US 12,236,309 B2
Sensor enabled location awareness system
Shahpour Ashaari, Bethesda, MD (US); David C. Lin, Falls Church, VA (US); Seth S. Vasa, Olney, MD (US); Scott R. Bombaugh, Burke, VA (US); Mario Andre Salisbury, Miami, FL (US); Thomas Jay Graham, Chantilly, VA (US); and Erich Joseph Petre, Gainesville, VA (US)
Assigned to United States Postal Service, Washington, DC (US)
Filed by United States Postal Service, Washington, DC (US)
Filed on Sep. 13, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/466,734.
Application 18/466,734 is a continuation of application No. 17/660,377, filed on Apr. 22, 2022, granted, now 11,783,139.
Application 17/660,377 is a continuation of application No. 17/207,324, filed on Mar. 19, 2021, granted, now 11,314,952, issued on Apr. 26, 2022.
Application 17/207,324 is a continuation of application No. 15/930,826, filed on May 13, 2020, granted, now 10,956,688, issued on Mar. 23, 2021.
Application 15/930,826 is a continuation of application No. 16/387,872, filed on Apr. 18, 2019, granted, now 10,685,193, issued on Jun. 16, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/660,775, filed on Apr. 20, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0419056 A1, Dec. 28, 2023
Int. Cl. G06K 7/10 (2006.01); G05B 19/418 (2006.01); G06K 19/077 (2006.01); H04W 4/021 (2018.01); H04W 4/33 (2018.01); H04W 4/35 (2018.01)
CPC G06K 7/10099 (2013.01) [G06K 7/10475 (2013.01); G06K 19/07758 (2013.01); H04W 4/021 (2013.01); H04W 4/33 (2018.02); H04W 4/35 (2018.02); G05B 19/4183 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for detecting the location of an item comprising:
storing, in a memory, a virtual map of a building, the virtual map identifying a wait zone and a service zone within the building;
detecting, in a sensor, a unique identifier associated with a mobile device of a customer within the building;
determining, in a processor, based at least in part on the detected unique identifier and the virtual map of the building, a location of the mobile device within the building;
determining a quantity of mobile devices in the building and a positional order of the mobile devices, and, based on the quantity of mobile devices in the building and the positional order of the mobile devices, determining, in the processor, a wait time of the customer before entering the service zone; and
sending a wait time notification to the mobile device.