Tracking device location and coordination

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11689891-B2
Application number	US-202117399069-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 11, 2021
Priority date	Aug 11, 2021
Publication date	Jun 27, 2023
Grant date	Jun 27, 2023

Abstract

Communication between an owner of a lost tracking device and a finder of a lost tracking device is established. A tracking system receives an identifier of a tracking device and a request for a web page from a mobile device that has captured an image of a smart code on the tracking device. The smart code is embedded with a URL to the web page. The system displays the web page on the mobile device and prompts the user to provide a location of the mobile device. The location is associated with the identifier of the tracking device. A notification indicating the location of the tracking device is generated for the owner. The owner is prompted to provide information to establish contact with the finder of the device, and the web page is populated with the owner's provided information for display on the finder's mobile device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
receiving, by a tracking system, an identifier of a tracking device and a request for a web page from a mobile device that captures an image of a smart code included on an exterior of the tracking device, the smart code embedded with a URL for the web page;
providing, by the tracking system, the web page for display by the mobile device, the web page configured to prompt a user of the mobile device to provide, via a web browser of the mobile device, a location of the mobile device to the tracking system;
in response to receiving the location of the mobile device from the user, associating the location of the mobile device with the identifier of the tracking device;
generating, by the tracking system, a notification to send to an owner of the tracking device and indicating that the tracking device was found by the user of the mobile device and including the location of the mobile device;
receiving, by the tracking system, information from the owner of the tracking device for the user of the mobile device to establish communication with the owner of the tracking device; and
populating, by the tracking system, the web page with the information from the owner of the tracking device for display to the user of the mobile device, the web page comprising an interface element that allows the user to contact the owner via anonymous chat or anonymous call.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device does not have an application associated with the tracking system installed.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the smart code is a QR code, bar code, or image.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information received is responsive to the owner receiving the notification.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information comprises default information that the owner provides to the tracking system before receiving the notification.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable instructions that, when executed by a hardware processor of a tracking system, cause the tracking system to perform steps comprising:
receiving, by a tracking system, an identifier of a tracking device and a request for a web page from a mobile device that captures an image of a smart code included on an exterior of the tracking device, the smart code embedded with a URL for the web page;
providing, by the tracking system, the web page for display by the mobile device, the web page configured to prompt a user of the mobile device to provide, via a web browser of the mobile device, a location of the mobile device to the tracking system;
in response to receiving the location of the mobile device from the user, associating the location of the mobile device with the identifier of the tracking device;
generating, by the tracking system, a notification to send to an owner of the tracking device and indicating that the tracking device was found by the user of the mobile device and including the location of the mobile device;
receiving, by the tracking system, information from the owner of the tracking device for the user of the mobile device to establish communication with the owner of the tracking device; and
populating, by the tracking system, the web page with the information from the owner of the tracking device for display to the user of the mobile device, the web page comprising an interface element that allows the user to contact the owner via anonymous chat or anonymous call.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein the mobile device does not have an application associated with the tracking system installed.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein the smart code is a QR code, bar code, or image.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein the information received is responsive to the owner receiving the notification.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein the information comprises default information that the owner provides to the tracking system before receiving the notification.

11. A tracking system comprising a hardware processor and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable instructions that, when executed by the hardware processor, cause the tracking system to perform steps comprising:
receiving, by a tracking system, an identifier of a tracking device and a request for a web page from a mobile device that captures an image of a smart code included on an exterior of the tracking device, the smart code embedded with a URL for the web page;
providing, by the tracking system, the web page for display by the mobile device, the web page configured to prompt a user of the mobile device to provide, via a web browser of the mobile device, a location of the mobile device to the tracking system;
in response to receiving the location of the mobile device from the user, associating the location of the mobile device with the identifier of the tracking device;
generating, by the tracking system, a notification to send to an owner of the tracking device and indicating that the tracking device was found by the user of the mobile device and including the location of the mobile device;
receiving, by the tracking system, information from the owner of the tracking device for the user of the mobile device to establish communication with the owner of the tracking device; and
populating, by the tracking system, the web page with the information from the owner of the tracking device for display to the user of the mobile device, the web page comprising an interface element that allows the user to contact the owner via anonymous chat or anonymous call.

12. The tracking system of claim 11 , wherein the mobile device does not have an application associated with the tracking system installed.

13. The tracking system of claim 11 , wherein the smart code is a QR code, bar code, or image.

14. The tracking system of claim 11 , wherein the information received is responsive to the owner receiving the notification.

15. The tracking system of claim 11 , wherein the information comprises default information that the owner provides to the tracking system before receiving the notification.

Assignees

• Tile Inc

Inventors

• Leyva Omar
• Brooks Christopher
• Klinkner Steven R
• Yang Cihang
• Chiquillo Eric
• Gatti Andre

Classifications

• H04W4/029 Primary

  Location-based management or tracking services · CPC title

• H04W12/02

  Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII] · CPC title

• H04M1/72445 Primary

  for supporting Internet browser applications · CPC title

• H04M3/42008

  Systems for anonymous communication between parties, e.g. by use of disposal contact identifiers · CPC title

• H04M1/2755

  by optical scanning · CPC title