MEASUREMENTS OF EARTH'S MAGNETIC FIELD INDOORS

• US 20140320121A1
• Filed: 04/26/2013
• Published: 10/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: IndoorAtlas Oy
• Original Assignee: IndoorAtlas Oy
• Inventors: Perttunen, Mikko, Haverinen, Janne
• Application Number:
  US13/871,612
• Publication Number:
  US 20140320121A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/244
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/08 involving use of the magnetic field of the earth
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings

Abstract

There is provided an apparatus, comprising: at least one processor and at least one memory including a computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to: perform a set of Earth'"'"'s magnetic field, EMF, measurements inside a building, wherein each EMF measurement result represents at least one of a magnitude and a direction of the EMF in the building;

• store the set of EMF measurement results off-line into a memory buffer coupled to the apparatus; and upon detecting a predefined triggering condition, cause a transfer of the stored set of EMF measurement results to a database entity.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor and at least one memory including a computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to;

perform a set of Earth'"'"'s magnetic field, EMF, measurements inside a building, wherein each EMF measurement result represents at least one of a magnitude and a direction of the EMF in the building;

store the set of EMF measurement results off-line into a memory buffer coupled to the apparatus; and

upon detecting a predefined triggering condition, cause a transfer of the stored set of EMF measurement results to a database entity.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus further to:

determine that the apparatus is inside the building upon detecting a proximity to a reference location inside the building; and

automatically start to perform the set of EMF measurements.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus further to:

cause a reception of a location estimate of the apparatus and/or a path estimate of a path which the apparatus has traveled in the building from the database entity, wherein the estimate is determined by the database entity and based on the transmitted set of EMF measurement results.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus further to:

perform inertial measurements in the building, wherein each inertial measurement result represents at least one of the following with respect to the movement of the apparatus;

velocity, acceleration, orientation, distance traveled, stride-related information;

store the plurality of inertial measurement results into the off-line buffer coupled to the apparatus; and

upon detecting the predefined triggering condition, cause a transmission of the stored inertial measurement results to the database entity.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus further to:

detect whether or not the apparatus is moving on the basis of the inertial measurement results; and

upon detecting that the apparatus is not moving, restrain from performing any EMF measurements.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus further to:

determine the distance traveled on the basis of the inertial measurement results; and

perform an EMF measurement each time a predefined distance is traveled.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus further to:

determine at least one characteristic with respect to the stored set of EMF measurement results, wherein the at least one characteristic indicates at least one of the following;

time duration between the first and the last EMF measurement result, traveled distance between the first and the last EMF measurement result, the number of the EMF measurement results;

detect that a predetermined criterion is met by the at least one characteristic; and

automatically trigger the transfer of the stored set of EMF measurement results to the database entity.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus further to:

detect a reception of a wireless command from another device, wherein the command requires to according to transfer of the stored set of EMF measurement results to the database entity; and

automatically trigger the transfer of the stored set of EMF measurement results to the database entity.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the building is a shop and the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus further to:

detect that a payment transaction takes place; and

automatically trigger the transfer of the stored set of EMF measurement results to the database entity.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the building is a shop and the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus further to:

determine items of interest with respect to the person associated with the apparatus in the shop; and

cause a transfer of information regarding the items of interest to the database entity.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus further to:

cause a reception of at least one advertisement message from the database entity, wherein the at least one advertisement message is related to at least one item of interest with respect to the person associated with the apparatus and wherein the advertisement message is location sensitive and carries an EMF fingerprint;

perform further EMF measurements and compare a sequence of the EMF measurement results to the EMF fingerprint; and

upon detecting that the sequence of the EMF measurements results match with the EMF fingerprint, cause an output of the location sensitive advertisement via the apparatus.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus further to:

acquire and store a reference fingerprint sequence representing at least one of the magnitude and the direction of the EMF for a path in the building, wherein the path is defined as an allowed path for the person carrying the apparatus;

compare the set of EMF measurement results to the reference fingerprint sequence;

upon detecting a difference exceeding a predetermined threshold between the set of EMF measurement results and the reference fingerprint sequence, determining that the person carrying the apparatus has deviated from the allowed path; and

activate a predetermined function with respect to the apparatus.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus further to:

generate digital content;

add the stored EMF measurement results as metadata to the digital content; and

automatically trigger a transfer of the digital content and the metadata to a predetermined target entity.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is comprised in one of the following:

an access card, a shopping card, a benefit card, a loyalty card.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the database entity is comprised in a server computer in a network.

16. A database entity, comprising:

at least one processor and at least one memory including a computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the database entity, at least to;

store an indoor Earth'"'"'s magnetic field, EMF, data representing at least one of magnitude and direction of the EMF in a building;

cause a reception of a set of stored EMF measurement results from a mobile apparatus, wherein each EMF measurement result of the set represents at least one of the magnitude and the direction of the EMF in the building and is determined and stored by the mobile apparatus moving in the building;

compare the received set of EMF measurement results to the stored EMF data; and

determine, on the basis of the comparison, information about movements of the person associated with the mobile apparatus.

17. The database entity of claim 16, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the database entity further to:

cause a reception of a set of stored inertial measurement results from the mobile apparatus, wherein each inertial measurement result is determined and stored by the mobile apparatus in the building and represents at least one of the following with respect to the movement of the mobile apparatus;

velocity, acceleration, orientation, distance traveled, stride-related information; and

apply the received set of inertial measurement results for the determination of the information about movements of the person associated with the mobile apparatus.

18. The database entity of claim 16, wherein the building is a shop, and the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the database entity further to:

acquire knowledge of items of interest with respect the person associated with the mobile apparatus in the shop;

determine locations in which the items of interest are being offered for sale in the shop; and

performing analysis about a customer behavior of the person associated with the mobile apparatus on the basis of the movements of the person in the shop with respect to the determined locations.

19. The database entity of claim 18, wherein the building is a shop, and the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the database entity further to:

acquire knowledge of a list of items which the person associated with the mobile apparatus purchased from the shop;

compare the list of the purchased items to the items of interest and

apply the comparison result when performing the analysis about the customer behavior of the person.

20. The database entity of claim 16, wherein the building is a shop, and the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the database entity further to:

cause a transmission of at least one advertisement message to the person associated with the mobile apparatus, wherein the at least one advertisement message is related to at least one item comprised in the items of interest.