System and method for handset positioning with dynamically updated RF fingerprinting

• US 10,430,492 B1
• Filed: 08/25/2011
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEXRF Corp.
• Original Assignee: NEXRF Corp.
• Inventors: Kerr, Michael A., Stewart, David
• Primary Examiner(s): D'Agostino, Paul A
• Application Number:
  US13/218,256
• Time in Patent Office: 2,959 Days
• Field of Search: 463 30, 463 35, 463 40, 463 42
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment

Abstract

A system and method for determining the location of a wireless handset on a premises is described. The system comprises a plurality of beacons and a plurality of sensors associated with the premises. The sensors are configured to detect a radio frequency signal comprising a signal identifier from the beacons. A plurality of virtual reference point fingerprints are generated based on the beacon signal strengths detected by the sensors. The virtual reference points comprise signal strengths for each of the plurality of beacons estimated at intervals throughout the premises. The system further comprises a wireless handset configured to receive a handset fingerprint comprising a signal identifier and a signal strength from the beacons. The location of the wireless handset is determined based on a comparison between the handset fingerprint signal strengths and the signal strengths of a subset of the virtual reference point fingerprints.

Claims

1. A system for determining an indoor location of a wireless device and delivering content associated with an indoor geofence, the system comprising:

a plurality of beacons, in which each beacon transmits a beacon identifier;

at least one sensor that captures a plurality of sensor fingerprints, wherein each sensor fingerprint includes at least one sensor captured beacon identifier and at least one sensor captured beacon signal strength for each beacon detected by the sensor;

the sensor having a fixed location;

a plurality of beacon signal data captured by the wireless device, wherein the beacon signal data includes the beacon identifier and a corresponding wireless device beacon signal strength;

a location positioning module that receives the sensor fingerprints captured by the sensor and the beacon signal data captured by the wireless device;

the location positioning module uses the sensor fingerprints to generate a plurality of calculated signal strength values for at least one beacon, wherein some of the calculated signals are associated with the indoor geofence;

the location positioning module determines the location of the wireless device by comparing the beacon signal data captured by the wireless device with the plurality of calculated signal strength values; and

at least one content item displayed in the wireless device, when the wireless device enters, exits or is within the indoor geofence.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a kriging algorithm is used to generate the calculated signal strength values.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein a K-nearest neighbor algorithm is used to select at least one calculated signal strength value, which is used to determine the location of the wireless handset.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the content item is associated with at least one user attribute, which is further associated with the wireless device.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the content item is associated with at least one time range and the content item is displayed within the time range on the wireless device.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the content item is a link to another content item.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the content item is an application.

8. A system for determining an indoor location of a wireless device and delivering content associated with an indoor geofence, the system comprising:

a plurality of beacons, in which each beacon transmits a beacon identifier;

at least one sensor that captures a plurality of sensor fingerprints, wherein each sensor fingerprint includes at least one sensor captured beacon identifier and at least one sensor captured beacon signal strength for each beacon detected by the sensor;

the sensor having a fixed location;

a beacon mode associated with the sensor, wherein the sensor includes a beacon sensor that transmits a beacon sensor identifier;

a plurality of beacon signal data captured by the wireless device, wherein the beacon signal data includes the beacon identifier and a corresponding wireless device beacon signal strength, the beacon sensor identifier and a corresponding a beacon sensor signal strength;

a location positioning module that receives the sensor fingerprints captured by the sensor and the beacon signal data captured by the wireless device;

the location positioning module uses the sensor fingerprints to generate a plurality of calculated signal strength values for at least one beacon, wherein some of the calculated signals are associated with the indoor geofence;

the location positioning module determines the location of the wireless device by comparing the beacon signal data captured by the wireless device with the plurality of calculated signal strength values; and

at least one content item displayed in the wireless device, when the wireless device enters, exits or is within the indoor geofence.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein a kriging algorithm is used to generate the calculated signal strength values.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein a K-nearest neighbor algorithm is used to select at least one calculated signal strength value, which is used to determine the location of the wireless handset.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the content item is associated with at least one user attribute, which is further associated with the wireless device.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the content item is associated with at least one time range and the content item is displayed within the time range on the wireless device.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the content item is a link to another content item.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the content item is an application.

15. A method for determining an indoor location of a wireless device and delivering content associated with an indoor geofence, the method comprising:

transmitting a beacon identifier for each beacon;

capturing a plurality of sensor fingerprints with at least one sensor, wherein each sensor fingerprint includes at least one sensor captured beacon identifier and at least one sensor captured beacon signal strength for each beacon detected by the sensor;

associating the sensor with a fixed location;

capturing a plurality of beacon signal data with the wireless device, wherein the beacon signal data includes the beacon identifier and a corresponding wireless device beacon signal strength;

receiving the sensor fingerprints captured by the sensor and the beacon signal data captured by the wireless device with a location positioning module;

enabling the location positioning module to use the sensor fingerprints to generate a plurality of calculated signal strength values for at least one beacon, wherein some of the calculated signals are associated with the indoor geofence;

determining the location of the wireless device by comparing the beacon signal data captured by the wireless device with the plurality of calculated signal strength values; and

displaying at least one content item on the wireless device, when the wireless device enters, exits or is within the indoor geofence.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein a kriging algorithm is used to generate the calculated signal strength values.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein a K-nearest neighbor algorithm is used to select at least one calculated signal strength value, which is used to determine the location of the wireless handset.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the content item is associated with at least one user attribute, which is further associated with the wireless device.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the content item is associated with at least one time range and the content item is displayed within the time range on the wireless device.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the content item is a link to another content item.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein the content item is an application.