Method And Apparatus For Transmitting Indoor Context Information

• US 20110086646A1
• Filed: 10/08/2010
• Published: 04/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Wachter, Andreas K., Gupta, Rajarshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,880,103 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/00 Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0036 of measured values, i.e. measurement on mobile and position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0045 Transmission from base station to mobile station G01S5/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• 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 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/30 Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a system and method for determining indoor context information relating to a location of a mobile device. Indoor context information may be utilized by a mobile device or a network element to obtain an estimate of a location of the mobile device within an indoor environment.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining information relating to a location of a mobile device based at least in part on one or more signals received by the mobile device;

transmitting, by the mobile device, the information relating to the location of the mobile device to one or more network elements;

receiving from the one or more network elements, by the mobile device, information relating to indoor context information for an indoor environment based at least in part on the information relating to the location of the mobile device; and

obtaining an estimate of the location of the mobile device based at least in part on the information relating to the location of the mobile device and the information relating to indoor context information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the estimate of the location of the mobile device to the one or more network elements.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the acquiring of the information relating to indoor context information is received wirelessly.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relating to indoor context information comprises a link to indoor context information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relating to indoor context information is received via one or more wired connections.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more network elements comprise a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) agent.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more network elements comprise a Home Secure User Plane Location Platform (H-SLP).

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relating to indoor context information comprises a base station almanac.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the base station almanac comprises information for Wi-Fi access points.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relating to indoor context information comprises one or more maps of the indoor environment.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relating to indoor context information comprises locations of one or more wireless base stations within the indoor environment.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relating to indoor context information comprises an identifier (ID) of the indoor environment.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relating to indoor context information comprises one or more anchor points to map a local coordinate system with a global coordinate system.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relating to indoor context information comprises identifiers of available enhanced indoor positioning support.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a receiver to receive one or more first wireless signals;

a transmitter to transmit one or more second wireless signals;

a processor to;

determine information relating to a location of the apparatus based at least in part on the one or more first wireless signals;

initiate transmission of the information relating to the location of a mobile device to one or more network elements;

process information relating to indoor context information for an indoor environment received from the one or more network elements, wherein the information relating to indoor context information is based at least in part on the information relating to the location of the apparatus; and

obtain an estimate of the location of the apparatus based at least in part on the information relating to the location of the apparatus and the information relating to indoor context information.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor is further adapted to initiate transmission of the estimate of the location of the apparatus to the one or more network elements.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the information relating to indoor context information comprises a link to the indoor context information.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the information relating to indoor context information comprises a base station almanac.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the base station almanac comprises information for Wi-Fi access points.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the information relating to indoor context information comprises one or more maps of the indoor environment.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the information relating to indoor context information comprises locations of one or more wireless base stations within the indoor environment.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the information relating to indoor context information comprises an identifier (ID) of the indoor environment.

23. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the information relating to indoor context information comprises one or more anchor points to map a local coordinate system to a global coordinate system.

24. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the information relating to indoor context information comprises identifiers of available enhanced indoor positioning support.

25. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the one or more network elements comprise a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) agent.

26. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the one or more network elements comprise a Home Secure User Plane Location Platform (H-SLP).

27. An apparatus, comprising:

means for determining information relating to a location of the apparatus based at least in part on one or more signals received by the apparatus;

means for transmitting, by the apparatus, the information relating to the location of the apparatus to one or more network elements;

means for receiving from the one or more network elements, by the apparatus, information relating to indoor context information for an indoor environment based at least in part on the information relating to the location of the apparatus; and

means for obtaining an estimate of the location of the apparatus based at least in part on the information relating to the location of the apparatus and the information relating to indoor context information.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising means for transmitting the estimate of the location of the apparatus to the one or more network elements.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising means for wirelessly receiving the information relating to indoor context information.

30. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the information relating to indoor context information comprises a link to indoor context information.

31. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising means for receiving the information relating to indoor context information via one or more wired connections.

32. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the information relating to indoor context information comprises a base station almanac.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the base station almanac comprises information for Wi-Fi access points.

34. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the information relating to indoor context information comprises one or more maps of the indoor environment.

35. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the information relating to indoor context information comprises a link to a server that is capable of transmitting one or more maps of the indoor environment to the apparatus.

36. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the information relating to indoor context information comprises locations of one or more wireless base stations within the indoor environment.

37. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the information relating to indoor context information comprises an identifier (ID) of the indoor environment.

38. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the information relating to indoor context information comprises one or more anchor points to map a local coordinate system to a global coordinate system.

39. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the information relating to indoor context information comprises identifiers of available enhanced indoor positioning support.

40. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the one or more network elements comprise a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) agent.

41. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the one or more network elements comprise a Home Secure User Plane Location Platform (H-SLP).

42. An article, comprising:

a storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions executable by a special purpose apparatus to;

determine information relating to a location of a mobile device based at least in part on one or more signals received by the mobile device;

initiate transmission, by the mobile device, of the information relating to the location of the mobile device to one or more network elements;

process information relating to indoor context information for an indoor environment received from the one or more network elements, wherein the information relating to indoor context information is based at least in part on the information relating to the location of the mobile device; and

obtain an estimate of the location of the mobile device based at least in part on the information relating to the location of the mobile device and the information relating to indoor context information.

43. The article of claim 42, wherein the machine-readable instructions are further executable by the special purpose apparatus to initiate transmission of the estimate of the location of the mobile device to the one or more network elements.

44. The article of claim 42, wherein the information relating to indoor context information comprises a link to indoor context information.

45. The article of claim 42, wherein the information relating to indoor context information comprises a base station almanac.

46. The article of claim 42, wherein the information relating to indoor context information comprises one or more maps of the indoor environment.

47. The article of claim 42, wherein the information relating to indoor context information comprises locations of one or more wireless base stations within the indoor environment.

48. The article of claim 42, wherein the information relating to indoor context information comprises an identifier (ID) of the indoor environment.

49. The article of claim 42, wherein the information relating to indoor context information comprises one or more anchor points to map a local coordinate system to a global coordinate system.

50. The article of claim 42, wherein the information relating to indoor context information comprises identifiers of available enhanced indoor positioning support.

51. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a network element, a signal transmitted by a mobile device, the signal comprising information relating to a location of the mobile device within an indoor environment;

determining, by the network element, information relating to indoor context information for an indoor environment based at least in part on the information relating to the location of the mobile device;

estimating the location of the mobile device based at least in part on the information relating to the location of the mobile device and the information relating to indoor context information; and

performing one or more location-based services based at least in part on the location of the mobile device.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the one or more location-based services comprise periodically locating the mobile device within the indoor environment.

53. The method of claim 51, wherein the indoor context information comprises a base station almanac.

54. The method of claim 51, wherein the indoor context information comprises locations of one or more wireless base stations within the indoor environment.

55. The method of claim 51, wherein the indoor context information comprises one or more anchor points to map a local coordinate system to a global coordinate system.

56. An apparatus, comprising:

a transceiver to receive one or more signals;

a processor to;

determine information relating to a location of a mobile device located within an indoor environment based at least in part on the one or more signals;

determine information relating to indoor context information for an indoor environment based at least in part on the information relating to the location of the mobile device;

estimate the location of the mobile device based at least in part on the information relating to the location of the mobile device and the information relating to indoor context information; and

perform one or more location-based services based at least in part on the location of the mobile device.

57. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein the one or more location-based services comprise periodically locating the mobile device within the indoor environment.

58. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein the indoor context information comprises a base station almanac.

59. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein the indoor context information comprises locations of one or more wireless base stations within the indoor environment.

60. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein the indoor context information comprises one or more anchor points to map a local coordinate system to a global coordinate system.

61. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein the apparatus comprises a Home Secure User Plane Location Platform (H-SLP).

62. An apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving one or more signals;

means for processing information received from a mobile device and relating to a location of the mobile device within an indoor environment;

means for determining, by the apparatus, information relating to indoor context information for an indoor environment based at least in part on the information relating to the location of the mobile device;

estimating the location of the mobile device based at least in part on the information relating to the location of the mobile device and the information relating to indoor context information; and

means for performing one or more location-based services based at least in part on the location of the mobile device.

63. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the one or more location-based services comprise periodically locating the mobile device within the indoor environment.

64. The apparatus of claim 62, further comprising means for initiating transmission of the location of the mobile device to the mobile device.

65. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the indoor context information comprises a base station almanac.

66. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the indoor context information comprises locations of one or more wireless base stations within the indoor environment.

67. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the indoor context information comprises one or more anchor points to map a local coordinate system to a global coordinate system.

68. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the apparatus comprises a Home Secure User Plane Location Platform (H-SLP).

69. An article, comprising:

a storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions executable by a special purpose apparatus to;

process a signal from a mobile device, the signal comprising information relating to a location of the mobile device within an indoor environment;

determine, by a network element, information relating to indoor context information for an indoor environment based at least in part on the information relating to the location of the mobile device;

estimate the location of the mobile device based at least in part on the information relating to the location of the mobile device and the information relating to indoor context information; and

perform one or more location-based services based at least in part on the location of the mobile device.

70. The article of claim 69, wherein the one or more location-based services comprise periodically locating the mobile device within the indoor environment.

71. The article of claim 69, wherein the indoor context information comprises a base station almanac.

72. The article of claim 69, wherein the indoor context information comprises locations of one or more wireless base stations within the indoor environment.

73. The article of claim 69, wherein the indoor context information comprises one or more anchor points to map a local coordinate system to a global coordinate system.