METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING LOCATION WITHIN A BUILDING BASED ON HISTORICAL LOCATION INFORMATION

• US 20110207471A1
• Filed: 03/26/2010
• Published: 08/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2010
• 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 9,103,917 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0269 Inferred or constrained positioning, e.g. employing knowledge of the physical or electromagnetic environment, state of motion or other contextual information to infer or constrain a position
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A mobile device may be operable to receive historical location trail information of a building. A location of the mobile device within the building may be determined by placing, moving or snapping a reference location of the mobile device onto a trail according to the received historical location trail information. The historical location trail information may be acquired from a location server. The historical location trail information stored in the location server may be generated using a plurality of location samples that are provided by one or more other mobile devices that have been within the building. The historical location trail information may also be acquired from an indoor map of the building that is used by the mobile device for navigation within the building. The determined location of the mobile device may then be utilized by the mobile device to navigate within the building for location-based services.

Claims

1. A method for communication, the method comprising:

in a mobile device;

receiving historical location trail information of a building; and

determining a location of said mobile device within said building based on a reference location of said mobile device and said received historical location trail information.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising determining said location of said mobile device by placing said reference location of said mobile device onto a trail according to said received historical location trail information.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising acquiring, receiving and/or requesting said historical location trail information from a location server.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said historical location trail information stored in said location server is generated using a plurality of location samples within said building.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said plurality of location samples are provided by one or more other mobile devices that have been within said building.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

acquiring said historical location trail information from an indoor map of said building; and

navigating within said building utilizing said indoor map.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising acquiring said reference location of said mobile device using one or more RF network devices within said building.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising acquiring said reference location of said mobile device using one or more RF communication devices that are within proximity of said mobile device.

9. The method according to claim 1, comprising acquiring said reference location of said mobile device using one or more motion sensors in said mobile device.

10. The method according to claim 1, comprising navigating within said building based on said determined location of said mobile device.

11. A system for communication, the system comprising:

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

receive historical location trail information of a building; and

determine a location of said mobile device within said building based on a reference location of said mobile device and said received historical location trail information.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to determine said location of said mobile device by placing said reference location of said mobile device onto a trail according to said received historical location trail information.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to acquire, receive and/or request said historical location trail information from a location server.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said historical location trail information stored in said location server is generated using a plurality of location samples within said building.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein said plurality of location samples are provided by one or more other mobile devices that have been within said building.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to:

acquire said historical location trail information from an indoor map of said building; and

navigate within said building utilizing said indoor map.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to acquire said reference location of said mobile device using one or more RF network devices within said building.

18. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to acquire said reference location of said mobile device using one or more RF communication devices that are within proximity of said mobile device.

19. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to acquire said reference location of said mobile device using one or more motion sensors in said mobile device.

20. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to navigate within said building based on said determined location of said mobile device.