Method and system for locating a device using a local wireless link

• US 6,735,444 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2000
• Issued: 05/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Wingren, Gustav
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dao, Minh D.
• Application Number:
  US09/746,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20020081970A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,237 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 342/457, 342/463, 342/465, 340/539.13, 340/539.32
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A system and method for locating objects uses a wireless communication interface for performing searches for specified objects. Initially, a location request for a specified device is transmitted via a local wireless interface, such as a Bluetooth™ radio interface, by a request origination device. A separate device receives the location request, either directly or via one or more other devices that use the local wireless interface, and forwards the location request via the local wireless interface. When the separate device receives a response to the forwarded location request from the specified device, the separate device sends a message to the request origination device that includes information relating to a location of the specified device.

Claims

1. A method for searching for objects using a wireless communications interface, comprising the steps of:

transmitting a search request for a specified device via a local wireless interface, said search request transmitted by a first device;

receiving the search request at a second device;

forwarding the search request to a new separate device via the local wireless interface;

determining whether the separate device comprises the specified device;

notifying the first device if the separate device comprises the specified device;

notifying the first device that the search failed if the separate device does not comprise the specified device and if the search request has been forwarded at least a predetermined number of times; and

otherwise, repeating the steps of forwarding the search request and determining whether the new separate device comprises the specified device until one of the specified device is located and the search request has been forwarded at least said predetermined number of times.