Proximity-based localization of wireless tags based on wireless gateway association information

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016291127-A1
Application number	US-201514674884-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 31, 2015
Priority date	Mar 31, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A capability for localization of a wireless tag based on wireless gateway association information uses a wireless tag supporting multiple states and wireless gateway association information associated with the wireless tag to control localization of the wireless tag. The wireless tag may support an unconnected state in which the wireless tag communicates location tracking information using a wireless beacon signal which may be detected by various wireless gateways and a connected state in which the wireless tag communicates location tracking information via one or more connections with one or more wireless gateways. The wireless gateway association information may include wireless gateway lists (e.g., whitelists, blacklists, or the like), association rules, notification rules, or the like. The wireless gateway association information may be used to control transitions of the wireless tag between the unconnected state and the connected state, to control notifications for the wireless tag, or the like.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A wireless tag, comprising:
a wireless communication module configured to support wireless communications of the wireless tag, the wireless tag configured to support an unconnected state in which the wireless tag communicates location tracking information via transmission of wireless beacon signals and a connected state in which the wireless tag communicates location tracking information via a connection between the wireless tag and a wireless gateway; and a controller configured to control a transition of the wireless tag from the unconnected state to the connected state based on an indication that the wireless gateway is a trusted wireless gateway for the wireless tag.

2 . The wireless tag of claim 1 , wherein the indication that the wireless gateway is a trusted wireless gateway for the wireless tag comprises an indication of establishment of the connection between the wireless tag and the wireless gateway.

3 . The wireless tag of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine that the wireless gateway is a trusted wireless gateway for the wireless tag based on wireless gateway association information maintained on the wireless tag.

4 . The wireless tag of claim 3 , wherein the wireless gateway association information maintained on the wireless tag comprises a wireless gateway whitelist for the wireless tag, wherein, to determine that the wireless gateway is a trusted wireless gateway for the wireless tag, the controller is configured to:
determine an identity of the wireless gateway based on a wireless signal received from the wireless gateway; and determine, based the identity of the wireless gateway, whether the wireless gateway is on the wireless gateway whitelist for the wireless tag.

5 . The wireless tag of claim 3 , wherein the wireless tag is configured to receive the wireless gateway association information from a location server via at least one wireless gateway.

6 . The wireless tag of claim 1 , wherein the indication that the wireless gateway is a trusted wireless gateway for the wireless tag is received from the wireless gateway.

7 . The wireless tag of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
control a transition of the wireless tag from the connected state back to the unconnected state based on an indication that the connection between the wireless tag and the wireless gateway has terminated.

8 . A wireless gateway, comprising:
a wireless communication module configured to receive a wireless beacon signal from a wireless tag; and a processor communicatively connected to the wireless communication module, the processor configured to:
determine, based on the wireless beacon signal received from the wireless tag, whether the wireless gateway is a trusted wireless gateway for the wireless tag; and
initiate establishment of a connection between the wireless tag and the wireless gateway based on a determination that the wireless gateway is a trusted wireless gateway for the wireless tag.

9 . The wireless gateway of claim 8 , wherein, to determine whether the wireless gateway is a trusted wireless gateway for the wireless tag, the processor is configured to:
propagate, toward a location server, an indication of an identity of the wireless tag; and determine, based on a response from the location server, whether the wireless gateway is a trusted wireless gateway for the wireless tag.

10 . The wireless gateway of claim 9 , wherein, to propagate the indication of the identity of the wireless tag toward the location server, the processor is configured to:
determine the identity of the wireless tag based on analysis of one or more wireless characteristics of the wireless beacon signal and propagate the identity of the wireless tag toward the location server; or determine the identity of the wireless tag from information included within the wireless beacon signal and propagate the identity of the wireless tag toward the location server.

11 . The wireless gateway of claim 8 , wherein the wireless gateway is configured to maintain information indicative of a set of wireless tags for which the wireless gateway is a trusted wireless gateway, wherein, to determine whether the wireless gateway is a trusted wireless gateway for the wireless tag, the processor is configured to:
determine an identity of the wireless tag based on the wireless beacon signal; and determine, based the identity of the wireless tag and the information indicative of the set of wireless tags for which the wireless gateway is a trusted wireless gateway, whether the wireless gateway is a trusted wireless gateway for the wireless tag.

12 . The wireless gateway of claim 11 , wherein, to determine the identity of the wireless tag based on the wireless beacon signal, the processor is configured to:
determine the identity of the wireless tag based on analysis of one or more wireless characteristics of the wireless beacon signal; or determine the identity of the wireless tag from information included within the wireless beacon signal.

13 . The wireless gateway of claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to:
receive location tracking information of the wireless tag via the connection between the wireless tag and the wireless gateway; and propagate the location tracking information of the wireless tag toward a location server.

14 . The wireless gateway of claim 8 , wherein the wireless gateway is configured to:
transmit heartbeat signals via the connection between the wireless tag and the wireless gateway; or monitor for receipt of heartbeat signals via the connection between the wireless tag and the wireless gateway.

15 . The wireless gateway of claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to:
initiate termination of the connection between the wireless tag and the wireless gateway based on a determination that a heartbeat signal has not been received via the connection for a threshold length of time.

16 . A location server for tracking a location of a wireless tag, comprising:
a processor and a memory communicatively connected to the processor, the processor configured to:
determine wireless gateway association information associated with the wireless tag; and
perform a wireless tag management function for the wireless tag based on the wireless gateway association information associated with the wireless tag.

17 . The location server of claim 16 , wherein, to determine the wireless gateway association information associated with the wireless tag, the processor is configured to:
receive, from a communication device of a user associated with the wireless tag, a message comprising at least one of information specifying a wireless gateway trusted for the wireless tag or a wireless gateway distrusted for the wireless tag.

18 . The location server of claim 16 , wherein, to determine the wireless gateway association information associated with the wireless tag, the processor is configured to:
receive, from a communication device of a user associated with the wireless tag, an indication of a geographic area; and determine, based on the indication of the geographic area, one or more wireless gateways for inclusion in the wireless gateway association information.

19 . The location server of claim 16 , wherein the processor is configured to:
automatically modify the wireless gateway association information associated with the wireless tag based on location tracking information associated with the wireless tag.

20 . The location s

Assignees

• Huang Howard
• Kennedy Irwin
• Mattu Surya
• Abbot Richard
• Ling Jonathan
• Lin Chih-Kuang
• Alcatel Lucent Usa Inc
• Alcatel Lucent

Inventors

• Huang Howard
• Kennedy Irwin
• Mattu Surya
• Abbot Richard
• Ling Jonathan
• Lin Chih-Kuang

Classifications

• G01S2205/01

  specially adapted for specific applications · CPC title

• G01S5/10 Primary

  Position of receiver fixed by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements {, e.g. omega or decca systems}(G01S5/12 takes precedence {; beacons and receivers cooperating therewith G01S1/306, G01S1/308}) · CPC title

• G06K7/0008 Primary

  General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer · CPC title

• G01S5/0294

  Trajectory determination or predictive filtering, e.g. target tracking or Kalman filtering · CPC title

• G01S5/08 Primary

  Position of single direction-finder fixed by determining direction of a plurality of spaced sources of known location · CPC title