IP Library Granted Patent US 12,732,807
Granted Patent B2
US 12,732,807 · App. 18/309,581 · Granted Sep 8, 2026

Location tracking for a tag device

Inventors: Soo Bum Lee (San Diego, CA); Gavin Bernard Horn (La Jolla, CA)
Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
H04W12/0431H04W4/029H04W12/71
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,732,807
App. No.
18/309,581
Granted
Sep 8, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a wireless communication system, a process may include determining if a first device is separated with respect to a second device associated with the first device; generating tag information associated with a public key; and based on the determination that the first device is separated, broadcasting the tag information.

Claims (58)

1 . A first device for wireless communication, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to:

determine the first device is separated with respect to a second device associated with the first device;

generate tag information, wherein the tag information includes a tag identifier based on a public key and an encrypted routing identifier for a routing service to identify a location tracking service associated with the first device; and

based on the determination that the first device is separated, begin to broadcast the tag information.

2 . The first device of claim 1 , wherein the tag information comprises an encrypted permanent identifier of the first device.

3 . The first device of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

obtain the public key, wherein the public key is a public key of a tracking service; and

encrypt the permanent identifier based on the public key of the tracking service.

4 . The first device of claim 1 , wherein, the processor is configured to obtain the public key, and wherein the tag information comprises a tag identifier.

5 . The first device of claim 4 , wherein the tag identifier includes a hash of the public key.

6 . The first device of claim 4 , wherein the tag identifier has a first length that is shorter than a second length of the public key.

7 . The first device of claim 1 , wherein the tag information is based on the public key and a parameter.

8 . The first device of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to select the parameter based on a current time.

9 . The first device of claim 7 , wherein the public key and the parameter are obtained from the second device.

10 . The first device of claim 1 , wherein, to determine the first device is separated, the processor is configured to determine that a beacon of the second device has not been received within a threshold amount of time.

11 . The first device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a signal from a wireless network;

determine location information from the signal;

encrypt the location information based on the public key; and

broadcast the encrypted location information with the tag information.

12 . The first device of claim 1 , wherein the encrypted routing identifier is encrypted based on a public key of the routing service.

13 . The first device of claim 1 , wherein the tag information comprises coded tag information.

14 . A device for wireless communications, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to:

receive a broadcast from a tag device, wherein the broadcast includes tag information, the tag information includes a tag identifier and a routing identifier for a routing service to identify a location tracking service associated with the device;

transmit the tag identifier to a first location tracking service based on the routing identifier;

receive, from the first location tracking service, a public key associated with the tag device;

obtain location information for the device;

encrypt the location information based on the public key; and

transmit the encrypted location information to the first location tracking service.

15 . The device of claim 14 , wherein, to transmit the tag identifier to the first location tracking service, the processor is further configured to transmit the tag identifier to a routing service to forward the tag identifier to the first location tracking service.

16 . The device of claim 15 , wherein, to receive the public key, the processor is configured to receive the public key from the routing service, wherein the public key was obtained by the routing service from the first location tracking service.

17 . The device of claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to transmit the routing identifier to the routing service.

18 . The device of claim 14 , wherein the routing identifier identifies a second location tracking service, and wherein, to transmit the tag identifier to the first location tracking service, the tag identifier and routing identifier are transmitted to the first location tracking service to forward to the second location tracking service.

19 . The device of claim 14 , wherein the routing identifier is encrypted.

20 . The device of claim 14 , wherein the tag identifier has a first length that is shorter than a second length of the public key.

21 . A method for wireless communications, comprising:

determining a first device is separated with respect to a second device associated with the first device;

generating tag information, wherein the tag information includes a tag identifier based on a public key and a routing identifier for a routing service to identify a location tracking service associated with the first device; and

based on the determination that the first device is separated, begin broadcasting the tag information.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the tag information comprises an encrypted permanent identifier of the first device.

23 . The method of claim 22 , further comprising:

obtaining the public key, wherein the public key is a public key of a tracking service; and

encrypting the permanent identifier based on the public key of the tracking service.

24 . The method of claim 21 , further comprising obtaining the public key.

25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the tag identifier includes a hash of the public key.

26 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the tag information is based on the public key and a parameter.

27 . A method for wireless communications, comprising:

receiving a broadcast from a tag device, wherein the broadcast includes tag information, the tag information includes a tag identifier and a routing identifier for a routing service to identify a location tracking service associated with the tag device;

transmitting the tag identifier to a first location tracking service based on the routing identifier;

receiving, from the first location tracking service, a public key associated with the tag device;

obtaining location information;

encrypting the location information based on the public key; and

transmitting the encrypted location information to the first location tracking service.

28 . The method of claim 27 , wherein transmitting the tag identifier to the first location tracking service comprises transmitting tag identifier to a routing service to forward the tag identifier to the first location tracking service.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 24, 2023
From: LEE, SOO BUM; HORN, GAVIN BERNARD
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 063755/0857 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240365115A1 · Oct 31, 2024
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