APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR LOCATING AND UPDATING LOW-POWER WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICES

• US 20160055739A1
• Filed: 08/25/2014
• Published: 02/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LogicMark LLC (Nxt-Id, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: LogicMark LLC (Nxt-Id, Inc.)
• Inventors: Larson, Jonathan Albert
• Granted Patent: US 9,472,088 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/1083 Pager locating systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A low-power wireless communication device is in a sleep or standby mode of operation for extended periods of time, periodically becoming fully operational and issuing a “check in” message to a base station, thereby inhibiting the ability of the base station to assist in the locating of device, and remotely updating the settings or operational programming of the device much of the time. Upon receipt of a command to locate a misplaced low-power wireless device or to update the device, a base station queues an associated command in a task queue. Upon receipt of a check-in message from an associated low-power wireless device, indicating it is in a fully powered and communicative state of operation, the base station searches its task queue for applicable commands relative to the specific wireless device and executes them via communication with the now fully-operational wireless device.

Claims

1. A method of locating a misplaced low-power wireless communication device that is primarily in an uncommunicative mode of operation, the method comprising, at a base unit, the steps of:

receiving a command to find the misplaced low-power wireless communication device;

adding a locate mobile device command to a task queue;

listening for mobile messages from the low-power wireless communication device;

determining if a mobile message received from the low-power wireless communication device is a periodic check-in message;

searching the task queue for a locate mobile device command upon receipt of the periodic check-in message; and

issuing a find command message to the low-power wireless communication device, prompting the misplaced low-power wireless communication device to take action assisting in its location.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the low-power wireless communication device comprises a mobile unit of a Personal Emergency Response System.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the base unit is a component of a Personal Emergency Response System.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, at the misplaced low-power wireless communication device, the steps of:

exiting a low-power mode of operation by powering both a transmitter and receiver portion of a transceiver;

issuing the periodic check-in message;

determining if a find command message has been issued by the base unit; and

emitting sound if the find command message is received to assist a user in locating the misplaced low-power wireless communication device.

5. A method of updating a low-power wireless communication device that is primarily in an uncommunicative mode of operation, the method comprising, at a base unit, the steps of:

receiving a command to perform at least one of modifying a setting and modifying programming of the low-power wireless communication device;

adding at least one of a modify setting command and a modify programming command to a task queue;

listening for mobile messages from the low-power wireless communication device;

determining if a mobile message received from the low-power wireless communication device is a periodic check-in message;

searching the task queue for at least one of a modify setting command and a modify programming command upon receipt of the periodic check-in message;

if a modify setting command is found in the task queue, issuing a modify setting command message to the low-power wireless communication device, prompting the low-power wireless communication device to update at least one parameter or setting with data contained within the modify setting command; and

;

if a modify programming command is found in the task queue, issuing at least one message to the low-power wireless communication device containing replacement or additional programming instructions, prompting the low-power wireless communication device to load and begin execution of the replacement or additional programming instructions.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the low-power wireless communication device comprises a mobile unit of a Personal Emergency Response System.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the base unit is a component of a Personal Emergency Response System.

8. The method according to claim 5, further comprising, at the low-power wireless communication device, the steps of:

exiting a low-power mode of operation by powering both a transmitter and receiver portion of a transceiver;

issuing the periodic check-in message;

determining if either a modify setting command or a modify programming command has been issued by the base unit;

if a modify setting command has been issued, updating at least one program setting low-power wireless communication device in accordance with the modify setting command; and

if a modify programming command has been issued by the base unit, updating at least a portion of a program of the low-power wireless communication device in accordance with the modify programming command.