Determining presence of radio frequency communication device

• US 8,050,668 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2009
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• 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 A
• Application Number:
  US12/485,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20090252060A1
• Time in Patent Office: 868 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: 455/418
• 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 wireless two-way radio frequency (RF) data communication device comprising a data packet radio component that selectively reveals its presence in response to RF transmissions, the wireless two-way RF data communication device being configured to operate in a first state in which the wireless two-way RF data communication device:

(i) receives RF transmissions;

(ii) maintains at least one common designation for purposes of filtering RF transmissions received by the wireless two-way RF data communication device;

(iii) identifies specific data in a received RF transmission; and

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

(A) transmits a response,

(I) if the identified specific data includes data representative of an inquiry as to the presence of one or more wireless two-way RF data communication devices, and

(II) if the identified specific data includes data that corresponds to at least one maintained common designation, and

(B) retransmits at least a portion of the received RF transmission as an inquiry as to the presence of one or more wireless two-way RF data communication devices,

(I) if the identified specific data includes data representative of an inquiry as to the presence of one or more wireless two-way RF data communication devices, and

(II) if the identified specific data corresponds to at least one maintained common designation

whereby the wireless two-way RF data communication device can retransmit inquiries as to the presence of one or more wireless two-way RF data communication devices to other wireless two-way RF data communication devices.

2. The wireless two-way RF data communication device of claim 1, wherein the wireless two-way RF data communication device enters a second state from the first state upon transmitting a response when,

(a) the identified specific data includes data representative of an inquiry as to the presence of one or more wireless two-way RF data communication devices, and

(b) the identified specific data includes data that corresponds to at least one maintained common designation.

3. The wireless two-way RF data communication device of claim 1, wherein the wireless two-way RF data communication device enters the first state from a second state upon receiving, through a sensor interface of the wireless two-way RF data communication device, one or more sensor signals indicative of a predetermined condition.

4. The wireless two-way RF data communication device of claim 1, wherein the wireless two-way RF data communication device enters the first state from a second state upon receiving a RF transmission including an instruction to enter the first state.

5. The wireless two-way RF data communication device of claim 1, wherein the wireless two-way RF data communication device enters the first state from a second state upon expiration of predetermined period of time as indicated by a timer of the wireless two-way RF data communication device.

6. The wireless two-way RF data communication device of claim 1, wherein the wireless two-way RF data communication device enters the first state from a second state after a predetermined number of failed attempts to communicate by the wireless two-way RF data communication device have occurred.

7. The wireless two-way RF data communication device of claim 1, wherein the wireless two-way RF data communication device enters a second state from the first state upon receiving a RF transmission including an instruction to enter the second state.

8. 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.

9. The wireless two-way RF data communication device of claim 1, wherein the at least one maintained common designation comprises at least one maintained class designation, and 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 wireless two-way RF data communication device of claim 1, wherein the at least one maintained common designation comprises at least one maintained class designation, and 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 the maintained class designation.

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

12. 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.

13. A data communications network, comprising:

(a) a plurality of wireless two-way radio frequency (RE) 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;

(b) wherein each wireless two-way RF data communication device is configured to operate in at least

a first state, in which the wireless two-way RF data communication device,

(A) receives RF transmissions;

(B) identifies specific data in a received RF transmission; and

(C) in response to the received RE transmission in which the specific data is identified,

(I) transmits a response,

(1) if the identified specific data includes data representative of an inquiry as to the presence of one or more wireless two-way RF data communication devices, and

(2) if the identified specific data includes data that corresponds to at least one maintained common designation, and

(II) does not transmit a response,

(1) if the identified specific data does not include data representative of an inquiry as to the presence of one or more wireless two-way RF data communication devices, or

(2) if the identified specific data does not correspond to at least one maintained common designation; and

(c) wherein each wireless two-way RF data communication device is configured to retransmit at least a portion of a received RF transmission that represents an inquiry as to the presence of one or more wireless two-way RF data communication devices if the received RF transmission includes specific data that corresponds to at least one maintained common designation.

14. The data communications network of claim 13, wherein each wireless two-way RF data communication device enters a second state from the first state upon transmitting a response when,

(a) the identified specific data includes data representative of an inquiry as to the presence of one or more wireless two-way RF data communication devices, and

(b) the identified specific data includes data that corresponds to at least one maintained common designation.

15. The data communications network of claim 13, wherein each wireless two-way RF data communication device enters the first state from a second state upon receiving, through a sensor interface of the wireless two-way RF data communication device, one or more sensor signals indicative of a predetermined condition.

16. The data communications network of claim 13, wherein each wireless two-way RF data communication device enters the first state from a second state upon receiving a RF transmission including an instruction to enter the first state.

17. The data communications network of claim 13, wherein each wireless two-way RF data communication device enters the first state from a second state upon expiration of predetermined period of time as indicated by a timer of the wireless two-way RF data communication device.

18. The data communications network of claim 13, wherein each wireless two-way RF data communication device enters the first state from a second state after a predetermined number of failed attempts to communicate by the wireless two-way RF data communication device have occurred.

19. The data communications network of claim 13, wherein each wireless two-way RF data communication device enters a second state from the first state upon receiving a RF transmission including an instruction to enter the second state.

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

(a) receiving RF transmissions;

(b) maintaining at least one common designation for purposes of filtering RF transmissions received by the wireless two-way RF data communication device;

(c) identifying specific data in a received RF transmission and, in response to the received RF transmission in which the specific data is identified,

(A) transmitting a response,

(I) if the identified specific data includes data representative of an inquiry as to the presence of one or more wireless two-way RF data communication devices, and

(II) if the identified specific data includes data that corresponds to at least one maintained common designation, and

(B) retransmitting at least a portion of the received RF transmission as an inquiry as to the presence of one or more wireless two-way RF data communication devices,

(I) if the identified specific data includes data representative of an inquiry as to the presence of one or more wireless two-way RF data communication devices, and

(II) if the identified specific data corresponds to at least one maintained common designation.