Binning Venues Into Categories Based On Propagation Characteristics

• US 20110090123A1
• Filed: 10/14/2010
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Navare, Manasi Deepak, Naguib, Ayman Fawzy, Sridhara, Vinay, Aggarwal, Alok, Das, Saumitra Mohan
• Granted Patent: US 8,698,671 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/450
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02521 using a radio-map
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0278 involving statistical or probabilistic considerations G01S5/0252, G01S5/0294 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

Example methods, apparatuses, or articles of manufacture are disclosed herein that may be utilized to facilitate or otherwise support one or more processes or operations in connection with defining and determining a plurality of venue types and binning a plurality of venues into categories based, at least in part, on signal propagation characteristics associated with such venues.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

defining a plurality of venue types; and

determining, for one or more of said plurality of said venue types, an observed signal parameter model based, at least in part, on radio frequency (RF) measurements obtained at one or more predetermined locations in a plurality of venues of at least one of said plurality of venue types.

2. The method of claim 1, and further comprising:

associating a present venue with one of said plurality of said venue types based, at least in part, on one or more RF signal propagation characteristics associated with said one of said plurality of said venue types.

3. The method of claim 2, and further comprising:

generating assistance information for use by at least one mobile device in said present venue based, at least in part, on an application of said observed signal parameter model.

4. The method of claim 3, and further comprising:

providing said assistance information to said at least one mobile device to enable said at least one mobile device to estimate its location while positioned in said present venue.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said assistance information comprises information for performing a heat map signature matching operation.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein said assistance information comprises information for performing a position determination operation.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said information for performing a position determination operation comprises information for performing at least one of the following:

a trilateration operation;

a triangulation operation;

a multilateration operation;

or any combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of said venue types are defined, at least in part, on a venue function.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said venue function comprises a function associated with at least one of the following:

an auditorium;

an amphitheater;

a warehouse;

an office building;

a classroom building;

a theater;

a supermarket;

a shopping mall;

a convention center;

a sports arena;

a stadium;

a transit station terminal;

a library;

or any combination thereof.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of venue types are defined, at least in part, on a building material type.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of venue types are defined, at least in part, on a venue geometry.

12. A method, comprising:

at a mobile device coupled to a memory, receiving assistance information associated with an observed signal parameter model applicable to a selected one of a plurality of venue types; and

estimating a location based, at least in part, on an application of said observed signal parameter model to one or more signals received at said mobile device while positioned in a present venue of said selected one of said plurality of venue types.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein estimating said location further comprises:

performing a categorization of said present venue based at least in part, on at least one of the following;

venue information obtained from a server;

venue information inputted into said mobile device;

or any combination thereof.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said categorization is performed in response to at least one of the following:

one or more signals generated by a user interface associated with said mobile device;

one or more signals generated by a server capable of communicating with said mobile device;

or any combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said assistance information comprises information to enable said mobile device to estimate its location while positioned in said present venue of said selected one of said plurality of venue types by performing at least one of the following:

a trilateration operation;

a heat map signature matching operation;

or any combination thereof.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein said observed signal parameter model defines a relationship between one or more signaling characteristics of said one or more signals received at said mobile device and a range from said mobile device to at least one wireless transmitter in said present venue.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said relationship between said one or more signaling characteristics of said one or more signals received at said mobile device and said range comprises a relationship between received signal strength indicator (RSSI) and said range in said selected one of said plurality of venue types.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said at least one wireless transmitter comprises at least one terrestrial wireless transmitter.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said at least one terrestrial wireless transmitter comprises at least one of the following:

an access point;

a femtocell;

a location beacon;

a base station;

or any combination thereof.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein said observed signal parameter model defines a relationship between one or more timing characteristics of said one or more signals received at said mobile device and a range from said mobile device to at least one wireless transmitter in said present venue.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said relationship between said one or more timing characteristics of said one or more signals received at said mobile device and said range comprises a relationship between round-trip delay (RTD) time and said range in said selected one of said plurality of venue types.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein said at least one wireless transmitter comprises at least one terrestrial wireless transmitter.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said at least one terrestrial wireless transmitter comprises at least one of the following:

an access point;

a femtocell;

a location beacon;

a base station;

or any combination thereof.

24. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors programmed with instructions to;

define a plurality of venue types; and

determine, for one or more of said plurality of said venue types, an observed signal parameter model based, at least in part, on radio frequency (RF) measurements obtained at one or more predetermined locations in a plurality of venues of at least one of said plurality of venue types.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said one or more processors further programmed with instructions to:

associate a present venue with one of said plurality of said venue types based, at least in part, on one or more RF signal propagation characteristics associated with said one of said plurality of said venue types.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said one or more processors further programmed with instructions to:

generate assistance information for use by at least one mobile device in said present venue based, at least in part, on an application of said observed signal parameter model.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said one or more processors further programmed with instructions to:

provide said assistance information to said at least one mobile device to enable said at least one mobile device to estimate its location while positioned in said present venue.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said assistance information comprises information for performing a heat map signature matching operation.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said assistance information comprises information for performing a position determination operation.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein said information for performing a position determination operation comprises information for performing at least one of the following:

a trilateration operation;

a triangulation operation;

a multilateration operation;

or any combination thereof.

31. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said plurality of venue types are defined, at least in part, on a venue function.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein said venue function comprises a function associated with at least one of the following:

an auditorium;

an amphitheater;

a warehouse;

an office building;

a classroom building;

a theater;

a supermarket;

a shopping mall;

a convention center;

a sports arena;

a stadium;

a transit station terminal;

a library;

or any combination thereof.

33. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said plurality of venue types are defined, at least in part, on a building material type.

34. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said plurality of venue types are defined, at least in part, on a venue geometry.

35. An apparatus comprising:

means for defining a plurality of venue types; and

means for determining, for one or more of said plurality of said venue types, an observed signal parameter model based, at least in part, on radio frequency (RF) measurements obtained at one or more predetermined locations in a plurality of venues of at least one of said plurality of venue types.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, and further comprising:

means for associating a present venue with one of said plurality of said venue types based, at least in part, on one or more RF signal propagation characteristics associated with said one of said plurality of said venue types.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, and further comprising:

means for generating assistance information for use by at least one mobile device in said present venue based, at least in part, on an application of said observed signal parameter model.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, and further comprising:

means for providing said assistance information to said at least one mobile device to enable said at least one mobile device to estimate its location while positioned in said present venue.

39. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein said assistance information comprises information for performing a heat map signature matching operation.

40. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein said assistance information comprises information for performing at least one of the following:

a trilateration operation;

a triangulation operation;

a multilateration operation;

or any combination thereof.

41. An article comprising:

a storage medium having instructions stored thereon executable by a special purpose computing platform to;

define a plurality of venue types; and

determine, for one or more of said plurality of said venue types, an observed signal parameter model based, at least in part, on radio frequency (RF) measurements obtained at one or more predetermined locations in a plurality of venues of at least one of said plurality of venue types.

42. The article of claim 41, wherein said storage medium further includes instructions to:

associate a present venue with one of said plurality of said venue types based, at least in part, on one or more RF signal propagation characteristics associated with said one of said plurality of said venue types.

43. The article of claim 42, wherein said storage medium further includes instructions to:

generate assistance information for use by at least one mobile device in said present venue based, at least in part, on an application of said observed signal parameter model.

44. The article of claim 43, wherein said storage medium further includes instructions to:

provide said assistance information to said at least one mobile device to enable said at least one mobile device to estimate its location while positioned in said present venue.

45. The article of claim 43, wherein said assistance information comprises information for performing a heat map signature matching operation.

46. The article of claim 43, wherein said assistance information comprises information for performing at least one of the following:

a trilateration operation;

a triangulation operation;

a multilateration operation;

or any combination thereof.

47. A method, comprising:

accessing assistance information generated based, at least in part, on RF measurements obtained at one or more locations in a venue consistent with a venue type of a plurality of venue types; and

providing said assistance information for use by at least one mobile device to estimate its location while in a present venue, wherein said present venue is of said venue type.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein said assistance information comprises information for performing a heat map signature matching operation.

49. The method of claim 47, wherein said assistance information comprises information for performing at least one of the following:

a trilateration operation;

a triangulation operation;

a multilateration operation;

or any combination thereof.

50. The method of claim 47, wherein said assistance information comprises information obtained based, at least in part, on an application of an observed signal parameter model.