Mote device locating using impulse-mote-position-indication

• US 8,018,335 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2005
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alarm.com Inc. (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Lord, Robert W., Levien, Royce A., Jung, Edward K. Y., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, John D. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Labbees; Edny
• Application Number:
  US11/285,767
• Publication Number:
  US 20070296558A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,121 Days
• Field of Search: 340/313, 340/314, 340/539.13, 340/825.49, 709/220, 709/223, 709/228
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 15/00 Tags attached to, or associated with, an object, in order to enable detection of the object record carriers for use with machines having a detectable tag or marker G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal

Abstract

One aspect of the present disclosure relates to receiving by at least one mote device a request to provide an impulse-mote-position-indication; and indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the at least one mote device positional information about the at least one mote device at least partially in response to the request to provide the impulse-mote-position-indication. Another aspect of the disclosure related to receiving by a communication device an impulse-mote-position-indication of at least one mote device; and deriving a geographic location of the at least one mote device at least partially in response to the receiving by the communication device the impulse-mote-position-indication of the at least one mote device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving by at least one receiving mote device a request to provide an impulse-mote-position-indication and to perform a mote operational characteristic;

identifying whether the receiving mote device is configured to perform the mote operational characteristic specified by the request; and

in response to the request to provide an impulse-mote-position-indication and to identifying whether the receiving mote device is configured to perform the mote operational characteristic specified by the request, indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the at least one receiving mote device positional information about the identified at least one receiving mote device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mote operational characteristic comprises one of a range of values for a sensed parameter, an actuation characteristic, and a capability to receive a user input.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying whether the receiving mote device is configured to perform the mote operational characteristic specified by the request further comprises:

making a positive identification only when the at least one receiving mote device is operating within a range of parameters comprised in the request.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving by at least one receiving mote device a request to provide an impulse-mote-position-indication further comprises:

receiving by the at least one receiving mote device the request to provide the impulse-mote-position-indication at least partially as a group including one or more of;

a wireless signal, a sound signal, a light, a vibration, an acoustic signal, or a radio-frequency signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the at least one receiving mote device positional information about the identified at least one receiving mote device further comprises:

indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the identified at least one receiving mote device the positional information used to indicate the position of the identified at least one receiving mote device relative to at least one other device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the at least one receiving mote device positional information about the identified at least one receiving mote device further comprises:

providing a directional signal to the identified at least one receiving mote device to increase an energy level of the identified at least one receiving mote device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the at least one receiving mote device positional information about the identified at least one receiving mote device further comprises:

indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the identified at least one receiving mote device the positional information used to indicate the position of the identified at least one receiving mote device a current absolute geographic position of the identified at least one receiving mote device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the at least one receiving mote device positional information about the identified at least one receiving mote device further comprises:

indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the identified at least one receiving mote device the positional information used to indicate the position of the identified at least one receiving mote device upon an indication that the identified at least one receiving mote device has failed.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the at least one receiving mote device positional information about the identified at least one receiving mote device further comprises:

indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the identified at least one receiving mote device the positional information used to indicate the position of the identified at least one receiving mote device upon an indication of at least one out-of-range reading when the identified at least one receiving mote device is removed.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the at least one receiving mote device positional information about the identified at least one receiving mote device further comprises:

indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the identified at least one mote receiving device the positional information used to indicate the position of the identified at least one receiving mote device that provided an out-of-range measurement of the identified at least one receiving mote device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the at least one receiving mote device positional information about the identified at least one receiving mote device further comprises:

indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the identified at least one receiving mote device the positional information used to indicate the position of the identified at least one receiving mote device that is indicative of at least one relative location of the identified at least one receiving mote device with respect to at least one other mote device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the at least one receiving mote device positional information about the identified at least one receiving mote device further comprises:

indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the identified at least one receiving mote device the positional information used to indicate the position of the identified at least one receiving mote device that is indicative of at least one offset from one or more previous locations of the identified at least one receiving mote device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the at least one receiving mote device positional information about the identified at least one receiving mote device further comprises:

indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the identified at least one receiving mote device the positional information used to indicate the position of the identified at least one receiving mote device at least partially by generating an optical-signal-based impulse-mote-position-indication.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the at least one receiving mote device positional information about the identified at least one receiving mote device further comprises:

indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the identified at least one receiving mote device the positional information used to indicate the position of the identified at least one receiving mote device at least partially by generating a photographic-based impulse-mote-position-indication.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the at least one receiving mote device positional information about the identified at least one receiving mote device further comprises:

indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the identified at least one receiving mote device the positional information used to indicate the position of the identified at least one receiving mote device at least partially by generating a radio-frequency (RF) based impulse-mote-position-indication.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the at least one receiving mote device positional information about the identified at least one receiving mote device further comprises:

indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the identified at least one receiving mote device the positional information used to indicate the position of the identified at least one receiving mote device at least partially by generating a phosphorescent-based impulse-mote-position-indication.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the at least one receiving mote device positional information about the identified at least one receiving mote device further comprises:

indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the identified at least one receiving mote device the positional information used to indicate the position of the identified at least one receiving mote device at least partially by generating a reflective-based impulse-mote-position-indication.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the at least one receiving mote device positional information about the identified at least one receiving mote device further comprises:

indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the identified at least one receiving mote device the positional information used to indicate the position of the identified at least one receiving mote device relative to a template.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the at least one receiving mote device positional information about the identified at least one receiving mote device further comprises:

indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the identified at least one receiving mote device the positional information used to indicate the position of the identified at least one receiving mote device at least partially by refining one or more graphical indications of the identified at least receiving one mote device.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the at least one receiving mote device positional information about the identified at least one receiving mote device further comprises:

indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the identified at least one receiving mote device the positional information used to indicate the position of the identified at least one receiving mote device including one or more from a group including position in a structure, position on a surface, and/or position within a medium.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the at least one receiving mote device positional information about the identified at least one receiving mote device further comprises:

indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the identified at least one receiving mote device the positional information used to indicate the position of the identified at least one receiving mote device at least partially via one or more of a projection system, glasses, a display screen, a display, or a heads up display.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the at least one receiving mote device positional information about the identified at least one receiving mote device further comprises:

indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the identified at least one receiving mote device the positional information used to indicate the position of that identified at least one receiving mote device at least partially by providing at least one indication that the identified at least one receiving mote device is in a wrong or unexpected position.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the at least one receiving mote device positional information about the identified at least one receiving mote device further comprises:

indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the identified at least one receiving mote device the positional information used to indicate the position of the identified at least one receiving mote device at least partially by providing at least one indication that the identified at least one receiving mote device is absent or not functioning at an expected position.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the at least one receiving mote device positional information about the identified at least one receiving mote device further comprises:

indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication used to indicate the position of the identified at least one receiving mote device of conformation or orientation change of a surface with which the identified at least one receiving mote device is associated.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

processing at least one positional location of the identified at least one receiving mote device at least partially at the identified at least one receiving mote device.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

indicating at least one positional location of the identified at least one receiving mote device at least partially by comparing an at least one measured mote network topology with an at least one desired or expected mote network topology.

53. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the impulse-mote-position-indication comprises information indicating a current location of the at least one receiving mote device.

54. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the mote operational characteristic comprises at least one of a sensory operation, a display operation, or an external device actuating operation.

27. A method comprising:

receiving by a communication device an impulse-mote-position-indication used to indicate a position of at least one mote device, the impulse-mote-position-indication being generated in response to a request specifying a mote operational characteristic and being generated in response to a determination by the at least one mote device that the at least one mote device is configured to perform the mote operational characteristic specified by the request; and

deriving a geographic location of the at least one mote device at least partially in response to the receiving by the communication device the impulse-mote-position-indication used to indicate the position of the at least one mote device.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the receiving by a communication device an impulse-mote-position-indication used to indicate a position of at least one mote device further comprising:

receiving by the communication device the impulse-mote-position-indication used to indicate a current position of the at least one mote device at least partially via at least a portion of a wireless communication system.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the receiving by a communication device an impulse-mote-position-indication used to indicate a position of at least one mote device further comprising:

receiving by the communication device the impulse-mote-position-indication used to indicate a position of the at least one mote device at least partially via at least a portion of a wire-based communication system.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the receiving by a communication device an impulse-mote-position-indication used to indicate a position of at least one mote device further comprising:

receiving by the communication device the impulse-mote-position-indication used to indicate a position of the at least one mote device at least partially via at least a portion of a communication link device.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the receiving by a communication device an impulse-mote-position-indication used to indicate a position of at least one mote device is performed at least partially in response to a requesting with the communication device the impulse-mote-position-indication that can be used to derive the geographic location of the at least one mote device.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein the deriving a geographic location of the at least one mote device at least partially in response to the receiving by the communication device the impulse-mote-position-indication used to indicate the position of the at least one mote device further comprising:

deriving the geographic location of the at least one mote device at least partially at the communication device relative to the communication device.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein the deriving a geographic location of the at least one mote device at least partially in response to the receiving by the communication device the impulse-mote-position-indication used to indicate the position of the at least one mote device further comprising:

deriving the geographic location of the at least one mote device relative to a fixed geographic location at least partially at the communication device.

34. The method of claim 27, wherein the deriving a geographic location of the at least one mote device at least partially in response to the receiving by the communication device the impulse-mote-position-indication used to indicate the position of the at least one mote device further comprising:

deriving an indication that the at least one mote device is failing to respond as expected at least partially at the communication device.

35. The method of claim 27, wherein the deriving a geographic location of the at least one mote device at least partially in response to the receiving by the communication device the impulse-mote-position-indication used to indicate the position of the at least one mote device further comprising:

deriving an indication that the at least one mote device is providing a signal that is below a prescribed strength at least partially at the communication device.

36. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

deriving the geographic location of the at least one mote device relative to one or more neighboring mote devices at least partially at the communication device, wherein the deriving a geographic location of the at least one mote device at least partially in response to the receiving by the communication device the impulse-mote-position-indication used to indicate the position of the at least one mote device is performed at least partially in response to the deriving the geographic location of the at least one mote device relative to one or more neighboring mote devices at least partially at the communication device.

37. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one mote device configurable to generate at least one impulse-mote-position-indication that can be used by at least one other device to derive at least some positional information used to indicate the position of the at least one mote device, the at least one impulse-mote-position-indication being generated in response to a request specifying a mote operational characteristic, and the at least one impulse-mote-position-indication being generated in response to a determination by the at least one mote device that the at least one mote device is configured to perform the mote operational characteristic specified by the request.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the at least one mote device configurable to generate at least one impulse-mote-position-indication that can be used by at least one other device to derive at least some positional information used to indicate the position of the at least one mote device further comprises:

software, hardware, or firmware located in the at least one mote device that is configurable to generate the at least one impulse-mote-position-indication that can be used by the at least one other device to derive the at least some positional information used to indicate a current position of the at least one mote device.

39. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the at least one mote device configurable to generate at least one impulse-mote-position-indication that can be used by at least one other device to derive at least some positional information used to indicate the position of the at least one mote device further comprises:

the at least one mote device that is configurable to generate the at least one impulse-mote-position-indication that can be used by the at least one other device to derive an absolute geographic location used to indicate the position of the at least one mote device.

40. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the at least one mote device configurable to generate at least one impulse-mote-position-indication that can be used by at least one other device to derive at least some positional information used to indicate the position of the at least one mote device further comprises:

the at least one mote device that is configurable to generate the at least one impulse-mote-position-indication that can be used by the at least one other device to derive a location of the at least one mote device with respect to a structure, a surface, or a medium.

41. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the at least one mote device configurable to generate at least one impulse-mote-position-indication that can be used by at least one other device to derive at least some positional information used to indicate the position of the at least one mote device further comprises:

at least one subsequent signal to report location that is configurable to cause the at least one mote device to generate the at least one impulse-mote-position-indication that can be used by the at least one other device to derive the at least some positional information about the at least one mote device.

42. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the at least one mote device configurable to generate at least one impulse-mote-position-indication that can be used by at least one other device to derive at least some positional information used to indicate the position of the at least one mote device further comprises:

the at least one mote device to generate a change of location that can be used by the at least one other device to derive the change of location of the at least one mote device.

43. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the at least one mote device configurable to generate at least one impulse-mote-position-indication that can be used by at least one other device to derive at least some positional information used to indicate the position of the at least one mote device further comprises:

the at least one mote device to generate a turbulence indication that can be used by the at least one other device to derive the turbulence indication of the at least one mote device.

44. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the at least one mote device configurable to generate at least one impulse-mote-position-indication that can be used by at least one other device to derive at least some positional information used to indicate the position of the at least one mote device further comprises:

the at least one mote device to generate an indication that can be used by the at least one other device to derive a conformation or orientation change of a surface with which the at least one mote device is associated.

45. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the at least one mote device configurable to generate at least one impulse-mote-position-indication that can be used by at least one other device to derive at least some positional information used to indicate the position of the at least one mote device further comprises:

the at least one mote device to generate at least one wire-based impulse-mote-position-indication that can be used by the at least one other device to derive the at least some positional information about the at least one mote device.

46. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the at least one mote device configurable to generate at least one impulse-mote-position-indication that can be used by at least one other device to derive at least some positional information used to indicate the position of the at least one mote device further comprises:

the at least one mote device to generate at least one energy-based signal that can be used to provide energy that can be used by the at least one other device.

47. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the at least one mote device configurable to generate at least one impulse-mote-position-indication that can be used by at least one other device to derive at least some positional information used to indicate the position of the at least one mote device further comprises:

the at least one mote device configurable to generate the at least one impulse-mote-position-indication that can be used by a neighboring mote device to derive the at least some positional information about the at least one mote device.

48. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the at least one mote device configurable to generate at least one impulse-mote-position-indication that can be used by at least one other device to derive at least some positional information used to indicate the position of the at least one mote device further comprises:

the at least one mote device configurable to generate the at least one impulse-mote-position-indication that can be used by a neighboring mote device to derive an aspect of a signal from the at least one mote device.

49. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the at least one mote device configurable to generate at least one impulse-mote-position-indication that can be used by at least one other device to derive at least some positional information used to indicate the position of the at least one mote device further comprises:

logic included in the at least one mote device that is configurable to respond with at least one of (a) one or more wireless identifiers, (b) one or more distinguishing light patterns and/or colors, or (c) one or more distinguishing sounds and/or tones.

50. An apparatus comprising:

at least one mote device operable to indicate to at least one other device positional information about the at least one mote device at least partially using an impulse-mote-position-indication used to indicate the current position of the at least one mote device, the impulse-mote-position-indication being generated in response to a request specifying a mote operational characteristic, and the impulse-mote-position-indication being generated in response to a determination by the at least one mote device that the at least one mote device is configured to perform the mote operational characteristic specified by the request.

51. A system comprising:

one or more circuits associated with at least one mote device that are configurable for receiving a request to provide an impulse-mote-position-indication used to indicate a current position of the at least one mote device, the request specifying a mote operational characteristic;

and one or more circuits configurable for indicating at least partially using the impulse-mote-position-indication of the at least one mote device positional information used to indicate the current position of the at least one mote device at least partially in response to the request to provide the impulse-mote-position-indication, the impulse-mote-position-indication being generated in response to the request to provide an impulse-mote-position-indication used to indicate a current position of the at least one mote device and to a determination by the one or more circuits associated with the at least one mote device that the at least one mote device is configured to perform the mote operational characteristic specified by the request.

52. A system comprising:

one or more circuits associated with a communication device for receiving an impulse-mote-position-indication used to indicate a current position of at least one mote device, the impulse-mote-position-indication being generated in response to a request specifying a mote operational characteristic and being generated in response to a determination by the at least one mote device that the at least one mote device is configured to perform the mote operational characteristic specified by the request; and

one or more circuits for deriving a current geographic location of the at least one mote device at least partially in response to the receiving by the communication device the impulse-mote-position-indication used to indicate the current position of the at least one mote device.