The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 12, 2016
Filed:
Jul. 29, 2014
Determining node location using a variable power characteristic of a node in a wireless node network
Fedex Corporate Services, Inc., Collierville, TN (US);
Ole-Petter Skaaksrud, Germantown, TN (US);
Terence Hollahan, Collierville, TN (US);
Steven Benton, Cordova, TN (US);
FEDEX CORPORATE SERVICES, INC., Collierville, TN (US);
Abstract
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.