Plug-and-play radio module for communicating on a separate radio channel

• US 8,884,755 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2011
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Dworschak, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Haile, Benyam
• Application Number:
  US13/251,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20130082825A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• Field of Search: 340/8.1, 710/63, 342/357.22
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724098 Interfacing with an on-board device of a vehicle for hands-free speaking in vehicles H04M1/6075
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42357 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

A system and methods for communicating with a location system are disclosed. An electronic communication device is provided to a user that performs a communication through a device specific communication channel. A separate radio communication channel that is different from the device specific communication channel is provided. Location information is received at the electronic communication device from a location system through the separate radio communication channel. The location information is viewed on the electronic communication device.

Claims

1. A method for communicating with a location system, the method comprising:

providing an electronic communication device to a user operable to perform wireless communication through a device specific communication channel;

providing a separate radio communication channel that is different from the device specific communication channel via a first plug-and-play radio module mechanically coupled to the electronic communication device, the separate radio communication channel comprising short and long radio communication ranges, and excluded from using other than industry standard communication protocols, in an unlicensed wireless communication frequency band not utilized by the device specific communication channel;

receiving location information of a plurality of tagged assets at the electronic communication device via the first plug-and-play radio module directly from a location system through the separate radio communication channel via a second plug-and-play radio module mechanically coupled directly to the location system, the location system operable to track the location information of the tagged assets, and the location information transmitted to the first plug-and-play radio module from the second plug-and-play radio module adopting a same communication protocol; and

viewing the location information of the tagged assets on the electronic communication device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the device specific communication channel is configured to support at least one member selected from the group consisting of:

an industry standard communication protocol, Wi-Fi TM, and Bluetooth TM.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving further comprises:

plugging the first plug-and-play radio module into the electronic communication device;

plugging the second plug-and-play radio module into the location system;

activating the separate radio communication channel between the first plug-and-play radio module and the second plug-and-play radio module;

transmitting the location information from the location system to the second plug-and-play radio module;

receiving the location information at the first plug-and-play radio module; and

sending the location information from the first plug-and-play radio module to the electronic communication device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of viewing further comprises displaying the location information on a display module of the electronic communication device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the electronic communication device as a viewer system to view the location information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the location information comprises at least one tag location.

7. A system for communicating to a location system, comprising:

a viewer system operable to perform wireless communication through a device specific communication channel;

a viewer system plug-and-play radio module operable to mechanically couple directly to the viewer system to provide a separate radio communication channel that is different from the device specific communication channel, the separate radio communication channel comprising short and long radio communication ranges, and excluded from using other than industry standard communication protocols in an unlicensed wireless communication frequency band not utilized by the device specific communication channel;

and a location system plug-and-play radio module operable to;

couple mechanically to the location system to receive location information of a plurality of tagged assets from the location system, the location system operable to track the location information of the tagged assets; and

transmit the location information of the tagged assets through the separate radio communication channel to the viewer system plug-and-play radio module, the location information transmitted to the viewer system plug-and-play radio module from the location system plug-and-play radio module adopting a same communication protocol.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the plug-and-play radio module is further operable to transmit the location information to the viewer system.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising a display module operable to display the location information.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the location information comprises at least one tag location.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the viewer system and the location system plug-and-play radio module each comprise:

a transmitter operable to transmit the location information;

a receiver operable to receive the location information; and

a memory module operable to store the location information.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the location system plug-and-play radio module is operable to couple to the location system via a first interface.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the viewer system plug-and-play radio module is operable to couple to the location system via a second interface.

14. A method for providing a plug-and-play communication system, the method comprising:

a viewer system operable to perform wireless communication;

providing a first plug-and-play radio module mechanically coupled to the viewer system;

providing a second plug-and-play radio module mechanically coupled directly to a location system, the location system operable to track location information of a plurality of tagged assets comprising location tags; and

activating a separate radio communication channel between the first plug-and- play radio module and the second plug-and-play radio module, the separate radio communication channel comprising short and long radio communication ranges. excluded from using other than industry standard communication protocols in an unlicensed wireless communication frequency band not utilized by the viewer system, and the location information transmitted to the first plug- and-play radio module from the second plug-and-play radio module adopts a same communication protocol.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the separate radio communication channel is different from predetermined communication channels allocated for the viewer system to enhance security.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the predetermined communication channels are configured to support at least one member selected from the group consisting of:

an industry standards communication protocol, Wi-Fi™

, and Bluetooth™

.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing a first interface operable to couple the first plug-and-play radio module to the viewer system.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing a second interface operable to couple the second plug-and-play radio module to the location system.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

transmitting the location information from the location system to the second plug-and-play radio module;

providing a first transmitter module operable to transmit the location information from the second plug-and-play radio module to the first plug-and-play radio module;

providing a receiver operable to receive the location information at the first plug-and-play radio module;

providing a second transmitter operable to send the location information from the first plug-and-play radio module to the viewer system; and

providing a display module operable to display the location information.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the viewer system comprises a cellular communication device.