LOCALIZATION USING CONVERGED PLATFORMS

• US 20150373663A1
• Filed: 06/20/2014
• Published: 12/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: JIANG, Yifei, YANG, Jun, BAO, Xuan, BENNETT, Danny R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,781,697 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/00 Beacons or beacon systems transmitting signals having a characteristic or characteristics capable of being detected by non-directional receivers and defining directions, positions, or position lines fixed relatively to the beacon transmitters; Receivers co-operating therewith position fixing by co-ordinating a plurality of determinations of direction or position lines G01S5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/14 using amplitude comparison of signals transmitted simultaneously from antennas or antenna systems having differently oriented overlapping directivity-characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02521 using a radio-map
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks

Abstract

In one aspect of the invention, a method for determining the location of a device is described. The method involves using one or more signal emitting platforms, which are capable of performing a wide variety of operations. In some embodiments, for example, the signal emitting platform is capable of physical movement. Various embodiments relate to signal emitting platforms, devices, systems, servers, computer code, methods and techniques for determining the location of a device.

Claims

1. A method for determining a location of a mobile device, the method comprising:

transmitting a request for a first operation wherein the first operation involves moving a signal emitting platform in a particular direction;

receiving a signal from the signal emitting platform at a device;

detecting a change in the strength of the received signal caused at least in part by the movement of the signal emitting platform;

based at least in part on the change in the strength of the signal and the first operation, determining a location of the device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting a request for an operation involving changing a direction of a directional antenna on the signal emitting platform.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting a request for an operation involving adjusting a strength of the signal emitted from the signal emitting platform.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting a request for an operation involving changing a type of signal being emitted from the signal emitting platform.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the changing of the type of signal involves switching from a first type of signal to a second type of signal, the first and second types of signals being selected from the group consisting of Bluetooth, WiFi, FM radio, ultrasound and light.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting a request for an operation involving selectively turning on or off an antenna on the signal emitting platform.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the determination of the location of the device is based at least in part on a distance that the signal emitting platform has traveled and the direction that the signal emitting platform has traveled.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmitting of the request and the determination of the location of the device is performed at least in part at a server.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmitting of the request and the determination of the location of the device is performed at least in part at the device.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a plurality of signal emitting platforms; and

emitting signals from one of the signal emitting platforms in sequence such that during a search phase, only one of the signal emitting platforms is emitting signals at any time;

when no signal is detected at the device, emitting a signal from the next signal emitting platform during the search phase; and

when a signal is detected at the device as a result of the emission of a signal from a particular one of the platforms, transmitting a request to move the particular one of the signal emitting platforms in a direction.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein during a time period in which the change in the strength of the received signal takes place, the device remains stationary.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

selecting and displaying a notification at a display of the device based at least in part on the determined location of the device.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting the determined location to an external server;

receiving an advertisement from the external server based on the determined location; and

displaying the advertisement on a display of the device.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the determination of the location of the device is performed without requiring fingerprinting wherein fingerprinting involves collecting signal strength data from a plurality of different locations before the transmission of the request for the first operation.

15. A signal emitting platform that is arranged to help determine a location of a device, the signal emitting platform comprising:

a signal emitting element, the signal emitting element arranged to emit a signal that is received by a device and used to determine a location of the device;

a movement element that helps physically move the signal emitting platform;

at least one processor;

at least one memory, the memory including a computer readable storage medium stored in a tangible form, the computer readable storage medium including executable computer code that, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the signal emitting platform to;

receive a request to perform a first operation wherein the first operation involves using the movement element to move the signal emitting platform, thereby causing a change in the strength of the signal received by the device.

16. The signal emitting platform of claim 15 wherein the movement element involves one selected from the group consisting of (1) one or more wheels;

(2) one or more tracks;

(3) a structure that enables the signal emitting platform to roll;

(4) a structure that enables the signal emitting platform to slide along a rail;

(5) a structure that enables the signal emitting platform to slide along a slot; and

(6) a structure that enables at least part of the signal emitting platform to rotate along an axis.

17. The signal emitting platform of claim 15 further comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of (1) a battery arranged to power the movement element;

(2) a motor arranged to power the movement element; and

(3) a electrical connector that receives electrical power from an external source and that is arranged to provide power to the movement element.

18. The signal emitting platform of claim 15 wherein the signal emitting element is arranged to emit at least two different signal types selected from the group consisting of Bluetooth, WiFi, FM radio, ultrasound and light.

19. The signal emitting platform of claim 18 wherein the signal emitting element is arranged to emit at least two different signal types and is further arranged to switch between different signal types in response to a request from the device.

20. The signal emitting platform of claim 15 wherein the executable computer code, when executed by the at least one processor, further causes the signal emitting platform to:

receive a request for one or more other operations;

in response to the request, perform one or more other operations, the one or more other operations being selected from the group consisting of;

(1) an operation involving changing a direction of a directional antenna wherein the signal emitting element includes the directional antenna;

(2) an operation involving adjusting a strength of the signal emitted from the signal emitting element;

(3) an operation involving changing a type of signal being emitted from the signal emitting element; and

(4) an operation involving selectively turning on or off an antenna wherein the signal emitting element includes the antenna.

21. A computer readable storage medium that includes executable computer code embodied in a tangible form operable to help determine a location of a device wherein the computer readable storage medium includes:

executable computer code operable to determine a first signal strength level of a signal emitted by a signal emitting platform before the signal emitting platform has moved;

executable computer code operable to determine a second signal strength level of a signal emitted by the signal emitting platform after the signal emitting platform has moved; and

executable computer code operable to determine a location of a device based at least in part on a difference between the first and second signal strength levels and a distance that the signal emitting platform has moved.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21 further comprising:

executable computer code operable to transmit a request for one or more other operations selected from the group consisting of;

(1) an operation involving changing a direction of a directional antenna on the signal emitting platform;

(2) an operation involving adjusting a strength of the signal emitted from the signal emitting platform;

(3) an operation involving changing a type of signal being emitted from the signal emitting platform; and

(4) an operation involving selectively turning on or off an antennae on the signal emitting platform.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21 further comprising:

executable computer code operable to transmit the determined location to an external server;

executable computer code operable to receive an advertisement from the server based on the determined location; and

executable computer code operable to display the advertisement on a display of the device.