Determining node location using a master node association in a wireless node network

A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions which when executed on a processor performs a method for location determination using one or more associations of nodes in a wireless node network, the method comprising:

• broadcasting one or more first messages by a first of the nodes at a first anticipated range distance;
• identifying which of the nodes associated with the first node received at least one of the first messages;
• broadcasting one or more second messages by the first node at a second anticipated range distance, which is incrementally smaller than the first anticipated range distance;
• and
• determining a location of one or more of the identified associated nodes that did not receive any second messages but received at least one of the first messages, the location being between the first anticipated range distance from the first node and the second anticipated range distance from the first node.

A node apparatus in a wireless node network that uses location determination by association, comprising:

• a node processing unit;
• a node volatile memory coupled to the processing unit;
• a node memory storage coupled to the node processing unit, the node memory storage maintaining at least a program code section, association data, and location data;
• and
• a first communication interface coupled to the node processing unit and providing a first communication path operatively coupling the node with a plurality of other nodes in the network;
• a second communication interface coupled to the node processing unit and providing a second communication path operatively coupling the node with a server in the network;
• and
• wherein the node processing unit, when executing at least the program code section resident in the node volatile memory, is operative to
• transmit one or more first messages via the first communication interface at a first anticipated range distance,
• identify which of the others nodes that are associated with the first node received at least one of the first messages,
• transmit one or more second messages via the first communication interface at a second anticipated range distance, which is incrementally smaller than the first anticipated range distance, and
• determine a location of one or more of the identified associated nodes that did not receive any of the second messages but received at least one of the first messages, the location being between the first anticipated range distance from a known location of the node and the second anticipated range distance from the known location of the node.