Abstract: A tracking device can use a permanent encryption key pair to encrypt one or more temporary encryption key pairs, which can then be provided to a central tracking system. When a community mobile device subsequently detects the tracking device, the central tracking system provides an encrypted temporary encryption key pair to the community mobile device. The community mobile device uses the encrypted temporary encryption key pair to encrypt location data representative of a location of the community mobile device, and provides the encrypted location data to the central tracking system. When a user subsequently requests a location of the tracking device from the central tracking system, the central tracking system provides the encrypted location data, and a device of the user can decrypt the encrypted temporary encryption key pair using the permanent encryption key pair, and can decrypt the location data using the decrypted temporary encryption key pair.

Abstract: A tracking device can use a permanent encryption key pair to encrypt a temporary private key that corresponds to a set of diversified temporary public keys. When a community mobile device subsequently detects the tracking device, the central tracking system provides a diversified temporary public key to the community mobile device. The community mobile device uses the diversified temporary public key to encrypt location data representative of a location of the community mobile device, and provides the encrypted location data to the central tracking system. When a user subsequently requests a location of the tracking device from the central tracking system, the central tracking system provides the encrypted temporary private key and the encrypted location data to a device of the user, and the device can decrypt the encrypted temporary private key using the permanent encryption key pair, and decrypt the encrypted location data using the decrypted temporary private key.

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: In one embodiment, a method implemented by a computing device includes receiving a tracking signal from a tracking device, and determining an identification of the tracking device based on the tracking signal. The identification includes a unique identifier associated with the tracking device. The method further includes receiving, from a tracking system server, a device identifier and a device command associated with the tracking device. The device command corresponds to a feature of the tracking device. The method further includes determining whether the unique identifier determined by the computing device matches the device identifier received from the tracking system server, and in response to determining that the unique identifier matches the device identifier, transmitting the device command to the tracking device.

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: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, at a tracking server from a user device, a hash value associated with a tracking device. The hash value is computed based on at least a unique identifying value associated with the tracking device. The hash value is configured to expire after a predetermined period of time. The method includes determining that the received hash value is not expired. The method includes identifying the tracking device based on a comparison between a stored hash value and the received hash value. The method includes updating one or more records stored in a database accessible to, and maintained by, the tracking server that are associated with the identified tracking device based on the received hash value.

Abstract: A tracking device can use a permanent encryption key pair to encrypt a temporary private key that corresponds to a set of diversified temporary public keys. When a community mobile device subsequently detects the tracking device, the central tracking system provides a diversified temporary public key to the community mobile device. The community mobile device uses the diversified temporary public key to encrypt location data representative of a location of the community mobile device, and provides the encrypted location data to the central tracking system. When a user subsequently requests a location of the tracking device from the central tracking system, the central tracking system provides the encrypted temporary private key and the encrypted location data to a device of the user, and the device can decrypt the encrypted temporary private key using the permanent encryption key pair, and decrypt the encrypted location data using the decrypted temporary private key.

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: 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 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: An electronic device with a primary functionality and a tracking functionality can be used in a centralized tracking system. A controller configures the electronic device to operate in one of a set of: an “on” mode, an “off” mode, a first standby mode, and a tracking standby mode. While configured to operate in the “on” mode, the primary and tracking functionality of the electronic device are enabled, and while configured to operate in the “off” mode, both are disabled. While configured to operate in the first standby mode, the tracking functionality is enabled and the primary functionality is limited. While configured to operate in the tracking standby mode, the primary functionality is disabled but the tracking functionality is enabled, enabling the electronic device to be located while the primary functionality is disabled and saving power relative to the first standby mode and the “on” mode.

Abstract: A tracking device can be reconfigured after an amount of operation to preserve the battery capacity of the tracking device and to ensure that the tracking device can be operated for a pre-determined threshold period of time. The tracking device can provide diagnostic information representative of a state of the tracking device, such as a current power capacity of the tracking device's battery, to a mobile device within a threshold proximity of the tracking device. The mobile device can then provide the diagnostic information to a tracking server, which in turn can provide reconfiguration instructions to the mobile device. The mobile device can then pass on the reconfiguration instructions to the tracking device, in response to which the tracking device can reconfigure itself.

Abstract: A tracking device can provide a hashed identifier to a mobile device, for instance within an advertisement packet. The mobile device can query each of a plurality of entities with the hashed identifier to identify an entity associated with the hash key used to generate the hashed identifier. In some embodiments, the mobile device can query a centralized key server, which in turn can query the plurality of entities to identify the entity associated with the hash key. The mobile device can then receive a public key from the identified entity, can determine a location of the mobile device, and can encrypt the location with the public key. The mobile device can then provide the hashed identifier and the encrypted location to the identified entity, which can provide the encrypted location to an owner of the tracking device for decryption using a private key corresponding to the public key.

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: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, by a tracking system server, an instruction from relating to a feature of a second computing device. The method includes, in response to receiving a notification that a third computing device has received a tracking signal from the second computing device, transmitting an instruction for the second computing device relating to the feature to the third computing device. The method includes receiving a response message indicating that the second computing device has not received the instruction for the second computing device and transmitting a request to retransmit the instruction to the second computing device. The method includes receiving a response message from the third computing device indicating that the second computing device has acknowledged the instruction and transmitting a response message to the first computing device indicating that the second computing device has acknowledged the instruction.

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 device can provide a hashed identifier to a mobile device, for instance within an advertisement packet. The mobile device can query each of a plurality of entities with the hashed identifier to identify an entity associated with the hash key used to generate the hashed identifier. In some embodiments, the mobile device can query a centralized key server, which in turn can query the plurality of entities to identify the entity associated with the hash key. The mobile device can then receive a public key from the identified entity, can determine a location of the mobile device, and can encrypt the location with the public key. The mobile device can then provide the hashed identifier and the encrypted location to the identified entity, which can provide the encrypted location to an owner of the tracking device for decryption using a private key corresponding to the public key.

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: An electronic device with a primary functionality and a tracking functionality can be used in a centralized tracking system. A controller configures the electronic device to operate in one of a set of: an “on” mode, an “off” mode, a first standby mode, and a tracking standby mode. While configured to operate in the “on” mode, the primary and tracking functionality of the electronic device are enabled, and while configured to operate in the “off” mode, both are disabled. While configured to operate in the first standby mode, the tracking functionality is enabled and the primary functionality is limited. While configured to operate in the tracking standby mode, the primary functionality is disabled but the tracking functionality is enabled, enabling the electronic device to be located while the primary functionality is disabled and saving power relative to the first standby mode and the “on” mode.