BACKGROUND

This disclosure relates generally to locating a tracking device, and more specifically, to securely providing location and identity information for a tracking device to centralized system.

Electronic tracking devices have created numerous ways for people to track the locations of people and/or objects. For example, a user can use GPS technology to track a device remotely or determine a location of the user. In another example, a user can attach a tracking device to an important object, such as keys or a wallet, and use the features of the tracking device to more quickly locate the object, (e.g., if it becomes lost).

However, traditional tracking devices and corresponding systems suffer from one or more disadvantages. For example, locating a tracking device from a far-away distance requires a considerable amount of power. Thus, battery life of a tracking device is often limited. Further, technology for long-range tracking is expensive, and often requires sophisticated circuitry for operating in connection with an associated electronic device (e.g., a mobile device). Additionally, low-power options for tracking devices are limited to tracking nearby objects that require a user to be within a close proximity of the tracking devices, limiting the usefulness of such tracking devices.

SUMMARY

A tracking device can securely communicate with a secondary device, such as a mobile phone or computer, using a one-way communication protocol. For instance, the tracking device can generate a hash value based on the identity of the tracking device, a key stored by the tracking device, a time interval during which the hash value is generated, or any other tracking device parameters. The tracking device can output the generated hash value, for instance as a Bluetooth-format advertisement or broadcast.

The secondary device can receive the hash value, and can attempt to resolve the received hash value by generating a hash value using the same device parameters for each of one or more tracking devices associated with, or “owned” by, the secondary device. If a generated hash value matches the received hash value, the secondary device can determine a location of the tracking device (such as a location of the mobile device if the mobile device is within a threshold proximity of the tracking device), and can provide the identity of the tracking device and the determined location to a tracking server (such as a cloud server).

If the secondary device cannot resolve the received hash value, the secondary device can provide the location of the tracking device and the received hash value to the tracking server for resolution. The tracking server can generate a hash value using the same device parameters for each tracking device associated with the tracking server, and can resolve the received hash value by matching it to a hash value generated by the tracking server. By resolving the received hash value, the tracking server can identify the tracking device, and can store the received location in association with the identity of the tracking device.

To save power, the secondary device can activate location-detection functionality, such as a GPS receiver, in response to the detection of movement by the tracking device, for instance using a gyroscope or accelerometer. The secondary device can then access location information associated with the tracking device, and can provide the identity of the tracking device and the location information to the tracking server for storage. The secondary device can de-activate the location-detection functionality in response to providing the location and tracking device identity to the tracking server, or in response to receiving a confirmation from the tracking server that the location information was stored in association with the tracking device identity. The tracking device can enter a standby mode, and the location-detection functionality of the secondary device can remain de-activated, until subsequent movement of the tracking device is detected.

The tracking device can emit a location request either in response to the detection of movement by the tracking device, at a fixed interval, or in response to a request from a secondary device. The tracking device can include a time stamp within the location request indicating a time associated with the last detected movement of the tracking device. If the secondary device receives a location request with an indication that the tracking device has not moved since a high-accuracy location has been associated with the tracking device, the secondary device maintains the high-accuracy location with the tracking device, regardless of whether the secondary device has moved relative to the tracking device. If the secondary device receives a location request with an indication that the tracking device has moved since a high-accuracy location has been associated with the tracking device, the secondary device can associate the location of the secondary device with the tracking device, even if the secondary device has moved more than a threshold distance associated with high-accuracy location determinations away from the tracking device. Alternatively, the secondary device can maintain the previous high-accuracy location association with the tracking device, but because the tracking device has moved, the secondary device can instead classify the location as a low-accuracy location.

A type, direction, or magnitude of motion (“movement information”) can be determined and provided to the secondary device. The secondary device can access location information associated with the tracking device in response to receiving the movement information, and can provide the location information, the movement information, and the identity of the tracking device to the tracking server. The tracking server can select one or both of the provided location information or previously provided location information based on, for instance, the movement information, the accuracy of the provided location information or the previously provided location information, or any other suitable factor. The selected location information can be stored by the tracking server and/or provided to the secondary device for storage or presentation to a user of the secondary device. For instance, the tracking server, upon determining that the received location information is more accurate than the previously provided location information, can overwrite the previously provided location information with the received location information. The tracking device can enter a standby mode upon receiving a confirmation that the location information was provided to the tracking server, that the tracking server stored the provided location information, or that the tracking server provided the selected location information to the mobile device, and can remain in standby mode until subsequent motion is detected.

