System and Method for Determining Geographic Location of Wireless Computing Devices

• US 20070126635A1
• Filed: 10/16/2006
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skyhook Holding, Inc. (Liberty Broadband Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Cyril Houri
• Inventors: Houri, Cyril
• Granted Patent: US 7,696,923 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/451
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/48 by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0242 Determining the position of transmitters to be subsequently used in positioning G01S5/0289 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location

Abstract

System for enabling a wireless computing device to determine its position includes a server with a database of identification and positional information about wireless beacons and a wireless computing device arranged to wireless communicate using the Internet with the server. The server determines the geographic location of the wireless computing device upon receiving data from the wireless computing device relating to reception of signals by the wireless computing device from at least one wireless beacon and analysis of the signals in light of the information contained in the database of the server. The server applies a calculation algorithm which determines the geographic location of the wireless computing device upon input of identification and signal strength information about the wireless beacon(s) derived from the received signals.

Claims

1. A system for enabling a wireless computing device to determine its position, comprising:

a server comprising a database of identification and positional information about wireless beacons; and

a wireless computing device arranged to wireless communicate using the Internet with said server, said server being arranged to determine the geographic location of said wireless computing device upon receiving data from said wireless computing device relating to reception of signals by said wireless computing device from at least one wireless beacon and analysis of the signals in light of the information contained in said database of said server.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said server is arranged to apply a calculation algorithm which determines the geographic location of said wireless computing device upon input of identification and signal strength information about the at least one wireless beacon derived from the received signals.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said wireless computing device is non-GPS enabled.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said wireless computing device is arranged to display an icon which causes data relating to reception of signals by said wireless computing device from said at least one wireless beacon to be sent to said server upon selection by the user.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said wireless computing device is arranged to display the position of the wireless computing device on a portion of a screen of said wireless computing device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said wireless computing device is arranged to continuously or periodically send data relating to reception of signals by said wireless computing device from said at least one wireless beacon to said server upon selection by the user, said wireless computing device being arranged to display an icon which causes the position of the wireless computing device to be displayed upon selection by the user.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said wireless computing device is arranged to display the position of the wireless computing device on a portion of a screen of said wireless computing device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said server is arranged to provide at a minimum a country identifier as the geographical location of the wireless computing device when said server is unable to determine a region identifier from the signals received by said wireless computing device from at least one wireless beacon.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said server is arranged to provide at a minimum a country identifier and a region identifier as the geographical location of the wireless computing device when said server is unable to determine a more precise location from the signals received by said wireless computing device from at least one wireless beacon.

10. A method for determining a location of a wireless computing device, comprising:

providing a server containing a database of identification and positional information about wireless beacons;

receiving user input to the user'"'"'s wireless computing device indicative of a request by the user to obtain information about the position of the user'"'"'s wireless computing device;

directing a transmission from the wireless computing device to the server containing information about reception of signals by the wireless computing device from at least one wireless beacon; and

determining at the server the geographic location of the wireless computing device based on the information.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

directing a transmission containing the geographic location of the wireless computing device from the server to the wireless computing device; and

displaying the geographic location of the wireless computing device to the user.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the geographical location of the wireless computing device is displayed only upon receiving user input.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising generating the information about reception of signals by the wireless computing device, the information being identification and signal strength information about the at least one wireless beacon derived from signals from the at least one beacon received by the wireless computing device.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising displaying an icon on a screen of the wireless computing device such that clicking on the icon constitutes the user input.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the transmission from the wireless computing device is directed to the server only upon receiving user input.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

directing input from the user relating to the user'"'"'s location; and

confirming the user input location by comparing the user input location to the location determined at the server.

17. A method for enabling establishment of a network of wireless computing device, comprising:

providing a database of identification and positional information about wireless beacons;

installing the database in a deployable server;

coupling wireless computing devices to the server enable the geographic location of the wireless computing devices to be determined by an operator of the server; and

providing third party management of the database including updating of the database.