US Patent 9848299 Tracking device communication privacy controls

A tracking system can aid in the retrieval of a lost tracking device by facilitating communication between users of the tracking system. The users are able to specify privacy controls describing permitted communication settings for a communication session established by the tracking system. Specifically, the tracking system may receive privacy controls from an owner of the tracking device. Upon receiving a communication updating the location of the lost tracking device from a user other than the owner of the tracking device, the tracking system determines whether the tracking device is actually lost and identifies a “finder” of the tracking device. The tracking system then accesses the privacy controls received from the owner (and finder, if applicable) of the tracking device and establishes a communication session based on permitted communication settings described by the privacy controls.