Method and apparatus for determining system node positions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10436875-B2
Application number	US-201113184191-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 15, 2011
Priority date	Jul 15, 2010
Publication date	Oct 8, 2019
Grant date	Oct 8, 2019

Abstract

Various methods for determining a configuration of a communications system are provided, including methods for determining system node positions. One example method includes generating a node attribute information segment, and adding the node attribute information segment to an attribute information message at a position within the attribute information message indicative of a position of a node within a series string of communications connections. Some of the methods may be implemented within the context of an asset locating system that analyzes the timing of wireless signals to determine a location of the source of the signal. Related systems and apparatuses are also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving a request at a first receiver at a time, the first receiver being a node in a series string of communications connections that are physically connected in an order at the time, wherein the request is initiated by a hub, and the hub is unaware of the order in which the series string of communications connections is physically connect at the time of the request;
determining, by a logic circuit of the first receiver, whether the first receiver is a last node of the series string of communications connections by determining whether a signal is received on an upstream communication port of the first receiver; and
in response to determining that the signal is received on the upstream communication port of the first receiver, relaying the request to a second receiver upstream of the first receiver in the series string of communications connections; and
in response to determining that no signal is received on the upstream communication port of the first receiver:
generating, by the logic circuit of the first receiver, an attribute information message; and
adding, by the logic circuit of the first receiver, a node attribute information segment to the attribute information message at a position within the attribute information message indicative of a physical position of the first receiver in the series string of communications connections such that the attribute information message is indicative of the order in which the series string of communications connections is physically connected at the time.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, when the first receiver is not the last node, receiving the attribute information message from an upstream node of the series string of communications connections.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the attribute information message includes another attribute information segment for at least the upstream node.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the node attribute information segment includes an attribute describing the node generating the node attribute information segment.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, when the first receiver is the last node, transmitting the attribute information message as a bi-phase modulated signal.

6. The method of claim 1 , the attribute information message being defined such that a relative physical position of each upstream node in the series string of communications connections is determinable by determining an inverse order of node attribute information segments of the attribute information message.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein adding the node attribute information segment includes appending the node attribute information segment to an end of the attribute information message.

8. The method of claim 1 , the node attribute information segment including one or more attribute values, the attribute values including one or more of a temperature or a potentiometer value.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising capturing a wireless signal and forwarding information about the wireless signal for use in an analysis to determine a location of a source of the wireless signal.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein adding the node attribute information segment includes decomposing the node attribute information segment.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hub is to become aware of the order in which the series string of communications connections is physically connected using the attribute information message.

12. A first node comprising processing circuitry configured to control the first node to:
in response to receiving a request at a time, determine whether the first node is last in a series string of communications connections by determining whether a signal is received on an upstream communication port of the first node, wherein the series string of communications connections are physically connected in an order at the time, and the request is initiated by a hub that is unaware of the order in which the series string of communications connections is physically connected at the time of the request;
when the signal is received on the upstream communication port, relay the request to an upstream node; and
when no signal is received on the upstream communication port:
generate an attribute information message; and
add a node attribute information segment to the attribute information message at a position within the attribute information message indicative of a physical position of the node in the series string of communications connections such that the attribute information message is indicative of the order in which the series string of communications connections is physically connected at the time.

13. The first node of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to, when the first node is not the last in the series string, receive the attribute information message from the upstream node within the series string of communications connections.

14. The first node of claim 13 , wherein, when the first node is not the last node in the series string, the attribute information message includes another attribute information segment for at least one upstream node.

15. The first node of claim 12 , wherein the node attribute information segment includes an attribute describing the first node.

16. The first node of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to cause the first node to transmit the attribute information message as a bi-phase modulated signal.

17. The first node of claim 12 , the attribute information message being defined such that a relative physical position of each upstream node in the series string of communications connections is determinable by determining an inverse order of node attribute information segments of the attribute information message.

18. The first node of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry being configured to add the node attribute information segment includes being configured to append the node attribute information segment to an end of the attribute information message.

19. The first node of claim 12 , the node attribute information segment including one or more attribute values, the attribute values including one or more of a temperature or a potentiometer value.

20. The first node of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to capture a wireless signal and forward information about the wireless signal for use in an analysis to determine a location of a source of the wireless signal.

21. The first node of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to add the node attribute information segment by decomposing the node attribute information segment.

22. The first node of claim 12 , wherein the first node comprises a receiver.

23. A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer program code stored thereon, the computer program code being configured to, when executed, cause an apparatus to:
determine whether a signal is received on an upstream communication port of the apparatus to determine whether the apparatus is a last node in a series string of communications connections that are physically connected in an order at a first time;
in response to the signal being received on the upstream communication port at the first time, relay a request received from a downstream node to an upstream node, wherein the request is initiated by a hub that is unaware of the order in which the series string of communications connecti

Assignees

• Ameti Aitan
• Richley Edward A
• Zebra Tech Corp

Inventors

• Ameti Aitan
• Richley Edward A

Classifications

• H04W40/244

  using a network of reference devices, e.g. beaconing · CPC title

• G01S5/0081 Primary

  Transmission between base stations · CPC title

• H04L43/0811

  by checking connectivity · CPC title

• H04W84/02

  Hierarchically pre-organised networks, e.g. paging networks, cellular networks, WLAN [Wireless Local Area Network] or WLL [Wireless Local Loop] · CPC title

• H04L45/04

  Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing · CPC title