SYSTEM, METHOD AND/OR DEVICES FOR APPLYING MAGNETIC SIGNATURES FOR POSITIONING
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising, at a mobile device:
- receiving signals from a magnetometer generated, at least in part, in response to a polar magnetic field;
correlating said received signals with a signature indicative of a local magnetic field; and
estimating a location of said mobile device based, at least in part, on said signature correlated with said received signals.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed are systems, methods and devices for application of measurements obtained from a compass or magnetometer in estimating a location of a mobile device. In specific implementations, expected signatures of local magnetic fields at locations are provided to a mobile device as positioning assistance data. In other implementations, magnetic measurements obtained by multiple mobile devices at identifiable locations in an indoor area may be combined for deriving expected signatures of local magnetic fields for use in positioning assistance data.
105 Citations
38 Claims
-
1. A method comprising, at a mobile device:
-
receiving signals from a magnetometer generated, at least in part, in response to a polar magnetic field; correlating said received signals with a signature indicative of a local magnetic field; and estimating a location of said mobile device based, at least in part, on said signature correlated with said received signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A mobile device comprising:
-
a magnetometer to generate signals at least in part in response to a polar magnetic field; and a processor to; correlate said generated signals with a signature indicative of a local magnetic field; and estimate a location of said mobile device based, at least in part, on said signature correlated with said generated signals.
-
-
10. An article comprising:
-
a non-transitory storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions stored thereon which are executable by a special purpose computing apparatus at a mobile device to; correlate signals generated by a magnetometer at least in part in response to a polar magnetic field with a signature indicative of a local magnetic field; and estimate a location of said mobile device based, at least in part, on said signature correlated with said generated signals.
-
-
11. An apparatus comprising:
-
means for generating signals at least in part in response to a polar magnetic field; means for correlating said generated signals with a signature indicative of a local magnetic field; and means for estimating a location of a mobile device based, at least in part, on said signature correlated with said received signals.
-
-
12. A method comprising:
-
receiving messages from a plurality of mobile devices including measurement locations in an indoor area in association with measurements of a local magnetic field obtained at said measurement locations; developing expected magnetic signatures over locations in said indoor area based, at least in part, on a combination of said measurements obtained from said mobile devices; and transmitting said expected magnetic signatures to other mobile devices as indoor positioning assistance data. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
-
- 17. The method of 12, wherein said expected magnetic signatures comprise at least expected angular deviations of magnetic fields local to said locations in said indoor area.
-
20. A server comprising:
-
a receiver to receive messages from a communication network; a transmitter to transmit messages to said communication network; and one or more processors to; obtain from messages received at said receiver originating at a plurality of mobile devices measurement locations in an indoor area in association with measurements of magnetic fields local to said measurement locations; develop expected magnetic signatures over locations in said indoor area based, at least in part, on a combination of said measurements obtained from said mobile devices; and initiate transmission of said expected magnetic signatures through said transmitter to other mobile devices as indoor positioning assistance data.
-
-
21. An article comprising:
-
a non-transitory storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions stored thereon which are executable by a special purpose computing apparatus to; obtain from messages originating at a plurality of mobile devices measurement locations in an indoor area in association with measurements of magnetic fields local to said measurement locations; develop expected magnetic signatures over locations in said indoor area based, at least in part, on a combination of said measurements obtained from said mobile devices; and initiate transmission of said expected magnetic signatures to other mobile devices as indoor positioning assistance data.
-
-
22. An apparatus comprising:
-
means for receiving messages from a plurality of mobile devices including measurement locations in an indoor area in association with measurements of a local magnetic field obtained at said measurement locations; means for developing expected magnetic signatures over locations in said indoor area based, at least in part, on a combination of said measurements obtained from said mobile devices; and means for transmitting said expected magnetic signatures to other mobile devices as indoor positioning assistance data.
-
-
23. A method comprising, at a mobile device:
-
obtaining an estimated location of the mobile device; obtaining a first estimated heading of the mobile device based, at least in part, on one or more measurements obtained from a magnetometer; obtaining a second estimated heading of the mobile device independently of said one or more measurements obtained from said magnetometer; estimating a compass deviation based, at least in part, on said first and second estimated headings; and transmitting one or more messages to a server comprising said estimated compass deviation in association with said estimated location. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
-
29. A mobile device comprising:
-
magnetometer to generate measurements responsive to a magnetic field; a transmitter to transmit messages through a communication network; and a processor to; obtain a first estimated heading of the mobile device based, at least in part, on one or more measurements obtained from said magnetometer; obtain a second estimated heading of the mobile device independently of said one or more measurements obtained from said magnetometer; estimate a compass deviation based, at least in part, on said first and second estimated headings; and initiate transmission of one or more messages through said transmitter to a server, said one or more messages comprising said estimated compass deviation in association with said estimated location.
-
-
30. An article comprising:
a non-transitory storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions stored thereon which are executable by a special purpose computing apparatus to; compute a first estimated heading of a mobile device based, at least in part, on one or more measurements obtained from a magnetometer; compute a second estimated heading of the mobile device independently of said one or more measurements obtained from said magnetometer; estimate a compass deviation based, at least in part, on said first and second estimated headings; and initiate transmission of one or more messages to a server, said one or more messages comprising said estimated compass deviation in association with said estimated location.
-
31. An apparatus comprising:
-
means for obtaining an estimated location of the mobile device; means for obtaining a first estimated heading of the mobile device based, at least in part, on one or more measurements obtained from a magnetometer; means for obtaining a second estimated heading of the mobile device independently of said one or more measurements obtained from said magnetometer; means for estimating a compass deviation based, at least in part, on said first and second estimated headings; and means for transmitting one or more messages to a server comprising said estimated compass deviation in association with said estimated location.
-
-
32. A method comprising, at a mobile device:
-
receiving signals from a magnetometer generated, at least in part, in response to a polar magnetic field; correlating said received signals with a signature indicative of a local magnetic field; and estimating an orientation or heading of the mobile device based, at least in part, on said signature correlated with said received signals. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
-
-
36. A mobile device comprising:
-
a magnetometer to generate signals at least in part in response to a polar magnetic field; and a processor to; correlate said received signals with a signature indicative of a local magnetic field; and estimate an orientation or heading of the mobile device based, at least in part, on said signature correlated with said received signals.
-
-
37. An article comprising:
a non-transitory storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions stored thereon which are executable by a special purpose computing apparatus at a mobile device to; correlate said received signals with a signature indicative of a local magnetic field; and estimating an orientation or heading of the mobile device based, at least in part, on said signature correlated with said received signals.
-
38. An apparatus comprising:
-
means for receiving signals from a magnetometer at a mobile device, the signals being generated, at least in part, in response to a polar magnetic field; means for correlating said received signals with a signature indicative of a local magnetic field; and means for estimating an orientation or heading of the mobile device based, at least in part, on said signature correlated with said received signals.
-
Specification