Real-Time Location, Position and Motion Data for Healthcare Information Systems - A Patent Review

Healthcare IT applications (e.g., real-time location systems (RTLS)) are increasingly dependent on positional data. Such systems typically combine unique identifiers, metadata, and optional sensor data with position-derived data. Position can be an absolute or relative location. Real-time and historical change of position over the time leads to data such as speed, velocity, directional acceleration, and dwell time at a particular location. Technology such as global positioning system (GPS), radio frequency identification (RFID), near field communication (NFC), wireless local area network (WLAN) triangulation, mobile phone tower tracking, distributed sensor networks (DSN), and distributed readers (e.g., RFID, bar code) generate this data. IT systems and big data they generate track objects and people, and are beginning to develop behavioral models. These in turn can be used to influence processes and people through layered applications such as real time personalized advertising, security, and autonomous mobility. This paper organizes and analyzes recent patent advances combining sensors, short range wireless, unique identifiers, and IT for position-based healthcare applications along with the future of Smart Wearables and internet of things (IoT), for healthcare applications.