Wi-Fi Access Point Tracking via Passive Sensor Broadcasts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional asset tracking systems require substantial investment in dedicated hardware and software, unobstructed access to satellite signals, and communication capabilities, making them costly and difficult to deploy across multiple sites.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that uses Wi-Fi access points to passively track sensors by transmitting management frames with sensor data during wireless network discovery, leveraging existing Wi-Fi infrastructure for reporting sensor data without requiring network connectivity or user awareness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional asset tracking systems use dedicated hardware and software infrastructure, then tracking reliability is improved, but deployment cost and complexity increase substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by making Wi-Fi access points perform multiple functions: their original network connectivity function plus a new sensor data collection function. The access points transmit both network management frames and sensor data through the same communication infrastructure, eliminating the need for separate dedicated tracking hardware and reducing deployment complexity while maintaining reliable tracking through the robust Wi-Fi network.
2Measurement precision
If dedicated tracking infrastructure is deployed, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of substance (hardware resources) increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges sensor data transmission with existing Wi-Fi network traffic. Sensor data is embedded within or transmitted alongside standard Wi-Fi management frames, allowing the system to utilize already-deployed Wi-Fi access points and infrastructure rather than requiring separate dedicated tracking hardware, thereby reducing hardware resource consumption while maintaining measurement precision through the same reliable communication channel.
3Productivity
If Wi-Fi access points transmit management frames with sensor data, then productivity of data collection is improved, but use of energy by stationary object increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having Wi-Fi access points transmit sensor data proactively within management frames during regular network operations, rather than waiting for data requests. This approach leverages existing network traffic patterns and transmission schedules, allowing data collection to occur during normal Wi-Fi operations without requiring additional dedicated transmission events, thereby improving data collection efficiency while minimizing additional energy consumption.
Data Source
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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.