SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DYNAMICALLY TRACKING AND STATE FORECASTING TAGGED ENTITIES

Abstract

A method is provided for dynamically tracking a plurality of entities progressing through an operation each having an electronic tagging device associated therewith. The method includes sensing signals emitted by each of the plurality of tagging devices, at predetermined instances or when triggered by external events, by a plurality of sensors located at predetermined sites with respect to the operation, each signal including information uniquely identifying the corresponding tagging device, communicating the sensed signals and corresponding energy levels at which they were sensed by each of the plurality of sensors to a data processor, processing the unique identification information provided by the signals and their energy levels to determine a location of each tagging device relatively to the predetermined sites of the sensors, and dynamically updating a path of each tagging device and the associated entity based on the determined location with respect to at least a portion of a displayed map of the operation.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a functional diagram of a tracking system for tagged entities of an operation in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating positions of tagged entities in relation to locations of readers in accordance with the invention.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically tracking a plurality of entities progressing through an operation each having an electronic tagging device associated therewith, said method comprising: sensing signals emitted by each of the plurality of tagging devices, at predetermined instances or when triggered by external events, by a plurality of sensors located at predetermined sites with respect to the operation, each signal including information uniquely identifying the corresponding tagging device;communicating the sensed signals and corresponding energy levels at which they were sensed by each of the plurality of sensors to a data processor;processing the unique identification information provided by the signals and their energy levels to determine a location of each tagging device relatively to the predetermined sites of the sensors; anddynamically updating a path of each tagging device and the associated entity based on the determined location with respect to at least a portion of a displayed map of the operation.

2. The method for dynamically tracking a plurality of entities as in claim 1, further comprising: time-stamping the emitted signals via clocks internal to the tagging devices.

3. The method for dynamically tracking a plurality of entities as in claim 2, further comprising: synchronizing the internal clocks of the tagging devices with those of the sensors to improve the accuracy of the signal time-stamps and minimize noise.

4. The method for dynamically tracking a plurality of entities as in claim 1, wherein determining the location of each tagging device relatively to the predetermined sites of the sensors comprises: performing a triangulation computation by intersecting at least three spheres centered at corresponding sensors and having each a radius distancing the tagging device to one of the sensors.

5. The method for dynamically tracking plurality of entities as in claim 4, further comprising: determining an elevation of the location of each tagging device based on results of the triangulation computation.

6. The method for dynamically tracking plurality of entities as in claim 5, wherein the determined elevation of the location of each tagging device corresponds to a floor, a sub-floor, a stack or a shelve on the stack associated with a structure utilized in the operation.

7. The method for dynamically tracking a plurality of entities as in claim 1, further comprising: determining that a subset of the plurality of entities are correlated to one another when their respective locations remain in proximity during a segment of time of the operation.

8. The method for dynamically tracking a plurality of entities as in claim 7, further comprising: determining that one of the plurality of entities is progressing through the operation within physical dimensions of another one of the plurality of entities when a distance between the tracked locations of these two entities remains smaller than one of the physical dimensions of the another one of the plurality of the entities.

9. The method for dynamically tracking a plurality of entities as in claim 1, further comprising: dynamically connecting consecutively determined locations of the plurality of entities on the displayed map thereby displaying paths taken by the plurality of entities during the operation as continuous lines.

10. The method for dynamically tracking a plurality of entities as in claim 1, further comprising: storing all data indicative of properties of the plurality of tagged entities and of their historical progress through the operation; andreplaying the historical progress of any individual entity or of a select subset of the plurality of entities.

11. The method for dynamically tracking a plurality of entities as in claim 10, further comprising: performing a statistical analysis using stored data to evaluate a performance of the operation.

12. The method for dynamically tracking a plurality of entities as in claim 10, further comprising: performing a historical analysis using stored data to analyze problems or issues encountered during the recorded life of the operation.

13. The method for dynamically tracking a plurality of entities as in claim 10, further comprising: retrieving stored properties, constraints, and historical data corresponding to both the plurality of entities and the operation; andsimulating a flow of the operation based the retrieved stored data to forecast a behavior of each of the plurality of entities through the operation and of the operation.

14. The method for dynamically tracking a plurality of entities as in claim 13, further comprising: storing dynamically data collected during the simulation; andanalyzing the simulation data to determine problems related to the flow of the operation and to the behavior of each of the plurality of entities during the simulation.

15. The method for dynamically tracking a plurality of entities as in claim 14, further comprising: determining at least one modification to the properties and constraints to mitigate at least one of the problems determined during the simulation of the flow of the operation.

16. The method for dynamically tracking a plurality of entities as in claim 14, further comprising: determining at least one modification to the properties and constraints to optimize the flow of the operation.

17. The method for dynamically tracking a plurality of entities as in claim 1, wherein the operation comprises a plurality of processing stations configured to process the plurality of tagged entities, and each of the stations and each of the plurality of entities is attributed a corresponding set of value stream metrics, the method further comprising: dynamically updating the value stream metrics to provide a dynamic value stream map of the operation.

18. The method for dynamically tracking a plurality of entities as in claim 17, further comprising: forecasting the dynamic value stream map based on collected data.

19. The method for dynamically tracking a plurality of entities as in claim 17, further comprising: dynamically displaying multiple dynamic stream values at selected stations to provide a dynamic value network map.

20. A computer system comprising one or more computers configured to perform the method of claim 1.