# US 11,308,440 B2 · Maintaining information facilitating deterministic network routing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,308,440 B2 - Document ID: US11308440B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/848,697 - Filed: 2020-04-14 - Published: 2020-09-10 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2008-05-16 - Assignees: Google Inc. - Applicants: Google LLC - Inventors: Thomas R. Berger; Joseph E. Denny; David S. Robins; LaMonte Peter Koop; Edward Allen Payne; Robert W. Twitchell - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11308440B2 ## CPC - G06Q 10/0833: Tracking - G06Q 10/08: Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management - H04W 60/00: Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A method of securing a container includes inserting, into a seal device at a container, an electronic bolt; reading, by the seal device, a serial number stored in the electronic bolt; communicating, from the seal device, to a user application, insertion of the bolt; scanning, by the user via a handheld device, a barcode on the seal device representative of an identification of the seal device; communicating, from the handheld device to the user application, the identification of the seal device; inputting, by a user at the container via the handheld device, information associated with the container; communicating, from the handheld device to the user application, the information associated with the container; associating, in a database by the user application, the information associated with the container with the bolt serial number and the identification of the seal device; communicating, by the user application, a confirmation to the seal device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A gateway device that forms a node of a wireless communication network, the gateway device comprising: a memory having stored therein a unique identifier of the gateway device that uniquely identifies the gateway device within the wireless communication network; a receiver configured to receive radio frequency transmissions; a transmitter configured to make radio frequency transmissions; an audio codec and analog circuitry for audio playback via a speaker; a microphone; and electronic components that configure the gateway device to: communicate with other nodes of the wireless communication network in forwarding packets from originating nodes to destination nodes in the wireless communication network, a packet being forwarded by the gateway device including a pathway from an originating node to a destination node, the pathway including an identifier of the originating node and an identifier of the destination node; and based on detecting a sound with the microphone: encode a packet including a pathway and data indicative of the detected sound; and transmit the encoded packet. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The gateway device of claim 1, further comprising an interface to an external network, wherein an originating node is in an external network and the electronic components further configure the gateway device to: forward packets from the originating node in the external network to one or more destination nodes in the wireless communication network. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The gateway device of claim 1, further comprising: a housing; and indicator lights visible on the outside of the housing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The gateway device of claim 3, the electronic components further configure the gateway device to: indicate, using one or more of the indicator lights, that power to the gateway device is on or off. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The gateway device of claim 3, the electronic components further configure the gateway device to: indicate, using one or more of the indicator lights, local area network or wide area network connectivity. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The gateway device of claim 3, the electronic components further configure the gateway device to: illuminate or flash various combinations of the indicator lights to indicate diagnostic information. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The gateway device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication network is a mesh network. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The gateway device of claim 1, the electronic components further configure the gateway device to: select the pathway from a cache of pathways. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The gateway device of claim 8, the electronic components further configure the gateway device to: determine the pathway based at least on a number of hops in each of the pathways in the cache of pathways. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The gateway device of claim 1, the electronic components further configure the gateway device to: learn which nodes in the wireless communication network are within radio communication range of the gateway device; and store identifiers of the nodes that are within communication range in the memory. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The gateway device of claim 1, wherein in response to the forwarding of the packet from the originating node to the destination node, the electronic components further configure the gateway device to: receive an acknowledgement that the packet was received at the destination node; and forward the acknowledgement to the originating node. ### Claim 12 A method for maintaining information regarding communication links between a plurality of nodes in a wireless network, the method implemented by a first node, the first node including an audio codec, a microphone, and analog circuitry for audio playback via a speaker, the method comprising: receiving a packet from an originating node that is addressed to a destination node, the packet including a pathway from the originating node to the destination node that includes an identifier of the originating node and an identifier of the destination node; evaluating the pathway in the received packet to determine to forward the packet to a second node; based on the evaluating, transmitting the packet to the second node, the transmitting being effective to cause the second node to forward the packet to the destination node; detecting a sound with the microphone: encoding a packet including a pathway and data indicative of the detected sound; and transmitting the encoded packet. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, the first node comprising a housing and indicator lights visible on the outside of the housing, and the method further comprising: using one or more of the indicator lights to indicate that power to the first node is on or off. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, the first node comprising a housing and indicator lights visible on the outside of the housing, and the method further comprising: using one or more of the indicator lights to indicate local area network or wide area network connectivity. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, the first node comprising a housing and indicator lights visible on the outside of the housing, and the method further comprising: illuminating or flashing various combinations of the indicator lights to indicate diagnostic information. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the wireless network is a mesh network. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, comprising: learning, by the first node, which nodes in the wireless network are within radio communication range of the first node; and storing identifiers of the nodes that are within communication range of the first node. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, comprising: in response to the transmitting the packet from the originating node to the destination node, receiving an acknowledgement that the packet was received at the destination node; and forwarding the acknowledgement to the originating node. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, the first node comprising an interface to an external network, wherein an originating node is in an external network, the method further comprising: forwarding packets from the originating node in the external network to one or more destination nodes in the wireless network. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein in response to the forwarding of the packet from the originating node to the destination node, the method further comprising: receiving an acknowledgement that the packet was received at the destination node; and forwarding the acknowledgement to the originating node.