Proximity node location using a wireless node network

• US 9,978,035 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2017
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fedex Corporate Services Incorporated (FedEx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fedex Corporate Services Incorporated (FedEx Corporation)
• Inventors: Skaaksrud, Ole-Petter, Hollahan, Terence, Benton, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): WYCHE, MYRON
• Application Number:
  US15/436,899
• Publication Number:
  US 20170164319A1
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• 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: 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

Methods, media, apparatus, and systems are described for improved and enhanced node location determination related to one of a plurality of nodes in a wireless node network. A first and second other node in the network are instructed to detect any message broadcast from the one node over a period of time. The server receives a first indication from the first other node, where the first indication relates to a characteristic of all messages broadcast from the one node that are detected by the first other node during the time period. The server receives a second indication from the second other node, where the second indication relates to the characteristic of all messages broadcast from the one node that are detected by the second other node during the time period. The server then determines a location of the one node based upon a difference in the first and second indications.

Claims

1. An improved method for locating a particular one of a plurality of nodes in a wireless node network having a server, the method comprising:

setting, by the server, a detection time period to a first value;

instructing, by the server, a first other of the nodes and a second other of the nodes to detect any message broadcast from the particular one node over the detection time period;

receiving, by the server, a first indication from the first other node, the first indication related to a characteristic of all messages broadcast from the particular one node that are detected by the first other node during the detection time period;

receiving, by the server, a second indication from the second other node, the second indication related to the characteristic of all messages broadcast from the particular one node that are detected by the second other node during the detection time period;

determining a location of the particular one node based upon a difference in the first indication and the second indication;

receiving, by the server, at least one of a first updated location from the first other node and a second updated location received from the second other node; and

refining the location of the particular one node based upon at least one of the received first updated location received from the first other node and the received second updated location received from the second other node.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the setting step further comprises setting the detection time period to the first value based upon context data associated with the particular one node.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the context data associated with the particular one node comprises data related to an environment in which the particular one node is operating.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the context data associated with the particular one node comprises weather information related to the environment in which the particular one node is operating.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the context data associated with the particular one node comprises location-based statistical information about the environment in which the particular one node is operating.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the context data associated with the particular one node comprises data related to an environment in which the particular one node is anticipated to be operating.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the context data associated with the particular one node comprises weather information related to the environment in which the particular one node is anticipated to be operating.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the context data associated with the particular one node comprises location-based statistical information about the environment in which the particular one node is anticipated to be operating.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the environment in which the particular one node is operating comprises an electronic communication environment in which the particular one node is operating.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the electronic communication environment comprises at least one of a characteristic level of signals proximate the particular one node and a characteristic level of signal shielding material proximate the particular one node.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein the environment in which the particular one node is operating comprises a physical environment in which the particular one node is operating.

12. The method of claim 3, wherein the environment in which the particular one node is operating comprises a physical environment of an anticipated path along which the particular one node is anticipated to move.

13. The method of claim 3, wherein the environment in which the particular one node is operating comprises a conveyance environment in which the particular one node is operating.

14. The method of claim 3, wherein the environment in which the particular one node is operating comprises a conveyance environment related to how the particular one node is anticipated to move.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the conveyance environment comprises a movement speed relative to movement of the particular one node.

16. The method of claim 3, wherein the environment in which the particular one node is operating comprises a density environment related to a density of others of the plurality of nodes operating within an area near the particular one node.

17. The method of claim 3, wherein the environment in which the particular one node is operating comprises an anticipated density environment related to a density of others of the plurality of nodes anticipated to be operating within an area near the particular one node.

18. The method of claim 2, wherein the context data associated with the particular one node comprises data related to an anticipated environment in which the particular one node is to be anticipated to be operating.

19. The method of claim 2, wherein the context data associated with the particular one node comprises data related to an anticipated environment in which the particular one node is to be anticipated to be operating as the particular one node moves on a predicted path.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the setting step comprises setting the detection time period to a dynamically varied value based upon context data as the particular one node moves from a first contextual environment to a second contextual environment.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the refining step comprises refining the location of the particular one node based upon at least one of the received first updated location received from a mobile master node as the first other node and the received second updated location received from the second other node.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first updated location comprises a current location self-determined by the mobile master node.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the particular one node is part of a node-enabled package;

and

wherein the step of determining the location of the particular one node further comprises determining the location of the particular one node while the particular one node is within the node-enabled package and while the node-enabled package is within a vehicle.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

generating a location message regarding where the node-enabled package is located within the vehicle based upon the determined location of the particular one node; and

transmitting the location message to the mobile master node for display on a user interface on the mobile master node.

25. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

accessing shipping information related to the node-enabled package;

generating a relocation message regarding where the node-enabled package is to be relocated within the vehicle based upon the determined location of the particular one node and the accessed shipping information; and

transmitting the relocation message to the mobile master node for display on a user interface on the mobile master node.

26. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining context data related to the closer of the first other node and the second other node when compared to the location of the particular one node, and refining the location of the particular one node based upon the context data.

27. An apparatus for locating a particular one of a plurality of nodes in a wireless node network, comprising:

a server in communication with at least a first other of the nodes and a second other of the nodes, the server further comprising,

a server processing unit,

a server volatile memory coupled to the server processing unit,

a server memory storage coupled to the server processing unit, the server memory storage maintaining at least a program code section and location data, and

a communication interface that provides a communication path operatively coupling the server with the first other node and the second other node; and

wherein the server processing unit, when executing at least the program code section resident in the server volatile memory, is operative to

set a detection time period to a first value,

send an operation message to the first other node instructing the first other node to detect any message broadcast from the particular one node over the detection time period,

send another operation message to the second other node instructing the second other node to detect any message broadcast from the particular one node over the detection time period,

receive, from the communication interface, a first indication from the first other node, the first indication related to a characteristic of all messages broadcast from the particular one node that are detected by the first other node during the detection time period,

receive, from the communication interface, a second indication from the second other node, the second indication related to the characteristic of all messages broadcast from the particular one node that are detected by the second other node during the detection time period,

determine a location of the particular one node based upon a difference in the first indication and the second indication,

receive, from the communication interface, at least one of a first updated location from the first other node and a second updated location received from the second other node, and

refine the location of the particular one node based upon at least one of the received first updated location received from the first other node and the received second updated location received from the second other node.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the server memory storage further maintains context data associated with the particular one node;

and

wherein the server processing unit is further operative to set the detection time period to the first value based upon the context data associated with the particular one node.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the context data associated with the particular one node comprises data related to an environment in which the particular one node is operating.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the context data associated with the particular one node comprises weather information related to the environment in which the particular one node is operating.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the context data associated with the particular one node comprises location-based statistical information about the environment in which the particular one node is operating.

32. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the context data associated with the particular one node comprises data related to an environment in which the particular one node is anticipated to be operating.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the context data associated with the particular one node comprises weather information related to the environment in which the particular one node is anticipated to be operating.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the context data associated with the particular one node comprises location-based statistical information about the environment in which the particular one node is anticipated to be operating.

35. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the environment comprises an electronic communication environment in which the particular one node is operating.

36. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the electronic communication environment comprises at least one of a characteristic level of signals proximate the particular one node and a characteristic level of signal shielding material proximate the particular one node.

37. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the environment in which the particular one node is operating comprises a physical environment in which the particular one node is operating.

38. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the environment in which the particular one node is operating comprises a physical environment of an anticipated path along which the particular one node is anticipated to move.

39. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the environment in which the particular one node is operating comprises a conveyance environment in which the particular one node is operating.

40. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the environment in which the particular one node is operating comprises a conveyance environment related to how the particular one node is anticipated to move.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the conveyance environment comprises a movement speed relative to movement of the particular one node.

42. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the environment in which the particular one node is operating comprises a density environment related to a density of a subset of the plurality of nodes operating within an area proximate the particular one node.

43. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the environment in which the particular one node is operating comprises an anticipated density environment related to a density of a subset of the plurality of nodes anticipated to be operating within an area proximate the particular one node.

44. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the context data associated with the particular one node comprises data related to an anticipated environment in which the particular one node is to be anticipated to be operating.

45. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the context data associated with the particular one node comprises data related to an anticipated environment in which the particular one node is to be anticipated to be operating as the particular one node moves on a server predicted path from at least a first location to a second location.

46. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the server memory storage further maintains context data associated with the particular one node;

and

wherein the server processing unit is further operative to set the detection time period to a dynamically varied value based upon the context data as the particular one node moves from a first contextual environment to a second contextual environment.

47. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the server processing unit is further operative to refine the location of the particular one node based upon at least one of the received first updated location received from a mobile master node as the first other node and the received second updated location received from the second other node.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the first updated location comprises a current location self-determined by the mobile master node and provided by the mobile master node to the server.

49. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the particular one node is part of a node-enabled package;

and

wherein the server processing unit is further operative to determine the location of the particular one node while the particular one node is within the node-enabled package and while the node-enabled package is within a vehicle.

50. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the server processing unit is further operative to:

generate a location message regarding where the node-enabled package is located within the vehicle based upon the determined location of the particular one node; and

cause the communication interface to transmit the location message to the mobile master node for display on a user interface on the mobile master node.

51. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the server memory storage further maintains shipping information related to the node-enabled package;

and

wherein the server processing unit is further operative to;

access the shipping information within the server memory storage,

generate a relocation message regarding where the node-enabled package is to be relocated within the vehicle based upon the determined location of the particular one node and the accessed shipping information, and

cause the communication interface to transmit the relocation message to the mobile master node for display on a user interface on the mobile master node.

52. A system for locating a particular one of a plurality of nodes disposed at a first level of a wireless node network, the system comprising:

a mobile master node disposed at a second level of the wireless node network, the mobile master node comprising

location circuitry that self-determines a current location of the mobile master node, and

a master node wireless communication interface that is configured to detect broadcasts from the particular one of the nodes, transmit information related to a characteristic of detected broadcasts from the particular one of the nodes, and transmit the current location for the mobile master node as self-determined by the location circuitry; and

a server disposed at a third level of the wireless node network, the server being in communication with at least the mobile master node and another of the nodes, the server further comprising,

a server processing unit,

a server volatile memory coupled to the server processing unit,

a server memory storage coupled to the server processing unit, the server memory storage maintaining at least a program code section and location data, and

a server communication interface that provides a first communication path operatively coupling the server with the mobile master node and provides a second communication path operatively coupling the server with the another node; and

wherein the server processing unit, when executing at least the program code section resident in the server volatile memory, is operative to

set a detection time period to a first value, and

cause the server communication interface to send an operation message to the mobile master node instructing the mobile master node to detect any message broadcast from the particular one node over the detection time period;

wherein the mobile master node is further operative to

receive, by the master node wireless communication interface, the operation message sent from the server,

detect, in response to the operation message, any message broadcast from the particular one node over the detection time period, and

transmit, by the master node wireless communication interface, a first indication to the server, the first indication being related to a characteristic of all messages broadcast from the particular one node that are detected by the mobile master node during the detection time period;

wherein the server processing unit is further operative

cause the server communication interface to send another operation message to the another node instructing the another node to detect any message broadcast from the particular one node over the detection time period,

receive, from the server communication interface, the first indication from the mobile master node and a second indication from the another node, the second indication being related to the characteristic of all messages broadcast from the particular one node that are detected by the another node during the detection time period,

determine a location of the particular one node based upon a difference in the first indication and the second indication,

receive, from the server communication interface, at least one of a first updated location from the mobile master node and a second updated location received from the another node, the first updated location being self-determined by the location circuitry of the mobile master node, and

refine the location of the particular one node based upon at least one of the received first updated location and the received second updated location.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein the server memory storage further maintains context data associated with particular one node;

and

wherein the server processing unit is further operative to set the detection time period to the first value based upon the context data associated with the particular one node.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein the context data associated with the particular one node comprises data related to an environment in which the particular one node is operating.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein the context data associated with the particular one node comprises weather information related to the environment in which the particular one node is operating.

56. The system of claim 54, wherein the context data associated with the particular one node comprises location-based statistical information about the environment in which the particular one node is operating.

57. The system of claim 53, wherein the context data associated with the particular one node comprises data related to an environment in which the particular one node is anticipated to be operating.

58. The system of claim 57, wherein the context data associated with the particular one node comprises weather information related to the environment in which the particular one node is anticipated to be operating.

59. The system of claim 58, wherein the context data associated with the particular one node comprises location-based statistical information about the environment in which the particular one node is anticipated to be operating.

60. The system of claim 54, wherein the data related to the environment comprises at least data related to two or more of:

(a) an electronic communication environment in which the particular one node is presently operating;

(b) an electronic communication environment in which the particular one node is anticipated to be operating;

(c) a physical environment in which the particular one node is presently operating;

(d) a physical environment in which the particular one node is anticipated to be operating;

(e) a conveyance environment in which the particular one node is presently operating;

(f) a conveyance environment related to how the particular one node is anticipated to move;

(g) a density environment related to a density of a first subset of the plurality of nodes operating within an area proximate the particular one node; and

(h) an anticipated density environment related to a density of a second subset of the plurality of nodes anticipated to be operating within the area proximate the particular one node.

61. The system of claim 52, wherein the server memory storage further maintains context data associated with the particular one node;

and

wherein the server processing unit is further operative to set the detection time period to the first value based upon the context data as the particular one node moves from a first contextual environment to a second contextual environment.

62. The system of claim 52, wherein the particular one node is part of a node-enabled package;

and

wherein the server processing unit is further operative to determine the location of the particular one node while the particular one node is within the node-enabled package and while the node-enabled package is within a vehicle.

63. The system of claim 62, wherein the server processing unit is further operative to:

generate a location message regarding where the node-enabled package is located within the vehicle based upon the determined location of the particular one node; and

cause the communication interface to transmit the location message to the mobile master node for display on a user interface on the mobile master node.

64. The system of claim 62, wherein the mobile master node further comprises a user interface for display of information related to the node-enabled package;

wherein the server memory storage further maintains shipping information related to the node-enabled package; and

wherein the server processing unit is further operative to;

access the shipping information within the server memory storage,

generate a relocation message regarding where the node-enabled package is to be relocated within the vehicle based upon the determined location of the particular one node and the accessed shipping information, and

cause the server communication interface to transmit the relocation message to the mobile master node; and

wherein the mobile master node, in response to receiving the relocation message, displays information related to the relocation message on the user interface.