Power preservation in GPS-equipped tracking devices
Power can be preserved in a tracking device equipped with a GPS receiver and a transceiver by evaluating the proximity of the tracking device to a mobile device and enabling the GPS receiver and transceiver only in the event that the tracking device is out of the range of the mobile device. Once enabled, the location of the tracking device can be determined based on location information received from the GPS receiver. The determined location can be provided to a tracking system associated with the tracking device. The tracking system can then inform an owner of the tracking device of the determined location. Once the tracking device has been found, the GPS receiver and the transceiver can be disabled to save additional power.
1. A method for preserving battery power in a tracking device comprising a GSM transceiver and a GPS unit, comprising:
when the tracking device is configured to operate in a lost device mode:
enabling, by the tracking device, the GSM transceiver and the GPS unit;
determining, by the tracking device, a location of the tracking device based on location information received from the GPS unit;
transmitting, by the tracking device, the determined location of the tracking device via the GSM transceiver to a tracking system configured to inform an owner of the tracking device of the determined location; and
in response to determining that the tracking device has been found, configuring the tracking device to operate in a power preservation mode by disabling the GSM transceiver and the GPS unit, wherein determining that the tracking device has been found comprises receiving, by the tracking device, an indication that the tracking device has been found.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tracking device is configured to operate in the lost device mode in response to a set of lost conditions being satisfied.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the set of lost conditions is received by the tracking system or comprises a set of factory default lost conditions stored by the tracking device.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the tracking device further comprises a motion sensor, and wherein the set of lost conditions comprises a threshold amount of motion of the tracking device.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the indication that the tracking device has been found comprises a coupling to a mobile device of the owner.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the indication that the tracking device has been found comprises a communication from a mobile device of the owner.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the indication that the tracking device has been found comprises a communication from the tracking system indicating that the owner of the tracking device has found the tracking device.
8. A tracking device, comprising:
a GSM transceiver;
a GPS unit;
a Bluetooth transceiver; and
a controller configured to:
when the tracking device is configured to operate in a lost device mode:
enable the GSM transceiver and the GPS unit;
determine a location of the tracking device based on location information received from the GPS unit;
transmit the determined location of the tracking device via the GSM transceiver to a tracking system configured to inform an owner of the tracking device of the determined location; and
in response to determining that the tracking device has been found, configure the tracking device to operate in a power preservation mode by disabling the GSM transceiver and the GPS unit, wherein determining that the tracking device has been found comprises receiving, by the tracking device, an indication that the tracking device has been found.
9. The tracking device of claim 8 , wherein the tracking device is configured to operate in the lost device mode in response to a set of lost conditions being satisfied.
10. The tracking device of claim 9 , wherein the set of lost conditions is received by the tracking system or comprises a set of factory default lost conditions stored by the tracking device.
11. The tracking device of claim 9 , wherein the tracking device further comprises a motion sensor, and wherein the set of lost conditions comprises a threshold amount of motion of the tracking device.
12. The tracking device of claim 8 , wherein the indication that the tracking device has been found comprises a coupling to a mobile device of the owner.
13. The tracking device of claim 8 , wherein the indication that the tracking device has been found comprises a communication from a mobile device of the owner.
14. The tracking device of claim 8 , wherein the indication that the tracking device has been found comprises a communication from the tracking system indicating that the owner of the tracking device has found the tracking device.
15. A method for preserving battery power in a tracking device comprising a transceiver and a GPS unit, comprising:
when the tracking device is configured to operate in a lost device mode:
determining, by the tracking device, a location of the tracking device based on location information received from the GPS unit;
transmitting, by the tracking device, the determined location of the tracking device via the transceiver to a tracking system configured to inform an owner of the tracking device of the determined location; and
in response to determining that the tracking device has been found, configuring the tracking device to operate in a power preservation mode by disabling the transceiver and the GPS unit, wherein determining that the tracking device has been found comprises receiving, by the tracking device, an indication that the tracking device has been found.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the tracking device is configured to operate in the lost device mode in response to a set of lost conditions being satisfied.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the set of lost conditions are either received from the tracking system or are pre-stored by the tracking device.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the set of lost conditions are user-defined.
19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the indication that the tracking device has been found comprises a communication from a mobile device of the owner of the tracking device.
20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the indication that the tracking device has been found comprises a communication from the tracking system indicating that the owner of the tracking device has found the tracking device.