Patent · US Active

Systems and methods for providing location based services (LBS) utilizing WLAN and/or GPS signals for seamless indoor and outdoor tracking

US8279840B2 · kind B2 · utility

12Cited by
0References
14Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJan 23, 2009
Grant dateOct 2, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 2, 2031

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01S19/46
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Systems and methods for tracking a wireless device are disclosed. According to one aspect, the wireless device includes a hybrid global positioning system (GPS) and wireless local area network (WLAN) circuit board for seamless indoor and outdoor tracking. In embodiments, GPS and WLAN data are combined to obtain a position estimate of the device. In other embodiments, the circuit board automatically switches between WLAN and GPS data for indoor and outdoor environments. A Location Based Services (LBS) algorithm for determining the position of a wireless device using WLAN and/or GPS signals is also disclosed. The LBS algorithm is implemented by way of method steps including: sensing GPS and/or WLAN signals, measuring and/or converting the sensed signals to obtain distance data, fusing the distance data, and applying one or more approximation algorithms to the distance data to obtain a position estimate of the wireless device. A method for rendering position data using a Marching Cubes algorithm is further disclosed.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.