METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR USE IN PROVIDING NAVIGATION ASSISTANCE DATA TO MOBILE STATIONS

• US 20140335892A1
• Filed: 07/22/2014
• Published: 11/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Garin, Lionel J., Gupta, Rajarshi
• Granted Patent: US 9,137,639 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0236 Assistance data, e.g. base station almanac
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are provided which may be implemented in various devices to provide navigation assistance data and/or the like to a mobile station with regard to at least one of a plurality of different indoor regions. For example, a computing platform of a map inference device may establish encoded metadata for at least a portion of an indoor region based, at least in part, on an electronic map, an access point locator, or some combination thereof, and provide such encoded metadata to a repository device that may provide at least a portion of the encoded metadata to a mobile station.

Claims

1. A method comprising, at a computing platform of a map inference device:

obtaining, for at least a portion of at least one indoor region, at least one of;

an electronic map or an access point locator;

establishing encoded metadata for at least said portion of said at least one indoor region based, at least in part, on at least one of;

said electronic map or said access point locator; and

transmitting said encoded metadata to a repository device, said repository device to provide at least a portion of said encoded metadata to a mobile station in response to a request for navigation assistance data received from said mobile station.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, and further comprising, at said map inference device:

encrypting said encoded metadata using an encryption key; and

transmitting a decryption key corresponding to said encryption key to said mobile station.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said encoded metadata is established, at least in part, in response to a request received from said repository device.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said encoded metadata is for use in said mobile station in at least one of:

a positioning function, a navigation function, or a location based service function.

5. An apparatus for use at a map inference device, the apparatus comprising:

means for obtaining, for at least a portion of at least one indoor region, at least one of;

an electronic map or an access point locator;

means for establishing encoded metadata for at least said portion of said at least one indoor region based, at least in part, on at least one of;

said electronic map or said access point locator; and

means for transmitting said encoded metadata to a repository device, said repository device to provide at least a portion of said encoded metadata to a mobile station in response to a request for navigation assistance data received from said mobile station.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 5, and further comprising, at said map inference device:

means for encrypting said encoded metadata using an encryption key; and

means for transmitting a decryption key corresponding to said encryption key to said mobile station.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein said means for establishing encoded metadata establishes at least a portion of said encoded metadata in response to a request received from said repository device.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein said means for establishing encoded metadata establishes said encoded metadata for use by said mobile station in at least one of:

a positioning function, a navigation function, or a location based service function.

9. A computing platform for use at a map inference device, the computing platform comprising:

a network interface; and

a processing unit to;

obtain via said network interface, for at least a portion of at least one indoor region, at least one of;

an electronic map or an access point locator;

establish encoded metadata for at least said portion of said at least one indoor region based, at least in part, on at least one of;

said electronic map or said access point locator; and

initiate transmission of said encoded metadata to a repository device, said repository device to provide at least a portion of said encoded metadata to a mobile station in response to a request for navigation assistance data received from said mobile station.

10. The computing platform as recited in claim 9, said processing unit to further:

encrypt said encoded metadata using an encryption key; and

initiate transmission of a decryption key corresponding to said encryption key to said mobile station.

11. The computing platform as recited in claim 9, said processing unit to establish said encoded metadata in response to a request received from said repository device via said network interface.

12. The computing platform as recited in claim 9, said processing unit to establish said encoded metadata for use by said mobile station in at least one of:

a positioning function, a navigation function, or a location based service function.

13. An article comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein computer implementable instructions that are executable by a processing unit in a directory device to;

obtain, for at least a portion of at least one indoor region, at least one of;

an electronic map or an access point locator;

establish encoded metadata for at least said portion of said at least one indoor region based, at least in part, on at least one of;

said electronic map or said access point locator; and

initiate transmission of said encoded metadata to a repository device, said repository device to provide at least a portion of said encoded metadata to a mobile station in response to a request for navigation assistance data received from said mobile station.

14. The article as recited in claim 13, said computer implementable instructions being further executable by said processing unit to:

encrypt said encoded metadata using an encryption key; and

initiate transmission of a decryption key corresponding to said encryption key to said mobile station.

15. The article as recited in claim 13, said computer implementable instructions being further executable by said processing unit to:

establish said encoded metadata in response to a request received from said repository device.

16. The article as recited in claim 13, said computer implementable instructions being further executable by said processing unit to:

establish said encoded metadata for use by said mobile station in at least one of;

a positioning function, a navigation function, or a location based service function.

17. A method comprising, at a directory device:

obtaining, for at least a portion of at least one indoor region, at least one of;

an electronic map or an access point locator;

establishing encoded metadata for at least said portion of said at least one indoor region based, at least in part, on at least one of;

said electronic map or said access point locator;

transmitting said encoded metadata to a repository device;

receiving a request for a repository device identifier from a mobile station, said request for said repository device identifier being indicative of at least a first estimated location of said mobile station; and

in response to determining that said first estimated location corresponds to said at least said portion of said at least one indoor region, transmitting a repository device identifier for said repository device to said mobile station.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, and further comprising, at said directory device:

in response to determining that said first estimated location corresponds to said at least said portion of said at least one indoor region, further transmitting, to said mobile station, at least one identifier for at least one of;

said electronic map, said access point locator, or said encoded metadata.

19. The method as recited in claim 17, and further comprising, at said directory device:

encrypting said encoded metadata using an encryption key; and

transmitting a decryption key corresponding to said encryption key to said mobile station.

20. The method as recited in claim 17, and further comprising, at said directory device:

obtaining additional metadata for said at least one indoor region from a crowd-sourcing device; and

wherein establishing said encoded metadata further comprises establishing said encoded metadata based, at least in part, on at least a portion of said additional metadata.

21. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein at least a portion of said encoded metadata is established, at least in part, prior to receiving said request for said repository device identifier from said mobile station.

22. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein at least a portion of said encoded metadata is established, at least in part, in response to at least one of:

said request for said repository device identifier from said mobile station or a request received from said repository device.

23. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein at least a portion of said encoded metadata is for use by said mobile station in at least one of:

a positioning function, a navigation function, or a location based service function.

24. An apparatus for use in a directory device, the apparatus comprising:

means for obtaining, for at least a portion of at least one indoor region, at least one of;

an electronic map or an access point locator;

means for establishing encoded metadata for at least said portion of said at least one indoor region based, at least in part, on at least one of;

said electronic map or said access point locator;

means for transmitting said encoded metadata to a repository device;

means for receiving a request for a repository device identifier from a mobile station, said request for said repository device identifier being indicative of at least a first estimated location of said mobile station; and

means for transmitting a repository device identifier for said repository device to said mobile station, in response to a determination that said first estimated location corresponds to said at least said portion of said at least one indoor region.

25. The apparatus as recited in claim 24, and further comprising:

means for transmitting, to said mobile station, at least one identifier for at least one of;

said electronic map, said access point locator, or said encoded metadata, in response to a determination that said first estimated location corresponds to said at least said portion of said at least one indoor region.

26. The apparatus as recited in claim 24, and further comprising:

means for encrypting said encoded metadata using an encryption key; and

means for transmitting a decryption key corresponding to said encryption key to said mobile station.

27. The apparatus as recited in claim 24, and further comprising:

means for obtaining additional metadata for said at least one indoor region from a crowd-sourcing device; and

means for establishing said encoded metadata based further, at least in part, on at least a portion of said additional metadata.

28. The apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein said means for establishing said encoded metadata establishes said encoded metadata prior to said request for said repository device identifier being received from said mobile station.

29. The apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein said means for establishing said encoded metadata establishes said encoded metadata, at least in part, in response to receiving at least one of:

said request for said repository device identifier from said mobile station or a request received from said repository device.

30. A computing platform at a directory device comprising:

a network interface; and

a processing unit to;

obtain via said network interface, for at least a portion of at least one indoor region, at least one of;

an electronic map or an access point locator;

establish encoded metadata for at least said portion of said at least one indoor region based, at least in part, on at least one of;

said electronic map or said access point locator;

initiate transmission of said encoded metadata to a repository device via said network interface;

obtain a request for a repository device identifier from a mobile station via said network interface, said request for said repository device identifier being indicative of at least a first estimated location of said mobile station; and

in response to a determination that said first estimated location corresponds to said at least said portion of said at least one indoor region, initiate transmission of a repository device identifier for said repository device to said mobile station via said network interface.

31. The computing platform as recited in claim 30, said processing unit to further:

in response to a determination that said first estimated location corresponds to said at least said portion of said at least one indoor region, initiate transmission, to said mobile station via said network interface, of at least one identifier for at least one of;

said electronic map, said access point locator, or said encoded metadata.

32. The computing platform as recited in claim 30, said processing unit to further:

encrypt said encoded metadata using an encryption key; and

initiate transmission of a decryption key corresponding to said encryption key to said mobile station via said network interface.

33. The computing platform as recited in claim 30, said processing unit to further:

obtain additional metadata for said at least one indoor region from a crowd-sourcing device via said network interface; and

establish said encoded metadata based further, at least in part, on at least a portion of said additional metadata.

34. The computing platform as recited in claim 30, said processing unit to further establish said encoded metadata prior said request for said repository device identifier being received from said mobile station.

35. The computing platform as recited in claim 30, said processing unit to further establish said encoded metadata, at least in part, in response to receiving at least one of:

said request for said repository device identifier from said mobile station or a request from said repository device via said network interface.

36. The computing platform as recited in claim 30, said processing unit to further establish at least a portion of said encoded metadata is for use by said mobile station in at least one of:

a positioning function, a navigation function, or a location based service function.

37. An article comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein computer implementable instructions that are executable by a processing unit in a directory device to;

obtain, for at least a portion of at least one indoor region, at least one of;

an electronic map or an access point locator;

establish encoded metadata for at least said portion of said at least one indoor region based, at least in part, on at least one of;

said electronic map or said access point locator;

initiate transmission of said encoded metadata to a repository device;

obtain a request for a repository device identifier from a mobile station, said request for said repository device identifier being indicative of at least a first estimated location of said mobile station; and

initiate transmission of a repository device identifier for said repository device to said mobile station, in response to a determination that said first estimated location corresponds to said at least said portion of said at least one indoor region.

38. The article as recited in claim 37, said computer implementable instructions being further executable by said processing unit to:

initiate transmission of, to said mobile station, at least one identifier for at least one of;

said electronic map, said access point locator, or said encoded metadata, in response to a determination that said first estimated location corresponds to said at least said portion of said at least one indoor region.

39. The article as recited in claim 37, said computer implementable instructions being further executable by said processing unit to:

encrypt said encoded metadata using an encryption key; and

initiate transmission of a decryption key corresponding to said encryption key to said mobile station.

40. The article as recited in claim 37, said computer implementable instructions being further executable by said processing unit to:

obtain additional metadata for said at least one indoor region from a crowd-sourcing device; and

establishing said encoded metadata based further, at least in part, on at least a portion of said additional metadata.

41. The article as recited in claim 37, said computer implementable instructions being further executable by said processing unit to:

establish said encoded metadata prior to obtaining said request for said repository device identifier from said mobile station.

42. The article as recited in claim 37, said computer implementable instructions being further executable by said processing unit to:

establish at least a portion of said encoded metadata in response to at least one of;

said request for said repository device identifier from said mobile station or a request received from said repository device.

43. A method comprising, at a repository device:

obtaining encoded metadata for at least a portion of at least one indoor region corresponding to at least one of an electronic map or an access point locator;

receiving a request for navigation assistance data for at least one indoor region from a mobile station; and

transmitting at least a portion of said navigation assistance data to said mobile station, said navigation assistance data comprising, at least in part, said encoded metadata and at least a portion of at least one of;

said electronic map or said access point locator corresponding to said encoded metadata.

44. The method as recited in claim 43, wherein obtaining said encoded metadata further comprises, at said repository device:

establishing at least a portion of said encoded metadata for at least said portion of said at least one indoor region based, at least in part, on at least one of;

said electronic map or said access point locator.

45. The method as recited in claim 44, and further comprising, at said repository device:

obtaining additional metadata for said at least one indoor region from a crowd-sourcing device; and

wherein establishing said at least said portion of said encoded metadata further comprises establishing said at least said portion of said encoded metadata based, at least in part, on at least a portion of said additional metadata.

46. The method as recited in claim 43, wherein obtaining said encoded metadata further comprises, at said repository device:

receiving at least a portion of said encoded metadata from a directory device.

47. The method as recited in claim 43, wherein at least a portion of said encoded metadata has been encrypted by said directory device.

48. The method as recited in claim 43, wherein at least a portion of said encoded metadata is established, at least in part, prior to receiving said request for navigation assistance data.

49. The method as recited in claim 43, wherein at least a portion of said encoded metadata is established, at least in part, in response to said request for navigation assistance data.

50. The method as recited in claim 43, and further comprising, at said repository device:

establishing at least one of;

said electronic map or said access point locator, based, at least in part, on at least one venue diagram for said at least one indoor region.

51. The method as recited in claim 43, wherein at least a portion of said encoded metadata is for use in said mobile station in at least one of:

a positioning function, a navigation function, or a location based service function.

52. An apparatus for use in a repository device, the apparatus comprising:

means for obtaining encoded metadata for at least a portion of at least one indoor region corresponding to at least one of an electronic map or an access point locator;

means for receiving a request for navigation assistance data for at least one indoor region from a mobile station; and

means for transmitting at least a portion of said navigation assistance data to said mobile station, said navigation assistance data comprising, at least in part, said encoded metadata and at least a portion of at least one of;

said electronic map or said access point locator corresponding to said encoded metadata.

53. The apparatus as recited in claim 52, wherein said means for obtaining said encoded metadata further comprises:

means for establishing at least a portion of said encoded metadata for at least said portion of said at least one indoor region based, at least in part, on at least one of;

said electronic map or said access point locator.

54. The apparatus as recited in claim 53, and further comprising:

means for obtaining additional metadata for said at least one indoor region from a crowd-sourcing device; and

wherein said means for establishing said at least said portion of said encoded metadata further comprises;

means for establishing said at least said portion of said encoded metadata based, at least in part, on at least a portion of said additional metadata.

55. The apparatus as recited in claim 53, wherein said means for establishing at least said portion of said encoded metadata establishes at least said portion of said encoded metadata, at least in part, in response to said request for navigation assistance data.

56. The apparatus as recited in claim 52, and further comprising:

means for establishing at least one of;

said electronic map or said access point locator, based, at least in part, on at least one venue diagram for said at least one indoor region.

57. A computing platform at a repository device, comprising:

a network interface; and

a processing unit to;

obtain encoded metadata for at least a portion of at least one indoor region corresponding to at least one of an electronic map or an access point locator;

obtain a request for navigation assistance data for at least one indoor region from a mobile station via said network interface; and

initiate transmission of at least a portion of said navigation assistance data to said mobile station via said network interface, said navigation assistance data comprising, at least in part, said encoded metadata and at least a portion of at least one of;

said electronic map or said access point locator corresponding to said encoded metadata.

58. The computing platform as recited in claim 57, said processing unit to further:

establish at least a portion of said encoded metadata for at least said portion of said at least one indoor region based, at least in part, on at least one of;

said electronic map or said access point locator.

59. The computing platform as recited in claim 58, said processing unit to further:

obtain additional metadata for said at least one indoor region from a crowd-sourcing device via said network interface; and

establish said at least said portion of said encoded metadata based further, at least in part, on at least a portion of said additional metadata.

60. The computing platform as recited in claim 58, said processing unit to further:

establish at least said portion of said encoded, at least in part, in response to said request for navigation assistance data.

61. The computing platform as recited in claim 58, said processing unit to further:

establish at least one of;

said electronic map or said access point locator, based, at least in part, on at least one venue diagram for said at least one indoor region.

62. An article comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein computer implementable instructions that are executable by a processing unit in a repository device to;

obtain encoded metadata for at least a portion of at least one indoor region corresponding to at least one of an electronic map or an access point locator;

obtain a request for navigation assistance data for at least one indoor region from a mobile station; and

initiate transmission of at least a portion of said navigation assistance data to said mobile station, said navigation assistance data comprising, at least in part, said encoded metadata and at least a portion of at least one of;

said electronic map or said access point locator corresponding to said encoded metadata.

63. The article as recited in claim 62, said computer implementable instructions being further executable by said processing unit to:

establish at least a portion of said encoded metadata for at least said portion of said at least one indoor region based, at least in part, on at least one of;

said electronic map or said access point locator.

64. The article as recited in claim 63, said computer implementable instructions being further executable by said processing unit to:

obtain additional metadata for said at least one indoor region from a crowd-sourcing device; and

establish said at least said portion of said encoded metadata based further, at least in part, on at least a portion of said additional metadata.

65. The article as recited in claim 63, said computer implementable instructions being further executable by said processing unit to:

establish at least said portion of said encoded metadata, at least in part, in response to said request for navigation assistance data.

66. The article as recited in claim 63, said computer implementable instructions being further executable by said processing unit to:

establish at least one of;

said electronic map or said access point locator, based, at least in part, on at least one venue diagram for said at least one indoor region.