SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR LOCAL-AREA-NETWORK-ASSISTED LOCATION DETERMINATION

• US 20130279488A1
• Filed: 04/17/2013
• Published: 10/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telcom Ventures LLC
• Original Assignee: Telcom Ventures LLC
• Inventors: Singh, Rajendra
• Granted Patent: US 10,172,073 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0063 of measured values, i.e. measurement on base station and position calculation on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0242 Determining the position of transmitters to be subsequently used in positioning G01S5/0289 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02524 Creating or updating the radio-map
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Wi-Fi-based location determination methods may include receiving location information and/or identifier information regarding a Wi-Fi hot spot, at a database. The methods may include transmitting the location information and/or identifier information regarding the Wi-Fi hot spot, from the database to a positioning receiver. Related systems are also described.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A Wi-Fi-based location determination method, the method comprising:

receiving location change information indicating a change in a location of a Wi-Fi hot spot, at a database; and

transmitting the location change information from the database to a positioning receiver.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving the location change information comprises:

receiving the location change information at the database, via a non-cellular beacon network.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein transmitting the location change information comprises:

transmitting the location change information from the database to the positioning receiver, via the non-cellular beacon network.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving the location change information comprises:

receiving the location change information at the database from a listening device separate from the positioning receiver.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein transmitting the location change information comprises:

transmitting the location change information, from the database to the positioning receiver, after updating the database with the location change information.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the positioning receiver comprises a first positioning receiver; and

transmitting the location change information comprises;

transmitting the location change information from the database to the first positioning receiver and to a second positioning receiver.

27. A system configured to perform the method of claim 2.

8. A method of operating a positioning receiver, the method comprising:

receiving location change information indicating a change in a location of a Wi-Fi hot spot, at the positioning receiver; and

calculating a position location of the positioning receiver, using one of;

the location change information;

or

positioning signals received by the positioning receiver using a non-cellular beacon network.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining whether the positioning receiver has greater confidence in the location change information or in the positioning signals received by the positioning receiver using the non-cellular beacon network.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein calculating the position location of the positioning receiver comprises:

calculating the position location of the positioning receiver using the one of the location change information or the positioning signals received by the positioning receiver using the non-cellular beacon network in which the positioning receiver has the greater confidence.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving the location change information comprises:

receiving the location change information at the positioning receiver, via a non-cellular beacon network.

26. A positioning receiver configured to perform the method of claim 8.

12. A Wi-Fi-based location determination method, the method comprising:

receiving location information and/or identifier information regarding a Wi-Fi hot spot, at a database, via a non-cellular beacon network; and

transmitting the location information and/or identifier information regarding the Wi-Fi hot spot, from the database to a positioning receiver.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein transmitting the location information and/or identifier information comprises:

transmitting the location information and/or identifier information regarding the Wi-Fi hot spot, from the database to the positioning receiver, via the non-cellular beacon network.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving the location information and/or identifier information comprises:

receiving the location information and/or identifier information regarding the Wi-Fi hot spot, at the database from a listening device separate from the positioning receiver.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein transmitting the location information and/or identifier information comprises:

transmitting the location information and/or identifier information regarding the Wi-Fi hot spot, from the database to the positioning receiver, after updating the database with the location information and/or identifier information regarding the Wi-Fi hot spot.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the positioning receiver comprises a first positioning receiver; and

transmitting the location information and/or identifier information comprises;

transmitting the location information and/or identifier information regarding the Wi-Fi hot spot, from the database to the first positioning receiver and to a second positioning receiver.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the location information and/or identifier information indicates a change in a location of the Wi-Fi hot spot;

receiving the location information and/or identifier information comprises;

receiving the location information and/or identifier information indicating a change in the location of the Wi-Fi hot spot, at the database; and

transmitting the location information and/or identifier information comprises;

transmitting the location information and/or identifier information indicating the change in the location of the Wi-Fi hot spot, from the database to the positioning receiver.

28. A system configured to perform the method of claim 12.

18. A system for Wi-Fi-based location determination, the system comprising:

a listening device configured to;

receive signals from a Wi-Fi hot spot; and

transmit location change information indicating a change in a status of the Wi-Fi hot spot, in response to detecting or failing to detect the signals from the Wi-Fi hot spot, via a non-cellular beacon network.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the listening device is configured to detect a strength of the signals from the Wi-Fi hot spot and to determine the change in the status of the Wi-Fi hot spot in response to the strength of the signals from the Wi-Fi hot spot.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein:

the system further comprises a database configured to;

receive the location change information from the listening device, via the non-cellular beacon network; and

transmit the location change information to a positioning receiver; and

the positioning receiver is configured to receive the location change information via the non-cellular beacon network.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the location change information comprises:

location change information indicating a change in a location of the Wi-Fi hot spot.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein a positioning receiver is configured to calculate a position location of the positioning receiver, using one of:

the location change information;

or

positioning signals received by the positioning receiver using a non-cellular beacon network.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the positioning receiver is further configured to determine whether the positioning receiver has greater confidence in the location change information or in the positioning signals received by the positioning receiver using the non-cellular beacon network.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the positioning receiver is configured to calculate the position location of the positioning receiver using the one of the location change information or the positioning signals received by the positioning receiver using the non-cellular beacon network in which the positioning receiver has the greater confidence.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein:

the listening device comprises a first listening device;

the system further comprising;

a second listening device configured to receive the signals from the Wi-Fi hot spot, and configured to transmit the location change information in response to detecting or failing to detect the signals from the Wi-Fi hot spot.