SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF CONTROLLING AN ASSOCIATION BETWEEN WIRELESS DEVICES WHILE IN AN ASSIGNED DOMAIN

• US 20180077519A1
• Filed: 11/06/2017
• Published: 03/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thermo King Corporation (Trane Technologies plc)
• Original Assignee: Thermo King Corporation (Trane Technologies plc)
• Inventors: Srnec, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 10,278,043 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/45 Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/00 Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications user-to-user messaging H04L51/00; network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]

Abstract

Systems and methods of controlling an association between wireless devices in an assigned domain or bonded area of a transport unit are disclosed. Generally, the embodiments include identifying wireless devices in a bounded area, and establishing an association between the wireless devices. The method may include identifying new wireless device(s) when the transport unit is away from other transport units, and establishing an association with the new wireless device(s). Confirming that the transport unit is away from other transport units may include determining that the transport unit is in a motion state for a predetermined period of time.

Claims

1. A method of establishing a wireless association in an assigned domain, comprising:

confirming the assigned domain is away from other assigned domains; and

establishing a wireless association between wireless devices in the assigned domain.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein confirming the assigned domain is away from the other assigned domains includes:

determining whether the assigned domain is in motion for at least a predetermined period time; and

confirming the assigned domain is away from the other assigned domains when the assigned domain in in motion for at least a predetermined period of time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein confirming the assigned domain is away from the other assigned domains includes:

determining whether the assigned domain travels at least at a predetermined speed for at least a period of time; and

confirming the assigned domain is away from the other assigned domains when the assigned domain travels at least at a predetermined speed for at least a period of time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein confirming the assigned domain is away from the other assigned domains includes:

scanning tags of the wireless devices;

determining whether a new tag is present; and

when a new tag is present,

waiting for a predetermined period of read time;

scanning the tags of the wireless device again;

determining whether the new tag is still present to confirm that the assigned domain is away from the other assigned domains.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a wireless association between wireless devices on the assigned domain includes:

adding the tags of the wireless devices to a tag list; and

assigning a data storage location to each of the wireless devices.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether any of the wireless devices is removed from the assigned domain; and

when any of the wireless device is removed from the assigned domain, removing the wireless device from the wireless association.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining whether any of the wireless devices is removed from the assigned domain includes:

scanning the tags of the wireless devices;

determining whether any of the tags is missing by comparing the tags against a tag list;

when at least one of the tags is missing from the tag list and the one of the tags has been missing from the tag list at least for a predetermined number of read cycles, confirming a wireless corresponding to the at least one of the tags has been removed from the assigned domain.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein removing the wireless device form the wireless association includes:

removing the tag from the tag list; and

freeing a storage unit assigned to record from the wireless device.

9. A wireless association system for establishing a wireless association in an assigned domain, comprising:

a plurality of wireless devices provided within the assigned domain;

a coordinator configured to confirm that the assigned domain is away from other assigned domains and configured to establish a wireless association between the plurality of wireless devices in the assigned domain.

10. The wireless association system of claim 9, wherein the coordinator is configured to confirm the assigned domain is away from the other assigned domains includes:

the coordinator configured to determine whether the assigned domain is in motion for at least a predetermined period of time; and

the coordinator configured to confirm the assigned domain is away from the other assigned domains when the assigned domain in in motion for at least a predetermined period of time.

11. The wireless association system of claim 9, wherein the coordinator is configured to confirm the assigned domain is away from the other assigned domains includes:

the coordinator configured to determine whether the assigned domain travels at least at a predetermined speed for at least a period of time; and

the coordinator configured to confirm the assigned domain is away from the other assigned domains when the assigned domain travels at least at a predetermined speed for at least a period of time.

12. The wireless association system of claim 9, wherein the coordinator configured to confirm the assigned domain is away from the other assigned domains includes:

the coordinator configured to scan tags of the wireless devices;

the coordinator configured to determine whether a new tag is present; and

when a new tag is present,

the coordinator configured to wait for a predetermined period of read time;

the coordinator configured to scan the tags of the wireless device again;

the coordinator configured to determine whether the new tag is still present to confirm that the assigned domain is away from the other assigned domains.

13. The wireless association system of claim 9, wherein the coordinator configured to establish a wireless association between wireless devices on the assigned domain includes:

the coordinator configured to add the tags of the wireless devices to a tag list; and

the coordinator configured to assign a data storage location to each of the wireless devices.

14. The wireless association system of claim 9, wherein the coordinator is configured to:

determine whether any of the wireless devices is removed from the assigned domain; and

when any of the wireless devices is removed from the assigned domain, the coordinator is configured to remove the wireless device from the wireless association.

15. The wireless association system of claim 14, wherein the coordinator configured to determine whether any of the wireless devices is removed from the assigned domain includes:

the coordinator configured to scan the tags of the wireless devices;

the coordinator configured to determine whether any of the tags is missing by comparing the tags against a tag list;

when at least one of the tags is missing from the tag list and the one of the tags has been missing from the tag list at least for a predetermined number of read cycles, the coordinator is configured to confirm a wireless corresponding to the at least one of the tags has been removed from the assigned domain.

16. The wireless association system of claim 14, wherein the coordinator configured to remove the wireless device form the wireless association includes:

the coordinator configured to remove the tag from the tag list; and

the coordinator configured to free a storage unit assigned to record from the wireless device.