Distributed search method
First Claim
1. A method of searching for a lost asset provided with a short-range wireless transceiver operative to respond to receipt of an enquiry transmission including an identifier of the asset, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) sending out from a finder service a search request including the identifier of a lost asset, this request being sent over a mobile radio infrastructure to a plurality of mobile entities each equipped both with a radio transceiver for communicating with the infrastructure and with a short-range wireless transceiver;
(b) locally transmitting from mobile entities that have received the search request, a search enquiry incorporating the lost-asset identifier, this enquiry being transmitted using the short-range wireless transceivers of the mobile entities;
(c) upon a mobile entity receiving back a response from the lost asset, returning a found message over the mobile radio infrastructure to the finder service, this response either including location data concerning the whereabouts of the lost asset or enabling such data to be obtained by the finder service.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method is provided for searching for a lost asset (50) equipped with a short-range wireless transceiver (52). A finder service (40) sends out a search request (36) including a lost-asset identifier, this request being sent over a mobile radio infrastructure (10) to a plurality of mobile devices (20). These devices transmit on the request in their immediate vicinity using short-range wireless transceivers (21). Upon a mobile device (20B) receiving back a response from the lost asset (50), it returns a found message (35) over the mobile radio infrastructure (10) to the finder service (40), this message either including location data concerning the whereabouts of the lost asset or enabling such data to be obtained by the finder service.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of searching for a lost asset provided with a short-range wireless transceiver operative to respond to receipt of an enquiry transmission including an identifier of the asset, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) sending out from a finder service a search request including the identifier of a lost asset, this request being sent over a mobile radio infrastructure to a plurality of mobile entities each equipped both with a radio transceiver for communicating with the infrastructure and with a short-range wireless transceiver;
(b) locally transmitting from mobile entities that have received the search request, a search enquiry incorporating the lost-asset identifier, this enquiry being transmitted using the short-range wireless transceivers of the mobile entities;
(c) upon a mobile entity receiving back a response from the lost asset, returning a found message over the mobile radio infrastructure to the finder service, this response either including location data concerning the whereabouts of the lost asset or enabling such data to be obtained by the finder service. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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12. A mobile device comprising:
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a radio subsystem for sending and receiving messages using a mobile radio infrastructure;
a short-range wireless transceiver; and
a control subsystem operative upon receipt, by the cellular radio subsystem, of a search-request message including the identifier of a lost asset, to cause the short-range wireless transceiver to transmit a local search enquiry incorporating the lost-asset identifier, the control subsystem being further operative, upon the short-range wireless transceiver receiving back a response from the lost asset, to cause the cellular radio subsystem to the return a found message over the mobile radio infrastructure, this found message either including location data concerning the whereabouts of the lost asset or enabling such data to be obtained by the finder service.
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Specification