Method, an apparatus and a computer program product for positioning

• US 10,663,570 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2019
• Issued: 05/26/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Khan, Muhammad Irshan, Syrjarinne, Jari, Ivanov, Pavel
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Danh C
• Application Number:
  US16/523,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20190346543A1
• Time in Patent Office: 305 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561, 4554566, 455418, 4555501, 342386
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/06 using intensity measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/012 Identifying whether indoors or outdoors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0205 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02521 using a radio-map
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0278 involving statistical or probabilistic considerations G01S5/0252, G01S5/0294 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information

Abstract

The invention relates to determination of a location of a device of a user. In a methods, information of signal strength of one or more wireless signals and information of signal strength distribution of wireless signals is obtained by a device. The information of signal strength and the information of signal strength distribution are used to determine at least one likelihood whether the device is inside an area. In the method radio maps representing signal strength distribution in the building may be used.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and memory including computer program code, the memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:

obtain information of signal strength of one or more wireless signals transmitted by one or more access points;

obtain information of signal strength distribution of the wireless signals;

use the information of signal strength and the information of signal strength distribution in relation to a plurality of radio maps which comprise information of signal strength measurements of the one or more access points to determine a first likelihood that a device is in an indoors area and to determine a second likelihood that the device is in an outdoors area, wherein one or more of the radio maps cover the indoors area and one or more of the radio maps cover the outdoors area;

determine that the device is indoors, if the first likelihood is greater than the second likelihood; and

determine that the device is outdoors, if the second likelihood is greater than the first likelihood.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

obtain information of identities of the one or more access points corresponding to the one or more wireless signals; and

use the identities to find one or more of the radio maps which comprise information of signal strength measurements of the one or more access points.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

calculate for each radio map a sum of differences between the obtained signal strength of an access point and signal strength measurements of the radio map; and

use the sum of differences to determine which radio map provides a greatest likelihood that a device that obtained the information of the signal strength of the one or more wireless signals is within the area represented by the radio map.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

compare the obtained signal strength with signal strength measurements of the radio map; and

use location information associated with the signal strength measurement of the radio map which is closest to the obtained signal strength as an assumed location of a device that obtained the information of the signal strength of the one or more wireless signals.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

access the one or more of the radio maps by;

examining if the one or more of the radio maps is stored in a device that obtained the information of the signal strength of the one or more wireless signals; and

requesting the one or more of the radio maps from a server, if the examination reveals that the one or more of the radio maps is not stored in the device; and

use the information of signal strength and the information of signal strength distribution to determine at least one likelihood for the device being inside an area.

6. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the indoors area covers two or more buildings, and wherein the memory and the computer program code, with the at least one processor, are further configured to cause the apparatus to:

determine in which building a device, that obtained the information of the signal strength of the one or more wireless signals, is located, if it was concluded that the device is indoors.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a radio map of the one or more of the radio maps is formed for each floor of the building in which the device is located.

8. A method comprising:

obtaining information of signal strength of one or more wireless signals transmitted by one or more access points;

obtaining information of signal strength distribution of the wireless signals;

using the information of signal strength and the information of signal strength distribution in relation to a plurality of radio maps which comprise information of signal strength measurements of the one or more access points to determine a first likelihood that a device is in an indoors area and to determine a second likelihood that the device is in an outdoors area, wherein one or more of the radio maps cover the indoors area and one or more of the radio maps cover the outdoors area;

determining that the device is indoors, if the first likelihood is greater than the second likelihood; and

determining that the device is outdoors, if the second likelihood is greater than the first likelihood.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

obtaining information of identities of the one or more access points corresponding to the one or more wireless signals; and

using the identities to find one or more of the radio maps which comprise information of signal strength measurements of the one or more access points.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

calculating for each radio map a sum of differences between the obtained signal strength of an access point and signal strength measurements of the radio map; and

using the sum of differences to determine which radio map provides a greatest likelihood that a device that obtained the information of the signal strength of the one or more wireless signals is within the area represented by the radio map.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

comparing the obtained signal strength with signal strength measurements of the radio map; and

using location information associated with the signal strength measurement of the radio map which is closest to the obtained signal strength as an assumed location of a device that obtained the information of the signal strength of the one or more wireless signals.

12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

accessing the one or more radio maps by;

examining if the one or more of the radio maps is stored in a device that obtained the information of the signal strength of the one or more wireless signals; and

requesting the one or more of the radio maps from a server, if the examination reveals that the one or more of the radio maps is not stored in the device; and

using the information of signal strength and the information of signal strength distribution to determine at least one likelihood for the device being inside an area.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the indoors area covers two or more buildings, and wherein the method further comprises determining in which building a device, that obtained the information of the signal strength of the one or more wireless signals, is located, if it was concluded that the device is indoors.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein a radio map of the one or more of the radio maps is formed for each floor of the building in which the device is located.

15. A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising computer program code configured to, when executed on at least one processor, cause an apparatus or a system to:

obtain information of signal strength of one or more wireless signals transmitted by one or more access points;

obtain information of signal strength distribution of the wireless signals;

use the information of signal strength and the information of signal strength distribution in relation to a plurality of radio maps which comprise information of signal strength measurements of the one or more access points to determine a first likelihood that a device is in an indoors area and to determine a second likelihood that the device is in an outdoors area, wherein one or more of the radio maps cover the indoors area and one or more of the radio maps cover the outdoors area;

determine that the device is indoors, if the first likelihood is greater than the second likelihood; and

determine that the device is outdoors, if the second likelihood is greater than the first likelihood.

16. The computer program product according to claim 15, wherein the computer program code is further configured to, when executed on the at least one processor, cause the apparatus or the system to:

obtain information of identities of the one or more access points corresponding to the one or more wireless signals; and

use the identities to find one or more of the radio maps which comprise information of signal strength measurements of the one or more access points.

17. The computer program product according to claim 16, wherein the computer program code is further configured to, when executed on the at least one processor, cause the apparatus or the system to:

calculate for each radio map a sum of differences between the obtained signal strength of an access point and signal strength measurements of the radio map; and

use the sum of differences to determine which radio map provides a greatest likelihood that a device that obtained the information of the signal strength of the one or more wireless signals is within the area represented by the radio map.

18. The computer program product according to claim 16, wherein the computer program code is further configured to, when executed on the at least one processor, cause the apparatus or the system to:

compare the obtained signal strength with signal strength measurements of the radio map; and

use location information associated with the signal strength measurement of the radio map which is closest to the obtained signal strength as an assumed location of a device that obtained the information of the signal strength of the one or more wireless signals.

19. The computer program product according to claim 16, wherein the computer program code is further configured to, when executed on the at least one processor, cause the apparatus or the system to:

access the one or more radio maps by;

examining if the one or more of the radio maps is stored in a device that obtained the information of the signal strength of the one or more wireless signals; and

requesting the one or more of the radio maps from a server, if the examination reveals that the one or more of the radio maps is not stored in the device; and

use the information of signal strength and the information of signal strength distribution to determine at least one likelihood for the device being inside an area.

20. The computer program product according to claim 15, wherein the computer program code is further configured to, when executed on the at least one processor, cause the apparatus or the system to:

determine in which building a device, that obtained the information of the signal strength of the one or more wireless signals, is located, if it was concluded that the device is indoors.