Mobile Device Locating In Conjunction With Localized Enviornments

• US 20110081919A1
• Filed: 09/30/2010
• Published: 04/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Naguib, Ayman Fawzy, Das, Saumitra Mohan, Gupta, Rajarshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,812,015 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0036 of measured values, i.e. measurement on mobile and position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings

Abstract

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to systems, methods, apparatuses, articles, etc. for mobile device locating in conjunction with localized environments. For certain example implementations, a method may comprise obtaining at a mobile device one or more signals comprising information indicative of a location thereof. The information may be transmitted to one or more servers. A location context identifier (LCI) may be received responsive to the transmitting, with the LCI corresponding to a localized environment at which the mobile device is located. The LCI may be transmitted to the one or more servers. Location-based data may be received responsive to the transmitting of the LCI, with the location-based data being associated with the LCI and pertaining to the localized environment. The location of the mobile device may be determined with respect to the localized environment based, at least in part, on the location-based data. Other example implementations are described herein.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining at a mobile device one or more signals comprising information indicative of a location of the mobile device;

wirelessly transmitting the information indicative of the location of the mobile device to one or more servers;

wirelessly receiving a location context identifier responsive to said transmitting of the information indicative of the location of the mobile device, the location context identifier corresponding to a localized environment at which the mobile device is located;

wirelessly transmitting the location context identifier to the one or more servers;

wirelessly receiving location-based data responsive to said transmitting of the location context identifier, the location-based data being associated with the location context identifier and pertaining to the localized environment; and

determining the location of the mobile device with respect to the localized environment based, at least in part, on the location-based data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the location-based data comprises map information;

and wherein said determining the location of the mobile device comprises;

refining the location of the mobile device using the map information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the location-based data comprises at least one routing topology that provides traversable paths for the localized environment and feasibility information that identifies feasible locations of the localized environment.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the localized environment comprises an indoor environment corresponding to at least a portion of a building structure in which the mobile device is located.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one routing topology is based, at least in part, on a local coordinate system associated with the location context identifier.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the location-based data comprises information pertaining to one or more wireless access devices corresponding to the localized environment at which the mobile device is located.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the location-based data comprises at least one reference from a local coordinate system, which corresponds to the localized environment, to a global coordinate system.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a location-based service to a user of the mobile device based at least partly on the location-based data.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the location-based data comprises point of interest information for the localized environment;

and wherein said providing a location-based service comprises;

presenting navigational information to the user via the mobile device responsive to a designated point of interest.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said obtaining comprises:

wirelessly receiving at the mobile device the one or more signals from at least one wireless access device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the information indicative of the location of the mobile device comprises at least one medium access control (MAC) identifier that is associated with the at least one wireless access device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the information indicative of the location of the mobile device further comprises at least one round-trip time (RTT) measurement that is associated with the at least one MAC identifier.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the information indicative of the location of the mobile device further comprises at least one received signal strength indication (RSSI) measurement that is associated with the at least one MAC identifier.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said wirelessly transmitting the information indicative of the location of the mobile device to one or more servers comprises:

wirelessly transmitting the information indicative of the location of the mobile device to the one or more servers according to predetermined contact information associated with the one or more servers.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the predetermined contact information comprises at least one uniform resource identifier (URI) that is associated with the one or more servers.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more servers comprise a first server and a second server;

said wirelessly transmitting the information indicative of the location of the mobile device to one or more servers comprises wirelessly transmitting the information indicative of the location of the mobile device to the first server of the one or more servers;

said wirelessly receiving a location context identifier comprises wirelessly receiving the location context identifier from the first server of the one or more servers;

said wirelessly transmitting the location context identifier to the one or more servers comprises wirelessly transmitting the location context identifier to the second server of the one or more servers; and

said wirelessly receiving location-based data comprises wirelessly receiving the location-based data from the second server of the one or more servers.

17. A method comprising:

receiving at one or more servers information indicative of a location of a mobile device;

accessing a location context identifier mapping data structure to retrieve a location context identifier that is associated with the information indicative of the location of the mobile device, the location context identifier corresponding to a localized environment at which the mobile device is located;

initiating transmission of the location context identifier to the mobile device;

receiving, from the mobile device at the one or more servers, the location context identifier;

accessing a location-based-data mapping data structure to retrieve location-based data that is associated with the location context identifier, the location-based data pertaining to the localized environment at which the mobile device is located; and

initiating transmission of the location-based data to the mobile device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the location-based data comprises map information descriptive of the localized environment at which the mobile device is located, the map information including point of interest information for multiple potential destinations of the localized environment.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the map information comprises a routing graph that provides traversable paths for the localized environment and feasibility information that identifies feasible locations of the localized environment, the localized environment comprising an indoor environment corresponding to at least a portion of a building structure within which the mobile device is located.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the location-based data comprises map information that enables the mobile device to refine the location of the mobile device using the map information.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the location-based data comprises at least one reference from a local coordinate system, which corresponds to the localized environment, to a global coordinate system.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein said receiving at one or more servers information indicative of a location of a mobile device comprises:

receiving one or more wireless access device identifiers associated with one or more wireless access devices that are within a wireless communication range of the mobile device.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the one or more servers comprise at least one positioning server and at least one location-based data server;

said accessing a location context identifier mapping data structure further comprises accessing by the at least one positioning server the location context identifier mapping data structure to retrieve the location context identifier that is associated with the information indicative of the location of the mobile device; and

said accessing a location-based-data mapping data structure further comprises accessing by the at least one location-based data server the location-based-data mapping data structure to retrieve the location-based data that is associated with the location context identifier.

24. A system comprising:

means for obtaining at a mobile device one or more signals comprising information indicative of a location of the mobile device;

means for wirelessly transmitting the information indicative of the location of the mobile device to one or more servers;

means for wirelessly receiving a location context identifier responsive to said means for wirelessly transmitting the information indicative of the location of the mobile device, the location context identifier corresponding to a localized environment at which the mobile device is located;

means for wirelessly transmitting the location context identifier to the one or more servers;

means for wirelessly receiving location-based data responsive to said means for wirelessly transmitting the location context identifier, the location-based data being associated with the location context identifier and pertaining to the localized environment; and

means for determining the location of the mobile device with respect to the localized environment based, at least in part, on the location-based data.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the location-based data comprises map information;

and wherein said means for determining the location of the mobile device comprises;

means for refining the location of the mobile device using the map information.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the location-based data comprises at least one routing topology that provides traversable paths for the localized environment and feasibility information that identifies feasible locations of the localized environment.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the localized environment comprises an indoor environment corresponding to at least a portion of a building structure in which the mobile device is located.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the at least one routing topology is based, at least in part, on a local coordinate system associated with the location context identifier.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein the location-based data comprises information pertaining to one or more wireless access devices corresponding to the localized environment at which the mobile device is located.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein the location-based data comprises at least one reference from a local coordinate system, which corresponds to the localized environment, to a global coordinate system.

31. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

means for providing a location-based service to a user of the mobile device based at least partly on the location-based data.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the location-based data comprises point of interest information for the localized environment;

and wherein said means for providing a location-based service comprises;

means for presenting navigational information to the user via the mobile device responsive to a designated point of interest.

33. The system of claim 24, wherein said means for obtaining comprises:

means for wirelessly receiving at the mobile device the one or more signals from at least one wireless access device.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the information indicative of the location of the mobile device comprises at least one medium access control (MAC) identifier that is associated with the at least one wireless access device.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the information indicative of the location of the mobile device further comprises at least one round-trip time (RTT) measurement that is associated with the at least one MAC identifier.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein the information indicative of the location of the mobile device further comprises at least one received signal strength indication (RSSI) measurement that is associated with the at least one MAC identifier.

37. The system of claim 24, wherein said means for wirelessly transmitting the information indicative of the location of the mobile device to one or more servers comprises:

means for wirelessly transmitting the information indicative of the location of the mobile device to the one or more servers according to predetermined contact information associated with the one or more servers.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the predetermined contact information comprises at least one uniform resource identifier (URI) that is associated with the one or more servers.

39. The system of claim 24, wherein:

the one or more servers comprise a first server and a second server;

said means for wirelessly transmitting the information indicative of the location of the mobile device to one or more servers comprises means for wirelessly transmitting the information indicative of the location of the mobile device to the first server of the one or more servers;

said means for wirelessly receiving a location context identifier comprises means for wirelessly receiving the location context identifier from the first server of the one or more servers;

said means for wirelessly transmitting the location context identifier to the one or more servers comprises means for wirelessly transmitting the location context identifier to the second server of the one or more servers; and

said means for wirelessly receiving location-based data comprises means for wirelessly receiving the location-based data from the second server of the one or more servers.

40. A system comprising:

means for receiving at one or more servers information indicative of a location of a mobile device;

means for accessing a location context identifier mapping data structure to retrieve a location context identifier that is associated with the information indicative of the location of the mobile device, the location context identifier corresponding to a localized environment at which the mobile device is located;

means for initiating transmission of the location context identifier to the mobile device;

means for receiving, from the mobile device at the one or more servers, the location context identifier;

means for accessing a location-based-data mapping data structure to retrieve location-based data that is associated with the location context identifier, the location-based data pertaining to the localized environment at which the mobile device is located; and

means for initiating transmission of the location-based data to the mobile device.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the location-based data comprises map information descriptive of the localized environment at which the mobile device is located, the map information including point of interest information for multiple potential destinations of the localized environment.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the map information comprises a routing graph that provides traversable paths for the localized environment and feasibility information that identifies feasible locations of the localized environment, the localized environment comprising an indoor environment corresponding to at least a portion of a building structure within which the mobile device is located.

43. The system of claim 40, wherein the location-based data comprises map information that enables the mobile device to refine the location of the mobile device using the map information.

44. The system of claim 40, wherein the location-based data comprises at least one reference from a local coordinate system, which corresponds to the localized environment, to a global coordinate system.

45. The system of claim 40, wherein said means for receiving at one or more servers information indicative of a location of a mobile device comprises:

means for receiving one or more wireless access device identifiers associated with one or more wireless access devices that are within a wireless communication range of the mobile device.

46. The system of claim 40, wherein:

the one or more servers comprise at least one positioning server and at least one location-based data server;

said means for accessing a location context identifier mapping data structure further comprises means for accessing by the at least one positioning server the location context identifier mapping data structure to retrieve the location context identifier that is associated with the information indicative of the location of the mobile device; and

said means for accessing a location-based-data mapping data structure further comprises means for accessing by the at least one location-based data server the location-based-data mapping data structure to retrieve the location-based data that is associated with the location context identifier.

47. A mobile device comprising:

at least one memory to store instructions; and

one or more processors configured to execute said instructions and render the mobile device a special purpose computing device to;

obtain at the mobile device one or more signals comprising information indicative of a location of the mobile device;

wirelessly transmit the information indicative of the location of the mobile device to one or more servers;

wirelessly receive a location context identifier responsive to transmission of the information indicative of the location of the mobile device to the one or more servers, the location context identifier corresponding to a localized environment at which the mobile device is located;

wirelessly transmit the location context identifier to the one or more servers;

wirelessly receive location-based data responsive to transmission of the location context identifier to the one or more servers, the location-based data being associated with the location context identifier and pertaining to the localized environment; and

determine the location of the mobile device with respect to the localized environment based, at least in part, on the location-based data.

48. The mobile device of claim 47, wherein the location-based data comprises map information;

and wherein to determine the location of the mobile device said one or more processors are further configured to execute said instructions to;

refine the location of the mobile device using the map information.

49. The mobile device of claim 47, wherein the location-based data comprises at least one routing topology that provides traversable paths for the localized environment and feasibility information that identifies feasible locations of the localized environment.

50. The mobile device of claim 49, wherein the localized environment comprises an indoor environment corresponding to at least a portion of a building structure in which the mobile device is located.

51. The mobile device of claim 49, wherein the at least one routing topology is based, at least in part, on a local coordinate system associated with the location context identifier.

52. The mobile device of claim 47, wherein the location-based data comprises information pertaining to one or more wireless access devices corresponding to the localized environment at which the mobile device is located.

53. The mobile device of claim 47, wherein the location-based data comprises at least one reference from a local coordinate system, which corresponds to the localized environment, to a global coordinate system.

54. The mobile device of claim 47, wherein said one or more processors are further configured to execute said instructions and render the mobile device a special purpose computing device to:

provide a location-based service to a user of the mobile device based at least partly on the location-based data.

55. The mobile device of claim 54, wherein the location-based data comprises point of interest information for the localized environment;

and wherein to provide a location-based service said one or more processors are further configured to execute said instructions to;

present navigational information to the user via the mobile device responsive to a designated point of interest.

56. The mobile device of claim 47, wherein to obtain at the mobile device one or more signals said one or more processors are further configured to execute said instructions to:

wirelessly receive at the mobile device the one or more signals from at least one wireless access device.

57. The mobile device of claim 56, wherein the information indicative of the location of the mobile device comprises at least one medium access control (MAC) identifier that is associated with the at least one wireless access device.

58. The mobile device of claim 57, wherein the information indicative of the location of the mobile device further comprises at least one round-trip time (RTT) measurement that is associated with the at least one MAC identifier.

59. The mobile device of claim 57, wherein the information indicative of the location of the mobile device further comprises at least one received signal strength indication (RSSI) measurement that is associated with the at least one MAC identifier.

60. The mobile device of claim 47, wherein to wirelessly transmit the information indicative of the location of the mobile device to one or more servers said one or more processors are further configured to execute said instructions to:

wirelessly transmit the information indicative of the location of the mobile device to the one or more servers according to predetermined contact information associated with the one or more servers.

61. The mobile device of claim 60, wherein the predetermined contact information comprises at least one uniform resource identifier (URI) that is associated with the one or more servers.

62. The mobile device of claim 47, wherein:

the one or more servers comprise a first server and a second server;

wherein to wirelessly transmit the information indicative of the location of the mobile device to one or more servers said one or more processors are further configured to execute said instructions to wirelessly transmit the information indicative of the location of the mobile device to the first server of the one or more servers;

wherein to wirelessly receive a location context identifier said one or more processors are further configured to execute said instructions to wirelessly receive the location context identifier from the first server of the one or more servers;

wherein to wirelessly transmit the location context identifier to the one or more servers said one or more processors are further configured to execute said instructions to wirelessly transmit the location context identifier to the second server of the one or more servers; and

wherein to wirelessly receive location-based data said one or more processors are further configured to execute said instructions to wirelessly receive the location-based data from the second server of the one or more servers.

63. An apparatus comprising:

at least one memory to store instructions; and

one or more processors configured to execute said instructions and render the apparatus at least one special purpose computing device to;

receive at one or more servers information indicative of a location of a mobile device;

access a location context identifier mapping data structure to retrieve a location context identifier that is associated with the information indicative of the location of the mobile device, the location context identifier corresponding to a localized environment at which the mobile device is located;

initiate transmission of the location context identifier to the mobile device;

receive, from the mobile device at the one or more servers, the location context identifier;

access a location-based-data mapping data structure to retrieve location-based data that is associated with the location context identifier, the location-based data pertaining to the localized environment at which the mobile device is located; and

initiate transmission of the location-based data to the mobile device.

64. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein the location-based data comprises map information descriptive of the localized environment at which the mobile device is located, the map information including point of interest information for multiple potential destinations of the localized environment.

65. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein the map information comprises a routing graph that provides traversable paths for the localized environment and feasibility information that identifies feasible locations of the localized environment, the localized environment comprising an indoor environment corresponding to at least a portion of a building structure within which the mobile device is located.

66. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein the location-based data comprises map information that enables the mobile device to refine the location of the mobile device using the map information.

67. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein the location-based data comprises at least one reference from a local coordinate system, which corresponds to the localized environment, to a global coordinate system.

68. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein to receive at one or more servers information indicative of a location of a mobile device said one or more processors are further configured to execute said instructions to:

receive one or more wireless access device identifiers associated with one or more wireless access devices that are within a wireless communication range of the mobile device.

69. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein:

the one or more servers comprise at least one positioning server and at least one location-based data server;

wherein to access a location context identifier mapping data structure said one or more processors are further configured to execute said instructions to access, by the at least one positioning server, the location context identifier mapping data structure to retrieve the location context identifier that is associated with the information indicative of the location of the mobile device; and

wherein to access a location-based-data mapping data structure said one or more processors are further configured to execute said instructions to access, by the at least one location-based data server, the location-based-data mapping data structure to retrieve the location-based data that is associated with the location context identifier.

70. An article comprising:

at least one storage medium having stored thereon instructions executable by one or more processors to;

obtain at a mobile device one or more signals comprising information indicative of a location of the mobile device;

wirelessly transmit the information indicative of the location of the mobile device to one or more servers;

wirelessly receive a location context identifier responsive to transmission of the information indicative of the location of the mobile device to the one or more servers, the location context identifier corresponding to a localized environment at which the mobile device is located;

wirelessly transmit the location context identifier to the one or more servers;

wirelessly receive location-based data responsive to transmission of the location context identifier to the one or more servers, the location-based data being associated with the location context identifier and pertaining to the localized environment; and

determine the location of the mobile device with respect to the localized environment based, at least in part, on the location-based data.

71. The article of claim 70, wherein the location-based data comprises map information;

and wherein to determine the location of the mobile device said at least one storage medium has stored thereon further instructions executable by one or more processors to;

refine the location of the mobile device using the map information.

72. The article of claim 70, wherein the location-based data comprises at least one routing topology that provides traversable paths for the localized environment and feasibility information that identifies feasible locations of the localized environment.

73. The article of claim 72, wherein the localized environment comprises an indoor environment corresponding to at least a portion of a building structure in which the mobile device is located.

74. The article of claim 72, wherein the at least one routing topology is based, at least in part, on a local coordinate system associated with the location context identifier.

75. The article of claim 70, wherein the location-based data comprises information pertaining to one or more wireless access devices corresponding to the localized environment at which the mobile device is located.

76. The article of claim 70, wherein the location-based data comprises at least one reference from a local coordinate system, which corresponds to the localized environment, to a global coordinate system.

77. The article of claim 70, wherein said at least one storage medium has stored thereon further instructions executable by one or more processors to:

provide a location-based service to a user of the mobile device based at least partly on the location-based data.

78. The article of claim 77, wherein the location-based data comprises point of interest information for the localized environment;

and wherein to provide a location-based service said at least one storage medium has stored thereon further instructions executable by one or more processors to;

present navigational information to the user via the mobile device responsive to a designated point of interest.

79. The article of claim 70, wherein to obtain at the mobile device one or more signals said at least one storage medium has stored thereon further instructions executable by one or more processors to:

wirelessly receive at the mobile device the one or more signals from at least one wireless access device.

80. The article of claim 79, wherein the information indicative of the location of the mobile device comprises at least one medium access control (MAC) identifier that is associated with the at least one wireless access device.

81. The article of claim 80, wherein the information indicative of the location of the mobile device further comprises at least one round-trip time (RTT) measurement that is associated with the at least one MAC identifier.

82. The article of claim 80, wherein the information indicative of the location of the mobile device further comprises at least one received signal strength indication (RSSI) measurement that is associated with the at least one MAC identifier.

83. The article of claim 70, wherein to wirelessly transmit the information indicative of the location of the mobile device to one or more servers said at least one storage medium has stored thereon further instructions executable by one or more processors to:

wirelessly transmit the information indicative of the location of the mobile device to the one or more servers according to predetermined contact information associated with the one or more servers.

84. The article of claim 83, wherein the predetermined contact information comprises at least one uniform resource identifier (URI) that is associated with the one or more servers.

85. The article of claim 70, wherein:

the one or more servers comprise a first server and a second server;

wherein to wirelessly transmit the information indicative of the location of the mobile device to one or more servers said at least one storage medium has stored thereon further instructions executable by one or more processors to wirelessly transmit the information indicative of the location of the mobile device to the first server of the one or more servers;

wherein to wirelessly receive a location context identifier said at least one storage medium has stored thereon further instructions executable by one or more processors to wirelessly receive the location context identifier from the first server of the one or more servers;

wherein to wirelessly transmit the location context identifier to the one or more servers said at least one storage medium has stored thereon further instructions executable by one or more processors to wirelessly transmit the location context identifier to the second server of the one or more servers; and

wherein to wirelessly receive location-based data said at least one storage medium has stored thereon further instructions executable by one or more processors to wirelessly receive the location-based data from the second server of the one or more servers.

86. An article comprising:

at least one storage medium having stored thereon instructions executable by one or more processors to;

receive at one or more servers information indicative of a location of a mobile device;

access a location context identifier mapping data structure to retrieve a location context identifier that is associated with the information indicative of the location of the mobile device, the location context identifier corresponding to a localized environment at which the mobile device is located;

initiate transmission of the location context identifier to the mobile device;

receive, from the mobile device at the one or more servers, the location context identifier;

access a location-based-data mapping data structure to retrieve location-based data that is associated with the location context identifier, the location-based data pertaining to the localized environment at which the mobile device is located; and

initiate transmission of the location-based data to the mobile device.

87. The article of claim 86, wherein the location-based data comprises map information descriptive of the localized environment at which the mobile device is located, the map information including point of interest information for multiple potential destinations of the localized environment.

88. The article of claim 87, wherein the map information comprises a routing graph that provides traversable paths for the localized environment and feasibility information that identifies feasible locations of the localized environment, the localized environment comprising an indoor environment corresponding to at least a portion of a building structure within which the mobile device is located.

89. The article of claim 86, wherein the location-based data comprises map information that enables the mobile device to refine the location of the mobile device using the map information.

90. The article of claim 86, wherein the location-based data comprises at least one reference from a local coordinate system, which corresponds to the localized environment, to a global coordinate system.

91. The article of claim 86, wherein to receive at one or more servers information indicative of a location of a mobile device said at least one storage medium has stored thereon further instructions executable by one or more processors to:

receive one or more wireless access device identifiers associated with one or more wireless access devices that are within a wireless communication range of the mobile device.

92. The article of claim 86, wherein:

the one or more servers comprise at least one positioning server and at least one location-based data server;

wherein to access a location context identifier mapping data structure said at least one storage medium has stored thereon further instructions executable by one or more processors to access, by the at least one positioning server, the location context identifier mapping data structure to retrieve the location context identifier that is associated with the information indicative of the location of the mobile device; and

wherein to access a location-based-data mapping data structure said at least one storage medium has stored thereon further instructions executable by one or more processors to access, by the at least one location-based data server, the location-based-data mapping data structure to retrieve the location-based data that is associated with the location context identifier.