Determination of device location in crowded indoor environments
US9686649B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 13, 2015 |
| Grant date | Jun 20, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 13, 2035 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02D30/70
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for determining device location in crowded indoor environments. A mobile device is configured to determine its location using a Wi-Fi Time of Flight (ToF)-based location scheme. Once the device determines it location, it may broadcast its location to nearby devices using a low energy location sharing mechanism that employs low energy broadcast signals identifying the location of the device. The low energy broadcast signals may be used by other devices having a similar configuration, as well as devices that don't use the ToF-based location scheme to determine their locations using RSSI measurements and multi-lateration and/or have such capabilities disabled. The location of a device may be updated by fusing location data derived from the ToF-based location scheme with location data received from nearby devices that are broadcasting their locations using the low energy location sharing mechanism. The sharing mechanism reduces the number of ToF sessions, while also reducing power consumption by using the lower energy broadcasts to share location data.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.