Methods and networks for dynamically changing an operational mode of node operations in a wireless node network

• US 9,769,785 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2014
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• 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): RECEK, JASON D
• Application Number:
  US14/489,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20150156253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 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

Improved methods and networks of components are described for dynamically changing an operational mode of node operations in a wireless node network having at least a plurality of master nodes and a server. A method begins with a first master node detecting an environmental change related to the first master node, such as when the first master node loses reception of a location signal due to surrounding structure. In response to the detected environmental change, changing an operational mode for the first master node to a temporary ID node mode where the first master node no longer can self-determine its location. The first master node operating in the temporary ID node mode then notifies the server that the first master nodes is operating in the temporary ID node mode, and associates with a second master node.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically changing an operational mode of node operations in a wireless node network having at least an ID node at a low level of the network, a plurality of master nodes at a middle level of the network, and a server at a high level of the network, wherein each of the master nodes includes location circuitry for self-determining its location based upon received location signals, the method comprising:

detecting, by a first of the master nodes, an environmental change related to the first of the master nodes;

in response to the detected environmental change, changing an operational mode for the first of the master nodes to a temporary ID node mode where the location circuitry for the first of the master nodes remains enabled but no longer detects the location signals as a result of the environmental change, the temporary ID node mode allowing the first of the master nodes to temporarily operate at the low level of the network;

notifying the server by the first of the master nodes that the first of the master nodes is operating in the temporary ID node mode; and

associating the first of the master nodes operating in the temporary ID node mode with a second of the master nodes as authorized by the server to establish a permitted connection between the first of the master nodes and the second of the master nodes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the environmental change is an anticipated environmental change related to the first of the master nodes and that causes a loss of reception of the location signals by the location circuitry on the first of the master nodes.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the detected environmental change further comprises placement of at least the first of the master nodes within a container that impedes reception of the location signal by the first of the master nodes.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the temporary ID node mode allows the first of the master nodes to remain operable and communicate with the server while no longer being able to self-determine its location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of associating the first of the master nodes operating in the temporary ID node mode with the second of the master nodes further comprises:

advertising by the first of the master nodes to the second of the master nodes regarding a request to connect with the second of the master nodes;

receiving a response from the second of the master nodes by the first of the master nodes operating in the temporary ID node mode; and

sending a reply to the second of the master nodes with information requested by the second of the master nodes in the response, the reply including at least a server established security credential that indicates the first of the master nodes and the second of the master nodes are permitted to connect and share data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the changing step further comprises changing the operational mode for the first of the master nodes to the temporary ID node mode while the first of the master nodes remains in a communication relationship with the ID node.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the steps of receiving information by the first of the master nodes from the ID node, and forwarding the information to the second of the master nodes by the first of the master nodes operating in the temporary ID node mode via the permitted connection established in the associating step.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the forwarded information is sensor data gathered by the ID node.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising changing the operational mode for the first of the master nodes to a normal operational mode upon detecting a second environmental change related to the first of the master nodes, the normal operational mode being where the first of the master nodes detects the location signals again.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting the environmental change related to the first of the master nodes comprises receiving, by the first of the master nodes, an advanced environment change notification from the server when the environmental change is an upcoming environmental change anticipated by the server;

and

wherein the first of the master nodes completes an urgent task prior to the upcoming environmental change identified in the advanced environmental change notification.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of changing the operational mode for the first of the master nodes to the temporary ID node mode further includes altering a broadcast signature of the first of the master nodes to temporarily and actively identify the first of the master nodes to other master nodes as another ID node at the low level of the network.

12. A method for managing a dynamically changing operational mode of node operations in a wireless node network having at least an ID node at a low level of the network, a plurality of master nodes at a middle level of the network, and a server at a high level of the network, wherein each of the master nodes includes location circuitry for self-determining its location based upon received location signals, the method comprising:

receiving a notification by the server from a first of the master nodes reporting an environmental change related to the first of the master nodes and that the first of the master nodes has changed to a temporary ID node mode of operation where the location circuitry for the first of the master nodes remains enabled but no longer detects the location signals as a result of the environmental change;

recording a logical change of the first of the master nodes to be operating in the temporary ID node mode as a result of the environmental change; and

transmitting a server established security credential to authorize the first of the master nodes operating in the temporary ID node mode to associate with a second of the master nodes as part of establishing a permitted connection between the first of the master nodes and the second of the master nodes.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the environmental change comprises an anticipated environmental change related to the first of the master nodes and that causes a loss of reception of the location signals by the location circuitry on the first of the master nodes.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the anticipated environmental change comprises an adverse RF environment anticipated to be exposed to the first of the master nodes.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of updating context data consistent with the environmental change.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the temporary ID node mode allows the first of the master nodes to remain operable and communicate with the server while no longer being able to self-determine its location.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the environmental change results from movement of the first of the master nodes to be within a container that impedes reception of the location signal by the first of the master nodes.

18. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of receiving information from the second of the master nodes as forwarded information from the first of the master nodes when operating in the temporary ID node mode.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the forwarded information is sensor data.

20. The method of claim 12 further comprising recording another logical change of the first of the master nodes back to a normal operational mode as a result of a second environmental change related to the first of the master nodes, the normal operational mode being where the first of the master nodes detects the location signals again.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions which when executed on a processor performs a method for dynamically changing an operational mode of node operations in a wireless node network having at least an ID node at a low level of the network, a plurality of master nodes at a middle level of the network, and a server at a high level of the network, wherein each of the master nodes includes location circuitry for self-determining its location based upon received location signals, the method comprising:

detecting, by a first of the master nodes, an environmental change related to the first of the master nodes;

in response to the detected environmental change, changing an operational mode for the first of the master nodes to a temporary ID node mode where the location circuitry for the first of the master nodes remains enabled but no longer detects the location signals as a result of the environmental change, the temporary ID node mode allowing the first of the master nodes to temporarily operate at the low level of the network;

notifying the server by the first of the master nodes that the first of the master nodes is operating in the temporary ID node mode; and

associating the first of the master nodes operating in the temporary ID node mode with a second of the master nodes as authorized by the server to establish a permitted connection between the first of the master nodes and the second of the master nodes.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the detected environmental change further comprises placement of at least the first of the master nodes within a container that impedes reception of the location signal by the first of the master nodes.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the temporary ID node mode allows the first of the master nodes to remain operable and communicate with the server while no longer being able to self-determine its location.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the step of associating the first of the master nodes operating in the temporary ID node mode with the second of the master nodes further comprises:

advertising by the first of the master nodes to the second of the master nodes regarding a request to connect with the second of the master nodes;

receiving a response from the second of the master nodes by the first of the master nodes operating in the temporary ID node mode; and

sending a reply to the second of the master nodes with information requested by the second of the master nodes in the response, the reply including at least a server established security credential that indicates the first of the master nodes and the second of the master nodes are permitted to connect and share data.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the changing step further comprises changing the operational mode for the first of the master nodes to the temporary ID node mode while the first of the master nodes remains in a communication relationship with the ID node.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the method further comprises receiving information by the first of the master nodes from the at least one ID node, and forwarding the information to the second of the master nodes by the first of the master nodes operating in the temporary ID node mode via the permitted connection established in the associating step.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the forwarded information is sensor data gathered by the ID node.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the method further comprises changing the operational mode for the first of the master nodes to a normal operational mode upon detecting a second environmental change related to the first of the master nodes, the normal operational mode being where the first of the master nodes detects the location signals again.

29. A dynamically configurable wireless node network, comprising:

a plurality of master nodes comprising at least a first master node and a second master node, wherein each of the master nodes includes location circuitry for self-determining location based upon received location signals, wherein each of the master nodes having a normal operating mode where the respective master node is operative to determine its own position using the location signals received by the respective master node, and a temporary ID node mode where the location circuitry for the respective master node remains enabled but no longer detects the location signals; and

a server in communication with the master nodes; and

wherein the first master node is operative to

detect an environmental change related to the first master node,

temporarily alter a current operating mode of the first master node from the normal operating mode to the temporary ID node mode, and

wherein the second master node, when operating in the normal operating mode, is operative to associate and establish a permitted connection with the first master node when the first master node is operating in the temporary ID node mode and based upon a server established security credential stored in the second master node that authorizes the second master node and the first master node to associate and establish the permitted connection between the second master node and the first master node.

30. The dynamically configurable wireless node network of claim 29, wherein the server is operative to:

receive a notification from the first master node reporting the environmental change and indicating that the first master node has changed to the temporary ID node mode;

record a logical change of the first master node to be operating in the temporary ID node mode; and

transmit the server established security credential to the first master node and the second master node to authorize the second master node to associate with the first master node when the first master node is operating in the temporary ID node mode.

31. The dynamically configurable wireless node network of claim 29, wherein the environmental change comprises an inability of the location circuitry in the first master node to sufficiently receive and determine its own position based upon the location signals while the first master node remains enabled.

32. The dynamically configurable wireless node network of claim 31, wherein the environmental change further comprises the first master node being exposed to an adverse RF environment that impedes reception of the location signal by the first master node.

33. The dynamically configurable wireless node network of claim 32, wherein the adverse RF environment further comprises placement of the first master node near shielding material.

34. The dynamically configurable wireless node network of claim 29, wherein the first master node operating in the temporary ID node mode is further operative to return to functioning as the first master node in the normal operating mode upon detecting a second environmental change.

35. The dynamically configurable wireless node network of claim 34, wherein the second environmental change is when the first master node remains enabled, again detects the location signals, and returns to functioning as the first master node in the normal operating mode.

36. The dynamically configurable wireless node network of claim 34, wherein the first master node is operative, when operating in the temporary ID node mode, to receive sensor information and forward the sensor information to the second master node.