Abstract: A tracking system determines a location of a tracking device associated with a user using one or more access points at the location. Each access point at the location is configured to detect and couple with the tracking device when the tracking device is within a communicative range of the access point. An access point provides updates on the tracking device's presence, as well as the tracking device's arrival to and departure from the communicative range of the access point, to a tracking server. The tracking server determines, from these updates, whether the tracking device is at the location. The user may be notified, via a mobile device, of the tracking device's location.

Abstract: A tracking device broadcasts beacon signals that are separated in time by broadcast intervals. The tracking device determines the broadcast intervals based on a behavior model. The behavior model specifies one or more conditions, such as times of day within a 24-hour day, and associates a usage probability with each condition. A higher usage probability causes the tracking device to broadcast beacon signals at shorter broadcast intervals. A mobile device in communication with the tracking device can reconfigure the behavior model, either by modifying portions of the behavior model or by replacing the behavior model with a different behavior model. This allows the behavior model to adapt to different circumstances, such as different usage patterns during weekdays, weekends, and vacations.

Abstract: A tracking system determines a location of a tracking device associated with a user using one or more access points at the location. Each access point at the location is configured to detect and couple with the tracking device when the tracking device is within a communicative range of the access point. An access point provides updates on the tracking device's presence, as well as the tracking device's arrival to and departure from the communicative range of the access point, to a tracking server. The tracking server determines, from these updates, whether the tracking device is at the location. The user may be notified, via a mobile device, of the tracking device's location.

Abstract: A mobile device determines based on a signal strength threshold when tracking devices communicatively coupled to the mobile device are lost or left behind. The mobile device communicatively couples to a tracking device and receives a first signal transmitted by the tracking device with a signal strength greater than a signal strength threshold. The mobile device receives a second signal transmitted by the tracking device and determines a measure of signal strength based on the second signal. While the mobile device is still communicatively coupled to the tracking device, and responsive to determining that the measure of signal strength of the second signal is less than the signal strength threshold, the mobile device generates a notification that the tracking device may be lost or left behind to alert the user of the mobile device.

Abstract: A tracking device can securely communicate with a secondary device by generating a hash value based on the identity of the tracking device. If the secondary device cannot resolve the hash value, the hash value can be provided to a tracking server, such as a cloud server, for resolving the hash value. Upon resolving the hash value, the tracking server can store a location of the tracking device in association with the identity of the tracking device. To preserve power, the secondary device can activate location-detection functionality (such as a GPS receive) only in response to the detection of movement of the tracking device, can obtain location information, and can de-activate the location-detection functionality upon providing the location information to the tracking server. The tracking server can associate one or both of a previous location and the current location information based on movement of the tracking device.

Abstract: A lost tracking device associated with a tracking system can be located by leveraging one or more community members by inviting these members to join a search party. Search party criteria can be identified and candidate search party members can be selected and invited based on the search party criteria. When invited candidate search party members accept the invitations, they are added to the search party. A last known location of the tracking device can be provided to the search party members, and the search party can remain in effect until the lost tracking device is located. The location of the lost tracking device is provided to the tracking system, which forwards it to the owner of the lost tracking device. A reward can be provided by the owner of the lost tracking device to the tracking system, which releases the reward to the search party member that located the lost tracking device.

Abstract: A set of tracking devices can be placed within a geographic area as part of a scavenger hunt. A user with a mobile device can traverse the area, and when the user moves within a threshold proximity or communicative range of a tracking device, the mobile device can receive a communication from the tracking device identifying the tracking device. In response to determining that the tracking device is part of the set of tracking devices and thus part of the scavenger hunt, the mobile device can modify a tracking device interface displaying a representation of the tracking device to indicate that the tracking device has been found. In response to each tracking device being found, the mobile device can modify the tracking device interface to indicate that the scavenger hunt has been completed.

Abstract: A tracking device has a first transceiver, a second transceiver, and control logic. The first transceiver can transmit a first tracking signal for locating the tracking device to mobile devices via a first network. The mobile devices provide the first tracking signal to a tracking server. The second transceiver can transmit a second tracking signal for locating the tracking device to the tracking server via a second network. The control logic can configure the tracking device in a first state in which the first transceiver transmits the first tracking signal, and the second transceiver is disabled and does not transmit the second tracking signal. In response to determining that the tracking device cannot connect to the tracking server via the first network, the control logic configures the tracking device in a second state in which the second transceiver is enabled and transmits the second tracking signal.

Abstract: A tracking system determines a location of a tracking device associated with a user using one or more access points at the location. Each access point at the location is configured to detect and couple with the tracking device when the tracking device is within a communicative range of the access point. An access point provides updates on the tracking device's presence, as well as the tracking device's arrival to and departure from the communicative range of the access point, to a tracking server. The tracking server determines, from these updates, whether the tracking device is at the location. The user may be notified, via a mobile device, of the tracking device's location.

Abstract: A tracking system can provide intervention notifications to a user to notify the user that a tracking device is potentially lost or is in a predicted state. The tracking system may notify the user that a tracking device is potentially lost or in a predicted state based on a number of factors, including: a proximity of a tracking device to other tracking devices or a user's mobile device, a movement of a tracking device to more than a threshold distance away from a mobile device or other tracking devices, a location of a tracking device relative to a geographic location or to geographic boundaries, a usage or movement behavior of the tracking device, a usage or movement behavior of a user or owner of a tracking device, information received from an external source, or information received from sensors within the tracking device or a user's mobile.

Abstract: The detection and prevention of unauthorized tracking devices is described herein. For example, a mobile device may be configured to detect nearby wireless devices. The communication signal between a detected wireless device and the mobile device may be tracked over time, and used to programmatically determine the likelihood that the detected wireless device is an unknown tracking device. The user of the mobile device may be given a notification and related data when a suspicious device is identified, and the user may choose to identify the unknown tracking device as an authorized tracking device or an unauthorized tracking device. When a detected wireless device is identified as an unauthorized tracking device, various remedial actions may be performed by a user and/or a central tracking system. In one example, the central tracking system remotely deactivates the unauthorized tracking device.

Abstract: Tracking devices can be associated with safe zones, smart zones, and high risk zones. Safe zones correspond to regions where a likelihood that a tracking device is lost within the safe zone is lower than outside the safe zone. High risk zones correspond to regions where a likelihood that a tracking device is lost within the high risk zone is higher than outside the high risk zone. Smart zones correspond to an expected tracking device, mobile device, or user behavior. Home areas are geographic regions in which a user resides, and travel areas are geographic regions in which a user does not reside. A tracking device can be configured to operate in a mode selected based on a presence of the tracking device within a safe zone, a smart zone, a high risk zone, a home area, or a travel area.

Abstract: An electronic device can be commissioned with an identifier for use in a centralized tracking system. The electronic device is assigned an interim unique identifier and authentication key, for instance by a manufacturer of the electronic device. The electronic device and the centralized tracking system each separately generate a permanent unique identifier and a permanent authentication key based on the interim unique identifier and interim authentication key, without requiring the permanent unique identifier and permanent authentication key from being transmitted between the electronic device and the central tracking server. Upon generating the permanent unique identifier and permanent authentication key, tracking device functionality can be enabled within the electronic device, enabling the electronic device to function as a tracking device within the centralized tracking system.

Abstract: A tracking system can provide smart alerts based on a user's location. The tracking system can receive a location of a user's mobile device and establish a geographic boundary around the location if the mobile device remains at the location for a threshold amount of time. The tracking system can receive a new location of the mobile device outside of the geographic boundary and configure the mobile device to scan for a tracking device associated with the user for an interval of time. If the tracking system detects the tracking device within the interval, the tracking system stores information indicating that the user possesses the tracking device. Otherwise, the tracking system sends an indication to the mobile device indicating that the user has left behind the tracking device.

Abstract: A tracking server stores information identifying one or more community mobile devices and information identifying one or more tracking devices within a proximity of each of the one or more community mobile devices. The tracking server receives a tracking device request from a mobile device. The tracking device request includes information identifying a tracking device and configuration instructions for configuring the tracking device. The tracking server identifies a community mobile device from the one or more community mobile devices within a proximity of the tracking device. The tracking server sends the tracking device request to the identified community mobile device. The identified community mobile device is configured to forward the tracking device request to the tracking device and the tracking device is configured to re-configure the tracking device based on the configuration instructions included in the tracking device request.

Abstract: A tracking system determines a location of a tracking device associated with a user using one or more access points at the location. Each access point at the location is configured to detect and couple with the tracking device when the tracking device is within a communicative range of the access point. An access point provides updates on the tracking device's presence, as well as the tracking device's arrival to and departure from the communicative range of the access point, to a tracking server. The tracking server determines, from these updates, whether the tracking device is at the location. The user may be notified, via a mobile device, of the tracking device's location.

Abstract: A tracking system determines a location of a tracking device associated with a user using one or more access points at the location. Each access point at the location is configured to detect and couple with the tracking device when the tracking device is within a communicative range of the access point. An access point provides updates on the tracking device's presence, as well as the tracking device's arrival to and departure from the communicative range of the access point, to a tracking server. The tracking server determines, from these updates, whether the tracking device is at the location. The user may be notified, via a mobile device, of the tracking device's location.

Abstract: A last known location of a tracking device can be determined by using location information received at a tracking system. A disconnection event is received at the tracking system indicating that a tracking device has disconnected from a mobile device. In response, the tracking system can generate a last known location for the tracking device. Other relevant location updates, such as recent locations of the mobile device or locations of other mobile devices that connect to the tracking device are collected and associated with the disconnection event. Based on the location updates, a last known location of the tracking device can be computed and stored.