METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING A POSITION FIX INDOORS

• US 20110200023A1
• Filed: 03/26/2010
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Abraham, Charles, Garrett, David, Karaoguz, Jeyhan, Buer, Mark, Lundgren, David, Murray, Dave
• Granted Patent: US 8,831,507 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/02 Indoor
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0295 Proximity-based methods, e.g. position inferred from reception of particular signals

Abstract

Whenever a mobile device in a building is within proximity of a RF communication device, the mobile device may be operable to receive location information transmitted, for example by broadcasting it, from a RF communication device. The transmitted location information comprises altitude information of the RF communication device. At least an altitude of the mobile device may be determined based on the received altitude information of the RF communication device. The RF communication device may be located in an elevator car and/or on a particular floor in the building. Whenever the RF communication device is located in the elevator car, the altitude information of the RF communication device may be received by the RF communication device from an elevator controller. In instances when the RF communication device also transmits its latitude/longitude (LAT/LON), the mobile device may be operable to determine a 3-dimentional (3D) location of the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method for communication, the method comprising:

in a mobile device;

receiving location information transmitted from a RF communication device in a building whenever said mobile device is within proximity of said RF communication device, wherein said transmitted location information comprises altitude information of said RF communication device; and

determining at least an altitude of said mobile device based on said received location information.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said RF communication device comprises a wireless LAN (WLAN) device that is located in an elevator car.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said WLAN device transmits said altitude information that is received from an elevator controller.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said RF communication device comprises a Bluetooth device that is located in an elevator car.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said Bluetooth device transmits said altitude information that is received from an elevator controller.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said RF communication device comprises a WLAN device that is located on a particular floor of said building.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said RF communication device comprises a Bluetooth device that is located on a particular floor of said building.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said RF communication device comprises a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag that is located on a particular floor of said building.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said RF communication device comprises a near field communication (NFC) device that is located on a particular floor of said building.

10. The method according to claim 1, comprising determining a 3-dimentional (3D) location of said mobile device based on said altitude information and a latitude/longitude (LAT/LON) of said RF communication device that are transmitted by said RF communication device.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said location information is broadcasted from said RF communication device.

12. A system for communication, the system comprising:

one or more processors and/or circuits for use in a mobile device, said one or more processors and/or circuits being operable to;

receive location information transmitted from a RF communication device in a building whenever said mobile device is within proximity of said RF communication device, wherein said transmitted location information comprises altitude information of said RF communication device; and

determine at least an altitude of said mobile device based on said received location information.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said RF communication device comprises a wireless LAN (WLAN) device that is located in an elevator car.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said WLAN device transmits said altitude information that is received from an elevator controller.

15. The system according to claim 12, wherein said RF communication device comprises a Bluetooth device that is located in an elevator car.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein said Bluetooth device transmits said altitude information that is received from an elevator controller.

17. The system according to claim 12, wherein said RF communication device comprises a WLAN device that is located on a particular floor of said building.

18. The system according to claim 12, wherein said RF communication device comprises a Bluetooth device that is located on a particular floor of said building.

19. The system according to claim 12, wherein said RF communication device comprises a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag that is located on a particular floor of said building.

20. The system according to claim 12, wherein said RF communication device comprises a near field communication (NFC) device that is located on a particular floor of said building.

21. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to determine a 3-dimentional (3D) location of said mobile device based on said altitude information and a latitude/longitude (LAT/LON) of said RF communication device that are transmitted by said RF communication device.

22. The system according to claim 12, wherein said location information is broadcasted from said RF communication device.