Patents Assigned to Link Labs, Inc.
  • Patent number: 10484932
    Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for reversing the conventional roles of central and peripheral devices in a BLE network. Doing so includes implementing an end node (EN) as the sole initiator of a connection between a particular EN and a particular access point (AP). Such implementation includes determining a coordinate location of the EN based on position information for multiple reference points (RPs) and a time of flight (TOF) of an ultrasonic waveform transmitted by each of the RPs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: LINK LABS, INC.
    Inventors: Mark Bloechl, Ricardo Luna, Jr., Patrick Li
  • Publication number: 20190159109
    Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for reversing the conventional roles of central and peripheral devices in a BLE network. Doing so includes implementing an end node (EN) as the sole initiator of a connection between a particular EN and a particular access point (AP). Such implementation includes determining a coordinate location of the EN based on position information for multiple reference points (RPs) and a time of flight (TOF) of an ultrasonic waveform transmitted by each of the RPs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Applicant: Link Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Bloechl, Ricardo Luna, JR., Patrick Li
  • Publication number: 20190124474
    Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for reversing the conventional roles of central and peripheral devices in a BLE network. Doing so includes implementing an end node (EN) as the sole initiator of a connection between a particular EN and a particular access point (AP). Such implementation includes determining a location of the EN based on position information for multiple reference points (RPs), which may in instances be supplied by the AP. Advantageously, the relative positioning is more particularly based on the received signal strengths (RSS) of beacon advertisement messages broadcast from the RPs, and refined by each of the position information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Applicant: Link Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Bloechl, Scott Wohler, Ricardo Luna, JR., Patrick Li
  • Patent number: 10264436
    Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for reversing the conventional roles of central and peripheral devices in a BLE network. Doing so includes implementing an end node (EN) to be operable with a cellular backhaul and as the receiver of messaging generated by components within the network for the downstream cellular transfer of proximity and other types of information collected by the EN. The EN is configured to collect GPS and WiFi positional information determinative of a location of the EN, and transmit such positional information directly from the EN over an available backhaul so as to enable a determination of a relative location thereof based only on that positional information. In these ways, location and other types of information associated with the EN may become known with increased reliability and certainty in the face of obstacles such as structural barriers and distance that ordinarily limit BLE performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: LINK LABS, INC.
    Inventors: Scott Wohler, Mark Bloechl, Ricardo Luna, Jr., Patrick Li, Brian Emery Ray
  • Patent number: 10244377
    Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for reversing the conventional roles of central and peripheral devices in a BLE network. Doing so includes implementing an end node (EN) as the sole initiator of a connection between a particular EN and other components within the network. Such initiating is controllable by the network so as to effect a transfer of EN functionality among one or more of the other components. Implementation of the transfer depends on a network controlled timing determining functionality of all network components. Accordingly, the network is enabled to effect the power consumption of those components in an effort to optimize use of their respective power resources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: LINK LABS, INC.
    Inventors: Mark Bloechl, Scott Wohler, Ricardo Luna, Jr., Patrick Li, Brian Emery Ray
  • Patent number: 10244373
    Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for reversing the conventional roles of central and peripheral devices in a BLE network. Doing so includes implementing an end node (EN) as the sole initiator of establishing a connection between a particular EN and a particular access point (AP). Such implementation includes determining such connection based on a relative proximity of an EN to an AP, and a relative value of the connection between an EN and an AP. Accordingly, a relative location of the EN may be determined based on such proximity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: LINK LABS, INC.
    Inventors: Mark Olden Bloechl, Ricardo Luna, Jr., Patrick Li, Brian Emery Ray
  • Patent number: 10234536
    Abstract: A method of geolocating comprises: receiving wirelessly, at an asset located on the Earth's surface and from at least two airborne aircraft, ADS-B signals, respectively; interpolating, using a Bayes filter, at least some state information of the at least two airborne aircraft based on the ADS-B signals, respectively; determining differences in received signal strength indicator (RSSI) values (RSSI-difference values) of successive aircraft-specific ADS-B signals, respectively; estimating, using a likelihood function, locations of the asset based on the RSSI-difference values, the ADS-B signals and the interpolated state information, respectively, thereby producing a set of estimated locations; and searching amongst the set to find one of the estimated locations that is regarded as being most likely to most accurately describe an actual position of the asset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: LINK LABS, INC.
    Inventors: Ricardo Luna, Jr., Adrian Sapio, Richard Kevin Sawyer, Jr., Mark Olden Bloechl
  • Patent number: 10237913
    Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for reversing the conventional roles of central and peripheral devices in a BLE network. Doing so includes implementing an end node (EN) as the sole initiator of a connection between a particular EN and a particular mobile access point (AP). Such implementation includes determining such connection based on a relative proximity of an EN to the mobile AP, and a relative value of the connection between an EN and the mobile AP. Accordingly, a relative location of the EN may be determined based on such proximity, and particularly in response to mobility of the AP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: LINK LABS, INC.
    Inventors: Scott Wohler, Mark Bloechl, Ricardo Luna, Jr., Patrick Li, Brian Emery Ray
  • Publication number: 20180367942
    Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for reversing the conventional roles of central and peripheral devices in a BLE network. Doing so includes implementing an end node (EN) as the sole initiator of establishing a connection between a particular EN and a particular access point (AP). Such implementation includes determining such connection based on a relative proximity of an EN to an AP, and a relative value of the connection between an EN and an AP. Accordingly, a relative location of the EN may be determined based on such proximity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2017
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Applicant: Link Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Olden Bloechl, Ricardo Luna, JR., Patrick Li, Brian Emery Ray
  • Publication number: 20180367973
    Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for reversing the conventional roles of central and peripheral devices in a BLE network. Doing so includes implementing an end node (EN) as the sole initiator of a connection between a particular EN and other components within the network. Such initiating is controllable by the network so as to effect a transfer of EN functionality among one or more of the other components. Implementation of the transfer depends on a network controlled timing determining functionality of all network components. Accordingly, the network is enabled to effect the power consumption of those components in an effort to optimize use of their respective power resources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Applicant: Link Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Bloechl, Scott Wohler, Ricardo Luna, JR., Patrick Li, Brian Emery Ray
  • Publication number: 20180368206
    Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for reversing the conventional roles of central and peripheral devices in a BLE network. Doing so includes implementing an end node (EN) as the sole initiator of a connection between a particular EN and a particular mobile access point (AP). Such implementation includes determining such connection based on a relative proximity of an EN to the mobile AP, and a relative value of the connection between an EN and the mobile AP. Accordingly, a relative location of the EN may be determined based on such proximity, and particularly in response to mobility of the AP.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Applicant: Link Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Wohler, Mark Bloechl, Ricardo Luna, JR., Patrick Li, Brian Emery Ray
  • Patent number: 10070479
    Abstract: Provided are apparatuses and methods for control of each of data usage and power consumption of cellular network services. Based on such control, a consumer cost of that data usage is reduced, and a battery life of a device for carrying out data communications is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: LINK LABS, INC.
    Inventors: Brian Emery Ray, Adrian Sapio
  • Patent number: 9860882
    Abstract: A method of operating an end node to communicate with a central node, the method comprising: wirelessly receiving, a beacon signal periodically-transmitted from the central node; each beacon signal denoting the start of a single frame; each frame being organized to include a downlink (DL) phase which precedes an uplink (UL) phase; and a payload of the beacon signal including an offset which represents a starting time of the UL phase. The method further comprises: generating a message; selecting, unbeknownst to the central node, at least one UL logical-channel, respectively; and wirelessly transmitting, during the UL phase, at least a portion of the message from the end node over the selected at least one UL logical-channel according to a slotted ALOHA technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: LINK LABS, INC.
    Inventors: Adrian Sapio, Richard Kevin Sawyer, Jr., Allen Parker Welkie, Ricardo Luna, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9775157
    Abstract: A method, of operating an end node to wirelessly communicate with a central node, includes: receiving wirelessly a current instance of a beacon signal periodically-transmitted from the central node; measuring a received power, PB-RX, of the beacon signal; reading locally-stored values of PB-TX and G representing a presumed transmitted power of the beacon signal and a performance goal of the end node, respectively; determining, for a given channel, a path loss, PL, based on the PB-RX and the PB-TX; and adaptively setting an energy level, EN-TX, of a forthcoming message to be transmitted from the end node by adaptively determining, based on PL and G, at least two of: a level of power, PN-TX; a forward error correction coding rate, c; and a spreading factor, SF; and a modulation format, M.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Link Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Ricardo Luna, Jr., Adrian Sapio, Richard Kevin Sawyer, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20170153323
    Abstract: A method of geolocating comprises: receiving wirelessly, at an asset located on the Earth's surface and from at least two airborne aircraft, ADS-B signals, respectively; interpolating, using a Bayes filter, at least some state information of the at least two airborne aircraft based on the ADS-B signals, respectively; determining differences in received signal strength indicator (RSSI) values (RSSI-difference values) of successive aircraft-specific ADS-B signals, respectively; estimating, using a likelihood function, locations of the asset based on the RSSI-difference values, the ADS-B signals and the interpolated state information, respectively, thereby producing a set of estimated locations; and searching amongst the set to find one of the estimated locations that is regarded as being most likely to most accurately describe an actual position of the asset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2015
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Applicant: Link Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Ricardo LUNA, JR., Adrian SAPIO, Richard Kevin SAWYER, JR., Mark Olden BLOECHL
  • Patent number: 9660768
    Abstract: A method (of operating a central node to acknowledge received messages) includes: receiving multiple data messages from multiple instances of a message-sourceable end node, respectively, each end-node-instance having an at least substantially unique identification (“ID”); and sending a dense acknowledgement message (“dense ACK”) acknowledging receipt of the data messages but not explicitly identifying any of the IDs of the corresponding end-node-instances. And a method (of operating a given instance of the end node to infer a delivery-condition at the central node of a data message sent by the given instance) including: sending a given data message including the substantially unique ID; receiving a dense ACK including a payload indicating receipt of multiple data messages but not explicitly identifying IDs of the given end-node-instance nor of other end-node-instances corresponding to the received messages, respectively; and inferring the delivery-condition based on a manipulated payload of the dense ACK.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: LINK LABS, INC.
    Inventors: Adrian Sapio, Jeffrey Andrew Koul, Allen Welke, Brian Emery Ray
  • Patent number: 9652955
    Abstract: A system and method for transmitting information using first and second wireless communication protocols, including an object having a short range radio frequency signal transmitter for transmitting a signal using the first protocol, the signal including information transmitted from the object; a collector including a signal receiver for receiving the signal transmitted by the short range radio frequency transmitter and further including a collector transmitter that transmits a collector signal using the second protocol via a low power wide area network, the collector signal including the information transmitted from the object; a gateway in wireless communication with the collector via the low power wide area network, the gateway including a gateway receiver for receiving the collector signal; a processing application for processing the information transmitted from the object and creating an information processing outcome; and an end user terminal having an interface for displaying the information processing
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Link Labs, INC.
    Inventors: Brian Emery Ray, Mark Olden Bloechl
  • Publication number: 20160323886
    Abstract: A method, of operating an end node to wirelessly communicate with a central node, includes: receiving wirelessly a current instance of a beacon signal periodically-transmitted from the central node; measuring a received power, PB-RX, of the beacon signal; reading locally-stored values of PB-TX and G representing a presumed transmitted power of the beacon signal and a performance goal of the end node, respectively; determining, for a given channel, a path loss, PL, based on the PB-RX and the PB-TX; and adaptively setting an energy level, EN-TX, of a forthcoming message to be transmitted from the end node by adaptively determining, based on PL and G, at least two of: a level of power, PN-TX; a forward error correction coding rate, c; and a spreading factor, SF; and a modulation format, M.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Applicant: Link Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Ricardo LUNA, JR., Adrian SAPIO, Richard Kevin SAWYER, JR.
  • Patent number: 9264099
    Abstract: A method (of operating an end node) includes: wirelessly receiving an instance of a non-hopping beacon signal, B, periodically-transmitted from a central node; interpreting a frequency-block hopping guide (FBHG) according to FN(i) and IDCN thereby to determine a corresponding set, CSET(i), of at least two channels available to the end node for transmission, respectively, during frame FN(i); selecting, at least pseudo-randomly, at least one channel amongst the set CSET(i); and wirelessly transmitting at least one message from the end node using the at least one selected channel, respectively. Each instance B(i) includes: a corresponding frame number, FN(i); and an identification, IDCN, of the central node. The FBHG establishes: a total of L frames; a set of channels CSET for each frame, respectively; and that, for any two consecutive ones of the L frames, FN(j) and FN(j+1), the corresponding sets CSET(j) and CSET(j+1) will be different, CSET(j)?CSET(j+1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Link Labs, INC.
    Inventors: Adrian Sapio, Richard Kevin Sawyer, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9253727
    Abstract: A method, of operating an end node to wirelessly communicate with a central node, includes: receiving wirelessly a current instance of a beacon signal periodically-transmitted from the central node; measuring a received power, PB-RX, of the beacon signal; reading locally-stored values of PB-TX and G representing a presumed transmitted power of the beacon signal and a performance goal of the end node, respectively; determining, for a given channel, a path loss, PL, based on the PB-RX and the PB-TX; and adaptively setting an energy level, EN-TX, of a forthcoming message to be transmitted from the end node based on PL and G.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: LINK LABS, INC.
    Inventors: Ricardo Luna, Jr., Adrian Sapio, Richard Kevin Sawyer, Jr.