System and method for mobile monitoring of non-associated tags

• US 9,823,342 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2011
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aeroscout Limited (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Aeroscout Limited (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cook, Joel Powell, Aljadeff, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOLLIDAY, JAIME MICHELE
• Application Number:
  US13/018,662
• Publication Number:
  US 20110195701A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,485 Days
• Field of Search: 455 412, 455 413, 455418-420, 455455, 4554561, 4554564
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/06 using intensity measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/48 by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0018 Transmission from mobile station to base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0227 System arrangements with a plurality of child units
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0247 System arrangements wherein the alarm criteria uses signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0275 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS] tag technology used for parent or child unit, e.g. same transmission technology, magnetic tag, RF tag, RFID
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/06 including a wireless LAN interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/47 using RFID associated with sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/826 where the data is sent periodically
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/86 Performing a diagnostic of the sensing device
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking 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 52/0245 according to signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 : adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system for monitoring at least one tag device has at least one mobile cellular telephone. The mobile cellular telephone is capable of communicating on a WiFi network, wherein the at least one tag device transmits wireless data messages in a non-associating mode.

Claims

1. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations for determining a location of a tag using a mobile cellular device, comprising:

receiving, on the mobile cellular device, non-cellular data messages transmitted from the tag, the tag being not previously associated with the mobile cellular device;

decoding the non-cellular data messages to obtain information relating to the tag;

determining a location of the mobile cellular device;

measuring a signal strength of the received non-cellular data messages;

outputting to a remote server the obtained information and the measured signal strength, in cellular form via the mobile cellular device, wherein prior to outputting the obtained information, the remote server lacks location data identifying the locations of the tag and the mobile cellular device; and

outputting to the remote server the determined location of the mobile cellular device in order to enable the remote server to identify a current location of the tag based on the determined location of the mobile cellular device and the measured signal strength of the non-cellular data messages.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the tag was further not previously associated with an access point.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein:

the operations further comprise displaying the determined location of the tag.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the non-cellular data messages comprise WLAN data messages.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 4, wherein the tag is a WLAN tag that was not previously associated with the mobile cellular device.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein outputting comprises transmitting the information over a cellular network.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein outputting comprises sending, over the cellular network from the mobile cellular device, the information to a real-time location system.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising displaying the obtained information on a display associated with the mobile cellular device.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein:

the tag further comprises a tag sensor; and

the data messages comprise tag sensor data representing at least one condition sensed by the tag sensor.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise:

decoding the data messages to obtain the tag sensor data; and

performing an action based on the tag sensor data.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein:

determining a location of the mobile cellular device comprises obtaining location information using a GPS sensor in the mobile cellular device.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein:

identifying a location of the tag further comprises identifying a location of the tag relative to the mobile cellular device.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise performing a search for the tag based on the identified location.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

estimating a distance of the tag relative to the mobile cellular device based on the measured signal strengths.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise performing a search for the tag based on the estimated distance.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise receiving, on a plurality of mobile cellular devices, data messages from the tag, the mobile cellular devices being configured to locate the tag using Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) triangulation.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein:

the tag is a bi-directional tag; and

the operations further comprise sending, from the mobile cellular device, a message to at least one of activate, deactivate, trigger, or program the tag.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise configuring the mobile cellular device to associate and de-associate tags with at least one of an asset or a living thing.

19. A method for determining a location of a tag using a mobile cellular device, the method comprising:

receiving, on a mobile cellular device, non-cellular data messages transmitted from the tag, the tag being;

not previously associated with the mobile cellular device; and

not associated with an access point;

decoding the non-cellular data messages to obtain information relating to the tag;

determining a location of the mobile cellular device;

measuring a signal strength of the received non-cellular data messages;

outputting to a remote server the obtained information and the measured signal strength, in cellular form via the mobile cellular device, wherein prior to outputting the obtained information, the remote server lacks location data identifying the location of the tag and the mobile cellular device; and

outputting to the remote server the determined location of the mobile cellular device in order to enable the remote server to identify a current location of the tag based on the determined location of the mobile cellular device and the measured signal strength of the non-cellular data messages.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the non-cellular data messages comprise WLAN data messages.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the tag is a WLAN tag that was not previously associated with the mobile cellular device.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein outputting comprises transmitting the information over a cellular network.

23. A computer-implemented method comprising the following operations performed by at least one processor:

receiving, on a mobile cellular device, non-cellular data messages transmitted from a tag that was not previously associated with the mobile cellular device;

determining a location of the mobile cellular device;

measuring a signal strength of the received non-cellular data messages;

outputting to a remote server the obtained information and the measured signal strength, in cellular form via the mobile cellular device, wherein prior to outputting the obtained information, the remote server lacks location data identifying the location of the tag and the mobile cellular device;

outputting to the remote server the determined location of the mobile cellular device; and

receiving, on the mobile cellular device, an estimated location of the tag relative to the mobile cellular device based on the determined location of the mobile cellular device and the measured signal strength of the non-cellular data messages; and

outputting the estimated location via the mobile cellular device.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the non-cellular data messages include WLAN data messages.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the non-cellular device is a WLAN device.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein outputting includes transmitting the information over a cellular network.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the estimated location of the tag relative to the mobile cellular device further comprises:

estimating the distance of the tag relative to the mobile device based on the measured signal strengths; and

estimating a location of the tag based on the estimated distance and determined location of the mobile device.

28. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations for determining a location of a tag using a mobile cellular device, comprising:

receiving, on a mobile cellular device, WLAN data messages transmitted from the tag, the tag being not previously associated with the mobile cellular device;

decoding the WLAN data messages to obtain information relating to the tag;

determining a location of the mobile cellular device;

measuring a signal strength of the received non-cellular data messages;

outputting to a remote server the obtained information and the measured signal strength, in cellular form via the mobile cellular device, wherein prior to outputting the obtained information, the remote server lacks location data identifying the locations of the tag and the mobile cellular device; and

outputting to the remote server the determined location of the mobile cellular device in order to enable the remote server to identify a current location of the tag based on the determined location of the mobile cellular device and the measured signal strength of the non-cellular data messages.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein:

the operations further comprise displaying the determined location of the tag.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the tag was further not previously associated with an access point.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein outputting includes transmitting the information over a cellular network.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein outputting includes sending, over the cellular network from the mobile cellular device, the information to a real-time location system.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, further comprising displaying the obtained information on a display associated with the mobile cellular device.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein:

the tag further comprises a tag sensor; and

the data messages include tag sensor data representing at least one condition sensed by the tag sensor.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the operations further comprise:

decoding the data messages to obtain the tag sensor data; and

performing an action based on the tag sensor data.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the location of the mobile cellular device is obtained using a GPS sensor in the mobile cellular device.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein

identifying a location of the tag further comprises identifying a location of the tag relative to the mobile cellular device.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 37, wherein the operations further comprise performing a search for the tag based on the identified location of the tag relative to the mobile cellular device.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the operations further comprise:

estimating a distance of the tag relative to the mobile cellular device based on the measured signal strengths.

40. The computer-readable medium of claim 39, wherein the operations further comprise performing a search for the tag based on the estimated distance of the tag relative to the mobile cellular device.

41. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the operations further comprise receiving, on a plurality of mobile cellular devices, data messages from the tag, the plurality of mobile cellular devices being configured to locate the tag using Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) triangulation.

42. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein:

the tag is a bi-directional tag; and

the operations further comprise sending, from the mobile cellular device, a message to at least one of activate, deactivate, trigger, or program the tag.

43. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the operations further comprise configuring the mobile cellular device to associate and de-associate tags with an asset or a living thing.