Determining presence of radio frequency communication device

• US 8,045,929 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2009
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TeraHop Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Twitchell, Robert W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang; Kent
• Assistant Examiner(s): Htun; San
• Application Number:
  US12/491,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20090264079A1
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/419, 455/41.2, 455/404.2, 4554561-4566, 455/556, 455/557, 455/72, 455/466, 455/551, 455/9, 455/67.11, 455/115.1, 455/151.2, 4553431-3436, 455/73, 370/310, 370/310.2, 370/328, 370/338, 340/10.33, 340/7.36, 340/10.34, 340/10.42, 340/10.52, 23546201-46219
• US Class Current: 455/67.14
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/825 with exchange of information between interrogator and responder
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• 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 RF data communication device operates in at least two states. In a first state, the device transmits a response to an RF transmission if specific data therein represents an inquiry as to the presence of one or more RF data communication devices and if specific data therein corresponds to a class maintained by the device. The device does not transmit a response if specific data in the RF transmission is not representative of an inquiry as to the presence of one or more RF data communication devices, or if specific data therein does not correspond to at least one maintained class. In a second state, the device does not transmit a response when specific data is included therein that is representative of an inquiry as to the presence of one or more RF data communication devices and specific data therein corresponds to at least one maintained class.

Claims

1. A radio frequency communication device, comprising:

(a) a receiver configured to receive radio frequency transmissions;

(b) a transmitter configured to make radio frequency transmissions;

(c) an interface for receiving one or more signals from a sensor; and

(d) electronic components arranged and configured such that,

(i) the radio frequency communication device operates in at least two states comprising,

(A) a first state, in which the radio frequency communication device responds to a radio frequency transmission that is received by the receiver, and that includes data representative of an inquiry as to the presence of radio frequency communication devices within an area, by making a radio frequency transmission with the transmitter that includes an identification of the radio frequency communication device, and

(B) a second state, in which the radio frequency communication device does not respond to a radio frequency transmission that is received by the receiver, and that includes data representative of an inquiry as to the presence of radio frequency communication devices, by making a radio frequency transmission with the transmitter that includes an identification of the radio frequency communication device, and

(ii) the radio frequency communication device enters the second state from the first state upon,

(A) receiving by the receiver a radio frequency transmission that includes data representative of an inquiry as to the presence of radio frequency communication devices, and

(B) making a radio frequency transmission with the transmitter that includes an identification of the radio frequency communication device, and

(iii) the radio frequency communication device enters the first state from the second state upon,

(A) receiving, through the interface, one or more sensor signals based on sensor-acquired data that is indicative of a predetermined condition.

4. The radio frequency communication device of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensor signals includes the sensor-acquired data.

5. The radio frequency communication device of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensor signals is representative of the sensor-acquired data.

6. The radio frequency communication device of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensor signals is representative of a state of a sensor.

7. The radio frequency communication device of claim 1, wherein the computer processor effects state changes of the radio frequency communication device as a function of received radio frequency transmissions and one or more received sensor signals.

8. The radio frequency communication device of claim 1, wherein the electronic components are further arranged and configured such that the radio frequency communication device enters the first state upon receiving, through the receiver, a radio frequency transmission including an instruction to enter the first state.

9. The radio frequency communication device of claim 1, wherein the electronic components are further arranged and configured such that the radio frequency communication device enters the first state upon expiration of predetermined period of time as indicated by a timer of the radio frequency communication device.

2. The radio frequency communication device of 1, wherein the electronic components are further configured such that the radio frequency communication device makes a radio frequency transmission upon receiving, through the interface, one or more sensor signals based on sensor-acquired data that is indicative of the predetermined condition.

3. The radio frequency communication device of 1, further comprising a computer processor that processes received radio frequency transmissions and received sensor signals.

10. A method performed by a radio frequency communication device, comprising the steps of:

(a) first, responding to a radio frequency transmission that is received by a receiver of the radio frequency communication device, and that includes data representative of a general inquiry as to the presence of radio frequency communication devices, by making a radio frequency transmission with a transmitter of the radio frequency communication device that includes an identification of the radio frequency communication device, and then, not responding to subsequent radio frequency transmissions that are received by the receiver of the radio frequency communication device, and that include data representative of a general inquiry as to the presence of radio frequency communication devices, by making a radio frequency transmission with the transmitter of the radio frequency communication device that includes an identification of the radio frequency communication device; and

(b) repeating said step (a) upon receiving, through an interface of the radio frequency communication device, one or more sensor signals based on sensor-acquired data that is indicative of a predetermined condition.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of making a radio frequency transmission with the transmitter of the radio frequency communication device upon receiving, through an interface of the radio frequency communication device, one or more sensor signals based on sensor-acquired data that is indicative of the predetermined condition.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the radio frequency communication device is associated with an asset being tracked in an asset tracking system.

12. The method of 11, wherein the predetermined condition comprises movement of the radio frequency communication device.

13. The method of 11, wherein the predetermined condition comprises a change, exceeding a threshold amount, in the location of the radio frequency communication device as determined based on GPS data.

14. The method of 11, wherein the predetermined condition comprises a temperature associated with the radio frequency communication device exceeding a predetermined threshold.

15. The method of 11, wherein the radio frequency communication device comprises a node in one or more common designation networks.

17. The method of 16, wherein the asset tracking system is a class based asset tracking system.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the data representative of a general inquiry as to the presence of radio frequency communication devices comprises a class designation of “

present.”

18. The method of 17, wherein the data representative of a general inquiry as to the presence of radio frequency communication devices comprises a predefined class designation.

20. An asset tracking system comprising a plurality of radio frequency communication devices, each being associated with an asset and each configured to,

(a) first, respond to a radio frequency transmission that is received by a receiver of the radio frequency communication device, and that includes data representative of a general inquiry as to the presence of radio frequency communication devices, by making a radio frequency transmission with a transmitter of the radio frequency communication device that includes an identification of the radio frequency communication device and, thereafter, not respond to subsequent radio frequency transmissions that are received by the receiver of the radio frequency communication device, and that include data representative of a general inquiry as to the presence of radio frequency communication devices, by making a radio frequency transmission with the transmitter of the radio frequency communication device that includes an identification of the radio frequency communication device, and

(b) repeat step (a) upon receiving, through an interface of the radio frequency communication device, one or more sensor signals based on sensor-acquired data that is indicative of a predetermined condition.