Determining Presence of a Radio Frequency Communication Device

Abstract

A radio communication device includes a two-way communications component having a first receiver and transmitter, an interface for receiving one or more sensor signals based on sensor-acquired data that is indicative of a predetermined condition, electronic components, and a second receiver. The second receiver activates the two-way communications component from a dormant state upon receipt by the second receiver of a wake-up broadcast that includes a wake-up identifier of the data communication device. The wake-up broadcast includes a data construct including a wake-up identifier and the auxiliary information. The auxiliary information is received and recorded by the data communication device via the second receiver with the two-way communications component remaining in the dormant state. The device operates in two states, the device enters a first state from a second state upon receiving one or more sensor signals based on sensor-acquired data that is indicative of a predetermined condition.

1 . A wireless communication device, comprising:
 a radio receiver configured to receive a radio transmission as data representative of a general inquiry as to the presence of wireless communication devices;   a radio transmitter configured to respond to the received radio transmission with an identifier associated with the wireless communication device, the wireless communication device configured to enter a low-power state in which the wireless communication device does not respond to additional radio transmissions that include the data representative of the general inquiry as to the presence of wireless communication devices; and   an interface for receiving one or more signals from a sensor, the interface configured to:
 receive a sensor signal based on sensor-acquired data that is indicative of a predetermined condition; and 
 in response to the reception of the sensor signal, exit the low-power state and transmit an additional radio transmission that includes the identifier associated with the wireless communication device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The wireless communication device of  claim 1 , comprising a timer, and wherein the wireless communication device is configured to use the timer as an indication of when to transmit at periodic intervals. 
     
     
         3 . The wireless communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a motion sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The wireless communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a temperature sensor. 
     
     
         5 . The wireless communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a GPS receiver. 
     
     
         6 . The wireless communication device of  claim 5 , wherein the predetermined condition comprises movement of the wireless communication device as determined by the GPS receiver. 
     
     
         7 . The wireless communication device of  claim 6 , wherein the determined movement of the wireless communication device is based on the sensor-acquired data exceeding a threshold based on a comparison of the sensor-acquired data to a geofence. 
     
     
         8 . The wireless communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined condition is one or more of: a change in temperature, a change in location, or movement of the wireless communication device. 
     
     
         9 . The wireless communication device of  claim 1 , further comprising a housing and wherein the sensor is internal to the housing of the wireless communication device. 
     
     
         10 . The wireless communication device of  claim 1 , further comprising a housing and wherein the sensor is external to the housing of the wireless communication device. 
     
     
         11 . The wireless communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication device comprises one or more additional interfaces configured to receive additional signals from one or more additional sensors. 
     
     
         12 . The wireless communication device of  claim 11 , wherein the predetermined condition is based on the additional signals from multiple sensors of the one or more additional sensors. 
     
     
         13 . A wireless sensor network system comprising:
 a gateway node configured to transmit a radio packet that includes data representative of a general inquiry as to the presence of wireless network nodes;   a wireless network node configured to:
 receive the radio packet that includes the data representative of the general inquiry as to the presence of the wireless network nodes; 
 respond to the received packet by transmission of a response radio packet that includes an identifier associated with the wireless network node; 
 enter a low-power state in which the wireless network node does not respond to additional radio packets that include the data representative of the general inquiry as to the presence of wireless network nodes; 
 receive a sensor signal, via an interface, based on sensor-acquired data that is indicative of a predetermined condition; and 
 in response to the reception of the sensor signal exit the low-power state and transmit an additional radio packet that includes the identifier associated with the wireless network node. 
   
     
     
         14 . The wireless sensor network system of  claim 13 , wherein the gateway node is configured to:
 receive the response radio packet; and   receive the additional radio packet.   
     
     
         15 . The wireless sensor network system of  claim 13 , wherein the sensor signal is received from a sensor configured as one of: a motion sensor, a temperature sensor, or a GPS receiver. 
     
     
         16 . The wireless sensor network system of  claim 13 , wherein the wireless network node comprises a timer, and wherein the wireless network node is configured to use the timer as an indication of when to transmit at periodic intervals. 
     
     
         17 . The wireless sensor network system of  claim 13 , wherein the predetermined condition is one or more of: a change in temperature, a change in location, or movement of the wireless network node. 
     
     
         18 . A method of reporting the presence of a communication device in a wireless network, the method comprising:
 receiving, by the communication device while the communication device is in a first state, a radio transmission that includes data representative of a general inquiry as to the presence of communication devices;   responding to the received radio transmission by generating a radio transmission that includes an identifier associated with the communication device;   entering a second state in which the communication device does not respond to additional radio transmissions that include the data representative of the general inquiry as to the presence of communication devices;   receiving, via an interface, a sensor signal based on sensor-acquired data that is indicative of a predetermined condition;   returning to the first state in response to the receiving the sensor signal; and   transmitting an additional radio transmission that includes the identifier associated with the wireless communication device.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the sensor signal is received from a sensor configured as one of: a motion sensor, a temperature sensor, or a GPS receiver. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the predetermined condition is one or more of: a change in temperature, a change in location, or movement of the communication device.