This disclosure describes novel schemes and utilities that promote sustainable usage of smartphones. It describes apparatus and methods to prevent phone loss, prevent overheating problems, decrease energy waste of the battery, prevent overcharging, decrease packaging waste, and encourage sustainable behavior among users to increase the life of the electronic product. In addition, this application characterize mechanism for localization of people and objects. The apparatus and methods may be applied to promote sustainable usage of other electronic devices such as tablets, laptops, pocket PCs, personal digital assistants (PDAs), e-readers, wearable devices, and etc. In addition, a framework has been presented which can be applied to promote sustainable behavior for any consumer electronics products including smartphones. In addition, novel localization apparatus and methods is presented in this application that can be applied for general localization/tracking purposes.

A method for monitoring and reporting personnel social distancing practices using a small personnel monitoring and alerting device incorporating ultrasonic sensors to monitor a complete 360-degree field of view around each wearer in the workplace. The monitoring and alerting devices monitor the distance between personnel wearing the device at preset time intervals using ultrasonic sensors and provides an individual alert (visual, buzzer, and/or vibration) to any wearers that are encroaching within a preset distance of another person wearing the device. Device reports via a RF network to a second device and/or centralized data center on each encroachment and unencroachment event.

A personal tracking assembly includes a base bracelet that is worn around a caregiver's wrist. A tracking unit is integrated into the base bracelet and the tracking unit is actuated to emit an audible alert and a haptic alert. A remote bracelet is worn around a wrist of a respective individual that is being supervised by the caregiver. A broadcasting unit is integrated into the remote bracelet and the broadcasting unit is in wireless communication with the tracking unit. The tracking unit emits the audible alert and the haptic alert when the tracking unit determines the broadcasting unit has moved beyond a predetermined distance from the tracking unit. In this way the broadcasting unit facilitates to the caregiver to be alerted that the respective individual is potentially in danger of becoming lost or kidnapped.

A computing system can include a radio transceiver and tracking manager software for tracking the location of objects such as tools. Radio frequency identification tags are attached to the objects and can communicate with the radio transceiver. During an initial registration process, the tracking manager software sends an initial registration signal to each object so that the object can be identified in a registered objects file. In one instance, the tracking manager software subsequently sends periodic interrogation signals to the objects to confirm that the objects are within a certain proximity. In another instance, after completing a task a worker can check-in each object wherein the tracking manager software sends interrogation signals to the objects to confirm that all of the objects are accounted for.

A proximity detection apparatus for avoidance of nearby subjects includes an article, a detector, an alert device and a controller. The article is for a user. The detector is configured to generate a detected value in response to sensing infrared radiation emitted from a subject in a vicinity of the article. The alert device is configured to generate an alert in response to a control signal. The controller is in communication with the detector and the alert device. The controller is configured to set a first predetermined value associated with a proximity condition of an unacceptable proximity range, configured to determine when the detected value exceeds the first predetermined value, and generate the control signal to the alert device to present the alert to inform the user that the subject is within the unacceptable proximity range.

A monitoring system for determining whether the child or pet has been left unattended within the vehicle. The system may include a vehicle device having a monitoring platform, an alarm switch, and an alert device, which may emit an alarm if a first sensor detects the presence of the child or pet and a second sensor detects that the vehicle is in an off state. The system further may include a portable alert device that detects its location relative to the vehicle device, and emits an alarm if it is located outside a predetermined zone surrounding the monitoring platform. In another embodiment, the system may include a vehicle device having a sensor that detects whether the vehicle transitions from an on state to an off state and an alert device that emits an alarm if the sensor detects that the vehicle transitions to the off state.

A body-worn tracking device (BWTD) includes a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) device, at least one motion sensor, at least one processor, and at least one memory device. The at least one memory device includes instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to determine, based on data generated by the at least one motion sensor, a net distance between the last known location of the BWTD and a current location of the BWTD. The instructions further cause the at least one processor to determine, based on the net distance, whether the BWTD is within a bounded area that includes the last known location; and responsive to determining that BWTD is not within the bounded area, output an indication that the BWTD is not within the bounded area.

A computing system can include a radio transceiver and tracking manager software for tracking the location of objects such as tools. Radio frequency identification tags are attached to the objects and can communicate with the radio transceiver. During an initial registration process, the tracking manager software sends an initial registration signal to each object so that the object can be identified in a registered objects file. In one instance, the tracking manager software subsequently sends periodic interrogation signals to the objects to confirm that the objects are within a certain proximity. In another instance, after completing a task a worker can check-in each object wherein the tracking manager software sends interrogation signals to the objects to confirm that all of the objects are accounted for.

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for managing a wireless network are described herein. A wireless network may include a gateway device, an access point, and a group of client devices. An analytics engine may determine a signal characteristic data for a client device, which may indicate network telemetry data for each of the client devices or associated locations during a time period. The analytics engine may utilize a trained classifier to determine that a signal characteristic indicated by the signal characteristic data for a client device satisfies a threshold.

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, transmitting, by a first transmitter of a first device, a first wireless signal, wherein the first wireless signal utilizes a first signaling technology, receiving, by a second receiver of the first device, a second wireless signal generated by a second device, wherein the second wireless signal utilizes a second signaling technology that differs from the first signaling technology, and transmitting, by a second transmitter of the first device, a third wireless signal responsive to receiving the second wireless signal, wherein the third wireless signal utilizes the second signaling technology, and wherein the third wireless signal enables the second device to determine location information associated with the first device and the second device. Other embodiments are disclosed.