US 11,879,987 B2
Tool tracking device with multiple and application settable beacon transmission rates
Anthony Davis, Brookfield, WI (US); Erik W. Jefferson, Milwaukee, WI (US); David R. Perreault, Menomonee Falls, WI (US); Mark A. Gellings, Slinger, WI (US); and Christopher J. Burkhardt, Brookfield, WI (US)
Assigned to Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation, Brookfield, WI (US)
Appl. No. 17/051,502
Filed by MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION, Brookfield, WI (US)
PCT Filed Aug. 13, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/046105
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 29, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/030548, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 18, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/886,124, filed on Aug. 13, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0176160 A1, Jun. 8, 2023
Int. Cl. G01S 5/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01S 5/0027 (2013.01) [G01S 2205/008 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for modifying a repeat interval of a locator beacon, the method comprising:
transmitting repeatedly, by a beacon transmitter of the locator beacon, a first advertising beacon signal through a first number of transmission repetitions spaced at a first repeat interval;
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 locator beacon and user information;
receiving a modification instruction from a user device via the beacon transmitter, the locator beacon configured to modify the first repeat interval into a third repeat interval based on the received modification instruction;
transmitting repeatedly, by the beacon transmitter, the first advertising beacon signal spaced at the third repeat interval;
activating, at a wireless device and in response to the first advertising beacon signal being received by the wireless device, a location logging application including a location application function;
logging, at the wireless device, a location of the locator beacon by the location application function in response to the second advertising beacon signal being received by the wireless device; and
returning the location logging application to a dormant state in response to determining that a dormancy timer has elapsed without the first advertising beacon signal being received from the locator beacon or from another locator beacon;
wherein a second location of the locator beacon or the another locator beacon is not logged by the location logging application until the location logging application returns to the dormant state and receives, when in the dormant state, another first advertising beacon signal from the locator beacon or the another locator beacon.