Method and system for device tracking
US6833787B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 9, 2000 |
| Grant date | Dec 21, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 9, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F2221/2111
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A user contracts for service with an operations center (12) in order to provide monitoring and tracking services for a plurality of devices (30). After contracting for service, the operations center provides an agent (81) for download by a user to one or more of the user's devices (14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 630) for which the user has contracted for service. The agent is installed on the devices associated with the user's sites and communicates with the operations center. A listening process (710) at the operations center listens for periodically sent beacon packets (640) generated by a monitored device (630). Using location indicators included with the beacon packets and generated by an agent (681) on the monitored device, the operations center provides notifications (712) to a handler regarding the location of the monitored device if the monitored device is reported as stolen. A tracking response (714) may be communicated to the monitored device to take special actions when the device is stolen and to update the agent and other portions of the monitored device.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.