IP Library Granted Patent US 10,536,801
Granted Patent B2
US 10,536,801 · App. 16/401,593 · Granted Jan 14, 2020

Tracking device operation in safety-classified zone

Inventors: Arunkumar Puppala (Fremont, CA); Liuyin Cheng (San Mateo, CA); Wayne Patterson (Burlingame, CA)
Assignee: Tile, Inc.
H04W4/021G01S5/0294H04W4/00H04W4/02H04W4/025H04W4/029H04W4/16H04W4/30H04W12/00G01S5/02H04W4/023H04W4/185H04W4/23H04W4/38H04W4/42H04W4/70H04W4/80H04W8/00H04W8/10H04W8/12H04W8/14H04W8/16H04W48/04
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,536,801
App. No.
16/401,593
Granted
Jan 14, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Tracking devices can be associated with safe zones, smart zones, and high risk zones. Safe zones correspond to regions where a likelihood that a tracking device is lost within the safe zone is lower than outside the safe zone. High risk zones correspond to regions where a likelihood that a tracking device is lost within the high risk zone is higher than outside the high risk zone. Smart zones correspond to an expected tracking device, mobile device, or user behavior. Home areas are geographic regions in which a user resides, and travel areas are geographic regions in which a user does not reside. A tracking device can be configured to operate in a mode selected based on a presence of the tracking device within a safe zone, a smart zone, a high risk zone, a home area, or a travel area.

Claims (33)

1. A method for locating a tracking device, comprising:

accessing, by a central tracking system, information describing each of one or more geographic regions, each geographic region associated with a geographic boundary;

determining, by the central tracking system, that a user of a tracking device is located within a first geographic boundary;

determining, by the central tracking system, a likelihood that the user will lose the tracking device within a first geographic region associated with the first geographic boundary; and

providing, by the central tracking system, an instruction to a mobile device of the user to configure the tracking device to operate in an operating mode selected based on the determined likelihood that the user will lose the tracking device within the first geographic region.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a home of the user is located within the first geographic region.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first geographic region comprises a city, town, or neighborhood in which the user lives.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first geographic region is defined by the user.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operating mode comprises a signal transmission rate selected based on the likelihood that the user will lose the tracking device within the first geographic region.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the selected signal transmission rate increases as the likelihood that the user will lose the tracking device within the first geographic region increases.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operating mode comprises a rate of power consumption selected based on the likelihood that the user will lose the tracking device within the first geographic region.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable computer instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform steps for locating a tracking device comprising:

accessing information describing each of one or more geographic regions, each geographic region associated with a geographic boundary;

determining that a user of a tracking device is located within a first geographic boundary;

determining a likelihood that the user will lose the tracking device within a first geographic region associated with the first geographic boundary; and

providing an instruction to a mobile device of the user to configure the tracking device to operate in an operating mode selected based on the determined likelihood that the user will lose the tracking device within the first geographic region.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein a home of the user is located within the first geographic region.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the first geographic region comprises a city, town, or neighborhood in which the user lives.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the first geographic region is defined by the user.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the operating mode comprises a signal transmission rate selected based on the likelihood that the user will lose the tracking device within the first geographic region.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the selected signal transmission rate increases as the likelihood that the user will lose the tracking device within the first geographic region increases.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the operating mode comprises a rate of power consumption selected based on the likelihood that the user will lose the tracking device within the first geographic region.

15. A system for locating a tracking device, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable instructions that, when executed, cause steps to be performed by the system comprising:

accessing information describing each of one or more geographic regions, each geographic region associated with a geographic boundary;

determining that a user of a tracking device is located within a first geographic boundary;

determining a likelihood that the user will lose the tracking device within a first geographic region associated with the first geographic boundary; and

providing an instruction to a mobile device of the user to configure the tracking device to operate in an operating mode selected based on the determined likelihood that the user will lose the tracking device within the first geographic region.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein a home of the user is located within the first geographic region.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first geographic region comprises a city, town, or neighborhood in which the user lives.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first geographic region is defined by the user.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the operating mode comprises a signal transmission rate selected based on the likelihood that the user will lose the tracking device within the first geographic region.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the operating mode comprises a rate of power consumption selected based on the likelihood that the user will lose the tracking device within the first geographic region.

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 →
FIRST SUPPLEMENT TO INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 26, 2020
From: TILE, INC.; TILE NETWORK CANADA ULC; TILE EUROPE LTD.
To: PINNACLE VENTURES, L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 052026/0276 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 10, 2019
From: PUPPALA, ARUNKUMAR; CHENG, LIUYIN; PATTERSON, WAYNE
To: TILE, INC.
Reel/Frame 049146/0318 →