Lprf device wake up using wireless tag

Abstract

A wireless transceiver includes: (a) a low power radio frequency (LPRF) communications component capable of powering down to conserve energy and capable of powering up in response to an electronic signal, the LPRF communications component including a transmitter and a first receiver; and (b) a second receiver that is configured to screen a radio frequency broadcast and provide, on the basis of specific data identified therein, the electronic signal to the LPRF communications component in order to power up the LPRF communications component. The second receiver is adapted to draw less current than the LPRF communications component while awaiting receipt of and listening for a radio frequency broadcast.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method comprising: receiving at a tracking device that is also an RFID tag, data from each of a plurality of RFID tags, the received data including an identification code for each RFID tag; storing the received data at the tracking device; aggregating received data from one of the plurality of RFID tags with received data from another one of the plurality of RFID tags; packaging the aggregated, received data at the tracking device in an appropriate format for transmission; and transmitting the aggregated received data from the tracking device to a remote tracking entity. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of aggregating further comprises aggregating received data from one of the plurality of RFID tags with previously received data from the RFID tag; wherein the step of aggregating is based on rules stored within the tracking device; wherein the step of aggregating is performed at the tracking device; and wherein the step of transmitting is performed based on rules stored within the tracking device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising determining at the tracking device a format in which the received data is to be transmitted and wherein packaging comprises packaging the received data into data packets that conform to the determined format. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of receiving is based on rules stored within the tracking device; and further comprising determining at the tracking device, based on rules within the tracking device, a location of a respective one of the RFID tags, and adding the determined location to the received data. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of receiving is based on rules stored within the tracking device; and further comprising determining at the tracking device addresses to transmit received data from at least one of the plurality of RFID tags to more than one remote entity at the tracking device based on rules within the tracking device, and determining at the tracking device a format for each remote entity. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of receiving is based on rules stored within the tracking device; wherein the transmitted aggregated received data is to be forwarded from the tracking device to the remote tracking entity; and further comprising determining the time at which the aggregated, received data is to be transmitted at the tracking device based on rules stored within the tracking device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the steps of receiving and aggregating are based on rules stored within the tracking device; wherein the transmitted aggregated received data is to be forwarded from the tracking device to the remote tracking entity; and further comprising determining whether to forward any of the data received from the plurality of RFID tags at the tracking device based on rules stored within the tracking device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of packaging is performed at the tracking device based on rules stored within the tracking device; and further comprising receiving additional data from at least a portion of the RFID tags at a later time at the tracking device, detecting at the tracking device whether any previous RFID tags are not present based on rules within the tracking device, and sending an alert message from the tracking device to a tracking entity if any previous RFID tags are not present. 
     
     
         10 . A method comprising: receiving data from a first RFID tag at a second RFID tag, the first RFID tag being associated with a first mobile asset to track the first mobile asset and the second RFID tag being associated with a second mobile asset to track the second mobile asset, the second mobile asset moving with the first mobile asset; receiving data at the second RFID tag from a plurality of RFID tags, each associated with a different mobile asset to track each respective mobile asset; storing the data received from the first RFID tag at the second RFID tag; aggregating at the second RFID tag, the received data from each of the plurality of RFID tags including combining received data from the first RFID tag with previously received data from the first RFID tag autonomously based on rules within the second RFID tag; sending the stored data from the second RFID tag to a third RFID tag, the third RFID tag being associated with a third mobile asset to track the third mobile asset; reporting changes in the compiled data from the second RFID tag to the third RFID tag based on rules stored within the second RFID tag; and sending the data received from the second RFID tag from the third RFID tag to a network interface based on rules stored within the third RFID tag. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first tag and the second tag are both active, self-powered RFID tags. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the data received from the first RFID tag includes environmental data sensed by the first RFID tag. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first RFID tag is attached to an asset; the asset is attached to a pallet, the second RFID tag is disposed on the pallet; the pallet is disposed within a container; and the third RFID tag is disposed on the container. 
     
     
         14 . A method comprising: receiving data from a first RFID tag at a second RFID tag, the first RFID tag being associated with a first mobile asset to track the first mobile asset and the second RFID tag being associated with a second mobile asset to track the second mobile asset, the second mobile asset moving with the first mobile asset; storing the data received from the first RFID tag at the second RFID tag; determining an address at the second RFID tag based on rules within the second RFID tag to which the received data is to be transmitted; determining at the tracking device a format at the second RFID tag in which the received data is to be transmitted to the determined address; aggregating received data from the first RFID tag with data received from another RFID tag at the second RFID tag based on rules within the second RFID tag; packaging the aggregated, received data in the determined format for transmission to the determined address; sending the stored data from the second RFID tag to a third RFID tag based on rules stored within the second RFID tag, the third RFID tag being associated with a third mobile asset to track the third mobile asset; and sending the data received from the second RFID tag from the third RFID tag to a network interface based on rules stored within the third RFID tag. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising: receiving data at the second RFID tag from a plurality of RFID tags, each associated with a different mobile asset to track each respective mobile asset; aggregating the received data from each of the plurality of RFID tags; and reporting changes in the compiled data to the third RFID tag. 
     
     
         16 . A tracking device comprising: a position determination system to determine the position of the tracking device; an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) communication module to communicate with an RFID tag, and to receive data from the RFID tag, the received data including an identification code for the RFID tag; a processing module coupled to the RFID communication module operating autonomously based on rules stored within the tracking device, to store the received data, to aggregate received data from the RFID tag with previously received data from the RFID tag, and to package the aggregated, received data in a format for transmission; and a wireless communication module coupled to the processing module, to send the determined position of the tracking device, and to send a package of aggregated, received data from the tracking device to a remote tracking entity. 
     
     
         17 . A tracking device comprising: a position determination system to determine the position of the tracking device; an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) communication module to communicate with an RFID tag, and to receive data from the RFID tag, the received data including an identification code for the RFID tag; a processing module coupled to the RFID communication module operating autonomously based on rules stored within the tracking device, to determine a location of the RFID tag, to store the received data, to aggregate received data from the RFID tag with the determined location of the RFID tag, and to package the aggregated, received data in a format for transmission; and a wireless communication module coupled to the processing module to send the determined position of the tracking device, and to send a package of aggregated, received data from the tracking device to a remote entity. 
     
     
         18 . A tracking device comprising: a position determination system to determine the position of the tracking device; an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) communication module to communicate with a plurality of RFID tags, and to receive data from each of the plurality of RFID tags, the received data including an identification code for each RFID tag; a processing module coupled to the RFID communication module operating autonomously based on rules stored within the tracking device, to store the received data, to aggregate received data from one of the plurality of RFID tags with received data from another one of the plurality of RFID tags, to determine addresses to transmit the received data from at least one of the plurality of RFID tags to more than one remote entity, to determine a format for each remote entity, and to package the aggregated, received data in the determined formats for transmission; and a wireless communication module coupled to the processing module, to send a package of aggregated, received data to the more than one remote entities. 
     
     
         19 . A tracking device comprising: a position determination system to determine the position of the tracking device; an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) communication module to communicate with a plurality of RFID tags, and to receive data from each of the plurality of RFID tags, the received data including an identification code for each RFID tag; a processing module coupled to the RFID communication module operating autonomously based on rules stored within the tracking device, to store the received data, to aggregate received data from one of the plurality of RFID tags with received data from another one of the plurality of RFID tags, to package the aggregated, received data in the determined format for transmission, and to determine the time at which the aggregated, received data is to be transmitted; and a wireless communication module coupled to the processing module, to send the determined position of the tracking device, and to send a package of aggregated, received data from the tracking device to a remote entity. 
     
     
         20 . A tracking device comprising: a position determination system to determine the position of the tracking device; an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) communication module to communicate with a plurality of RFID tags, and to receive data from each of the plurality of RFID tags, the received data including an identification code for each RFID tag; a processing module coupled to the RFID communication module operating autonomously based on rules stored within the tracking device, to store the received data, to aggregate received data from one of the plurality of RFID tags with received data from another one of the plurality of RFID tags, to package the aggregated, received data in the determined format for transmission, and to determine whether to forward any of the data received from the plurality of RFID tags; and a wireless communication module coupled to the processing module, to send the determined position of the tracking device, and to send a package of aggregated, received data from the tracking device to a remote entity. 
     
     
         21 . A tracking device comprising: a position determination system to determine the position of the tracking device; an RFID(Radio Frequency Identification) communication module, to communicate with a plurality of RFID tags, to receive data from each of the plurality of RFID tags, the received data including an identification code for each RFID tag, and to receive additional data from at least a portion of the RFID tags at a later time; a processing module coupled to the RFID communication module operating autonomously based on rules stored within the tracking device, to store the received data, to aggregate received data from one of the plurality of RFID tags with received data from another one of the plurality of RFID tags, to package the aggregated, received data in the determined format for transmission, and to detect whether any previous RFID tags are not present; and a wireless communication module coupled to the processing module, to send the determined position of the tracking device, to send a package of aggregated, received data, and to send an alert message to one or more tracking entities, if any previous RFID tags are not present.