Selective response to radio frequency (RF) transmissions by wireless two-way RF data communication device

• US 7,940,736 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 05/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TeraHop Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Twitchell, Jr., Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TUAN
• Application Number:
  US11/930,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20080151850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,287 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/338, 340/10.1, 340/10.33, 340/10.34, 340/10.4
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10108 interrogating only those RFIDs that fulfill a predetermined requirement, e.g. selecting all RFIDs having the same speed and moving in a cloud like fashion, e.g. on the same train; interrogating only RFIDs having a certain predetermined temperature, e.g. in the same fridge, another possibility being the active ignoring of a group of tags that fulfill a predetermined requirement, equivalent to the Boolean NOT operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/10 using a centralized architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0238 where the received signal is an unwanted signal, e.g. interference or idle signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method of forming ad hoc RSI hierarchical communication networks among pluralities of wireless transceivers includes assigning to each of the transceivers one or more common designations. A network organization routine of the transceivers operates to establish hierarchical networks based on the transceivers'"'"' common designations, resulting in a logical network organization that provides efficiencies for acquiring information from particular transceivers that share a common designation. Each transceiver'"'"'s common designation is used by a digital processor of the transceiver to selectively receive data packets that are intended for receipt by transceivers sharing the particular common designation. Such a “common designation” network reduces power consumption and signal interference thereby increasing battery life. Each transceiver may include a sensor interface a query handling routine in communication with a memory of the transceiver for serving as a dynamic distributed hierarchical database system of information such as, for example, sensor-derived information and time-sensitive information.

Claims

1. A wireless two-way radio frequency (RF) data communication device comprising a data packet radio component, the wireless two-way RF data communication device being configured to:

(a) receive RF transmissions;

(b) maintain at least one common designation for purposes of filtering RF transmissions received by the wireless two-way RF data communication device, wherein the at least one maintained common designation comprises at least one maintained class designation;

(c) identify specific data in a received RF transmission; and

(d) in response to the received RF transmission in which the specific data is identified,

(i) transmit a response using the data packet radio component if the identified specific data corresponds to at least one maintained common designation, and

(ii) not transmit a response using the data packet radio component if the identified specific data does not correspond to at least one maintained common designation,

(iii) wherein the identified specific data is found to correspond to at least one maintained common designation when the identified specific data matches an abstracted class of a maintained class designation,

whereby the wireless two-way RF data communication device selectively responds to RF transmissions.

2. The wireless two-way RF data communication device of claim 1, wherein the identified specific data is found to correspond to at least one maintained common designation when the identified specific data matches at least one maintained common designation.

3. The wireless two-way RF data communication device of claim 1, wherein the identified specific data is found to correspond to at least one maintained common designation when the identified specific data matches a maintained class designation.

4. The wireless two-way RF data communication device of claim 1, wherein the wireless two-way RF data communication device maintains a unique identification of the wireless two-way RF data communication device in addition to the at least one common designation used for purposes of filtering RF transmissions received by the wireless two-way RF data communication device.

5. A data communications network, comprising:

(a) a plurality of wireless two-way radio frequency (RF) data communication devices, each wireless two-way RF data communication device forming a node of the data communications network and each wireless two-way RF data communication device including a memory having stored therein at least one common designation for purposes of filtering RF transmissions received by the wireless two-way RF data communication device, wherein the at least one maintained common designation comprises at least one maintained class designation;

(b) wherein, in response to the received RF transmission in which the specific data is identified, each wireless two-way RF data communication device is configured to,

(i) identify specific data in a received RF transmission; and

(ii) in response to the received RF transmission in which the specific data is identified,

(A) transmit a response using the data packet radio component if the identified specific data corresponds to at least one maintained common designation, and

(B) not transmit a response using the data packet radio component if the identified specific data does not correspond to at least one maintained common designation,

(C) wherein the identified specific data is found to correspond to at least one maintained common designation when the identified specific data matches an abstracted class of a maintained class designation,

whereby the wireless two-way RF data communication device selectively responds to RF transmissions.

6. The data communications network of claim 5, wherein the data communications network comprises an ad hoc network.

7. The data communications network of claim 5, wherein each wireless two-way RF data communication device is attached to an asset to be tracked and wherein at least one maintained common designation of each wireless two-way RF data communication device is a class designation representing a common characteristic or behavior of the respective asset.

8. The data communications network of claim 5, wherein the identified specific data is found to correspond to at least one maintained common designation when the identified specific data matches at least one maintained common designation.

9. The data communications network of claim 5, wherein the identified specific data is found to correspond to at least one maintained common designation when the identified specific data matches a maintained class designation.

10. The data communications network of claim 5, wherein each wireless two-way RF data communication device further maintains a unique identification of the wireless two-way RF data communication device, the unique identification being different from the at least one common designation that is maintained.

11. A method of selectively responding to RF transmissions by a wireless two-way radio frequency (RF) data communication device comprising a data packet radio component, the method comprising:

(a) receive RF transmissions;

(b) maintain at least one common designation for purposes of filtering RF transmissions received by the wireless two-way RF data communication device, wherein the at least one maintained common designation comprises at least one maintained class designation;

(c) identify specific data in a received RF transmission; and

(d) in response to the received RF transmission in which the specific data is identified,

(i) transmitting a response using the data packet radio component if the identified specific data corresponds to at least one maintained common designation, and

(ii) not transmitting a response using the data packet radio component if the identified specific data does not correspond to at least one maintained common designation,

(iii) wherein the identified specific data is found to correspond to at least one maintained common designation when the identified specific data matches an abstracted class of a maintained class designation,

whereby the wireless two-way RF data communication device selectively responds to RF transmissions.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the identified specific data is found to correspond to at least one maintained common designation when the identified specific data matches at least one maintained common designation.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the identified specific data is found to correspond to at least one maintained common designation when the identified specific data matches a maintained class designation.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the wireless two-way RF data communication device maintains a unique identification of the wireless two-way RF data communication device in addition to the at least one common designation used for purposes of filtering RF transmissions received by the wireless two-way RF data communication device.