SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ESTIMATING POSITIONING ERROR WITHIN A WLAN-BASED POITIONING SYSTEM
First Claim
1. In a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) positioning system for estimating the position of a WLAN-enabled device, a method of estimating an expected error of a position estimate of the WLAN-enabled device, the method comprising:
- the WLAN-enabled device receiving signals transmitted by at least one WLAN access point in range of the WLAN-enabled device, the at least one WLAN access point having an estimated geographic location and an expected error associated with the estimated geographic location; and
estimating an expected error, in terms of distance, of a position estimate that would result if the received signals from the at least one WLAN access point were used in a position estimation determination based on the expected error associated with the estimated geographic location of the at least one WLAN access point in range of the WLAN enabled device, wherein the expected error of the position estimate predicts a relative accuracy of the position estimate.
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Abstract
The invention features a method of estimating an expected error of a position estimate for use in a WLAN positioning system that estimates the position of a WLAN-enabled device. The WLAN-enabled device receives signals transmitted by a WLAN access point in range of the WLAN-enabled device. The method estimates the position of the WLAN-enabled device based on the received signals from the WLAN access point in range of the WLAN enabled device. The method also estimates an expected error of the position estimate based on characteristics of the WLAN access point in range of the WLAN enabled device, wherein the expected error predicts a relative accuracy of the position estimate.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. In a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) positioning system for estimating the position of a WLAN-enabled device, a method of estimating an expected error of a position estimate of the WLAN-enabled device, the method comprising:
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the WLAN-enabled device receiving signals transmitted by at least one WLAN access point in range of the WLAN-enabled device, the at least one WLAN access point having an estimated geographic location and an expected error associated with the estimated geographic location; and estimating an expected error, in terms of distance, of a position estimate that would result if the received signals from the at least one WLAN access point were used in a position estimation determination based on the expected error associated with the estimated geographic location of the at least one WLAN access point in range of the WLAN enabled device, wherein the expected error of the position estimate predicts a relative accuracy of the position estimate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. In a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) positioning system for estimating the position of a WLAN-enabled device, a method of estimating an expected error of a position estimate of the WLAN-enabled device, the method comprising:
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the WLAN-enabled device receiving signals transmitted by at least one WLAN access point in range of the WLAN-enabled device, the at least one WLAN access point having an estimated signal coverage area; and estimating an expected error, in terms of distance, of a position estimate that would result if the received signals from the at least one WLAN access point were used in a position estimation determination based on the estimated signal coverage area of the at least one WLAN access point in range of the WLAN enabled device, wherein the expected error of the position estimate predicts a relative accuracy of the position estimate. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. In a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) positioning system for estimating the position of a WLAN-enabled device, a system for estimating an expected error of a position estimate of the WLAN-enabled device, the system for estimating the expected error comprising:
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signal receiving logic for causing the WLAN-enabled device to receive signals transmitted by at least one WLAN access point in range of the WLAN-enabled device, the at least one WLAN access point having an estimated geographic location and an expected error associated with the estimated geographic location; and error estimating logic for estimating an expected error, in terms of distance, of a position estimate that would result if the received signals from the at least one WLAN access point were used in a position estimation determination based on the expected error associated with the estimated geographic location of the at least one WLAN access point in range of the WLAN enabled device, wherein the expected error of the position estimate predicts a relative accuracy of the position estimate. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. In a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) positioning system for estimating the position of a WLAN-enabled device, a system for estimating an expected error of a position estimate of the WLAN-enabled device, the system for estimating the expected error comprising:
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signal receiving logic for causing the WLAN-enabled device to receive signals transmitted by at least one WLAN access point in range of the WLAN-enabled device, the at least one WLAN access point having an estimated signal coverage area; and error estimating logic for estimating an expected error, in terms of distance, of a position estimate that would result if the received signals from the at least one WLAN access point were used in a position estimation determination based on the estimated signal coverage area of the at least one WLAN access point in range of the WLAN enabled device, wherein the expected error of the position estimate predicts a relative accuracy of the position estimate. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification