Systems and methods having LPRF device wake up using wireless tag

• US 20050093703A1
• Filed: 11/12/2004
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TeraHop Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Twitchell, Robert W. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,155,264 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.8
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0029 the arrangement being specially adapted for wireless interrogation of grouped or bundled articles tagged with wireless record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10079 the collision being resolved in the spatial domain, e.g. temporary shields for blindfolding the interrogator in specific directions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1854 with non-centralised forwarding system, e.g. chaincast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Systems and methods utilized a wireless transceiver (5008) having a low power radio frequency (LPRF) component (5010) that powers down to conserve energy and powers up in response to a signal; and a second receiver (5014) that provides the signal via line (5018) in response to receipt of a radio frequency broadcast. The broadcast is targeted to activate particular transceivers by including in the broadcast identifications such as class designations, in which case the transceivers power up and form networks. A transceiver may include one or more identifications and may include a unique identification of the transceiver itself. The LPRF component may be a Bluetooth radio, but in such case the overall transceiver itself only draws about 10 to 15 μA while actively awaiting and screening for a targeted broadcast.

Claims

1. An asset-tracking system having a wireless transceiver that may be used to read one or more wireless tags (WTs) that are disposed externally to and in proximity thereof, the wireless transceiver (WRT) comprising:

(a) a low power radio frequency (LPRF) communications component capable of powering down to conserve energy and capable of powering up in response to an electronic signal, the LPRF communications component including a transmitter and a first receiver; and

(b) a second receiver providing in response to receipt by the second receiver of a radio frequency broadcast the electronic signal in order to power up the LPRF communications component.

2. The asset-tracking system of claim 1, wherein the asset-tracking system utilizes class-based, ad hoc hierarchical networks.

3. A method of forming a wireless data communication network among wireless transceivers, each wireless transceiver used to read one or more wireless tags (WTs) that are disposed externally to and in proximity thereof, each wireless transceiver including a designation with a first plurality of wireless transceivers having a first common designation and a second plurality of wireless transceivers having a second common designation different from the first common designation, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) forming an ad hoc hierarchical network for each of the first plurality and second plurality of wireless transceivers; and

(b) communicating to an external network from each wireless transceiver of each ad hoc hierarchical network by,

(i) establishing a communication link between each wireless transceiver in a level of the ad hoc hierarchical network, other than the highest level, with a wireless transceiver in the next higher level of the ad hoc hierarchical network such that wireless transceivers pass communications upward in the ad hoc hierarchical network; and

(ii) establishing a communication link between a wireless transceiver in the highest level of the ad hoc hierarchical network and an external network access transceiver, such that communications from wireless transceivers in the ad hoc hierarchical network are passed through the wireless transceiver in the highest level of the ad hoc hierarchical network to the external network access transceiver;

(c) wherein each wireless transceiver (WRT) comprises,

(i) low power radio frequency (LPRF) communications component capable of powering down to conserve energy and capable of powering up in response to an electronic signal, the LPRF communications component including a transmitter and a first receiver, and

(ii) a second receiver providing in response to receipt by the second receiver of a radio frequency broadcast the electronic signal in order to power up the LPRF communications component.

4. In an asset-tracking system, a method of forming a wireless data communication network among WRTs, each WRT including a class designation with a first plurality of WRTs having a first class designation and a second plurality of WRTs having a second class designation different from the first class designation, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) forming an ad hoc hierarchical class based network for each of the first plurality and second plurality of WRTs; and

(b) communicating to an external network from each WRT of each ad hoc hierarchical class based network by,

(i) establishing a communication link between each WRT in a level of the ad hoc hierarchical class based network, other than the highest level, with a WRT in the next higher level of the ad hoc hierarchical class based network such that WRTs pass communications upward in the ad hoc hierarchical class based network; and

(ii) establishing a communication link between a WRT in the highest level of the ad hoc hierarchical class based network and an external network access transceiver, such that communications from WRTs in the ad hoc hierarchical class based network are passed through the WRT in the highest level of the ad hoc hierarchical class based network to the external network access transceiver;

(c) wherein each wireless transceiver (WRT) comprises,

(i) low power radio frequency (LPRF) communications component capable of powering down to conserve energy and capable of powering up in response to an electronic signal, the LPRF communications component including a transmitter and a first receiver, and

(ii) a second receiver providing in response to receipt by the second receiver of a radio frequency broadcast the electronic signal in order to power up the LPRF communications component.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said step of forming an ad hoc hierarchical class based network for each of the first plurality and second plurality of WRTs comprises the steps of:

(a) filtering, by each WRT, transmissions from other WRTs for an identification of its class designation within the transmission;

(b) transmitting, from a primary WRT of the first plurality, a primary availability signal including an identification of the first class designation and an identification of the primary WRT transmitting the primary availability signal;

(c) transmitting, from a primary WRT of the second plurality, a primary availability signal including an identification of the second class designation and an identification of the primary WRT of the second plurality transmitting the primary availability signal;

(d) transmitting, from a WRT receiving a primary availability signal having an identification therein of its class designation, a registration signal including an identification of the class designation and an identification of the WRT transmitting the registration signal; and

(e) identifying a WRT transmitting a registration signal as a secondary WRT by a primary WRT of the same class designation, the primary WRT thereby assuming a higher level in the ad hoc hierarchical class based network relative to the said identified secondary WRT such that communication from the secondary WRT to the external network is passed to the primary WRT.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the WTs attached to the tracked assets are semi-passive.

7. A method for communicating to a wireless transceiver (WRT) from wireless tags (WTs) located within the broadcast range of the WRT, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting by the WRT a communication at a first power level such that only a first group of the WTs receive the broadcast, the communication including a command causing each of the first group of WTs not to respond to a subsequent broadcast; and

subsequent thereto

(b) transmitting by the WRT a communication at a second power level greater than the first power level such that a second group of WTs greater than and including the first group of WTs receive the broadcast, but such that only a limited number of WTs of the second group respond to the broadcast, the limited number of WTs excluding the first group of WTs;

(c) wherein each wireless transceiver (WRT) comprises,

(i) low power radio frequency (LPRF) communications component capable of powering down to conserve energy and capable of powering up in response to an electronic signal, the LPRF communications component including a transmitter and a first receiver, and

(ii) a second receiver providing in response to receipt by the second receiver of a radio frequency broadcast the electronic signal in order to power up the LPRF communications component.

8. A method for communicating to a wireless transceiver (WRT) from wireless tags (WTs) located within the broadcast range of the WRT and the WTs exceeding the number of WTs from which communications can be received by the WRT without radio frequency interference due to its channel capacity, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting by the WRT a communication at a first power level such that only a first group of the WTs receive the broadcast, the first group in number of WTs being not greater than the number of WTs from which communications can be received by the WRT without radio frequency interference due to its channel capacity, the communication including a command causing each of the first group of WTs not to respond to a subsequent broadcast; and

subsequent thereto

(b) transmitting by the WRT a communication at a second power level greater than the first power level such that a second group of WTs greater than and including the first group of WTs receive the broadcast, but such that only a limited number of WTs of the second group respond to the broadcast, the limited number of WTs excluding the first group of WTs and comprising not greater than the number of WTs from which communications can be received by the WRT without radio frequency interference due to its channel capacity;

(c) wherein each wireless transceiver (WRT) comprises,

(i) low power radio frequency (LPRF) communications component capable of powering down to conserve energy and capable of powering up in response to an electronic signal, the LPRF communications component including a transmitter and a first receiver, and

(ii) a second receiver providing in response to receipt by the second receiver of a radio frequency broadcast the electronic signal in order to power up the LPRF communications component.