Lightweight messaging

A method comprising using at least one hardware processor of a server-based platform to:

• transmit a message to a battery-powered wireless device via at least one network, wherein the message comprises an instruction to perform a particular action;
• and,
• after transmitting the message to the wireless device,
• monitor a subsequent action of the wireless device,
• when the subsequent action indicates that the particular action was performed, infer, without receiving an acknowledgement of the message from the wireless device, that the wireless device correctly received the message, and,
• when the subsequent action does not indicate that the particular action was performed, infer that the wireless device did not correctly receive the message, and automatically retransmit the message to the wireless device via the at least one network;
• further comprising using the at least one hardware processor to:
• periodically,
• receive a reporting message from the wireless device via the at least one network, wherein the reporting message comprises a location of the wireless device, and
• store the location of the wireless device;
• and, in response to a user request for a location of the wireless device,
• when a type of the request is not urgent, return a most recently reported location of the wireless device, and,
• when the type of the request is urgent, transmit a request for a current report to the wireless device via the at least one network, receive a responsive reporting message from the wireless device via the at least one network, and return the location of the wireless device reported in the responsive reporting message.

A system comprising:

• at least one hardware processor;
• and
• software configured to, when executed by the at least one hardware processor, for each of a plurality of wireless devices,
• transmit a message to a battery-powered wireless device via at least one network, wherein the message comprises an instruction to perform a particular action, wherein the particular action is one of:
• modifying a reporting interval by which the wireless device transmits reporting messages, and updating firmware on the wireless device to a current firmware version, and,
• after transmitting the message to the wireless device,
• monitor a subsequent action of the wireless device,
• when the subsequent action indicates that the particular action of modifying the reporting interval or updating firmware to the current firmware version was performed, said updating being indicated by the wireless device having transmitted a message that includes a current firmware version number, infer, without receiving an acknowledgement of the message from the wireless device, that the wireless device correctly received the message, and,
• when the subsequent action does not indicate that the particular action was performed, infer that the wireless device did not correctly receive the message, and automatically retransmit the message to the wireless device via the at least one network.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

• transmit a message to a battery-powered wireless device via at least one network, wherein the message comprises an instruction to perform a particular action, wherein the particular action is one of:
• modifying a reporting interval by which the wireless device transmits reporting messages, and updating firmware on the wireless device to a current firmware version;
• and,
• after transmitting the message to the wireless device,
• monitor a subsequent action of the wireless device,
• when the subsequent action indicates that the particular action of modifying the reporting interval or updating firmware to the current firmware version was performed, said updating being indicated by the wireless device having transmitted a message that includes a current firmware version number, infer, without receiving an acknowledgement of the message from the wireless device, that the wireless device correctly received the message, and,
• when the subsequent action does not indicate that the particular action was performed, infer that the wireless device did not correctly receive the message, and automatically retransmit the message to the wireless device via the at least one network.