Fedex Corporate Services, Inc.

Federal Express Corporation

Terence Hollahan

Ole-Petter Skaaksrud

Steven Benton

A system for time gap based monitoring for identifying an event candidate within a server managed wireless node network may include an ID node monitored by a master node. The system's master node is operative to receive multiples signals from the ID node; and use a timer on the master node to determine time gaps between successive received signals. The master node then compares the signals to identify a change in an observed parameter of the signals; identifies the event candidate when at least one of the identified change in the observed parameter and the detected time gaps matches an event criteria related to the ID node; and then sends a message to the server reporting the event candidate relative to the ID node.

Systems, apparatus, and methods of time gap related monitoring for an event candidate related to an ID node within a wireless node network

A server apparatus allows for enhanced management of a wireless node network having a ID nodes and a master node in communication with the ID nodes. The server includes a processing unit, memory storage, and a network interface. The memory storage maintains event candidate analytics engine code for execution by the server, node management information (e.g., context data describing a contextual environment of the ID nodes and rule data used for node control operations) used to control ID nodes and the master node as part of managing the wireless node network. When executing the event candidate analytics engine code and having access to the node management information, the server becomes unconventionally operative to receive from the master node an event candidate identified as representing an updated status related to an ID node; generate a confidence rating for the event candidate based upon an evaluation of the event candidate against at least a portion of the context data, where the confidence rating indicates a degree to which the event candidate represents a node relevant activity; update the node management information stored on the memory storage based upon a type of the event candidate and the confidence rating for the event candidate; and transmit to the master node a management message providing at least a portion of the updated node management information to the master node as instructional input to be used by the master node.

Systems, apparatus, and methods of enhanced management of a wireless node network based upon an event candidate related to elements of the wireless node network

Systems, apparatus, and methods are described for enhanced monitoring for an event candidate within a wireless node network. Such a system, for example, may include a server at a top level within the wireless node network, an ID node disposed at a low level within the wireless node network, and a master node disposed at a middle level within the wireless node network. The master node, which separately communicates with the server and the ID node and executes event detection code stored on its memory storage, is operative to detect a first and a second advertising signal broadcast by the ID node over a communication path with the ID node, compare an observed parameter of each of the first and second advertising signal (such as signal strength), identify the event candidate based upon the comparison, and use a second communication path to report the identified event candidate to the server.

System, apparatus, and methods of event monitoring for an event candidate related to an ID node within a wireless node network

Systems, master node-based apparatus, and methods are described for enhanced monitoring for an event candidate within a wireless node network. Such a system may include a low-level ID node and a mid-level master node. The master node receives a first group of signals, and then detects if the ID node is broadcasting with a cycling broadcast RF power profile setting, receives a second plurality of advertising signals from the ID node also broadcast with this setting. The master node then determines a first average of an observed parameter for the first advertising signals within a first window of time commensurate with the cycling period and a second average of the observed parameter for the second advertising signals within a second window of time commensurate with the cycling period. The master node then identifies and reports the event candidate when a comparison of the first average and the second average indicates a threshold observed change relative to the ID node.

Systems, apparatus, and methods of enhanced monitoring for an event candidate associated with cycling power of an ID node within a wireless node network

Systems, apparatus, and methods are described for checkpoint summary based monitoring for an event candidate within a wireless node network of ID nodes, a master node, and a server. Such a method, for example, may have the master node receiving a first set of advertising signals broadcast by an ID node and generating a first checkpoint summary representing the first set of received signals. The master node then receives a second set of advertising signals broadcast by the ID node (after the ID node broadcasts the first set) and generates a second checkpoint summary representing the second set of received signals. The method then identifies the event candidate based upon a comparison of an observed parameter for each of the first checkpoint summary and the second checkpoint summary; and reports to the server a message about the event candidate relative to the ID node.

Systems, apparatus, and methods of checkpoint summary based monitoring for an event candidate related to an ID node within a wireless node network

Methods and systems for context management of a wireless node network having at least a plurality of nodes and a server are described. The server identifies at least one of the nodes. The server determines what context data relates to an operating environment of the identified node as the identified node moves along a path within the operating environment. Based upon the determined context data (e.g., scan data, historic data, shipment data, and layout data), the server performs a management task related to the identified node (e.g., instructs the node to alter its operation, associate the node with the another node, locates the node, tracks and reports the location of the node) with an adjustment made to account for the determined context data.

Context management of a wireless node network

Enhanced monitoring for an event candidate, as performed by a master node in a wireless node network with a server and at least one ID node, generally has the master node detecting a first signal broadcast by the ID node; identifying the event candidate as a first sighting event when detecting the first signal; generating and reporting event data representing the first sighting event (e.g., an ID node identifier, timing, and signal strength information); identifying the event candidate as a sporadic event related to the ID node when (1) there is no identified first benchmark checkpoint event related to the ID node and (2) there is no detected subsequent signal broadcast by the ID node within a gap time period from when the latest signal from the ID node was detected; generating and reporting event data representing the sporadic event (e.g., timing and signal strength information) if the master node identifies the sporadic event; determining a signal strength average value for certain subsequent successive ID node signals including the first signal as long as an elapsed time between each of the subsequent successive signals is less than the gap time; identifying the event candidate as a first benchmark checkpoint event representing the state of the ID node based upon the signal strength average value; and generating and reporting event data representing the benchmark checkpoint event (e.g., timing and signal strength information).

Systems, apparatus, and methods of event monitoring for an event candidate within a wireless node network based upon sighting events, sporadic events, and benchmark checkpoint events

Methods, media, apparatus, and systems are described for improved and enhanced node location determination related to one of a plurality of nodes in a wireless node network. A first and second other node in the network are instructed to detect any message broadcast from the one node over a period of time. The server receives a first indication from the first other node, where the first indication relates to a characteristic of all messages broadcast from the one node that are detected by the first other node during the time period. The server receives a second indication from the second other node, where the second indication relates to the characteristic of all messages broadcast from the one node that are detected by the second other node during the time period. The server then determines a location of the one node based upon a difference in the first and second indications.

Proximity node location using a wireless node network

Systems, apparatus, and methods are described for enhanced checkpoint summary based monitoring for an event candidate within a wireless node network of ID nodes, a master node, and a server. The master node listens for ID node signals, detects a first advertising signal, and records a first observed parameter (e.g. sensor data generated by the ID node) based upon the detected first signal. The master node detects a subsequent group of signals broadcast by the ID node and records a group of observed parameters based upon respective ones of those signals. The master node generates a first checkpoint summary representing a first set of advertising signals (the detected first signal and the detected subsequent group of signals). The first checkpoint summary includes a summary observed parameter based upon the recorded observed parameter for the first signal and each of the recorded observed parameters for the subsequent group of signals. The first checkpoint summary is then reported to the server as the event candidate relative to the first ID node.

Systems, apparatus, and methods of enhanced checkpoint summary based monitoring for an event candidate related to an ID node within a wireless node network

Improved methods and apparatus are described for determining node locations using one or more associations of nodes in a wireless node network. In general, a first node (such as a master node) may broadcast one or more first messages at a first anticipated range distance. The first node identifies which nodes associated with the first node received at least one of the first messages, such as by reports from associated nodes that receives such message(s). The first node then broadcasts one or more second messages at a smaller anticipated range distance (e.g., with a lower output power level), and determines a location of those associated nodes that did not receive any second messages but received at least one of the first messages. Such a location is between the first anticipated range distance from the first node and the second anticipated range distance from the first node.

Determining node location using a lower level node association in a wireless node network

Determining node location using a master node association in a wireless node network

Improved methods and networks of components are described for dynamically changing an operational mode of node operations in a wireless node network having at least a plurality of master nodes and a server. A method begins with a first master node detecting an environmental change related to the first master node, such as when the first master node loses reception of a location signal due to surrounding structure. In response to the detected environmental change, changing an operational mode for the first master node to a temporary ID node mode where the first master node no longer can self-determine its location. The first master node operating in the temporary ID node mode then notifies the server that the first master nodes is operating in the temporary ID node mode, and associates with a second master node.

Methods and networks for dynamically changing an operational mode of node operations in a wireless node network

Methods and systems for association management within a wireless node network of nodes and a server are described. A method may identify a first node as a potential for associating with a second node based, for example, upon status information about the nodes. An association request is transmitted by the second node to the server. The server may determine the locations of the nodes, determine if associating the nodes is desired based on the locations, and record new association data if association should occur. Upon receiving a permissive response from the server, which may include one or more authorization credentials, the first node and second node may be associated. Then with authorization credentials, the first and second nodes may securely connect and share data. And once associated, responsibility for a task previously done by the first node may be shifted to the second node after the nodes are associated.

Association management in a wireless node network

Methods and systems for enhanced node location determination by varying a power characteristic of nodes in a wireless node network are described. At least one of the nodes is instructed by a managing element in the network to incrementally change the power characteristic (e.g., change output power level and/or node receiver sensitivity). As the power characteristic incrementally changes, nodes are identified that initially received a signal broadcast from a first of the nodes but no longer receive the broadcast signal. As the power characteristic continues to incrementally change, a node is identified as a last of the nodes that receives the broadcast signal before none of the other nodes can receive the broadcast signal. As such, the identified last of the other nodes is a closest node to the first node. Then, a location of the first node is determined based upon the closest node to the first node.

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Collierville, TN, United States of America

Terence Hollahan