IP Library Granted Patent US 10,638,262
Granted Patent B2
US 10,638,262 · App. 16/288,021 · Granted Apr 28, 2020

Multi-device architecture for tracking device access

Inventors: Michael George Farley (Foster City, CA); Jose Pons Vega (Belmont, CA); Charles Y. Choi (San Francisco, CA); Renu Janjam (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Tile, Inc.
H04W4/023H04W4/021H04W4/029
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,638,262
App. No.
16/288,021
Granted
Apr 28, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A tracking server stores information identifying one or more community mobile devices and information identifying one or more tracking devices within a proximity of each of the one or more community mobile devices. The tracking server receives a tracking device request from a mobile device. The tracking device request includes information identifying a tracking device and configuration instructions for configuring the tracking device. The tracking server identifies a community mobile device from the one or more community mobile devices within a proximity of the tracking device. The tracking server sends the tracking device request to the identified community mobile device. The identified community mobile device is configured to forward the tracking device request to the tracking device and the tracking device is configured to re-configure the tracking device based on the configuration instructions included in the tracking device request.

Claims (53)

1. A tracking device comprising:

a user interface for receiving an input from a user;

a transmitter configured to transmit a configuration instruction to a mobile device in response to the user interface receiving the input from the user, the configuration instruction instructing the mobile device to emit a first sound;

a receiver configured to receive, from the mobile device, a response to the configuration instruction indicating that the configuration instruction was received by the mobile device;

a speaker configuration to emit sound; and

a controller configured to:

in response to receiving the response to the configuration instruction that indicates that the mobile device received the configuration instruction, cause the speaker to emit a second sound; and

in response to failing to receive the response to the configuration instruction from the mobile device, cause the speaker to emit a third sound different from the second sound.

2. The tracking device of claim 1 , wherein:

the receiver is further configured to communicatively couple with the mobile device; and

the controller is further configured to, in response to communicatively coupling with the mobile device, cause the speaker to emit a fourth sound different from the second sound.

3. The tracking device of claim 1 , wherein:

the receiver is further configured to detect the mobile device; and

the controller is further configured to, in response to detecting the mobile device, cause the speaker to emit a fourth sound different from the second sound.

4. The tracking device of claim 1 , wherein the tracking device further comprises instructions for causing the speaker to emit each of a plurality of ringtones based on a corresponding plurality of conditions, and the controller is configured to cause the speaker to emit each of the plurality of ringtones in response to detecting a corresponding condition of the plurality of conditions.

5. The tracking device of claim 1 , wherein the tracking device is further configured to broadcast a beacon signal for locating the tracking device.

6. The tracking device of claim 5 , wherein the receiver is further configured to receive a second configuration instruction from the mobile device, and in response to the second configuration instruction, the controller is configured to a setting of the beacon signal.

7. The tracking device of claim 6 , wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit a confirmation signal to the mobile device, the confirmation signal indicating that the second configuration instruction was received by the tracking device.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising broadcasting, by the tracking device, a beacon signal for locating the tracking device.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

receiving a second configuration instruction from the mobile device;

in response to receiving the second configuration instruction, adjust a setting of the beacon signal; and

transmitting a confirmation signal to the mobile device, the confirmation signal indicating the second configuration instruction was received by the tracking device.

10. A method comprising:

receiving, at a tracking device, an input from a user;

transmitting, by the tracking device, a configuration instruction to a mobile device in response to receiving the input from the user, the configuration instruction instructing the mobile device to emit a first sound;

receiving, from the mobile device, a response to the configuration instruction indicating that the configuration instruction was received by the mobile device;

in response to receiving the response to the configuration instruction that indicates that the mobile device received the configuration instruction, emitting, by the tracking device, a second sound; and

in response to failing to receive the response to the configuration instruction from the mobile device, emitting, by the tracking device, a third sound different from the second sound.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

communicatively coupling with the mobile device; and

in response to communicatively coupling with the mobile device, emitting, by the tracking device, a fourth sound different from the second sound.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

detecting, by the tracking device, the mobile device; and

in response to detecting the mobile device, emitting, by the tracking device, a fourth sound different from the second sound.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

storing, by the tracking device, instructions for emitting each of a plurality of ringtones based on a corresponding plurality of conditions; and

in response to detecting a condition of one of the plurality of conditions, emitting the corresponding ringtone of the plurality of ringtones.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable computer instructions that, when executed by a hardware processor, perform steps comprising:

receiving an input from a user;

transmitting a configuration instruction to a mobile device in response to receiving the input from the user, the configuration instruction instructing the mobile device to emit a first sound;

receiving, from the mobile device, a response to the configuration instruction indicating that the configuration instruction was received by the mobile device;

in response to receiving the response to the configuration instruction that indicates that the mobile device received the configuration instruction, instructing a speaker a second sound; and

in response to failing to receive the response to the configuration instruction from the mobile device, instructing the speaker to emit a third sound different from the second sound.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions, when executed, perform further steps comprising:

communicatively coupling with the mobile device; and

in response to communicatively coupling with the mobile device, instructing the speaker to emit a fourth sound different from the second sound.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions, when executed, perform further steps comprising:

detecting the mobile device based on a signal received from the mobile device; and

in response to detecting the mobile device, instructing the speaker to emit a fourth sound different from the second sound.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions, when executed, perform further steps comprising:

storing instructions for causing the speaker to emit each of a plurality of ringtones based on a corresponding plurality of conditions; and

in response to detecting a condition of one of the plurality of conditions, instructing the speaker to emit the corresponding ringtone of the plurality of ringtones.

Assignments (5)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 10, 2022
From: CAPITAL IP INVESTMENT PARTNERS LLC
To: TILE, INC.
Reel/Frame 058671/0383 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 28, 2021
From: TILE, INC.
To: CAPITAL IP INVESTMENT PARTNERS LLC AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 057633/0569 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 2, 2021
From: SILICON VALLEY BANK
To: TILE, INC.
Reel/Frame 057650/0820 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 28, 2019
From: TILE, INC.
To: PINNACLE VENTURES, L.L.C., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 049292/0312 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2019
From: FARLEY, MICHAEL GEORGE; VEGA, JOSE PONS; CHOI, CHARLES Y.; JANJAM, RENU
To: TILE, INC.
Reel/Frame 048469/0794 →
Cited By (1)
US 12,603,717