Tracking device presence detection and reporting by access points
AssigneeTile, Inc.
InventorsSteven R. Klinkner, Josselin de la Broise
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tracking system determines a location of a tracking device associated with a user using one or more access points at the location. Each access point at the location is configured to detect and couple with the tracking device when the tracking device is within a communicative range of the access point. An access point provides updates on the tracking device's presence, as well as the tracking device's arrival to and departure from the communicative range of the access point, to a tracking server. The tracking server determines, from these updates, whether the tracking device is at the location. The user may be notified, via a mobile device, of the tracking device's location.
Claims20
A method for locating a tracking device, comprising:
- detecting, by an access point, a tracking device within a proximity of the access point;
- in response to detecting the tracking device, providing, by the access point, a location of the access point and an identifier of the tracking device to a tracking server;
- in response to subsequently detecting the tracking device while not being communicatively coupled to the tracking device, providing, by the access point, the location of the access point and the identifier of the tracking device to the tracking server at a first frequency;
- in response to being communicatively coupled to the tracking device:
- caching, by the access point, a location of the tracking device within local memory of the access point;
- and
- providing, by the access point, the cached location of the tracking device and the identifier of the tracking device to the tracking server at a second frequency slower than the first frequency;
- and
- in response to the tracking device decoupling from the access point, providing the location of the access point, the identifier of the tracking device, and a time at which the tracking device decoupled from the access point to the tracking server.
A method for locating a tracking device, comprising:
- detecting, by an access point, a tracking device within a proximity of the access point;
- in response to detecting the tracking device, providing, by the access point, a location of the access point and an identifier of the tracking device to a tracking server;
- in response to subsequently detecting the tracking device while not being communicatively coupled to the tracking device, providing, by the access point, the location of the access point and the identifier of the tracking device to the tracking server at a first frequency;
- in response to being communicatively coupled to the tracking device:
- caching, by the access point, a location of the tracking device within local memory of the access point;
- and
- providing, by the access point, no location information associated with the tracking device to the tracking server while the tracking device is coupled to the access point;
- and
- in response to the tracking device decoupling from the access point, providing the location of the access point, the identifier of the tracking device, and a time at which the tracking device decoupled from the access point to the tracking server.
A system for locating a tracking device, comprising:
- a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable computer instructions that, when executed, cause steps to be performed comprising:
- detecting, by an access point, a tracking device within a proximity of the access point;
- in response to detecting the tracking device, providing, by the access point, a location of the access point and an identifier of the tracking device to a tracking server;
- in response to subsequently detecting the tracking device while not being communicatively coupled to the tracking device, providing, by the access point, the location of the access point and the identifier of the tracking device to the tracking server at a first frequency;
- in response to being communicatively coupled to the tracking device:
- caching, by the access point, a location of the tracking device within local memory of the access point;
- and
- providing, by the access point, the cached location of the tracking device and the identifier of the tracking device to the tracking server at a second frequency slower than the first frequency;
- and
- in response to the tracking device decoupling from the access point, providing the location of the access point, the identifier of the tracking device, and a time at which the tracking device decoupled from the access point to the tracking server;
- and
- a processor configured to execute the instructions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.