Wi-Fi Access Point Passive Sensor Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional asset tracking systems require dedicated hardware and software, are costly to deploy, and difficult to manage in widespread environments, as they need direct communication or GPS signals, making them impractical for global deployment.
Innovation Solution
A method and system using Wi-Fi access points to passively track sensors by transmitting management frames with sensor data during network discovery, leveraging existing Wi-Fi infrastructure for reporting by wireless devices, eliminating the need for direct communication or GPS.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If dedicated hardware and software are used for asset tracking, then tracking reliability is improved, but deployment cost increases and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes Wi-Fi access points serve dual functions: their original network provisioning function and a new sensor tracking function. By embedding sensor data in management frames that APs already transmit during network discovery, the system eliminates dedicated tracking hardware and leverages existing infrastructure to achieve reliable tracking without increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses wireless devices' existing Wi-Fi scanning and reporting capabilities to perform sensor tracking. Devices that already connect to Wi-Fi networks automatically report observed AP information including embedded sensor data, eliminating the need for separate tracking devices and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining tracking reliability
2Measurement precision
If direct communication or GPS signals are required, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates and adaptability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses Wi-Fi access points as intermediary objects to enable indirect tracking. Instead of requiring direct GPS signals or communication between trackers and tracked objects, the system embeds sensor data in AP management frames, allowing wireless devices to infer location and track sensors indirectly through observed AP information, thereby improving adaptability to environments where GPS or direct communication is unavailable
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of having tracked objects actively transmit their location data, the system inverts the approach by having stationary Wi-Fi access points broadcast sensor data embedded in their management frames. Wireless devices passively observe and report this information, enabling tracking without requiring the tracked object to have active communication capabilities, thus improving deployment versatility
3Area of stationary object
If widespread deployment is attempted, then coverage area increases, but difficulty of managing and deploying increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables existing Wi-Fi access points worldwide to serve dual purposes: network provision and sensor tracking. This eliminates the need to deploy separate tracking infrastructure in new locations, allowing immediate utilization of existing Wi-Fi coverage areas for tracking purposes and greatly simplifying widespread deployment
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges sensor tracking functionality with existing Wi-Fi network infrastructure. By combining network management frames with sensor data transmission, the patent eliminates separate tracking systems that would need to be deployed and managed, allowing seamless integration into existing Wi-Fi networks and greatly reducing deployment complexity for widespread coverage
Data Source
AI summary
A method of passive sensor tracking includes using a Wi-Fi access point that transmits a management frame comprising sensor data of a sensor as part of Wi-Fi wireless network discovery, associating unique identifying information of the Wi-Fi access point with a sensor in a sensor tracking database, receiving observation data of the Wi-Fi access point from a Wi-Fi AP Database, the observation data including the unique identifying information of the Wi-Fi access point and the sensor data of the sensor, and storing the sensor data in the sensor tracking database. The Wi-Fi AP Database receives one or more reports comprising observation data from one or more wireless devices that encounter the Wi-Fi access point.