Contextual based adaptive adjustment of node power level in a wireless node network

• US 9,591,607 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2014
• Issued: 03/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Federal Express Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fedex Corporate Services Incorporated (FedEx Corporation)
• Inventors: Skaaksrud, Ole-Petter
• Primary Examiner(s): WILSON, ROBERT W
• Application Number:
  US14/489,540
• Publication Number:
  US 20150156718A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/00256 Delivery operations
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 25/02 Packaging agricultural or horticultural products
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/02 Internal fittings of containers made by folding or erecting blanks made of paper B65D5/44
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/102 Straps, bands, strings or other elongate elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3453 Special cost functions, i.e. other than distance or default speed limit of road segments
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/01 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/021 specially adapted to land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/226 Communication links with the remote-control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/43 Control of position or course in two dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/81 Handing over between on-board automatic and on-board manual control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0712 the arrangement being capable of triggering distinct operating modes or functions dependent on the strength of an energy or interrogation field in the proximity of the record carrier active means for hindering electromagnetic reading or writing G06K19/07336
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 : Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0835 : Relationships between shipper or supplier and carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 : Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0836 : Recipient pick-ups
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0838 : Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 : Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 : specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/22 : Payment schemes or models
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/308 : using the Internet of Things
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/321 : using wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 : using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 : Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 : Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 : based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0261 : System arrangements wherein the object is to detect trespassing over a fixed physical boundary, e.g. the end of a garden
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0269 : System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact location of child or item using a navigation satellite system, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 : for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 : stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 : ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 : specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/61 : for local area broadcast, e.g. instore broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/71 : Wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/026 : using e-messaging for transporting management information, e.g. email, instant messaging or chat
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 : characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0823 : characterised by the purposes of a change of settings, e.g. optimising configuration for enhancing reliability for optimising operational conditions of wireless networks H04W24/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 : Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 : Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 : Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 : in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• 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 67/303 : Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 : specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 : Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• 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 4/025 : using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 : for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 : Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits
• 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 52/0212 : managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is master and terminal is slave
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/04 : TPC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 : Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 : locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 : with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 : Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 : Transfer of terminal data
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Improved methods and apparatus are described for adaptively adjusting a node power level in a wireless node network having a plurality of nodes and a server. In one method, the server is operative to fix an output power setting on a first node (such as an ID node or master node) to a first power level when the first node is located in a first area. The first power level corresponds to a density of the nodes operating within the first area. The server then detects if the first node has moved to a second area. When the first node is detected as being in the second area, the server adapts the output power setting on the first node to a second power level. The second power level corresponds and relates to a density of the nodes operating within the second area.

Claims

1. A method for adaptive adjustment of node power level in a wireless node network having a plurality of nodes and a server, comprising:

fixing, by the server, an output power setting on a first of the nodes to a first power level when the first node is located in a first area, the first power level corresponding to a density of the nodes operating within the first area;

detecting, by the server, if the first node is anticipated to be moving from the first area to a second area by accessing context data related to an expected transit path of the first node;

detecting, by the server, if the first node has moved to the second area; and

adapting, by the server, the output power setting on the first node to a second power level when the first node is located in the second area, the second power level corresponding to a density of the nodes operating within the second area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first power level corresponds to a density of those of the nodes operating within the first area that are scanning.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising adapting, by a second of the nodes, an output power setting on the second node to the second power level based upon shared data received by the second node from the first node.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second power level is higher than the first power level when the density of the nodes operating within the second area is less than the density of the nodes operating within the first area.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second power level is lower than the first power level when the density of the nodes operating within the second area is greater than the density of the nodes operating within the first area.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting if the first node has moved to the second area further comprises tracking the location of the first node as the first node moves from within the first area to within the second area, and determining when the location of the first node has moved to within the second area.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of predicting, by the server, at least a portion of a predicted path for the first node, wherein the portion of the predicted path comprises the expected transit path of the first node from the first area to the second area.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the adapting step comprises adapting, by the server, the output power setting on the first node to the second power level when the first node is passing a point in the second area.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising;

accessing, by the server, context data related to the designated point in the second area to anticipate a density of the nodes expected to be operating within a proximate environment of the point; and

updating, by the server, the output power setting on the first node to a third power level when the server detects the node is approaching the point in the second area, the third power level corresponding to the density of the nodes expected to be operating within the proximate environment of the point.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions which when executed on a processor performs a method for adaptive adjustment of node power level in a wireless node network having a plurality of nodes and a server, the method comprising:

fixing, by the server, an output power setting on a first of the nodes to a first power level when the first node is located in a first area, the first power level corresponding to a density of the nodes operating within the first area;

detecting, by the server, if the first node is anticipated to be moving from the first area to a second area by accessing context data related to an expected transit path of the first node;

detecting, by the server, if the first node has moved to the second area; and

adapting, by the server, the output power setting on the first node to a second power level when the first node is located in the second area, the second power level corresponding to a density of the nodes operating within the second area.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the first power level corresponds to a density of those of the nodes operating within the first area that are scanning.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the second power level is higher than the first power level when the density of the nodes operating within the second area is less than the density of the nodes operating within the first area.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the second power level is lower than the first power level when the density of the nodes operating within the second area is greater than the density of the nodes operating within the first area.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the step of detecting if the first node has moved to the second area further comprises tracking the location of the first node as the first node moves from within the first area to within the second area, and determining when the location of the first node has moved to within the second area.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises the step of predicting, by the server, at least a portion of a predicted path for the first node, wherein the portion of the predicted path comprises the expected transit path of the first node from the first area to the second area.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the adapting step comprises adapting, by the server, the output power setting on the first node to the second power level when the first node is passing a point in the second area.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises:

accessing, by the server, context data related to the designated point in the second area to anticipate a density of the nodes expected to be operating within a proximate environment of the point; and

updating, by the server, the output power setting on the first node to a third power level when the server detects the node is approaching the point in the second area, the third power level corresponding to the density of the nodes expected to be operating within the proximate environment of the point.

18. An apparatus for adaptive adjustment of node power level in a wireless node network, the apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processing unit, the memory maintaining code for execution by the processor and operational node density information related to a first area and a second area, the memory further maintaining context data related to an expected transit path of the first node;

a communication interface coupled to the processor and operative to communicate with at least a first of a plurality of nodes in the network; and

wherein the processor, when executing the code maintained on the memory, is operative to

fix an output power setting on a first of the nodes to a first power level when the first node is located in a first area, the first power level corresponding to a density of the nodes operating within the first area,

detect if the first node is anticipated to be moving from the first area to the second area by accessing the context data on the memory and using the context data to determine if the first node is anticipated to be moving from the first area to a second area,

detect if the first node has moved to the second area,

adapt the output power setting to a second power level when the first node is located in the second area, the second power level corresponding to a density of the nodes operating within the second area, and

transmit a message over the communication interface to the first node to update the output power setting on the first node to the second power level.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first power level corresponds to a density of those of the nodes operating within the first area that are scanning.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the second power level is higher than the first power level when the density of the nodes operating within the second area is less than the density of the nodes operating within the first area.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the second power level is lower than the first power level when the density of the nodes operating within the second area is greater than the density of the nodes operating within the first area.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processor is further operative to detect if the first node has moved to the second area by being operative to track the location of the first node as the first node moves from within the first area to within the second area, and determine when the location of the first node has moved to within the second area.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processor is further operative to predict at least a portion of a predicted path for the first node, wherein the at least portion of the predicted path comprises the expected transit path of the first node from the first area to the second area.

24. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processor is operative to adapt by being further operative to adapt the output power setting on the first node to the second power level when the first node is passing a point in the second area.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the memory also maintains context data related to the designated point in the second area;

and

wherein the processor is further operative to;

access the context data to anticipate a density of the nodes expected to be operating within a proximate environment of the point; and

update the output power setting on the first node to a third power level when the server detects the node is approaching the point in the second area, the third power level corresponding to the density of the nodes expected to be operating within the proximate environment of the point.

26. A method for adaptive adjustment of node power level in a wireless node network having a plurality of nodes and a server, comprising:

fixing, by a first of the nodes, an output power setting on the first of the nodes to a first power level when the first node is located in a first area, the first power level corresponding to a density of the nodes operating within the first area;

detecting, by the first node, if the first node is anticipated to be moving from the first area to a second area by accessing context data stored on the first node and related to an expected transit path of the first node;

detecting by the first node if the first node has moved to the second area; and

adapting the output power setting on the first node by the first node to a second power level when the first node is located in the second area, the second power level corresponding to a density of the nodes operating within the second area.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the first node is a mobile master node.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the first power level corresponds to a density of those of the nodes operating within the first area that are scanning.

29. The method of claim 26 further comprising adapting, by a second of the nodes, an output power setting on the second node to the second power level based upon shared data received by the second node from the first node.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the second power level is higher than the first power level when the density of the nodes operating within the second area is less than the density of the nodes operating within the first area.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the second power level is lower than the first power level when the density of the nodes operating within the second area is greater than the density of the nodes operating within the first area.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of detecting if the first node has moved to the second area further comprises tracking the location of the first node as the first node moves from within the first area to within the second area, and determining when the location of the first node has moved to within the second area.