Patent ID: 8369305

Claim:
A method comprising: at a plurality of first devices, receiving wireless energy at different locations in a region where multiple target devices are emitting; providing a plurality of wireless controllers each of which is connected to and associated with a corresponding subset of the plurality of first devices, and a main server that is connected to the plurality of wireless controllers; generating identifier data associated with reception of emissions from target devices at multiple first devices; grouping together similar identifier data associated with received emissions at multiple first devices into a cluster record that potentially represents the same target device detected by multiple first devices, wherein grouping is performed at each of a plurality of hierarchical levels comprising a lowest level associated with the first devices, a next higher level associated with the wireless controllers and a highest level associated with the main server; designating one identifier data of each cluster record to serve as representative identifier data for the cluster record that potentially represents the same target device detected by multiple first devices, wherein designating is performed at each hierarchical level such that there is representative identifier data for a cluster record at the level of the first devices, representative identifier data for a cluster record at the wireless controller level and representative identifier data for a cluster record at the main server level, and such that only the representative identifier data of cluster records at one hierarchical level are eligible to be the representative identifier data at the next higher level; and storing data representing a plurality of cluster records from identifier data associated with received emissions made over time by multiple first devices.