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 at a first frequency;
while being communicatively coupled to the tracking device, providing, by the access point, a cached location of the tracking device stored by the access point to the tracking server at a second frequency less than the first frequency; and
in response to the tracking device decoupling from the access point, providing, by the access point, 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 with each other, 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 1 , 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 the access point is a router.
8. A system for locating a tracking device, comprising:
a hardware processor; and
a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable instructions that, when executed by the hardware processor, cause the hardware processor to perform steps comprising:
detecting a tracking device within a proximity of the access point;
in response to detecting the tracking device, providing a location of the access point and an identifier of the tracking device to a tracking server at a first frequency;
while being communicatively coupled to the tracking device, providing a cached location of the tracking device stored by the access point to the tracking server at a second frequency less 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.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein being communicatively coupled to the tracking device comprises being paired with the tracking device via Bluetooth.
10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the hardware processor to perform further steps comprising:
associating, by the tracking server, a set of access points with each other, each access point being within a geographic boundary.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the hardware processor to perform further steps 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.
12. The system of claim 8 , 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.
13. The system of claim 8 , wherein one or both of the first frequency and the second frequency are selected by the user.
14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the access point is a router.
15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable instructions for locating a tracking device that, when executed by a hardware processor, cause the hardware processor to perform steps 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 at a first frequency;
while being communicatively coupled to the tracking device, providing, by the access point, a cached location of the tracking device stored by the access point to the tracking server at a second frequency less than the first frequency;
and
in response to the tracking device decoupling from the access point, providing, by the access point, 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.
16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein being communicatively coupled to the tracking device comprises being paired with the tracking device via Bluetooth.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the hardware processor to perform further steps comprising:
associating, by the tracking server, a set of access points with each other, each access point being within a geographic boundary.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the hardware processor to perform further steps 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.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , 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.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein one or both of the first frequency and the second frequency are selected by the user.