Low power chaining

• US 9,860,726 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2016
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• 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 Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.), AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fix, Jeremy, Meredith, Sheldon Kent, Mappus, IV, Rudolph Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Don N
• Application Number:
  US15/362,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20170078860A1
• Time in Patent Office: 400 Days
• Field of Search: 455404
• 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. The policy governing communication and alerts of the group of low power transceiver devices may change based on location.

Claims

1. A computer readable storage medium comprising computer executable instructions that when executed by a computing device cause said computing device to effectuate operations comprising:

providing a location of a first device, wherein the first device is communicatively connected with a second device via a low power chaining connection; and

responsive to providing the location of the first device, receiving instructions to update a policy of the first device, wherein the update of the policy comprises changing of a threshold that triggers an alert associated with a status of the second device.

2. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, the operations further comprising providing instructions to update a policy of the second device.

3. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the update of the policy further comprises turning off all wireless connections except for the low power chaining connection.

4. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the location of the first device is provided to a server communicatively connected to the first device via a wireless connection.

5. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions to update the policy of the first device is from a server communicatively connected to the first device via a cellular connection.

6. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the threshold is based on a distance between the first device and the second device.

7. The computer readable storage medium of claim 6, the operations further comprising determining the distance between the first device and the second device based on a transmit power of the first device or the second device.

8. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the alert indicates an emergency.

9. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the threshold is based on a transmit power.

10. 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;

providing a location of the mobile device, wherein the mobile device is communicatively connected with a second device via a low power chaining connection; and

responsive to providing the location of the mobile device, receiving instructions to update a policy of the mobile device, wherein the update of the policy comprises changing of a threshold that triggers an alert associated with a status of the second device.

11. The mobile device of claim 10, the operations further comprising providing instructions to update a policy of the second device.

12. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the update of the policy further comprises turning off all wireless connections except for the low power chaining connection.

13. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the location of the mobile device is provided to a server communicatively connected to the mobile device via a cellular connection.

14. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the instructions to update the policy of the mobile device is from a server communicatively connected to the mobile device via a cellular connection.

15. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the threshold is based on a transmit power.

16. 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;

providing a location of the mobile device, wherein the mobile device is communicatively connected with a second device via a low power chaining connection; and

responsive to providing the location of the mobile device, receiving instructions to update a policy of the mobile device, wherein the update of the policy comprises setting a communication pattern between the mobile device and the second device.

17. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the low power chaining connection comprises Bluetooth or Zigbee.

18. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the communication pattern comprises a transmit power of the mobile device.

19. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the update of the policy further comprises changing of a threshold before that triggers an alert.

20. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the update of the policy further comprises turning off all wireless connections except for the low power chaining connection.