Low power chaining

• US 9,295,011 B1
• Filed: 11/06/2014
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.), AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fix, Jeremy, Meredith, Sheldon Kent, Mappus, Rudolph Louis IV
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Don N
• Application Number:
  US14/534,424
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.5, 455/456.6
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/20 of receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/23 Indication means, e.g. displays, alarms, audible means
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/27 for locating or positioning the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/283 Power depending on the position of the mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/367 Power values between minimum and maximum limits, e.g. dynamic range
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/383 power control in peer-to-peer links
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A group of low power transceiver devices may create a private wireless network. In a private communication network, each device may monitor neighboring devices and transmit a low power signal on a periodic basis. At any time, if a device breaks away from the private communication network, the device determines its location and then transmits its location to one or more devices in the group at a high transmit power level.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transmitting, by a first device, a first signal at a first transmit power, the first signal indicative of a status of the first device;

searching, by the first device, for a second signal of a second device, the second signal indicative of a status of the second device;

determining, by the first device, that the second signal from the second device has not been detected within a first period;

responsive to the determining that the second signal from the second device has not been detected within the first period, determining a location of the first device; and

transmitting by the first device, at a second transmit power, an alert to the second device, the alert comprising the location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second transmit power is approximately a maximum transmit power of the first device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second transmit power is substantially higher than the first transmit power.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining of the location of the first device is based on a global positioning system of the first device, the global positioning system of the first device is activated responsive to the determining that the signal from the second device has not been detected within the first period.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, by the first device, the signal from the second device; and

deactivating a global position system on the first device responsive to the detecting the signal from the second device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the location of the first device is based on a global positioning system of a third device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

broadcasting the alert to a plurality of devices, the plurality of devices comprising the second device.

8. A mobile device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled with the processor, the memory having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising;

transmitting a first signal at a first transmit power, the first signal indicative of a status of the mobile device;

searching for a second signal of a second device, the second signal indicative of a status of the second device;

determining that the second signal from the second device has not been detected within a first period;

responsive to the determining that the second signal from the second device has not been detected within the first period, determining a location of the mobile device; and

transmitting at a second transmit power, an alert, the alert comprising the location.

9. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the second transmit power is approximately a maximum transmit power of the first device.

10. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the second transmit power is substantially higher than the first transmit power.

11. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein determining of the location of the mobile device is based on a global positioning system of the mobile device, the global positioning system of the mobile device is activated responsive to the determining that the signal from the second device has not been detected within the first period.

12. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise:

detecting the signal from the second device; and

deactivating a global position system on the mobile device based on the signal from the second device.

13. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the determining of the location of the mobile device is based on a global positioning system of a third device.

14. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise:

broadcasting the alert to a plurality of devices, the plurality of devices comprising the second device.

15. A system comprising:

a second device; and

a first device communicatively connected with the second device, the first device comprising;

a processor; and

a memory coupled with the processor, the memory having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising;

transmitting a first signal at a first transmit power, the first signal indicative of a status of the first device;

searching for a second signal of a second device, the second signal indicative of a status of the second device;

determining that the second signal from the second device has not been detected within a first period;

responsive to the determining that the second signal from the second device has not been detected within the first period, determining a location of the first device; and

transmitting at a second transmit power, an alert, the alert comprising the location.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the second transmit power is approximately a maximum transmit power of the first device.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the second transmit power is substantially higher than the first transmit power.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein determining of the location of the mobile device is based on a global positioning system of the mobile device, the global positioning system of the mobile device is activated responsive to the determining that the signal from the second device has not been detected within the first period.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

detecting the signal from the second device; and

deactivating a global position system on the second device based on the signal from the second device.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the determining of the location of the first device is based on a global positioning system of a third device.