Tracking device presence detection and reporting by access points
A tracking system determines a location of a tracking device associated with a user using one or more access points at the location. Each access point at the location is configured to detect and couple with the tracking device when the tracking device is within a communicative range of the access point. An access point provides updates on the tracking device's presence, as well as the tracking device's arrival to and departure from the communicative range of the access point, to a tracking server. The tracking server determines, from these updates, whether the tracking device is at the location. The user may be notified, via a mobile device, of the tracking device's location.
1. A method for locating a tracking device, comprising:
detecting, by an access point, a tracking device within a proximity of the access point;
in response to detecting the tracking device, providing, by the access point, a location of the access point and an identifier of the tracking device to a tracking server;
in response to subsequently detecting the tracking device while not being communicatively coupled to the tracking device, providing, by the access point, the location of the access point and the identifier of the tracking device to the tracking server at a first frequency;
in response to being communicatively coupled to the tracking device:
caching, by the access point, a location of the tracking device within local memory of the access point; and
providing, by the access point, the cached location of the tracking device and the identifier of the tracking device to the tracking server at a second frequency slower than the first frequency; and
in response to the tracking device decoupling from the access point, providing the location of the access point, the identifier of the tracking device, and a time at which the tracking device decoupled from the access point to the tracking server.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein being communicatively coupled to the tracking device comprises being paired with the tracking device via Bluetooth.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
associating, by the tracking server, a set of access points, each access point being within a geographic boundary.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
in response to the tracking device moving out of the geographic boundary, providing, by at least one access point, the identifier of the tracking device and a time at which the tracking device moved out of the geographic boundary to the tracking server.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the mobile device is configured to, in response to receiving a notification from the tracking server indicating that the tracking device decoupled from the access point, display the notification.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or both of the first frequency and the second frequency are selected by the user.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or both of the first frequency and the second frequency are selected by the tracking server.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the access point is a router.
9. A method for locating a tracking device, comprising:
detecting, by an access point, a tracking device within a proximity of the access point;
in response to detecting the tracking device, providing, by the access point, a location of the access point and an identifier of the tracking device to a tracking server;
in response to subsequently detecting the tracking device while not being communicatively coupled to the tracking device, providing, by the access point, the location of the access point and the identifier of the tracking device to the tracking server at a first frequency;
in response to being communicatively coupled to the tracking device:
caching, by the access point, a location of the tracking device within local memory of the access point; and
providing, by the access point, no location information associated with the tracking device to the tracking server while the tracking device is coupled to the access point; and
in response to the tracking device decoupling from the access point, providing the location of the access point, the identifier of the tracking device, and a time at which the tracking device decoupled from the access point to the tracking server.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the access point being communicatively coupled to the tracking device comprises being paired over a Bluetooth connection.
11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
associating, by the tracking server, a set of access points, each access point within a geographic boundary, and the geographic boundary associated with a range of the set of access points.
12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
in response to the tracking device moving out of the geographic boundary, providing the identifier of the tracking device and a time at which the tracking device moved out of the geographic boundary to the tracking server.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
in response to receiving a notification from the tracking server indicating that the tracking device moved out of the geographic boundary, displaying, by a mobile device, the notification indicating that the tracking device left the geographic boundary.
14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising: providing, by the access point, the cached location of the tracking device and the identifier of the tracking device to the tracking server at a second frequency when the local memory of the access point is full.
15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first frequency and the second frequency are provided by the tracking server.
16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the access point is a router.
17. A system for locating a tracking device, comprising:
a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable computer instructions that, when executed, cause steps to be performed comprising:
detecting, by an access point, a tracking device within a proximity of the access point;
in response to detecting the tracking device, providing, by the access point, a location of the access point and an identifier of the tracking device to a tracking server;
in response to subsequently detecting the tracking device while not being communicatively coupled to the tracking device, providing, by the access point, the location of the access point and the identifier of the tracking device to the tracking server at a first frequency;
in response to being communicatively coupled to the tracking device:
caching, by the access point, a location of the tracking device within local memory of the access point; and
providing, by the access point, the cached location of the tracking device and the identifier of the tracking device to the tracking server at a second frequency slower than the first frequency; and
in response to the tracking device decoupling from the access point, providing the location of the access point, the identifier of the tracking device, and a time at which the tracking device decoupled from the access point to the tracking server; and
a processor configured to execute the instructions.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein being communicatively coupled to the tracking device comprises being paired with the tracking device via Bluetooth.
19. The system of claim 17 , further comprising:
associating, by the tracking server, a set of access points, each access point being within a geographic boundary.
20. The system of claim 17 , further comprising:
in response to the tracking device moving out of the geographic boundary, providing, by at least one access point, the identifier of the tracking device and a time at which the tracking device moved out of the geographic boundary to the tracking server.