MOBILE DEVICE LOCATION ESTIMATION USING ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION

• US 20120083286A1
• Filed: 10/05/2010
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Lee, Te-Won, Kim, Taesu, You, Kisun
• Granted Patent: US 8,606,293 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0036 of measured values, i.e. measurement on mobile and position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/18 using ultrasonic, sonic, or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]

Abstract

Estimating a location of a mobile device is performed by comparing environmental information, such as environmental sound, associated with the mobile device with that of other devices to determine if the environmental information is similar enough to conclude that the mobile device is in a comparable location as another device. The devices may be in comparable locations in that they are in geographically similar locations (e.g., same store, same street, same city, etc.). The devices may be in comparable locations even though they are located in geographically dissimilar locations because the environmental information of the two locations demonstrates that the devices are in the same perceived location. With knowledge that the devices are in comparable locations, and with knowledge of the location of one of the devices, certain actions, such as targeted advertising, may be taken with respect to another device that is within a comparable location.

Claims

1. A method for determining a location of a first device, comprising:

receiving first environmental sound information from the first device by a comparer module;

receiving second environmental sound information from a second device by the comparer module;

analyzing, by the comparer module, the first environmental sound information and the second environmental sound information; and

determining, based on the analyzing, that the first device is in a first location that is comparable to a second location of the second device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending data to at least one of the first device or the second device upon determining that the first location is comparable to the second location.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving data from at least one of the first device or the second device upon determining that the first location is comparable to the second location.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the data comprises an advertisement.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the data comprises client message data.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the data is associated with at least one of the first location or the second location.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the data is associated with the second device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving second geographic location information associated with a geographic location of the second device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the second geographic location information is in a form of latitude and longitude.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the second geographic location information includes at least a portion of a mailing address.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the second geographic location information is based, at least in part, on a Global Positioning System (GPS).

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the second geographic location information is based, at least in part, on information received by an antenna in a cellular system.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the second geographic location information is based, at least in part, on a wireless network fingerprint.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein a geographic location of the first device remains unknown to the comparer module.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving first geographic location information associated with a geographic location of the first device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first geographic location information is in a form of latitude and longitude.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the first location and the second location are geographically similar.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the first location and the second location are geographically different from one another.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

facilitating at least one of a peer-to-peer service application or a machine-to-machine service application with respect to at least one of the first device or the second device.

20. An apparatus for determining a location of a first device, comprising:

means for receiving first environmental sound information from the first device;

means for receiving second environmental sound information from a second device;

means for analyzing the first environmental sound information and the second environmental sound information; and

means for determining, based on the analyzing, that the first device is in a first location that is comparable to a second location of the second device.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:

means for receiving data from at least one of the first device or the second device upon determining that the first location is comparable to the second location.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:

means for sending data to at least one of the first device or the second device based upon the first location being comparable to the second location.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the data comprises an advertisement.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the data is associated with at least one of the first location or the second location.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the data comprises client message data.

26. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:

means for receiving second geographic location information associated with a geographic location of the second device.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the second geographic location information includes at least a portion of a mailing address.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the second geographic location information is based, at least in part, on a Global Positioning System (GPS).

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the second geographic location information is based, at least in part, on information received by an antenna in a cellular system.

30. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the first location and the second location are geographically similar.

31. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the first location and the second location are geographically different.

32. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:

means for facilitating at least one of a peer-to-peer service application or a machine-to-machine service application with respect to at least one of the first device or the second device.

33. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that cause a computer to:

receive first environmental sound information from a first device;

receive second environmental sound information from a second device;

analyze the first environmental sound information and the second environmental sound information; and

determine, based on the analyzing, that the first device is in a first location that is comparable to a second location of the second device.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 33, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to send data to at least one of the first device or the second device based upon the first location being comparable to the second location.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the data comprises an advertisement.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the data comprises client message data.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the data is associated with at least one of the first location or the second location.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 33, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to receive second geographic location information associated with a geographic location of the second device.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 38, wherein the second geographic location information is in a form of latitude and longitude.

40. The computer-readable medium of claim 38, wherein the second geographic location information is based, at least in part, on information received by an antenna in a cellular system.

41. The computer-readable medium of claim 38, wherein the second geographic location information is based, at least in part, on a Global Positioning System (GPS).

42. The computer-readable medium of claim 33, further comprising instructions that cause the computer to receive first geographic location information associated with a geographic location of the first device.

43. An apparatus for determining a location of a first device, comprising:

a receiver for receiving first environmental sound information from the first device and for receiving second environmental sound information from a second device; and

a first module in communication with the receiver and adapted to analyze the first environmental sound information and the second environmental sound information and adapted to determine, based on the analyzing, that the first device is in a first location that is comparable to a second location of the second device.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, further comprising:

a second module in communication with the first module and adapted to determine an action to be performed based on the first location being comparable to the second location.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the action comprises sending data to at least one of the first device or the second device if the first location is comparable to the second location.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the data comprises at least one of an advertisement or client message data.

47. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the data is associated with at least one of the first location or the second location.

48. The apparatus of claim 43, further comprising:

an action database accessible by the second module and comprising selectable actions to be performed based on the first location being comparable to the second location.

49. The apparatus of claim 43, further comprising:

an environmental sound database accessible by the first module and comprising environmental sound data associated with the first and second locations.

50. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the first module receives first geographic location information associated with a geographic location of the first device.