US 12,335,814 B2
Devices and methods for object location identification
James Cattermole, Hawthorn (AU); Bart Drew, Malvern East (AU); Benjamin Nicholls, Reservoir (AU); and Vaughn Coetzee, Point Cook (AU)
Assigned to Vypex Pty Ltd., Richmond (AU)
Filed by Vypex Pty Ltd, Richmond (AU)
Filed on Jul. 25, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/358,099.
Claims priority of application No. 2023901347 (AU), filed on May 4, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0373192 A1, Nov. 7, 2024
Int. Cl. H04W 4/029 (2018.01); H04W 4/80 (2018.01)
CPC H04W 4/029 (2018.02) [H04W 4/80 (2018.02)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A location tracking device to be carried by an object for tracking the location of the object, wherein the location tracking device is a first location tracking device comprising:
processing circuitry;
memory accessible to the processing circuitry, wherein the memory is configured to store first device data of the first location tracking device, the first device data including location data;
a movement sensor to detect movement of the first location tracking device;
a low-power short-range radio frequency (RF) communications module;
a battery to supply power to the processing circuitry, the memory, the movement sensor, and the communications module;
a housing to house the processing circuitry, the memory, the movement sensor, the communications module, and the battery; and
wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to:
detect a movement state, based on output of the movement sensor, in which the first location tracking device has moved for a first minimum time period followed by no movement for a second minimum time period;
in response to detecting the movement state, attempt to initiate wireless communication to a gateway device, via the RF communications module:
if the attempt to initiate wireless communication to the gateway device is successful, then set an operational mode of the first location tracking device to a help mode to allow communication with at least one third location tracking device, via the RF communications module;
if the attempt to initiate wireless communication to the gateway device is unsuccessful, then attempt to initiate communication to a second location tracking device, via the RF communications module:
if the attempt to initiate wireless communication to the second location tracking device is unsuccessful, then set the operational mode of the first location tracking device to a sleep mode;
if the attempt to initiate wireless communication to the second location tracking device is successful, then set the operational mode of the first location tracking device to the help mode to allow communication to at least one third location tracking device, via the RF communications module;
wherein in the help mode, the processing circuitry is configured to execute instructions to:
allow communication with the at least one third location tracking device, via the RF communications module, for a third minimum time period;
transmit the first device data and received device data from the at least one third location tracking device to the gateway device or the second location tracking device, via the RF communications module; and
set the operational mode of the first location tracking device to the sleep mode after transmitting the first device data and received device data from the at least one third location tracking device.