METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IDENTIFICATION OF POINTS OF INTEREST WITHIN A PREDEFINED AREA

• US 20110087431A1
• 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: Jeong, Min-Wook, Gupta, Rajarshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,756,010 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/02 Indoor
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/09 for tracking people
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0018 Transmission from mobile station to base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/013 Identifying areas in a building
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/017 Detecting state or type of motion
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02 using radio waves using satellite radio beacon systems for determining position G01S19/00

Abstract

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a system and method for identification of points of interest within a predefined area. Location estimates for substantially stationary mobile devices may be utilized to determine locations of one or more points of interest. Location estimates for mobile devices in motion may be utilized to determine locations of one or more corridors.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

accessing one or more location estimates for one or more mobile devices within a predefined area;

correlating the one or more location estimates in time and space to determine a set of location estimates associated with one or more substantially stationary mobile devices;

identifying, by a processor, one or more points of interest within the predefined area based at least in part on the set of location estimates; and

storing information relating to the one or more points of interest in a memory.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more location estimates are associated with one or more time stamps.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining a distance between a first location estimate for a particular mobile device for an individual associated with a first time stamp and a second location estimate associated with a second time stamp, and determining whether the distance exceeds a predefined minimum threshold distance.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining that the particular mobile device was substantially stationary in response to the distance not exceeding the predefined minimum threshold distance.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising grouping the set of location estimates into one or more clusters.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more points of interest are identified based at least in part on the one or more clusters, a number of the one or more points of interest being selected to reduce an expected error in location of the one or more points of interest below a predefined threshold level.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising annotating one or more electronic maps associated with the predefined area to indicate at least one of the one or more points of interest.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a message to the one or more mobile devices to request the one or more location estimates for the one or more mobile devices be transmitted in response to the one or more mobile devices being within a specified portion of the predefined area.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a message to the one or more mobile devices to request the one or more location estimates for the one or more mobile devices be transmitted in response to one or more motion sensors of the one or more mobile devices indicating that the one or more mobile devices are substantially stationary.

10. A method, comprising:

accessing one or more location estimates for one or more mobile devices within a predefined area;

correlating the one or more location estimates in time and space to determine a set of location estimates associated with one or more mobile devices in motion;

identifying, by a processor, one or more corridors within the predefined area based at least in part on the set of location estimates; and

storing information relating to the one or more corridors in a memory.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more location estimates are associated with one or more time stamps.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining a distance between a first location estimate for a particular mobile device for an individual associated with a first time stamp and a second location estimate associated with a second time stamp, and determining whether the distance exceeds a predefined minimum threshold distance.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining that the particular mobile device was in motion at times associated with the first location estimate and the second location estimate in response to the distance exceeding the predefined minimum threshold distance.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining one or more vectors associated with the set of location estimates based at least in part on a distance between one or more location estimates and one or more successively determined location estimates for the one or more mobile devices in motion.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising grouping the one or more vectors associated with the set of location estimates into one or more clusters.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising determining a magnitude and a direction of a cluster vector associated with at least one of the one or more clusters.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the direction of the cluster vector is determined based at least in part on vector addition of the one or more vectors, the vector addition comprising flipping respective directions of at least one of the one or more vectors to account for movement of the one or more mobile devices in motion in opposing directions along the one or more corridors.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising identifying the one or more corridors based at least in part on the one or more clusters.

19. The method of claim 10, further comprising annotating one or more electronic maps associated with the predefined area to indicate at least one of the one or more corridors.

20. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting a message to the one or more mobile devices to request the one or more location estimates for the one or more mobile devices be transmitted in response to the one or more mobile devices being within a specified portion of the predefined area.

21. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting a message to the one or more mobile devices to request the one or more location estimates for the one or more mobile devices be transmitted in response to one or more motion sensors of the one or more mobile devices indicating that the one or more mobile devices are in motion.

22. The method of claim 10, further comprising ranking the one or more corridors based at least in part on a popularity index of the one or more corridors among the one or more mobile devices in motion.

23. An apparatus, comprising:

a receiver to receive signals from a network;

a processor configured to;

access one or more location estimates for one or more mobile devices within a predefined area based at least in part on the signals;

correlate the one or more location estimates in time and space to determine a set of location estimates associated with one or more substantially stationary mobile devices;

identify one or more points of interest within the predefined area based at least in part on the set of location estimates; and

store information relating to the one or more points of interest in a memory.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the one or more location estimates are associated with one or more time stamps.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the processor is adapted to determine a distance between a first location estimate for a particular mobile device for an individual associated with a first time stamp and a second location estimate associated with a second time stamp, and to determine whether the distance exceeds a predefined minimum threshold distance.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the processor is adapted to determine that the particular mobile device was substantially stationary in response to the distance not exceeding the predefined minimum threshold distance.

27. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the processor is adapted to group the set of location estimates into one or more clusters.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the one or more points of interest are identified based at least in part on the one or more clusters, a number of the one or more points of interest being selected to reduce an expected error in location of the one or more points of interest below a predefined threshold level.

29. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the processor is adapted to annotate one or more electronic maps associated with the predefined area to indicate at least one of the one or more points of interest.

30. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the processor is adapted to initiate transmission of a message to the one or more mobile devices to request the one or more location estimates for the one or more mobile devices be transmitted in response to the one or more mobile devices being within a specified portion of the predefined area.

31. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the processor is adapted to initiate transmission of a message to the one or more mobile devices to request the one or more location estimates for the one or more mobile devices be transmitted in response to one or more motion sensors of the one or more mobile devices indicating that the one or more mobile devices are substantially stationary.

32. An apparatus, comprising:

a receiver to receive signals from a network;

a processor configured to;

access one or more location estimates for one or more mobile devices within a predefined area based at least in part on the signals;

correlate the one or more location estimates in time and space to determine a set of location estimates associated with one or more mobile devices in motion;

identify one or more corridors within the predefined area based at least in part on the set of location estimates; and

store information relating to the one or more corridors in a memory.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the one or more location estimates are associated with one or more time stamps.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the processor is adapted to determine a distance between a first location estimate for a particular mobile device for an individual associated with a first time stamp and a second location estimate associated with a second time stamp, and to determine whether the distance exceeds a predefined minimum threshold distance.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the processor is adapted to determine that the particular mobile device was in motion at times associated with the first location estimate and the second location estimate in response to the distance exceeding the predefined minimum threshold distance.

36. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the processor is adapted to determine one or more vectors associated with the set of location estimates based at least in part on a distance between one or more location estimates and one or more successively determined location estimates for the one or more mobile devices in motion.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the processor is adapted to group the one or more vectors into one or more clusters.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the processor is adapted to determine a magnitude and a direction of a cluster vector associated with at least one of the one or more clusters.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the processor is adapted to determine the direction of the cluster vector based at least in part on vector addition of the one or more vectors, the vector addition comprising flipping respective directions of at least one of the one or more vectors to account for movement of the one or more mobile devices in motion in opposing directions along the one or more corridors.

40. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the processor is adapted to identify the one or more corridors based at least in part on the one or more clusters.

41. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the processor is adapted to annotate one or more electronic maps associated with the predefined area to indicate at least one of the one or more corridors.

42. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the processor is adapted to initiation transmission of a message to the one or more mobile devices to request the one or more location estimates for the one or more mobile devices be transmitted in response to the one or more mobile devices being within a specified portion of the predefined area.

43. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the processor is adapted to initiation transmission of a message to the one or more mobile devices to request the one or more location estimates for the one or more mobile devices be transmitted in response to one or more motion sensors of the one or more mobile devices indicating that the one or more mobile devices are in motion.

44. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the processor is adapted to rank the one or more corridors based at least in part on a popularity index of the one or more corridors among the one or more mobile devices in motion.

45. An apparatus, comprising:

means for accessing one or more location estimates for one or more mobile devices within a predefined area;

means for correlating the one or more location estimates in time and space to determine a set of location estimates associated with one or more substantially stationary mobile devices;

means for identifying one or more points of interest within the predefined area based at least in part on the set of location estimates; and

means for storing information relating to the one or more points of interest.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the one or more location estimates are associated with one or more time stamps.

47. The apparatus of claim 46, further comprising means for determining a distance between a first location estimate for a particular mobile device for an individual associated with a first time stamp and a second location estimate associated with a second time stamp, and for determining whether the distance exceeds a predefined minimum threshold distance.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, further comprising means for determining that the particular mobile device was substantially stationary in response to the distance not exceeding the predefined minimum threshold distance.

49. The apparatus of claim 45, further comprising means for grouping the set of location estimates into one or more clusters.

50. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the one or more points of interest are identified based at least in part on the one or more clusters, a number of the one or more points of interest being selected to reduce an expected error in location of the one or more points of interest below a predefined threshold level.

51. The apparatus of claim 45, further comprising means for annotating one or more electronic maps associated with the predefined area to indicate at least one of the one or more points of interest.

52. The apparatus of claim 45, further comprising means for transmitting a message to the one or more mobile devices to request the one or more location estimates for the one or more mobile devices be transmitted in response to the one or more mobile devices being within a specified portion of the predefined area.

53. The apparatus of claim 45, further comprising means for transmitting a message to the one or more mobile devices to request the one or more location estimates for the one or more mobile devices be transmitted in response to one or more motion sensors of the one or more mobile devices indicating that the one or more mobile devices are substantially stationary.

54. An apparatus, comprising:

means for accessing one or more location estimates for one or more mobile devices within a predefined area;

means for correlating the one or more location estimates in time and space to determine a set of location estimates associated with one or more mobile devices in motion;

means for identifying one or more corridors within the predefined area based at least in part on the set of location estimates; and

means for storing information relating to the one or more corridors.

55. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the one or more location estimates are associated with one or more time stamps.

56. The apparatus of claim 55, further comprising means for determining a distance between a first location estimate for a particular mobile device for an individual associated with a first time stamp and a second location estimate associated with a second time stamp, and for determining whether the distance exceeds a predefined minimum threshold distance.

57. The apparatus of claim 56, further comprising means for determining that the particular mobile device was in motion at times associated with the first location estimate and the second location estimate in response to the distance exceeding the predefined minimum threshold distance.

58. The apparatus of claim 54, further comprising means for determining one or more vectors associated with the set of location estimates based at least in part on a distance between one or more location estimates and one or more successively determined location estimates for the one or more mobile devices in motion.

59. The apparatus of claim 58, further comprising means for grouping the one or more vectors associated with the set of location estimates into one or more clusters.

60. The apparatus of claim 59, further comprising means for determining a magnitude and a direction of a cluster vector associated with at least one of the one or more clusters.

61. The apparatus of claim 60, further comprising means for determining the direction of the cluster vector based at least in part on vector addition of the one or more vectors, the vector addition comprising flipping respective directions of at least one of the one or more vectors to account for movement of the one or more mobile devices in motion in opposing directions along the one or more corridors.

62. The apparatus of claim 59, further comprising means for identifying the one or more corridors based at least in part on the one or more clusters.

63. The apparatus of claim 54, further comprising means for annotating one or more electronic maps associated with the predefined area to indicate at least one of the one or more corridors.

64. The apparatus of claim 54, further comprising means for transmitting a message to the one or more mobile devices to request the one or more location estimates for the one or more mobile devices be transmitted in response to the one or more mobile devices being within a specified portion of the predefined area.

65. The apparatus of claim 54, further comprising means for transmitting a message to the one or more mobile devices to request the one or more location estimates for the one or more mobile devices be transmitted in response to one or more motion sensors of the one or more mobile devices indicating that the one or more mobile devices are in motion.

66. The apparatus of claim 54, further comprising means for ranking the one or more corridors based at least in part on a popularity index of the one or more corridors among the one or more mobile devices in motion.

67. An article, comprising:

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

access one or more location estimates for one or more mobile devices within a predefined area;

correlate the one or more location estimates in time and space to determine a set of location estimates associated with one or more substantially stationary mobile devices;

identify one or more points of interest within the predefined area based at least in part on the set of location estimates; and

storing information relating to the one or more points of interest in a memory.

68. The article of claim 67, wherein the one or more location estimates are associated with one or more time stamps.

69. The article of claim 68, wherein the machine-readable instructions are further executable by the special purpose apparatus to determine a distance between a first location estimate for a particular mobile device for an individual associated with a first time stamp and a second location estimate associated with a second time stamp, and to determine whether the distance exceeds a predefined minimum threshold distance.

70. The article of claim 69 wherein the machine-readable instructions are further executable by the special purpose apparatus to determine that the particular mobile device was substantially stationary in response to the distance not exceeding the predefined minimum threshold distance.

71. The article of claim 67, wherein the machine-readable instructions are further executable by the special purpose apparatus to group the set of location estimates into one or more clusters.

72. The article of claim 71, wherein the machine-readable instructions are further executable by the special purpose apparatus to identify the one or more points of interest based at least in part on the one or more clusters, a number of the one or more points of interest being selected to reduce an expected error in location of the one or more points of interest below a predefined threshold level.

73. The article of claim 67, wherein the machine-readable instructions are further executable by the special purpose apparatus to annotate one or more electronic maps associated with the predefined area to indicate at least one of the one or more points of interest.

74. The article of claim 67, wherein the machine-readable instructions are further executable by the special purpose apparatus to initiate transmission of a message to the one or more mobile devices to request the one or more location estimates for the one or more mobile devices be transmitted in response to the one or more mobile devices being within a specified portion of the predefined area.

75. The article of claim 67, wherein the machine-readable instructions are further executable by the special purpose apparatus to initiate transmission of a message to the one or more mobile devices to request the one or more location estimates for the one or more mobile devices be transmitted in response to one or more motion sensors of the one or more mobile devices indicating that the one or more mobile devices are substantially stationary.

76. An article, comprising:

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

access one or more location estimates for one or more mobile devices within a predefined area;

correlate the one or more location estimates in time and space to determine a set of location estimates associated with one or more mobile devices in motion;

identify one or more corridors within the predefined area based at least in part on the set of location estimates; and

storing information relating to the one or more corridors in a memory.

77. The article of claim 76, wherein the one or more location estimates are associated with one or more time stamps.

78. The article of claim 77, wherein the machine-readable instructions are further executable by the special purpose apparatus to determine a distance between a first location estimate for a particular mobile device for an individual associated with a first time stamp and a second location estimate associated with a second time stamp, and to determine whether the distance exceeds a predefined minimum threshold distance.

79. The article of claim 78, wherein the machine-readable instructions are further executable by the special purpose apparatus to determine that the particular mobile device was in motion at times associated with the first location estimate and the second location estimate in response to the distance exceeding the predefined minimum threshold distance.

80. The article of claim 76, wherein the machine-readable instructions are further executable by the special purpose apparatus to determine one or more vectors associated with the set of location estimates based at least in part on a distance between one or more location estimates and one or more successively determined location estimates for the one or more mobile devices.

81. The article of claim 80, wherein the machine-readable instructions are further executable by the special purpose apparatus to group the one or more vectors associated with the set of location estimates into one or more clusters.

82. The article of claim 81, wherein the machine-readable instructions are further executable by the special purpose apparatus to determine a magnitude and a direction of a cluster vector associated with at least one of the one or more clusters.

83. The article of claim 82, wherein the machine-readable instructions are further executable by the special purpose apparatus to determine the direction of the cluster vector based at least in part on vector addition of the one or more vectors, the vector addition comprising flipping respective directions of at least one of the one or more vectors to account for movement of the one or more mobile devices in motion in opposing directions along the one or more corridors.

84. The article of claim 81, wherein the machine-readable instructions are further executable by the special purpose apparatus to identify the one or more corridors based at least in part on the one or more clusters.

85. The article of claim 76, wherein the machine-readable instructions are further executable by the special purpose apparatus to annotate one or more electronic maps associated with the predefined area to indicate at least one of the one or more corridors.

86. The article of claim 76, wherein the machine-readable instructions are further executable by the special purpose apparatus to initiate transmission of a message to the one or more mobile devices to request the one or more location estimates for the one or more mobile devices be transmitted in response to the one or more mobile devices being within a specified portion of the predefined area.

87. The article of claim 76, wherein the machine-readable instructions are further executable by the special purpose apparatus to initiate transmission of a message to the one or more mobile devices to request the one or more location estimates for the one or more mobile devices be transmitted in response to one or more motion sensors of the one or more mobile devices indicating that the one or more mobile devices are in motion.

88. The article of claim 76, wherein the machine-readable instructions are further executable by the special purpose apparatus to rank the one or more corridors based at least in part on a popularity index of the one or more corridors among the one or more mobile devices in motion.