Platform for wireless identity transmitter and system using short range wireless broadcast

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9544075-B2
Application number	US-201313773379-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2013
Priority date	Feb 22, 2012
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

Methods, systems and devices for locating a wireless identity transmitter with a central server connected with one or more proximity broadcast receivers, such as stationary receivers or mobile devices operating as wireless receivers. The wireless identity transmitter may be a compact device configured to broadcast messages, such as through Bluetooth® advertisements, including an identification code. When within proximity, a proximity broadcast receiver may receive broadcast messages from the wireless identity transmitter and relay location information along with the wireless identity transmitter's identification code to a central server as sighting messages. The proximity broadcast receiver's own location may provide an approximate location for the wireless identity transmitter. The central server may process sighting messages, which may include signal strength information, to accurately locate the wireless identity transmitter. The central server may transmit data to third-party devices and/or mobile devices of users in response to receiving sightings messages.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for a proximity broadcast receiver to receive and relay messages including identification information corresponding to proximate wireless identity transmitters, comprising:
receiving a short-range wireless broadcast message including a rolling identifier from a wireless identity transmitter within proximity;
generating a sighting message in response to the received broadcast message, wherein the sighting message includes the rolling identifier and associated data that includes at least one of identification information corresponding to the proximity broadcast receiver, whether the sighting message is related to an alert or a registered service, information regarding software or applications executing on the proximity broadcast receiver, location information, proximity information with respect to known areas within a place, and timestamp data; and
transmitting the sighting message via long-range communications to a server.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the associated data also includes authentication information that confirms the identification information of the proximity broadcast receiver.

3. A proximity broadcast receiver configured to receive and relay messages including identification information corresponding to proximate wireless identity transmitters, comprising:
means for receiving a short-range wireless broadcast message including a rolling identifier from a wireless identity transmitter within proximity;
means for generating a sighting message in response to the received broadcast message, wherein the sighting message includes the rolling identifier and associated data that includes at least one of identification information corresponding to the proximity broadcast receiver, whether the sighting message is related to an alert or a registered service, information regarding software or applications executing on the proximity broadcast receiver, location information, proximity information with respect to known areas within a place, and timestamp data; and
means for transmitting the sighting message via long-range communications to a server.

4. The proximity broadcast receiver of claim 3 , wherein the associated data also includes authentication information that confirms the identification information of the proximity broadcast receiver.

5. A proximity broadcast receiver configured to receive and relay messages including identification information corresponding to proximate wireless identity transmitters, comprising:
a memory;
a transceiver configured to exchange short-range wireless signals with a wireless identity transmitter;
a network device configured to exchange signals with a server;
a processor coupled to the memory, the transceiver, and the network device, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable software instructions to perform operations comprising:
receiving a short-range wireless broadcast message including a rolling identifier from the wireless identity transmitter within proximity;
generating a sighting message in response to the received broadcast message, wherein the sighting message includes the rolling identifier and associated data that includes at least one of identification information corresponding to the proximity broadcast receiver, whether the sighting message is related to an alert or a registered service, information regarding software or applications executing on the proximity broadcast receiver, location information, proximity information with respect to known areas within a place, and timestamp data; and
transmitting the sighting message via long-range communications to the server.

6. The proximity broadcast receiver of claim 5 , wherein the associated data also includes authentication information that confirms the identification information of the proximity broadcast receiver.

7. A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable software instructions configured to cause a processor to perform operations for a proximity broadcast receiver to receive and relay messages including identification information corresponding to proximate wireless identity transmitters, comprising:
receiving a short-range wireless broadcast message including a rolling identifier from a wireless identity transmitter within proximity;
generating a sighting message in response to the received broadcast message, wherein the sighting message includes the rolling identifier and associated data that includes at least one of identification information corresponding to the proximity broadcast receiver, whether the sighting message is related to an alert or a registered service, information regarding software or applications executing on the proximity broadcast receiver, location information, proximity information with respect to known areas within a place, and timestamp data; and
transmitting the sighting message via long-range communications.

8. The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the associated data also includes authentication information that confirms the identification information of the proximity broadcast receiver.

9. A method for a server to communicate with a system of devices that exchange short-range wireless transmissions when in proximity, comprising:
receiving registration information related to a wireless identity transmitter;
receiving a sighting message including a rolling identifier and associated data;
determining whether the rolling identifier matches information calculated using an algorithm and information shared with the wireless identity transmitter;
associating the rolling identifier with the received registration information of the wireless identity transmitter when the rolling identifier matches information calculated using the algorithm and information shared with the wireless identity transmitter;
storing data from the sighting message in relation to the wireless identity transmitter; and
performing an action in response to receiving the sighting message.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the algorithm shared with the wireless identity transmitter is at least one of a streaming-like encryption algorithm and a pseudo-random function, and wherein the information shared with the wireless identity transmitter is at least a device identifier of the wireless identity transmitter and a shared secret key.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
authenticating the received sighting message based on the associated data, wherein the associated data includes at least identification information and authentication information related to the a proximity broadcast receiver.

12. A server configured to communicate with a system of devices that exchange short-range wireless transmissions when in proximity, comprising:
means for receiving registration information related to a wireless identity transmitter;
means for receiving a sighting message including a rolling identifier and associated data;
means for determining whether the rolling identifier matches information calculated using an algorithm and information shared with the wireless identity transmitter;
means for associating the rolling identifier with the received registration information of the wireless identity transmitter when the rolling identifier matches information calculated using the algorithm and information shared with the wireless identity transmitter;
means for storing data from the sighting message in relation to the wireless identity transmitter; and
means for performing an action in response to receiving the sighting message.

13. The server of claim 12 , wherein the algorithm shared with the wire

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Altman Steven R
• Sprigg Stephen A
• Gasser Liz
• Linsky Joel
• Woodahl Leif
• Kenagy Jason
• Menendez Jose
• Wurster Charles S
• Jacobs Paul
• Meijers Neville
• Johnson Peggy
• Wise Dave
• Hunter Kevin

Classifications

• H04W84/18

  Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks · CPC title

• G01S1/02 Primary

  using radio waves (G01S19/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04L67/18

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04H60/90 Primary

  Wireless transmission systems · CPC title

• G06Q30/02

  Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising · CPC title