US 10,650,654 B2 · System and method for monitoring and tracking items

Abstract

A method, system, and non-transitory computer-readable medium are disclosed. The method includes determining, by a server, an inventory of tags in communication with a gateway using a first wireless communication mode, and enabling, in response to a first triggering event recognized by a tag, a second wireless communication mode. The method also includes enabling, in response to a second triggering event recognized by the tag, a third wireless communication mode and a location detection capability of the tag. The method further includes determining, by the tag, a geographic location of the tag using a location detection capability, and transmitting, using the third wireless communication mode, to a server the geographic location of the tag.

Claims32

Dependent claims

A method for tracking an item comprising:

determining, by a server, an inventory of tags in communication with a gateway using a first wireless communication mode;
enabling, in response to a first triggering event recognized by a tag, a second wireless communication mode;
communicating to a mobile device in communication with the server, by the tag recognizing the first triggering event via the second wireless communication mode, identification information of the tag
updating, by the server, the inventory of tags to indicate that the tag is in communication with the mobile device if a response is received from the mobile device;
enabling, in response to a second triggering event recognized by the tag, a third wireless communication mode and a location detection capability of the tag;
determining, by the tag, a geographic location of the tag using the location detection capability;
and
transmitting, using the third wireless communication mode, to a server the geographic location of the tag.

5 more elements

A system for tracking an item comprising:

a server;
and
a device, comprising:
memory configured to store a list of associated gateways and a list of associated mobile devices;
a first wireless transceiver configured to communicate using a first wireless communication mode;
a second wireless transceiver configured to communicate using a second wireless communication mode;
a third wireless transceiver configured to communicate using a third wireless communication mode;
a location detector configured to determine a geographic location of the device;
and
a processor operatively coupled to the memory, the first wireless transceiver, the second wireless transceiver, the third wireless transceiver, and the location detector, wherein the processor is configured to:
receive a first sweep request from a gateway in the list of associated gateways;
communicate a first response to the first sweep request via the first wireless transceiver to the gateway;
enable, in response to the processor recognizing a first triggering event, the second wireless transceiver;
receive at the device, via the second wireless transceiver, a second sweep request from a mobile device in the list of associated mobile devices;
communicate a second response to the second sweep request to the mobile device via the second wireless transceiver, the response including identification information of the tag;
enable, in response to the processor recognizing a second triggering event, the third wireless transceiver and the location detector;
receive, from the location detector, the geographic location of the device;
and
transmit, using the third wireless transceiver, to a server the geographic location of the device;
wherein the server is configured to update an inventory of tags in communication with the associated gateways and the associated mobile devices based on the first response to the first sweep request and the second response to the second sweep request.

17 more elements

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by a processor, cause a device configured to communicate using a first wireless communication mode to perform operations, wherein the instructions comprise:

instructions to enable, in response to the device recognizing a first triggering event, a second wireless communication mode;
instructions to communicate information to a mobile device in response to recognizing that the device can communicate with the mobile device, by the device requesting a response from the mobile device via the second wireless communication mode, the information to enable a server to update an inventory of devices in communication with the gateway and the mobile device;
instructions to enable, in response to the device recognizing a second triggering event, a third wireless communication mode and a location detection capability of the device;
instructions to determine a geographic location of the device using the location detection capability;
and
instructions to transmit, using the third wireless communication mode, to a server the geographic location of the device.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System and method for monitoring and tracking items

Life of this patent

System and method for monitoring and tracking items

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims32