Apparatus and methods for enabling location-based services within a premises
First Claim
1. A computerized method of operating a first computerized apparatus for determining data indicative of a location of a computerized mobile user device, the first computerized apparatus comprising a data storage apparatus having one or more device positioning models stored thereon, the first computerized apparatus configured for data communication with at least a first antenna apparatus within a first area, the first antenna apparatus configured to enable data communication with the computerized mobile user device and at least one other computerized device within the first area, the computerized method comprising:
- receiving, via the first antenna apparatus, first signals from the at least one other computerized device, the first signals relating to at least one first device-specific characteristic;
utilizing the one or more device positioning models to determine a first location of the at least one other computerized device, the first location being within the first area;
storing data indicative of the first location associated with an identifier of the at least one other computerized device;
receiving, via the first antenna apparatus, second signals from the computerized mobile user device, the second signals indicative of data relating to at least one second device-specific characteristic;
utilizing (i) at least the data relating to the at least one second device-specific characteristic and (ii) the one or more device positioning models, to generate data indicative of the computerized mobile user device being one of located at or moving toward a second location, the second location being within the first area; and
based at least in part on the data indicative of the computerized mobile user device being one of located at or moving toward the second location;
(i) accessing data correlating the data indicative of the second location with data associated with a first user context, the data associated with the first user context comprising one or more location-based data commands which are each issuable from the first computerized apparatus, via the first antenna apparatus, to the at least one other computerized device within the first area based at least in part on position determination of the computerized mobile user device; and
(ii) causing transmission of a first of the one or more location-based data commands to the at least one other computerized device at the first location.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and methods for enabling location identification and related services in a premises. In one embodiment, location identification services are provided via a gateway device using data extracted from a wireless signal. The data is used to estimate a location of a device (based on comparison to previously gathered and/or reference data). In another embodiment, infrared (IR) or other short range wireless signals are broadcast from the client devices to a set-top-box (STB), and the STB or gateway correlates the signals to a location within the premises. A profiling process is used to establish specific locations within a premises, and associate location-specific services therewith. The location-based services include for example (i) loading particular applications and/or content when the user enters a particular location, (ii) providing information and/or advertisement opportunities when the user is near a particular public or business location, and (iii) content delivery optimization among multiple user devices.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A computerized method of operating a first computerized apparatus for determining data indicative of a location of a computerized mobile user device, the first computerized apparatus comprising a data storage apparatus having one or more device positioning models stored thereon, the first computerized apparatus configured for data communication with at least a first antenna apparatus within a first area, the first antenna apparatus configured to enable data communication with the computerized mobile user device and at least one other computerized device within the first area, the computerized method comprising:
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receiving, via the first antenna apparatus, first signals from the at least one other computerized device, the first signals relating to at least one first device-specific characteristic; utilizing the one or more device positioning models to determine a first location of the at least one other computerized device, the first location being within the first area; storing data indicative of the first location associated with an identifier of the at least one other computerized device; receiving, via the first antenna apparatus, second signals from the computerized mobile user device, the second signals indicative of data relating to at least one second device-specific characteristic; utilizing (i) at least the data relating to the at least one second device-specific characteristic and (ii) the one or more device positioning models, to generate data indicative of the computerized mobile user device being one of located at or moving toward a second location, the second location being within the first area; and based at least in part on the data indicative of the computerized mobile user device being one of located at or moving toward the second location; (i) accessing data correlating the data indicative of the second location with data associated with a first user context, the data associated with the first user context comprising one or more location-based data commands which are each issuable from the first computerized apparatus, via the first antenna apparatus, to the at least one other computerized device within the first area based at least in part on position determination of the computerized mobile user device; and (ii) causing transmission of a first of the one or more location-based data commands to the at least one other computerized device at the first location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. Computerized apparatus configured for determination of a location of a computerized mobile user device, the computerized apparatus configured for data communication with one or more multi-element antenna arrays, the one or more multi-element antenna arrays configured to enable data communication with the computerized mobile user device and one or more other computerized devices, the computerized apparatus comprising:
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data interface apparatus, the data interface apparatus configured for data communication with the one or more multi-element antenna arrays; digital processor apparatus in data communication with the data interface apparatus; data storage apparatus in data communication with the digital processor apparatus, the data storage apparatus having at least one computer program stored thereon, the at least one computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed by the digital processor apparatus, cause the computerized apparatus to; generate one or more device positioning models, the generation of the one or more device positioning models comprising; collection, via a first of the one or more multi-element antenna arrays, of training data, the training data generated at least in part by the computerized mobile user device when within a first area, the training data indicative of a plurality of device-specific characteristics; and utilization of at least the training data to (i) perform at least one beamforming analysis, and (ii) map the first area; based at least in part on the at least one beamforming analysis, steer the first multi-element antenna array toward one or more predicted computerized mobile user device locations within the first area; receive, via the first multi-element antenna array, one or more first signals generated by the computerized mobile user device and indicative of data relating to at least one first device-specific characteristic; utilize at least the data relating to the at least one first device-specific characteristic and the one or more device positioning models to determine that the computerized mobile user device is one of at or moving toward a first location, the first location being within the first area; based at least in part on the determination of the computerized mobile user device being one of at or moving toward the first location, determine a first user context, the first user context comprising one or more location-based data commands which are each issuable from the computerized apparatus to at least a first of the one or more other computerized devices based on the computerized mobile user device being at or moving toward the first location, the first of the one or more other computerized devices being within the first area; and cause steerage and transmission of second signals from the first of the one or more multi-element antenna arrays to the first of the one or more other computerized devices, the second signals comprising at least a first one of the one or more location- based data commands. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. Computer readable apparatus comprising a non-transitory storage medium, the non-transitory medium comprising at least one computer program having a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions configured to, when executed on a processing apparatus:
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generate one or more device positioning models, the generation of the one or more device positioning models comprising; collection of training data, the training data at least in part received from a computerized mobile user device when within a first area and via a multi-element antenna array, the training data indicative of at least one device-specific characteristic associated with the mobile computerized user device; and utilization of at least the training data to (i) perform at least one beamforming analysis, and (ii) map the first area; based at least in part on the at least one beamforming analysis, cause steerage of the multi-element antenna array toward one or more predicted locations of the computerized mobile user device within the first area; obtain data relating to first signals generated by the computerized mobile user device during operation, the first signals received via the multi-element antenna array and comprising data relating to the at least one device-specific characteristic; utilize at least the data relating to the at least one first device-specific characteristic and the one or more device positioning models to determine that the computerized mobile user device is at or moving toward a first location, the first location being within the first area; based at least in part on the determination of the computerized mobile user device being at or moving toward the first location, identify a first user context, the first user context comprising one or more location-based data commands which are each issuable from the computerized mobile user device to at least one other computerized device based on the at least one other computerized device being within the first area; and cause transmission of second signals from the multi-element antenna array to the at least one other computerized device, the second signals steered spatially toward the at least one other computerized device and comprising at least a first one of the one or more location-based data commands. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification