PROXIMITY TAG FOR OBJECT TRACKING

• US 20140073262A1
• Filed: 09/12/2012
• Published: 03/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ACCO Brands Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ACCO Brands Incorporated
• Inventors: Lee, Samson, Gutierrez, Gerald, Chan, Sunny, Wong, Gary, Antonescu, Sorin, Li, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,196,139 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/67.11
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/22 Electrical actuation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0247 System arrangements wherein the alarm criteria uses signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a systems and methods of loss prevention, discovery, and tracking of personal belongings through the use of wireless hardware and mobile electronic devices such as smartphones, tablet computers, and portable computers. One embodiment of the present invention may be directed to a mobile communication device comprising a processor, an antenna, a transceiver device electrically coupled to the antenna and the processor, and a computer readable medium coupled to the processor and comprising code executable by the processor to implement a method. The method may include receiving a wireless communication from a wireless apparatus attached to an object, determining a signal strength reading from the communication, determining if the signal strength reading is below an adaptable alert threshold, and if the signal strength reading is below the alert threshold, alerting a user.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device comprising:

a processor;

an antenna;

a transceiver device electrically coupled to the antenna and the processor; and

a computer readable medium coupled to the processor and comprising code executable by the processor to implement a method, the method comprising;

receiving a wireless communication from a wireless apparatus attached to an object;

determining a signal strength reading from the wireless communication;

determining if the signal strength reading is below an alert threshold, wherein the alert threshold is adaptable; and

if the signal strength reading is below the alert threshold, alerting a user.

2. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

before alerting a user, determining if a predetermined number of previous signal strength readings for the wireless apparatus are below the alert threshold; and

if the predetermined number of previous signal strength readings are not below the alert threshold, storing the signal strength reading.

3. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

determining an expected signal strength reading corresponding to the wireless communication;

calculating a difference between the signal strength reading and the expected signal strength reading;

determining if the difference is larger than an allowed change value; and

if the difference is larger than the allowed change value, calculating a threshold change value and modifying the alert threshold by the threshold change value.

4. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

before receiving a communication from a wireless apparatus, waiting a predetermined period of time for a wireless communication from a wireless apparatus; and

if no wireless communication is received, alerting the user.

5. The mobile communication device of claim 4, wherein the method further comprises:

determining a last location of the wireless apparatus; and

displaying the last location of the wireless apparatus on a display of the mobile communication device.

6. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

determining a power status for the wireless apparatus;

updating configuration settings for the wireless apparatus; and

sending a wireless communication to the wireless apparatus, wherein the wireless communication includes the configuration settings.

7. The mobile communication device of claim 6, wherein configuration settings include one or more of a rate of transmission of wireless communications, a transmission power, and a movement notification setting for the wireless apparatus.

8. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

determining a movement indicator from the wireless communication; and

alerting the user if the movement indicator indicates the wireless apparatus is moving.

9. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the alert threshold corresponds to a predetermined sensitivity setting.

10. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the wireless apparatus is a first wireless apparatus and the wireless communication is a first wireless communication, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a second wireless communication from a second wireless apparatus;

determining zone settings from the second wireless communication;

updating profile settings for the mobile communication device with the zone settings;

updating configuration settings for the first wireless apparatus with the zone settings; and

sending a third wireless communication to the first wireless apparatus, wherein the third wireless communication includes the configuration settings.

11. A method comprising:

receiving a wireless communication from a wireless apparatus attached to an object;

determining a signal strength reading from the communication;

determining if the signal strength reading is below an alert threshold, wherein the alert threshold is adaptable; and

if the signal strength reading is below the alert threshold, alerting a user.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

before alerting a user, determining if a predetermined number of previous signal strength readings for the wireless apparatus are below the alert threshold; and

if the predetermined number of previous signal strength readings are not below the alert threshold, storing the signal strength reading.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

determining an expected signal strength reading corresponding to the wireless communication;

calculating a difference between the signal strength reading and the expected signal strength reading;

determining if the difference is larger than an allowed change value; and

if the difference is larger than the allowed change value, calculating a threshold change value and modifying the alert threshold by the threshold change value.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

before receiving a communication from a wireless apparatus, waiting a predetermined period of time for a wireless communication from a wireless apparatus; and

if no wireless communication is received, alerting the user.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

determining a last location of the wireless apparatus; and

displaying the last location of the wireless apparatus on a display of the mobile communication device.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

determining a power status for the wireless apparatus;

updating configuration settings for the wireless apparatus; and

sending a wireless communication to the wireless apparatus, wherein the wireless communication includes the configuration settings.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein configuration settings include one or more of a rate of transmission of wireless communications, a transmission power, and a movement notification setting for the wireless apparatus.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

determining a movement indicator from the wireless communication; and

alerting the user if the movement indicator indicates the wireless apparatus is moving.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the alert threshold corresponds to a predetermined sensitivity setting.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the wireless apparatus is a first wireless apparatus and the wireless communication is a first wireless communication, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a second wireless communication from a second wireless apparatus;

determining zone settings from the second wireless communication;

updating profile settings for the mobile communication device with the zone settings;

updating configuration settings for the first wireless apparatus with the zone settings; and

sending a third wireless communication to the first wireless apparatus, wherein the third wireless communication includes the configuration settings.

21. A wireless apparatus for use with a mobile communication device comprising:

a processor;

an antenna;

a transceiver device electrically coupled to the antenna and the processor; and

a computer readable medium coupled to the processor and comprising code executable by the processor to implement a method, the method comprising;

receiving a wireless communication from the mobile communication device;

determining a signal strength value;

generating a wireless response including the signal strength value; and

sending the wireless response to the mobile communication device, wherein the signal strength value is used by the mobile communication device to determine a signal strength reading, wherein the mobile communication device determines if the signal strength reading is below an alert threshold, and wherein if the signal strength reading is below the alert threshold, the mobile communication device alerts a user.

22. The wireless apparatus of claim 21 wherein the method further comprises determining a power status, and wherein the wireless response further comprises the power status.

23. A method comprising:

receiving a wireless communication from the mobile communication device;

determining a signal strength value;

generating a wireless response including the signal strength value; and

sending the wireless response to the mobile communication device, wherein the signal strength value is used by the mobile communication device to determine a signal strength reading, wherein the mobile communication device determines if the signal strength reading is below an alert threshold, and wherein if the signal strength reading is below the alert threshold, the mobile communication device alerts a user.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the method further comprises determining a power status, and wherein the wireless response further comprises the power status.