Method And Apparatus For Mobile Location Determination

• US 20130317944A1
• Filed: 01/11/2012
• Published: 11/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Huang, Joseph Ding-Jiu, Millman, David Benjamin
• Granted Patent: US 9,749,780 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26.61
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02521 using a radio-map
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0264 at least one of the systems being a non-radio wave positioning system
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• 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 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A method of generating a user?s location using a mobile device. The method comprises, determining a signal snapshot on the mobile device, the signal snapshot describing characteristics of unregulated radio frequency (RF) transmissions detectable by the mobile device. Generating the user?s location on the mobile device using the signal snapshot and at least one additional input from the mobile device. The generating and determining are iteratively repeated. The unregulated RF transmission can comprise WiFi signals.

Claims

1. A method of generating a user'"'"'s location using a mobile device, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a signal snapshot on the mobile device, the signal snapshot describing characteristics of unregulated radio frequency (RF) transmissions detectable by the mobile device;

generating the user'"'"'s location on the mobile device using the signal snapshot and at least one additional input from the mobile device; and

iteratively repeating the determining and generating steps on the mobile device over time and updating the user'"'"'s location and the signal snapshot.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the unregulated RF transmissions comprise WiFi transmissions.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the additional input from the mobile device selected from the set comprising an inertial sensor, an occupancy map, and a signal, wherein the signal corresponds to at least one item selected from the set comprising a user input of their location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the additional input from the mobile device comprises a video image, the method further comprising analyzing the video image to identify a code, the code selected from the set comprising a bar code, a QR code, and/or other machine readable code

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device receives the signal map from a first computer over a network prior to the determining.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the user location from the generating on the display of a mobile device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising overlaying a map of the area around the user'"'"'s location.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the map obtained from a third party, wherein the third party unconnected with the mapped area.

9. A mobile device comprising:

a storage,

a user input mechanism,

a sensor,

a receiver, the receiver for receiving unregulated radio frequency (RF) signals, and

a computer system, the computer system coupled in communication with the storage, the user input mechanism, the sensor, and the receiver, the computer system including a controller to;

determine a signal snapshot on the mobile device, the signal snapshot describing characteristics of unregulated radio frequency (RF) transmissions detectable by the receiver;

generate the user'"'"'s location on the mobile device using the signal snapshot and at least one input from one of the the user input mechanism and the sensor; and

iteratively repeat the determining and generating on the controller over time and update the user'"'"'s location and the signal snapshot.

10. The mobile device of claim 9, further comprising a network interface, and wherein the determining further comprises:

obtaining the signal snapshot from a server using the network interface prior to initially determining the signal snapshot.

11. The mobile device of claim 9,

wherein the sensor selected from the set comprising inertial sensor, gyroscope, compass, magnetometer, and accelerometer;

and

wherein the user input mechanism selected from the set of keyboard, touch sensitive display, audio input, and video input.

12. A method of determining a user'"'"'s location on a mobile device, the method comprising:

obtaining a signal information, the signal information for a plurality of samples of a plurality of radio frequency transmissions, the signal information obtained by a plurality of different receivers at different times;

generating a signal snapshot from the signal information; and

computing the user'"'"'s location on the mobile device using the signal snapshot.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the obtaining and generating occurring on a server distinct from the mobile device, the method further comprising receiving on the mobile device the signal snapshot.

14. A method of shopping using a mobile device, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a signal snapshot on the mobile device, the signal snapshot describing characteristics of unregulated radio frequency (RF) transmissions detectable by the mobile device;

generating the user'"'"'s location on the mobile device using the signal snapshot;

obtaining a merchandise information based on the user'"'"'s location, the merchandise information related to information about products for sale in the vicinity of the user'"'"'s location;

repeating the determining and generating steps on the mobile device over time and updating the user'"'"'s location and the signal snapshot; and

selectively displaying contextual information based on the user'"'"'s location and the merchandise information.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the obtaining comprises retrieving the merchandise information over a network.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the merchandise information selected from the set comprising:

coupons for merchandise for sale in the vicinity of the user'"'"'s location, information related to merchandise for sale in the vicinity of the user'"'"'s location, offers for complementary merchandise related to merchandise for sale in the vicinity of the user'"'"'s location, competitive offers to sell similar merchandise to merchandise for sale in the vicinity of the user'"'"'s location, nutrition information about merchandise in the vicinity of the user'"'"'s location, and reviews about merchandise in the vicinity of the user'"'"'s location.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the selectively displaying occurs in response to a signal, the signal selected from the set comprising a user input requesting contextual information and proximity of the user'"'"'s location to a predetermined location.

18. A method of using a mobile device, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a signal snapshot on the mobile device, the signal snapshot describing characteristics of unregulated radio frequency (RF) transmissions detectable by the mobile device;

generating the user'"'"'s location on the mobile device using the signal snapshot;

obtaining a convention information based on the user'"'"'s location, the merchandise information related to information about convention booths in the vicinity of the user'"'"'s location;

repeating the determining and generating steps on the mobile device over time and updating the user'"'"'s location and the signal snapshot; and

selectively displaying contextual information based on the user'"'"'s location and the merchandise information.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the obtaining comprises retrieving the convention information over a network.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the convention information selected from the set comprising:

detailed information about convention booths, route plan showing visited-and-unvisited booths on a list of booths to visit, and offers related to visiting one or more booths.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the selectively displaying occurs in response to a signal, the signal selected from the set comprising a user input requesting contextual information and proximity of the user'"'"'s location to a predetermined location.

22. A method of using a mobile device, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a signal snapshot on the mobile device, the signal snapshot describing characteristics of unregulated radio frequency (RF) transmissions detectable by the mobile device;

generating the user'"'"'s location on the mobile device using the signal snapshot;

obtaining a social location information based on the user'"'"'s location, the social location information related to information about other users in the vicinity of the user'"'"'s location;

repeating the determining and generating steps on the mobile device over time and updating the user'"'"'s location and the signal snapshot; and

selectively displaying contextual information based on the user'"'"'s location and the social location information.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the obtaining comprises retrieving the social location information over a network.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the retrieving further comprises receiving the information over the network from one of a server and a second mobile device.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the social location information selected from the set comprising:

social network checkins by friends of the user, location information of friends of the user, and anonymous nearby people with similar visit patterns to the location and similar social network interests.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the selectively displaying occurs in response to a signal, the signal selected from the set comprising a user input requesting information and proximity of the user'"'"'s location to other users as identified by the social location information.