VIRTUAL GROUP MAINTENANCE AND SECURITY
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- intercommunicating among tags in a group of tags using radio frequency communication;
assigning an interrogator role for a selected tag within the group of tags that causes the selected tag to interrogate other tags within the group of tags, wherein interrogating the group of tags comprises;
determining a distance from a first tag a second tag using the intercommunicating;
triggering an alarm state when the distance is greater than a threshold distance; and
passing the interrogator role to another tag within the group of tags.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for providing security and maintenance of a group of devices using a group of tags. Each of the tags is attached to a device and includes a radio frequency transceiver for intercommunicating using ultra-wide band signals. Using the intercommunication, distance between two of the tags is determined and an alarm is triggered when the distance is greater than a threshold distance. The distance is preferably determined by measuring a round trip delay time between the transmission of a transmitted unicast signal to the other tag and reception of a unicast response signal in response to the transmitted signal. A configuration mechanism is typically used for configuring the group and removed upon completing the configuration, and the tags maintain the group and provide security by the intercommunication between the tags. The tags are preferably synchronized to transmit and receive solely during a previously determined periodic sequence of time intervals.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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intercommunicating among tags in a group of tags using radio frequency communication; assigning an interrogator role for a selected tag within the group of tags that causes the selected tag to interrogate other tags within the group of tags, wherein interrogating the group of tags comprises; determining a distance from a first tag a second tag using the intercommunicating; triggering an alarm state when the distance is greater than a threshold distance; and passing the interrogator role to another tag within the group of tags. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A tag comprising:
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processing circuitry; a radio frequency transceiver; and an alarm mechanism; wherein the processing circuitry is configured to; control the radio frequency transceiver to intercommunicate with a group of tags, and implement an interrogator role that causes the radio frequency transceiver to interrogate the group of tags, wherein being configured to interrogate the group of tags comprises being configured to; determine a distance to at least a second tag in the group of tags using the intercommunicating; and control the alarm mechanism to trigger an alarm state when the distance is greater than a threshold distance; and pass the interrogator role to another tag within the group of tags. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification