Systems, apparatus, and methods of enhanced monitoring for an event candidate associated with cycling power of an ID node within a wireless node network

• US 10,057,133 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2016
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2015
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Brian D
• Application Number:
  US15/167,429
• Publication Number:
  US 20170013487A1
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0645 by additionally acting on or stimulating the network after receiving notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/069 using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/32 Specific management aspects for broadband networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/04 Processing captured monitoring data, e.g. for logfile generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• 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 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements

Abstract

Systems, master node-based apparatus, and methods are described for enhanced monitoring for an event candidate within a wireless node network. Such a system may include a low-level ID node and a mid-level master node. The master node receives a first group of signals, and then detects if the ID node is broadcasting with a cycling broadcast RF power profile setting, receives a second plurality of advertising signals from the ID node also broadcast with this setting. The master node then determines a first average of an observed parameter for the first advertising signals within a first window of time commensurate with the cycling period and a second average of the observed parameter for the second advertising signals within a second window of time commensurate with the cycling period. The master node then identifies and reports the event candidate when a comparison of the first average and the second average indicates a threshold observed change relative to the ID node.

Claims

1. An enhanced monitoring system for identifying an event candidate within a wireless node network having a server, the system comprising:

at least one ID node disposed at a low level within the wireless node network, the ID node being incapable of communicating directly with the server;

a master node disposed at a middle level within the wireless node network as a monitoring intermediary between the ID node and the server, wherein the master node further comprises

a master node processor,

a memory storage coupled to the master node processor, the memory storage maintaining event detection engine code for execution by the master node processor,

a first communication interface coupled to the master node processor and operative to communicate directly with the ID node over a first communication path;

a second communication interface coupled to the master node processor and operative to communicate directly with the server over a second communication path, wherein the first communication path is distinct from the second communication path;

wherein as the ID node broadcasts a first plurality of advertising signals over the first communication path, the master node, when executing the event detection engine code on the master node processor, is operative to

receive the first plurality of advertising signals using the first communication interface,

detect if the ID node is broadcasting with a cycling broadcast RF power profile setting based upon at least one of the first plurality of advertising signals, the cycling broadcast RF power profile setting defining a cycle period over which the ID node alters how it broadcasts at different RF power levels,

detect an observed parameter for each of the first plurality of advertising signals, and

determine a first average of the observed parameters for the first plurality of advertising signals within a first window of time commensurate with the cycle period; and

wherein as the ID node broadcasts a second plurality of advertising signals over the first communication path, the master node, when continuing to execute the event detection engine code on the master node processor, is operative to

receive the second plurality of advertising signals broadcast by the ID node after the ID node broadcasts the first plurality of advertising signals, wherein the second plurality of advertising signals are broadcast with the cycling broadcast RF power profile setting,

detect an observed parameter for each of the second plurality of advertising signals,

determine a second average of the observed parameters for the second plurality of advertising signals within a second window of time commensurate with the cycle period,

identify the event candidate relative to the ID node when a comparison of the first average and the second average indicates an observed change relative to the ID node, and

cause the second communication interface to send a reporting message to the server, the reporting message indicating the identified event candidate relative to the ID node.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the cycling broadcast RF power profile setting periodically has the ID node how it broadcasts at the different RF power levels.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the cycle period comprises a first period where the ID node broadcasts at a low-power level, a second period where the ID node broadcasts at a mid-power level, and a third period where the ID node broadcasts at a high-power level.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the detecting step further comprises parsing, by the master node, the at least one of the first plurality of advertising signals to identify a part of a signal header defining the cycling broadcast RF power profile setting.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the cycling broadcast RF power profile setting indicates that the first ID node is currently operating in a mode that periodically has the ID node changing the RF power level broadcast in each of the first plurality of advertising signals.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the observed change comprises a threshold difference between the first average and the second average.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the observed parameter comprises a signal strength value as detected by the master node;

and wherein the observed change comprises a threshold power difference between the first average and the second average.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the event candidate reported to the server over the second communication interface avoids the need for the master node to update the server with information about the signal strength value of each of the first plurality of advertising signals and the second plurality of advertising signals broadcast from the ID node.

9. An enhanced master node apparatus for identifying an event candidate within a wireless node network having at least one ID node and a server, the ID node being disposed at a low level within the wireless node network and being incapable of communicating directly with the server while the master node apparatus is disposed at a middle level within the wireless node network as a monitoring intermediary between the ID node and the server, the master node apparatus comprising:

a master node processor,

a memory storage coupled to the master node processor, the memory storage maintaining event detection engine code for execution by the master node processor,

a first communication interface coupled to the master node processor and operative to communicate directly with the ID node over a first communication path;

a second communication interface coupled to the master node processor and operative to communicate directly with the server over a second communication path, wherein the first communication path is distinct from the second communication path;

wherein the master node apparatus, when executing the event detection engine code on the master node processor, is operative to

receive a first plurality of advertising signals broadcast by the ID node using the first communication interface,

detect if the ID node is broadcasting with a cycling broadcast RF power profile setting based upon at least one of the first plurality of advertising signals, the cycling broadcast RF power profile setting defining a cycle period over which the ID node alters how it broadcasts at different RF power levels,

detect an observed parameter for each of the first plurality of advertising signals,

determine a first average of the observed parameters for the first plurality of advertising signals within a first window of time commensurate with the cycle period,

receive a second plurality of advertising signals broadcast by the ID node after the ID node broadcasts the first plurality of advertising signals, wherein the second plurality of advertising signals are broadcast with the cycling broadcast RF power profile setting,

detect an observed parameter for each of the second plurality of advertising signals,

determine a second average of the observed parameters for the second plurality of advertising signals within a second window of time commensurate with the cycle period,

identify the event candidate relative to the ID node when a comparison of the first average and the second average indicates an observed change relative to the ID node, and

cause the second communication interface to send a reporting message to the server, the reporting message indicating the identified event candidate relative to the ID node.

10. The master node apparatus of claim 9, wherein the cycling broadcast RF power profile setting periodically has the ID node how it broadcasts at the different RF power levels.

11. The master node apparatus of claim 9, wherein the cycle period comprises a first period where the ID node broadcasts at a low-power level, a second period where the ID node broadcasts at a mid-power level, and a third period where the ID node broadcasts at a high-power level.

12. The master node apparatus of claim 9, wherein the detecting step further comprises parsing, by the master node, the at least one of the first plurality of advertising signals to identify a part of a signal header defining the cycling broadcast RF power profile setting.

13. The master node apparatus of claim 12, wherein the cycling broadcast RF power profile setting indicates that the ID node is currently operating in a mode that periodically has the ID node changing the RF power level broadcast in each of the first plurality of advertising signals.

14. The master node apparatus of claim 9, wherein the observed change comprises a threshold difference between the first average and the second average.

15. The master node apparatus of claim 9, wherein the observed parameter comprises a signal strength value as detected by the master node;

and wherein the observed change comprises a threshold power difference between the first average and the second average.

16. The master node apparatus of claim 9, wherein the event candidate reported to the server over the second communication interface avoids the need for the master node to update the server with information about the signal strength value of each of the first plurality of advertising signals and the second plurality of advertising signals broadcast from the ID node.

17. A method for enhanced monitoring for an event candidate within a wireless node network having a plurality of ID nodes, a master node in communication with the ID nodes, and a server in communication with the master node, comprising the steps of:

receiving, by the master node, a first plurality of advertising signals broadcast by a first of the ID nodes;

detecting, by the master node, if the first ID node is broadcasting with a cycling broadcast RF power profile setting based upon at least one of the first plurality of advertising signals, the cycling broadcast RF power profile setting defining a cycle period over which the first ID node alters how it broadcasts at different RF power levels;

receiving, by the master node, a second plurality of advertising signals broadcast by the first ID node after the first ID node broadcasts the first plurality of advertising signals, wherein the second plurality of advertising signals are broadcast with the cycling broadcast RF power profile setting;

determining, by the master node, a first average of an observed parameter for the first plurality of advertising signals within a first window of time commensurate with the cycle period;

determining, by the master node, a second average of the observed parameter for the second plurality of advertising signals within a second window of time commensurate with the cycle period;

identifying, by the master node, the event candidate when a comparison of the first average and the second average indicates an observed change relative to the first ID node; and

reporting, by the master node to the server, the event candidate relative to the first ID node.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the cycling broadcast RF power profile setting periodically has the first ID node how it broadcasts at the different RF power levels.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the cycle period comprises a first period where the first ID node broadcasts at a low-power level, a second period where the first ID node broadcasts at a mid-power level, and a third period where the first ID node broadcasts at a high-power level.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the detecting step further comprises parsing, by the master node, the at least one of the first plurality of advertising signals to identify a part of a signal header defining the cycling broadcast RF power profile setting.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the cycling broadcast RF power profile setting indicates that the first ID node is currently operating in a mode that periodically has the first ID node changing the RF power level broadcast in each of the first plurality of advertising signals.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the observed change comprises a threshold difference between the first average and the second average.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the observed parameter comprises a signal strength value as detected by the master node;

and wherein the observed change comprises a threshold power difference between the first average and the second average.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the event candidate reported to the server avoids the need for the master node to update the server with information about the signal strength value of each of the first plurality of advertising signals and the second plurality of advertising signals broadcast from the first ID node.