System and method for enabling and disabling devices based on RSSI analysis

• US 20020127967A1
• Filed: 03/02/2001
• Published: 09/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: F Poszat Hu LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: CSI Wireless Incorporated
• Inventors: Najafi, Hamid
• Granted Patent: US 6,853,840 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/3.05
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/06 using intensity measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0245 according to signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/14 WLL [Wireless Local Loop]; RLL [Radio Local Loop]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The system comprises a wireless transceiver with a processor for measuring RSSI in received signals. The processor analyzes fade duration or fade frequency in the received signals to determine if the transceiver is moving. If the transceiver is moving, then the processor can send a command to disable a fixed wireless terminal in one embodiment. In another embodiment, if the transceiver is not moving, then the processor can send a command to place a GPS receiver into a power conservation mode.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

measuring a characteristic of an RSSI signal sample;

examining the RSSI signal sample against the signal'"'"'s characteristic to determine movement information; and

modifying behavior of a device based on the movement information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is a fixed wireless terminal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein modifying comprises disabling the fixed wireless terminal if the movement information indicates movement.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising enabling the fixed wireless terminal if the terminal is disabled and the movement information indicates no movement.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic is an average of the RSSI signal sample.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein examining comprises measuring fade frequency of the RSSI signal sample to determine movement information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein examining comprises measuring average fade duration in the RSSI signal sample to determine movement information.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising contacting a service provider when the movement information indicates movement.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the modifying occurs if the movement information indicates movement over a pre-specified amount of time.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the modifying occurs if the movement information indicates movement that exceeds a pre-specified speed.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein examining comprises measuring fade frequency and average fade duration of the RSSI signal sample to determine movement.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the device includes a GPS receiver.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein modifying comprises powering off the GPS receiver when the movement information indicates no movement.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein modifying comprises placing the GPS receiver in a power conservation mode when the movement information indicates no movement.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising waking the GPS receiver from the power conservation mode if the receiver is in power conservation mode and the movement information indicates movement.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein placing the receiver in power conservation mode occurs when the movement information indicates no movement for a pre-specified amount of time.

18. The electronically-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the device is a fixed wireless terminal.

19. The electronically-readable medium of claim 18, wherein modifying comprises disabling the fixed wireless terminal if the movement information indicates movement.

20. The electronically-readable medium of claim 19, further comprising enabling the fixed wireless terminal if the terminal is disabled and the movement information indicates no movement.

21. The electronically-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the characteristic is an average of the RSSI signal sample.

22. The electronically-readable medium of claim 17, wherein examining comprises measuring fade frequency of the RSSI signal sample to determine movement information.

23. The electronically-readable medium of claim 17, wherein examining comprises measuring average fade duration in the RSSI signal sample to determine movement information.

24. The electronically-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising contacting a service provider when the movement information indicates movement.

25. The electronically-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the modifying occurs if the movement information indicates movement over a pre-specified amount of time.

26. The electronically-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the modifying occurs if the movement information indicates movement that exceeds a pre-specified speed.

27. The electronically-readable medium of claim 17, wherein examining comprises measuring fade frequency and average fade duration of the RSSI signal sample to determine movement.

28. The electronically-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the device includes a GPS receiver.

29. The electronically-readable medium of claim 28, wherein modifying comprises powering off the GPS receiver when the movement information indicates no movement.

30. The electronically-readable medium of claim 28, wherein modifying comprises placing the GPS receiver in a power conservation mode when the movement information indicates no movement.

31. The electronically-readable medium of claim 30, further comprising waking the GPS receiver from the power conservation mode if the receiver is in power conservation mode and the movement information indicates movement.

32. The electronically-readable medium of claim 30, wherein placing the receiver in power conservation mode occurs when the movement information indicates no movement for a pre-specified amount of time.

17. An electronically-readable medium having stored thereon computer-readable code to permit a computer to effect a method, comprising:

measuring a characteristic of an RSSI signal sample;

examining the RSSI signal sample against the signal'"'"'s characteristic to determine movement information; and

modifying behavior of a device based on the movement information.

33. A system, comprising:

means for measuring a characteristic of an RSSI signal sample;

means for examining the RSSI signal sample against the signal'"'"'s characteristic to determine movement information; and

means for modifying behavior of a device based on the movement information.

34. A system, comprising:

an RSSI engine for measuring a characteristic of an RSSI signal sample and examining the RSSI signal sample against the signal'"'"'s characteristic to determine movement information; and

a response engine for modifying behavior of a device based on the movement information.

35. A fixed wireless terminal, comprising:

a wireless transceiver for sending and receiving signals, the wireless transceiver including a processor for detecting movement of the transceiver by examining RSSI in the received signal and deactivating the terminal if movement is detected;

a speaker, coupled to the transceiver, for outputting the received signals as sounds;

a microphone, coupled to the transceiver, for inputting sound to the transceiver; and

a keypad, coupled to the transceiver, for entering telephone numbers.

36. An asset tracking device, comprising:

a GPS receiver for calculating position;

a wireless transceiver, coupled to the GPS receiver, for sending and receiving signals, the wireless transceiver including a processor for detecting movement of the transceiver by examining RSSI in a received signal and placing the GPS receiver in a power conservation mode if movement is not detected.