Screening transmissions for power level and object identifier in asset monitoring and tracking systems

Abstract

A method for communicating to a recipient transceiver from a plurality of transceivers located within the broadcast range of the recipient transceiver includes: transmitting a communication at a first power level such that only a first group of transceivers receive the broadcast, the communication including a command causing each of the first group of transceivers not to respond to a subsequent broadcast; and subsequent thereto, transmitting a communication at a second power level greater than the first power level such that a second group of transceivers greater than and including the first group of transceivers receive the broadcast, but such that only a limited number of transceivers of the second group respond to the broadcast, the limited number of transceivers excluding the first group of transceivers. Each of the plurality of transceivers is associated with a respective sensor for acquiring data and transmitting the data to the recipient transceiver.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . An asset-tracking method, comprising:
 receiving, by a mobile communication device a signal from a communication device associated with an object;   storing in memory of the mobile communication device an identification of the communication device associated with the object, which identification is conveyed in the signal; and   when the mobile communication device has registered with a network, then sending information associated with the signal, including the identification of the communication device associated with the object, to a server over the network.   
     
     
         3 . A method of communicating in a distributed, hierarchical database comprised of mobile wireless data communication devices, comprising the steps of:
 receiving, at one of the mobile wireless data communication devices, an identification signal from a communication device associated with an object;   storing data representative of the identification signal in memory of the particular one of the mobile wireless data communication devices; and   when the particular one of the mobile wireless data communication devices accesses a network, then communicating information associated with the identification signal to a server over the network.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the communication device from which the identification signal is sent comprises an RFID tag that is associated with the object. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the identification signal is sent in response to a database query originating from the server. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein accessing the network by the particular one of the mobile wireless data communication devices comprises the step of registering with the network by the particular one of the mobile wireless data communication devices. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the distributed, hierarchical database comprises a plurality of logically distinct, class-based networks. 
     
     
         8 . A method for tracking an object, comprising:
 receiving, at a mobile device, a first identification signal associated with a first object, the first identification signal having been sent in response to a first broadcast at a first power level from the mobile device;   storing data representative of the first identification signal in memory of the mobile device; and   receiving, at the mobile device, a second identification signal associated with a second object, the second identification signal having been sent in response to a second broadcast at a second power level from the mobile device, which second power level is greater than the first power level; and   when the mobile device accesses a network, then communicating information associated with the first and second identification signals to a server over the network.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first identification signal associated with the first object is sent from an RFID tag that is associated with the first object. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein accessing the network by the mobile device comprises the step of registering with the network by the mobile device. 
     
     
         11 . A method for tracking an object, comprising:
 receiving an identification signal associated with the object;   storing data from the identification signal in memory of a mobile device; and   when the mobile device accesses a network, then communicating information associated with the identification signal to a server over the network;   wherein the data from the identification signal comprises a class identifier associated with the object and another identifier associated with the object.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the other identifier associated with the object comprises a unique identification of a wireless tag that is associated with the object. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the other identifier associated with the object comprises a unique identification of a wireless reader tag that is associated with the object. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the other identifier associated with the object comprises a unique identification of a transceiver that is associated with the object. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein accessing the network by the mobile device comprises the step of registering with the network by the mobile device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of registering with the network by the mobile device comprises registering with a gateway as a top level node of an ad hoc, hierarchical class-based wireless network. 
     
     
         17 . A method for forming an ad hoc network, comprising:
 receiving an identification signal associated with the object;   storing data from the identification signal in memory of a mobile device;   when the mobile device accesses a network, then communicating information associated with the identification signal to a server over the network;   receiving a profile from the server in response to said communicating of the information associated with the identification signal, wherein the profile comprises network formation information for forming an ad hoc network used for tracking the object.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein accessing the network by the mobile device comprises the step of registering with the network by the mobile device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of registering with the network by the mobile device comprises registering with a gateway as a top level node of an ad hoc, hierarchical class-based wireless network. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of registering with the network by the mobile device comprises registering with a gateway as a top level node of an ad hoc, hierarchical class-based wireless network. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first identification signal associated with the second object is sent from an RFID tag that is associated with the second object.