Locator Beacon and Radar Application for Mobile Device

• US 20140135042A1
• Filed: 11/14/2013
• Published: 05/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HID Global Corporation (Assa Abloy AB)
• Original Assignee: James Buchheim
• Inventors: Hennig, Arne, BUCHHEIM, James
• Granted Patent: US 8,847,754 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.6
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/68 Marker, boundary, call-sign, or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/725 Marker, boundary, call-sign or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/82 wherein continuous-type signals are transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination

Abstract

A device, system and method for providing (a) a wireless communications component, configured to send and receive wireless signals such that the device is locatable via a wireless means; the wireless communications component including: (i) a Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) module for measuring signal strength of a wireless signal received at the wireless communications component, wherein the device is configured to be tracked by a mobile computing device (MCD) running a mobile application wherein the distance of the device from the MCD is calculated by the mobile application upon receiving between one and three RSSI values, measured by the RSSI module, and sent in a signal by the device to the MCD, wherein the distance is calculated based an average of the received RSSI values.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

(a) a wireless communications component, configured to send and receive wireless signals such that the device is locatable via a wireless means;

said wireless communications component including;

(i) a Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) module for measuring signal strength of a wireless signal received at said wireless communications component,

wherein the device is configured to be tracked by a mobile computing device (MCD) running a mobile application adapted to locate the device via said wireless means,

wherein said mobile application includes a feature, wherein when the device is wirelessly coupled to said MCD, said mobile application displays a representation of the device on said MCD, relative to a distance of the device from said MCD,

wherein said distance of the device from said MCD is calculated by said mobile application upon receiving between one and three RSSI values, measured by said RSSI module, and sent in a signal by the device to said MCD,

wherein said distance is calculated based an average of said received RSSI values.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said distance is farther calculated based on at least one said RSSI value measured on said MCD.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

(c) a plurality of directional antennae, wherein each said directional antenna transmits a unique identifier.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein each said directional antenna further transmits at least one RSSI value.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein said mobile application calculates a direction in which the device is located relative to said MCD based on relative strengths of said RSSI values received respectively from each of said directional antennae, wherein a highest said relative strength indicates said direction.

6. The device of claim 3, wherein said plurality of directional antennae includes four cardinally located said directional antennae.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein said distance of the device from said MCD is calculated by said mobile application upon receiving at least one RSSI value sent in a signal from the device, for at least one of thirty seven communication channels measured on the device, and calculating said distance based on an average of said received RSSI values.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said distance of the device from said MCD is calculated by said mobile application upon receiving at least one RSSI value sent in a signal from the device, for at least one of all 40 channels measured on the beacon from the device, and calculating said distance based on an average of said received RSSI values.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein said mobile application calculates a direction in which the device is located relative to said MCD based on signal strength information.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein said mobile application further calculates said direction based on relative phase information.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein said mobile application calculates a direction in which the device is located relative to said MCD based on relative phase information.

12. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

(b) a PIN photodiode, adapted to send a signal to an integrated processor upon detection of X-ray photons,

wherein said processor, upon receiving said signal, is configured to suspend sending local area wireless communication (LAWC) transmissions.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

(b) a photodetector, adapted to send a signal to an integrated processor upon an absence of detected light for a predefined period,

wherein said processor, upon receiving said signal, is configured to suspend sending local area wireless communication (LAWC) transmissions.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein said processor is further configured to resume sending said LAWC transmissions after a predefined period of time and only upon detecting LAWC signals from moving devices.

15. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

(b) an omni-directional antenna; and

(c) three directional antennas,

wherein the device is adapted to be a static unit capable of detecting a direction and distance of said MCD from the device.

16. The device of claim 15, further comprising:

(d) a WIFi module, adapted to be wirelessly coupled to a wireless local area network (WLAN).

17. The device of claim 1, wherein an RSSI value of a wireless signal received at said wireless communications component from said MCD is broadcast in a designation field of a response signal sent to said MCD from said wireless communications component.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the device has an Advertising Mode wherein when in said advertising mode said wireless communications component is configured to send wireless signals, at predefined intervals, over three advertising channels.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein said wireless communications component, in said advertising mode, sends a first said wireless signal over only a first of said three advertising channels, and after one of said predefined intervals sends a second wireless signal over only a second of said three advertising channels, and after an additional one of said predefined intervals sends a third wireless signal over only a third of said three advertising channels.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein each of said three advertising channels is monitored based on an RSSI value of said wireless signals sent from each of said advertising channels.

21. The device of claim 18, wherein said wireless communication component is configured to increase a duration of said predefined intervals when a predetermined amount of time has passed without receiving a wireless signal at said wireless communications component.

22. The device of claim 1, wherein said mobile application includes a virtual leash feature wherein said mobile application sounds an alarm when said distance between said MCD and the device is beyond a predefined range and only when preceded but a substantially constant decrease of said received RSSI values.

23. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

(b) a piezoelectric audio amplifier, adapted to send a signal to a processing component of the device when mechanically actuated, wherein mechanical actuation of said piezoelectric audio amplifier causes said processing component to go from an inactive state to an active state.

24. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

(b) a piezoelectric component, adapted to cause said wireless communications component to send a said wireless signal to said MCD when mechanically actuated.

25. A system comprising:

(a) a plurality of Occupancy Sensor Units (OSU) wirelessly coupled together via local area wireless communication (LAWC) signals; and

(b) a least one wide area wireless communication (WAWC) enabled OSU including a WAWC component configured to wirelessly couple said WAWC enabled OSU to a remote data network,

wherein each of said OSU includes;

(i) a wireless communications component, configured to send and receive LAWC signals; and

(ii) a Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) module for measuring signal strength of said LAWC signals received at said wireless communications component,

and is configured to track a LAWC-enable mobile device transmitting said LAWC signals.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein each of said plurality of Occupancy Sensor Units is configured, in an advertising mode, to send an advertising LAWC signal at a predefined time interval, and wherein said plurality of OSU are synchronized to each send said advertising LAWC signal at the same time.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein each of said plurality of Occupancy Sensor Units is configured, in a receiving mode, to register when a given said LAWC signal is received, and based on received-time differentials between said OSU, and known relative spacing of said OSU, a location of a source of said given LAWC signal is calculated.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein said LAWC-enabled mobile device tracked by said plurality of OSUs sends an accurate clock reading to be used to synchronize said plurality of OSUs.

28. The system of 25, wherein each of said plurality of occupancy sensor units registers a relative location of other proximally located OSUs such that relocation of a said OSU is registered by proximally located OSUs.

30. A device comprising:

(a) an accelerometer;

(b) a GPS chipset;

(c) a Bluetooth chipset;

(d) a radio frequency (RF) amplifier; and

(e) an omni directional antenna,

wherein when said accelerometer detects motion, said GPS chipset is converted from a sleep mode to an active mode, in said active mode, said GPS chipset transmits CPS location signals at predefined intervals and enters a standby mode during said predefined intervals;

wherein said GPS location signals are transmitted by said Bluetooth chipset coupled to said RF amplifier and said omni directional antenna; and

wherein during said predefined intervals, said Bluetooth chipset and said RF amplifier enter a standby mode.