Tool tracking device with multiple and application settable beacon transmission rates

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12270922-B2
Application number	US-202418416401-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 18, 2024
Priority date	Aug 13, 2019
Publication date	Apr 8, 2025
Grant date	Apr 8, 2025

Abstract

A method for modifying a repeat interval of a locator beacon is described. The method includes transmitting repeatedly, by a beacon transmitter, a first advertising beacon signal through a first number of transmission repetitions spaced at a first repeat interval. The method further includes transmitting repeatedly, by the beacon transmitter, a second advertising beacon signal through a second number of transmission repetitions at a second repeat interval, wherein the second advertising beacon signal includes an identifier that provides identification of the beacon transmitter and user information. The method further includes receiving a modification instruction from a user device. The modification instruction is configured to modify the first repeat interval into a third repeat interval. The method also includes transmitting repeatedly, by a beacon transmitter, the first beacon signal through the first number of transmission repetitions spaced at the third repeat interval.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tracking system comprising:
a locator beacon including:
a first wireless transmitter; and
one or more first electronic processors, the one or more first electronic processors configured to:
transmit repeatedly, via the first wireless transmitter, a first beacon signal through a first number of transmission repetitions spaced at a first repeat interval, wherein the first beacon signal includes a first beacon identification,
transmit repeatedly, via the first wireless transmitter, a first advertising signal through a second number of transmission repetitions at a second repeat interval, wherein the first advertising signal includes an identifier that provides identification of the locator beacon,
transmit repeatedly, via the first wireless transmitter, a second beacon signal through a third number of transmission repetitions spaced at a third repeat interval, wherein the third repeat interval is different than the first repeat interval, wherein the second beacon signal includes a second beacon identification different than the first beacon identification, and wherein at least one of the first number of transmission repetitions occurs between at least two of the third number of transmission repetitions, and
transmit repeatedly, via the first wireless transmitter, a second advertising signal through a fourth number of transmission repetitions at a fourth repeat interval, wherein the second advertising signal includes the identifier that provides identification of the locator beacon; and

a wireless device including:
a second wireless transmitter, and
one or more second electronic processors, the one or more second electronic processors configured to:
activate, in response to the first beacon signal being received by the wireless device, a location logging application including a location application function,
log a location of the locator beacon by the location application function in response to the first advertising signal being received by the wireless device,
activate, in response to the second beacon signal being received by the wireless device, the location logging application including the location application function, and
log the location of the locator beacon by the location application function in response to the second advertising signal being received by the wireless device.

2. The tracking system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more first electronic processors is configured to:
transmit repeatedly, via the first wireless transmitter, a third beacon signal through a fifth number of transmission repetitions spaced at a fifth repeat interval, wherein the fifth repeat interval is different than the first repeat interval and the third repeat interval, wherein the third beacon signal includes a third beacon identification different than the first beacon identification and the second beacon identification, and wherein at least one of the third number of transmission repetitions occurs between at least two of the fifth number of transmission repetitions; and
transmit repeatedly, via the first wireless transmitter, a third advertising signal through a sixth number of transmission repetitions at a sixth repeat interval, wherein the third advertising signal includes the identifier that provides identification of the locator beacon;
wherein the one or more second electronic processors is configured to:
activate, in response to the first beacon signal being received by the wireless device, a location logging application including a location application function, and
log a location of the locator beacon by the location application function in response to the first advertising signal being received by the wireless device.

3. The tracking system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more first electronic processors are configured to:
receive, via the first wireless transmitter, a modification instruction from the wireless device or another wireless device; and
modify the first repeat interval, the third repeat interval, or both the first repeat interval and the third repeat interval based on the modification instruction.

4. The tracking system of claim 1 , wherein the first advertising signal includes user information, and wherein the second advertising signal includes user information.

5. The tracking system of claim 1 , wherein the second repeat interval and the fourth repeat interval are different;
wherein the second repeat interval is based on the first repeat interval, and wherein the fourth repeat interval is based on the third repeat interval.

6. The tracking system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first beacon signal and the second beacon signal are each a first signal using an open protocol for alerting the location logging application to a presence of the locator beacon; and
the first advertising signal and the second advertising signal are each a second signal using a proprietary protocol for providing the identification of the locator beacon.

7. The tracking system of claim 1 , wherein the location of the locator beacon is determined based on a location of the wireless device.

8. The tracking system of claim 1 , wherein the locator beacon is integrated within a power tool.

9. A method of tracking a locator beacon, the method comprising:
transmitting repeatedly, with one or more first electronic processors of the locator beacon via a first wireless transmitter of the locator beacon, a first beacon signal through a first number of transmission repetitions spaced at a first repeat interval, wherein the first beacon signal includes a first beacon identification;
transmitting repeatedly, with the one or more first electronic processors via the first wireless transmitter, a first advertising signal through a second number of transmission repetitions at a second repeat interval, wherein the first advertising signal includes an identifier that provides identification of the locator beacon;
transmitting repeatedly, with the one or more first electronic processors via the first wireless transmitter, a second beacon signal through a third number of transmission repetitions spaced at a third repeat interval, wherein the third repeat interval is different than the first repeat interval, wherein the second beacon signal includes a second beacon identification different than the first beacon identification, and wherein at least one of the first number of transmission repetitions occurs between at least two of the third number of transmission repetitions;
transmitting repeatedly, with the one or more first electronic processors via the first wireless transmitter, a second advertising signal through a fourth number of transmission repetitions at a fourth repeat interval, wherein the second advertising signal includes the identifier that provides identification of the locator beacon;
activating, with one or more second electronic processors of a wireless device and in response to the first beacon signal being received by the wireless device via a second wireless transmitter of the wireless device, a location logging application including a location application function;
logging, with the one or more second electronic processors, a location of the locator beacon by the location application function in response to the first advertising signal being received by the wireless device via the second wireless transmitter;
activating, with the one or more second electronic processors and in response to the second beacon signal being received by the wireless device via the second wireless transmitter, the location logging application including the location application function; and
logging, with the one or more second electronic processors, the location of the locator beacon by the location application functio

Assignees

• Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp

Inventors

• Davis Anthony
• Jefferson Erik W
• Perreault David R
• Gellings Mark A
• Burkhardt Christopher J

Classifications

• G01S2205/008

  using a mobile telephone network · CPC title

• H04W4/02

  Services making use of location information · CPC title

• H04W8/24

  Transfer of terminal data · CPC title

• H04W4/80

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title

• H04W8/20

  Transfer of user or subscriber data · CPC title