device health data 538 based on system health data 539 . For example, system health sensor 50 may be more accurate than device health sensor 530 but may measure user 52 less frequently than device health sensor 530 . In this case, server 21 obtains a device health sensor 530 measurement that occurs between two measurements of system health sensor 50 and compares the two measurements of system health sensor 50 to the device health sensor 530 measurement. A systematic error can be determined and the systematic error of the device health sensor 530 can be corrected accordingly so that the corrected device health data 538 can be used. In yet another embodiment, server 21 may modify (and/or change) system health data 539 based on device health data 538 .

Additionally and/or alternatively, server 21 may smooth user health data 537 . Server 21 may use any suitable data smoothing technique on device health data 538 and/or system health data 539 to remove outliers. Exemplary data smoothing techniques may include averaging, random methods, simple moving averages, random walks, simple exponential, and exponential moving averages, or combinations thereof. Additionally and/or alternatively, server 21 may filter out noise and/or false positive/false negative data based on location characteristics within the facility. For example, in venues where users 52 are likely to be in proximity to heated elements (eg, fireplaces or hot food), device health data 538 may obtain false positives of high body temperature. Accordingly, server 21 can identify data points indicative of sporadic high body temperature at such venues and exclude such data points from device health data 538 and/or user health data 537 .

Additionally and/or alternatively, device health data 538 may be transmitted from guest device 11 in the manner shown in FIGS. 43-46b. Although FIGS. 63 and 65 each show user health data 537 as including device health data 538 for illustrative purposes only, user health data 537 may include system health data 538 with and/or without device health data 538 . Health data 539 may be included. In other words, in some embodiments, guest engagement system 10 may perform method 560 even if guest device 11 does not include device health sensor 530 or generate device health data 538 .

FIG. 67 illustrates an exemplary user interface (or computer interface) 554 showing selected user 52 and other users 52 at selected location(s) on selected day(s). presents individual relationship matrices that indicate the interaction dwell time between Such information can be used to determine priorities for cleaning the area. User interface 554 may include chart 558 for illustrating overlap of where user 52 interacts.

FIG. 68 shows an exemplary user interface 556 presenting interactions between selected user 52 and other users 52 over a period of time (eg, one week). User interface 556 may complement user interface 554 (shown in FIG. 67) to facilitate assessment of individual risk of user 52 in contact with infected user 52 (eg, Patient Zero).

FIG. 69 shows an exemplary user interface 551 presented by the server 21 (shown in FIG. 63) to inform the crew of the location(s) where to clean first and when to clean. instruct. In one embodiment, each cleaning interval may be color coded according to the level of priority.

FIG. 70 shows an exemplary user interface 553. FIG. The server 21 (shown in FIG. 63) can be configured to create a digital clone of each of the users 52 . Server 21 may generate user interface 553 to present the digital clone(s) and optionally their health status (and/or user health data 537). Advantageously, the health status of user 52 as well as its location and time can be indicated in an intuitive and vivid manner. A digital clone can be a three-dimensional model of user 52 if desired. Server 21 may use any suitable tool and/or platform for creating and/or presenting digital clones.

In one embodiment, user health data 537 may include body temperature. Digital clones can be color-coded based on body temperature. For example, high temperatures can be displayed in warm colors (or longer wavelength colors). In other words, digital clones with high body temperature (or fever), low fever, normal temperature digital clones, and below normal temperature digital clones will be red, yellow, light blue, and blue, respectively.

Alternatively and/or additionally, based on known locations and time stamps associated with user health data 537, user interface 553 displays and plays snapshots of user 52 moving through the facility, and/or an animation showing movement of user 52 over time can be played in real time. Advantageously, interactions between users 52 can be shown in a realistic view, and tracking of users 52 can be facilitated.

Referring now to Figure 71, another exemplary user interface 555 is shown. Server 21 may generate user interface 555 to present digital clone(s) for generating user tracking and/or contact lists. For example, for a user 52 with a fever (shown in FIG. 63), the user interface 555 may present a map (or heat map) for tracking contact points of locations visited by the user 52 . Accordingly, the location can be cleaned and other users 52 in contact with the user 52 can be alerted and placed under isolation and/or quarantine. Advantageously, the spread of infectious diseases can be controlled in a timely manner.

In various embodiments, server 21 (shown in FIG. 63) may include one or more computer hardware platforms such as those shown in FIGS. However, server 21 may need to be programmed with special coded instructions to implement various methods and/or systems such as those described above.

Various embodiments show guest engagement system 10 including one or more temperature sensors integrated therein. The exemplary guest engagement system 10 may be used on cruise ships to detect significant temperature changes in guests.

In one embodiment, the guest engagement system may integrate with temperature sensors through the addition of temperature sensors to medallions. This includes being attached to the medal's main printed circuit board and placed in contact with the medal's bottom cap through various means (e.g., in contact with a metal button centrally located on the bottom of the cap, or or in direct contact with the thermally conductive plastic as the bottom cap) placement of the temperature sensor on the flexible printed circuit.

Thus, according to various embodiments, a temperature sensing device associated with a medallion can be configured to provide inclusion of temperature data included in every data packet. A temperature sensing device, when worn in an accessory and/or carried with the wearer, may allow for substantially continuous perception of changes in the wearer's thermal environment. A temperature sensing device may allow general recognition of individuals or clusters of individuals that have and/or may be affected by significant changes in environmental and/or individual temperature.

A temperature sensing device associated with the medallion can be configured to provide an individual specific temperature reading when in contact with the skin.

Various embodiments illustrate a guest engagement system 10 that may implement highly scalable wearable/xIOT (Internet of Things) ecosystem-enabled concepts (including processes, systems, operations, and/or techniques). The present concept leverages real-time "digital clones" (for physical environments, objects and/or humans) to directly and/or indirectly) can provide biological and location-based telemetry awareness of the relative health of individuals and/or individual groups. Thus, the concept provides a view of the overall sanitary conditions of a vessel and/or specific venues and/or provides operational policies regarding medical/hygiene directives to isolate specific individuals in specific groups. and/or quarantined to minimize risk to the overall population (eg, guests/crew/team).

Unless otherwise specified, all measurements, values, ratings, positions, dimensions, sizes and other specifications set forth herein, including the claims below, are approximations and exact values. isn't it. They are intended to have a reasonable scope consistent with the functions to which they relate and those conventional in the art to which they relate.

The scope of protection is limited only by the claims set forth below. The scope is consistent with the ordinary meaning of the language used in the claims and includes all structural and functional equivalents when interpreted in light of this specification and subsequent prosecution history. intended and should be construed as None of the claims, however, is intended, and should not be construed, to encompass subject matter that fails to meet the requirements of 35 U.S.C. §§ 101, 102, or 103. Any unintentional inclusion of such subject matter is hereby disclaimed.

Except as noted above, nothing described or illustrated is intended, nor should it be construed, to dedicate to the public any component, step, feature, object, benefit, advantage, or equivalent. not what should be done.

The terms and expressions used herein are intended to have the ordinary meanings to which such terms and expressions are to be assigned with respect to their respective corresponding fields of research and research, unless a specific meaning is provided herein. It is understood to have Related terms such as first, second, etc. may only be used to distinguish one entity or action from another without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. . The term "comprises," "comprising," or any other variation is used to describe a process, method, article, or apparatus that includes a list of elements, including those elements as well as other elements not explicitly listed. It is intended to include non-exclusive inclusion, which may also include elements or other elements specific to such processes, methods, articles or devices. Elements preceded by "a" or "an" do not exclude, without further limitation, the presence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus comprising the element.

The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Additionally, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter.

While the above describes what is believed to be the best mode and/or other examples, various modifications may be made therein and the subject matter disclosed herein may be embodied in various forms and examples. and the teachings may be applied to many applications, only some of which are described herein. It is intended by the following claims to claim any and all applications, modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the present teachings.

Antenna device 300 is shown positioned inside and/or on top of accessory 400 as desired for crew device 402 . Accessory 400 may be attached to and/or carried with crew member device 402 . In one embodiment, accessory 400 may include casing 420 (shown in FIG. 27 ) for at least partially enclosing crew member device 402 . Accessory 400 may include additional elements that can provide selected functionality. The hardware and/or software of accessory 400 may be programmable and/or custom developed even if crew device 402 is commercially acquired and cannot be reprogrammed or customized. Advantageously, accessory 400 can be easily used with crew devices to provide customized functionality to fully utilize guest engagement system 10 .

Claims (22)

a wireless device,
a body having a tapered shape, the body including a front surface, a rear surface having the same shape as the front surface and having a larger dimension than the front surface, and a peripheral side surface connecting the front surface and the rear surface;
four magnets embedded within the body and disposed on the peripheral side along the perimeter of the body;
a device health sensor disposed at least partially within the body and configured to measure at least one health function of a user wearing the wireless device;
said body including a cavity in which a processor and at least one wireless communication antenna are disposed, said device health sensor communicating with said processor;
at least two adjacent magnets of the four magnets disposed on the peripheral side of the body each have poles of the same polarity facing the outer circumference of the body;
wireless device. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the device health sensor comprises a temperature sensor, and the at least one health function comprises body temperature of the user. 3. The wireless device of claim 2, wherein the device health sensor is disposed within the cavity and proximal to the back surface. 4. The wireless device of claim 3, wherein the body defines the back surface and includes a bottom assembly made at least partially of a thermally conductive material. 5. The wireless device of claim 4, wherein the bottom assembly includes a thermally conductive bottom cap. 6. The wireless device of Claim 5, wherein the bottom cap is made of a plastic conductive material. the bottom assembly comprising:
a bottom cap, the bottom cap defining an opening therethrough;
A wireless device according to any one of claims 4 to 6, comprising a bottom cap cover covering at least part of said opening. 8. The wireless device of Claim 7, wherein the bottom cap cover is made of a conductive material. The wireless device
a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) on which the processor is embedded;
a sensor printed circuit board (sensor PCB) within the cavity, the sensor PCB comprising:
a first end region coupled to the PCBA;
a second end region coupled to the device health sensor, the sensor PCB each having the first end region distal from the bottom assembly and the second end region distal to the bottom assembly; bent proximally from the assembly, the device health sensor being coupled to the bottom assembly via a thermally conductive adhesive;
A wireless device according to any one of claims 4 to 8. The wireless device
a PCBA on which the processor is embedded;
a sensor PCB in the cavity and coupled to the device health sensor on top;
one or more leads connecting the sensor PCB to the PCBA, respectively, wherein the PCBA is distal from the bottom assembly and the sensor PCB is proximal from the bottom assembly, the sensor PCB comprising: coupled to the bottom assembly via a thermally conductive adhesive;
A wireless device according to any one of claims 4 to 9. 11. The processor of any one of claims 4-10, wherein the processor is configured to transmit device health data associated with the device health sensor measurements to a server via the wireless communication antenna. wireless device. 12. An accessory releasably receiving the wireless device of any one of claims 1-11 and configured to be worn by a user on the right or left arm only. A guest engagement system,
A plurality of wireless devices each being a wireless device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, said wireless devices being provided to a user of said guest engagement system and carried by said user, each wireless device A device has a unique identifier and includes a first wireless communication antenna configured for Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication and a second wireless communication antenna configured for Near Field Communication (NFC) communication, respectively , a plurality of wireless devices, and
A sensor network including a plurality of sensors each mounted at a different location, wherein at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors detects the wireless device in proximity to itself and engages in BLE communication with the wireless device. at least another of said plurality of sensors detects said wireless device in proximity to said wireless device and receives a unique identifier therefrom based on NFC communication with said wireless device; a sensor network operable to receive a unique identifier from
a communication network connecting each of the plurality of sensors of the sensor network;
A central server communicatively coupled to each of the plurality of sensors of the sensor network via the communication network, wherein each of the wireless devices received by the sensors of the sensor network using BLE or NFC communication. a central server storing a log associating a unique identifier with the sensor's location and timestamp;
Guest Engagement System, including; the central server,
receiving from the sensor user health data associated with one of the users wearing the wireless device;
14. The guest engagement system of claim 13, configured to store the log associating the unique identifier of the wireless device with the user health data. The central server schedules for cleaning the venue based on user health data associated with each of the users visiting the venue, the duration of the visit, the number of the users visiting the venue, or a combination thereof. 15. The guest engagement system of claim 14, wherein the guest engagement system is configured to determine the central server is configured to present a respective digital clone of the user and its user health data on a user interface in relation to the location and the timestamp associated with the user health data; 16. A guest engagement system according to claim 14 or claim 15. 17. The guest engagement system of any one of claims 14-16, wherein the user health data comprises device health data based on one or more measurements by the device health sensor of the wireless device. The guest engagement system further includes one or more system health sensors each associated with a sensor of the sensor network, each of the system health sensors being worn by the wireless device in proximity to the associated sensor. 18. The user health data comprises system health data based on one or more measurements by the system health sensor. A guest engagement system according to any one of the preceding paragraphs. 19. The guest engagement system of claim 18, wherein at least one of said system health sensors comprises a contactless body temperature scanner. 20. Any one of claims 14 to 19, wherein said user health data is based on one or more measurements of said health features of said user, said health features being associated with symptoms of an infectious disease. Guest engagement system as described. A method for sanitation of a facility via a guest engagement system, said guest engagement system comprising:
a plurality of wireless devices provided to and carried by users of the guest engagement system, each wireless device having a unique identifier;
a processor;
at least one wireless communication antenna in communication with the processor and configured for Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication, Near Field Communication (NFC) communication, or a combination thereof;
a plurality of wireless devices, including device health sensors in communication with the processor and configured to measure at least one health function of a user wearing the wireless device;
A sensor network comprising a plurality of sensors each mounted at different locations, wherein at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors detects a wireless device proximate to itself and based on the BLE communication or the NFC communication a sensor network operable to receive a unique identifier therefrom;
a communication network connecting each of the plurality of sensors of the sensor network;
A central server communicatively connected to each of the plurality of sensors of the sensor network via the communication network, wherein a wireless device received by a sensor of the sensor network using the BLE communication or the NFC communication. a central server storing a log associating each unique identifier of with a location and timestamp of said sensor;
The method is implemented by the central server, the method comprising:
obtaining user health data from the sensors based at least in part on measurements via the device health sensors;
and determining sanitation activities for the facility based on the obtaining step. A method for manufacturing a wireless device, comprising:
providing a body having a tapered shape, the body including a front surface, a rear surface having the same shape as the front surface and having a larger dimension than the front surface, and a peripheral side surface connecting the front surface and the rear surface. and,
embedding four magnets in the body and disposing the four magnets on the peripheral side along the perimeter of the body;
Disposing a device health sensor at least partially within the body, the device health sensor configured to measure at least one health function of a user wearing the wireless device. , steps and
said body including a cavity in which a processor and at least one wireless communication antenna are disposed, said device health sensor communicating with said processor;
A method, wherein at least two adjacent magnets of the four magnets disposed on the peripheral side of the body each have poles of the same polarity facing the outer periphery of the body.

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