Granted Patent B2

US 12,328,644 · App. 18/214,452 · Granted Jun 10, 2025

Inventors: Jean Cheryl Trakinat (Ewa Beach, HI); Scott Francis Migaldi (Cary, IL); Karri Mikael Kuoppamaki (Redmond, WA); Mark L. Younge (Golden, CO)

Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc.

H04W4/029G08B21/24H04M1/72412H04W4/50H04W4/80H04W12/06

Abstract

Claims (45)

1. A method comprising:

receiving an activation input via a location tracking device;

broadcasting on a short-range wireless network;

receiving, via the short-range wireless network, device identification credentials and network access credentials;

storing the device identification credentials and the network access credentials;

establishing a communication connection to a network using the device identification credentials and the network access credentials, wherein the network access credentials are associated with and allow the location tracking device to establish connections to at least one cellular network provider;

receiving a request for a position from a service associated with the network; and

providing a position signal to the service via the network.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the activation input comprises at least one of a onetime actuatable trigger, a onetime mechanical trigger, one or more buttons, a pullable tab, or a tearable tab.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising activating the location tracking device in response to receiving the activation input.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that the location tracking device is lost; and

sending, in response to determining the location tracking device is lost, an alert to a user equipment (UE), the alert including at least one of an estimated position of the location tracking device or a last known location of the location tracking device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device identification credentials are unique for location tracking device within a plurality of devices associated with an account.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device identification credentials are generated based at least in part on account data associated with an account associated with a user, data associated with the location tracking device, and data associated with an item affixed to the location tracking device.

7. A location tracking device comprising:

a one or more transceivers to send and receive transmissions over a short-range wireless connection and to send and receive transmissions over a cellular network connection;

one or more processors; and

non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:

receiving an activation input;

broadcasting on a short-range wireless network;

receiving, via the short-range wireless network, device identification credentials and network access credentials;

storing the device identification credentials and the network access credentials;

establishing a communication connection to a network using the device identification credentials and the network access credentials, wherein the network access credentials are associated with and allow the location tracking device to establish connections to at least one cellular network provider;

receiving a request for a position from a service associated with the network; and

providing a position signal to the service via the network.

8. The location tracking device of claim 7 , wherein the activation input comprises at least one of a onetime actuatable trigger, a onetime mechanical trigger, one or more buttons, a pullable tab, or a tearable tab.

9. The location tracking device of claim 7 , the operations further comprising activating the location tracking device in response to receiving the activation input.

10. The location tracking device of claim 7 , the operations further comprising:

determining that the location tracking device is lost; and

sending, in response to determining the location tracking device is lost, an alert to a user equipment (UE), the alert including at least one of an estimated position of the location tracking device or a last known location of the location tracking device.

11. The location tracking device of claim 7 , wherein the device identification credentials are unique for location tracking device within a plurality of devices associated with an account.

12. The location tracking device of claim 7 , wherein the device identification credentials are generated based at least in part on account data associated with an account associated with a user, data associated with the location tracking device, and data associated with an item affixed to the location tracking device.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having programming instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving an activation input;

broadcasting on a short-range wireless network;

receiving, via the short-range wireless network, device identification credentials and network access credentials;

storing the device identification credentials and the network access credentials;

establishing a communication connection to a network using the device identification credentials and the network access credentials, wherein the network access credentials are associated with and allow connections to at least one cellular network provider;

receiving a request for a position from a service associated with the network; and

providing a position signal to the service via the network.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the activation input comprises at least one of a onetime actuatable trigger, a onetime mechanical trigger, one or more buttons, a pullable tab, or a tearable tab.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , the operations further comprising performing activation in response to receiving the activation input.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the device identification credentials are unique for location tracking device within a plurality of devices associated with an account.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the device identification credentials are generated based at least in part on account data associated with an account associated with a user and data associated with an affixed item.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (23)