Tracking device location identification

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12323873-B2
Application number	US-202418426065-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 29, 2024
Priority date	Feb 17, 2017
Publication date	Jun 3, 2025
Grant date	Jun 3, 2025

Abstract

A method includes periodically transmitting, by a community device of a plurality of community devices, and to a tracking system server, an updated location of a tracking device based on a last time a location of the tracking device was provided to the tracking system server, and receiving, by the community device, and from the tracking system server, a request for a location of a tracking device indicated as being lost. The method further includes determining, by the community device, and based on the request, whether the tracking device indicated as being lost is within a proximity of the community device, and transmitting, by the community device, and to the tracking system server, an additional updated location of the tracking device based on whether the tracking device indicated as being lost is within the proximity of the community device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
periodically transmitting, by a community device of a plurality of community devices, and to a tracking system server, an updated location of a tracking device based on a last time a location of the tracking device was provided to the tracking system server;
receiving, by the community device, and from the tracking system server, a request for a location of a tracking device indicated as being lost;
determining, by the community device, and based on the request, whether the tracking device indicated as being lost is within a proximity of the first community device; and
transmitting, by the community device, and to the tracking system server, an additional updated location of the tracking device based on whether the tracking device indicated as being lost is within the proximity of the community device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein periodically transmitting the updated location of the tracking device comprises waiting a predetermined period of time before transmitting the updated location of the tracking device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein periodically transmitting the updated location of the tracking device comprises:
transmitting, by the community device, and to the tracking system server, a first updated location of the tracking device; and
transmitting, by the community device, and to the tracking system server, a second updated location of the tracking device, the second updated location of the tracking device being transmitted to the tracking system server after an elapsed period of time following the transmission of the first updated location of the tracking device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the additional updated location is different from the updated location that is transmitted periodically.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to determining whether the tracking device indicated as being lost is within the proximity of the community device:
scanning, by the community device, a communication coverage area of the community device to identify any tracking devices within the proximity of the community device.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, by the community device, and to the tracking system server, the additional updated location of the tracking device along with data indicating a signal strength associated with the tracking device.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising capturing, by the community device, an image of the tracking device that corresponds to the additional updated location.

8. A community computing device, comprising:
one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media including instructions; and
one or more processors coupled to the one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media, the one or more processors configured to execute the instructions to:
periodically transmit to a tracking system server an updated location of a tracking device based on a last time a location of the tracking device was provided to the tracking system server;
receive, from the tracking system server, a request for a location of a tracking device indicated as being lost;
determine, based on the request, whether the tracking device indicated as being lost is within a proximity of the community computing device; and
transmit to the tracking system server an additional updated location of the tracking device based on whether the tracking device indicated as being lost is within the proximity of the community computing device.

9. The community computing device of claim 8 , wherein the instructions to periodically transmit the updated location of the tracking device further comprise instructions to wait a predetermined period of time before transmitting the updated location of the tracking device.

10. The community computing device of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:
transmit to the tracking system server a first updated location of the tracking device; and
transmit to the tracking system server, a second updated location of the tracking device, the second updated location of the tracking device being transmitted to the tracking system server after an elapsed period of time following the transmission of the first updated location of the tracking device.

11. The community computing device of claim 10 , wherein the instructions to transmit the additional updated location of the tracking device further comprise instructions to transmit to the tracking system server before the elapsed period of time following the transmission of the first updated location of the tracking device.

12. The community computing device of claim 8 , wherein, prior to determining whether the tracking device indicated as being lost is within the proximity of the community device, the instructions further comprise instructions to:
frequently scan a communication coverage area of the community device to identify any tracking devices within the proximity of the community device.

13. The community computing device of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to transmit to the tracking system server the additional updated location of the tracking device along with a signal strength associated with the additional updated location of the tracking device.

14. The community computing device of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to capture an image of the additional updated location of the tracking device based on whether the tracking device indicated as being lost is within the proximity of the community device.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a community device of a plurality of community devices, cause the community device to:
periodically transmit to a tracking system server, an updated location of a tracking device based on a last time a location of the tracking device was provided to the tracking system server;
receive from the tracking system server a request for a location of a tracking device indicated as being lost;
determine, based on the request, whether the tracking device indicated as being lost is within a proximity of the community device; and
transmit to the tracking system server an additional updated location of the tracking device based on whether the tracking device indicated as being lost is within the proximity of the community device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions to periodically transmit the updated location of the tracking device further comprise instructions to wait a predetermined period of time before transmitting the updated location of the tracking device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:
transmit to the tracking system server a first updated location of the tracking device; and
transmit to the tracking system server, a second updated location of the tracking device, the second updated location of the tracking device being transmitted to the tracking system server after an elapsed period of time following the transmission of the first updated location of the tracking device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions to transmit the additional updated location of the tracking device further comprise instructions to transmit to the tracking system server before the elapsed period of time following the transmission of the first updated location of the trackin

Assignees

• Tile Inc

Inventors

• Lévêque Pierre-Marie
• Patterson Wayne
• Puppala Arunkumar

Classifications

• H04W4/029

  Location-based management or tracking services · CPC title

• G08B21/24

  Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms · CPC title

• G08B21/0272

  System arrangements wherein the object is to detect exact location of child or item using triangulation other than GPS · CPC title

• G08B25/10

  using wireless transmission systems {(G08B25/009 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G08B21/0269

  System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact location of child or item using a navigation satellite system, e.g. GPS · CPC title