Position discovery using short range mobile devices

• US 6,757,518 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2001
• Issued: 06/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Squibbs, Robert Francis, Spratt, Michael P.
• Primary Examiner(s): CUMMING, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US09/795,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20010021654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456, 455/11.1, 455/500, 455/456.1, 370/390
• US Class Current: 455/11.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

A position-discovery method is provided for a mobile device equipped with non-wired short-range communication means for receiving locally-transmitted messages. At least some of the messages include position data concerning the originating point of the message. The device determines its position as being that of the most common originating point for messages in a set of most recently received messages.

Claims

1. A position-discovery method for a mobile device, said method comprising:

receiving messages from a plurality of originating points;

determining a most prominent originating point, wherein said most prominent originating point is a member of said plurality of originating points that originates a greatest quantity of said messages in a set of recently received messages; and

determining a position of said mobile device based on, at least, position data specific to said most prominent originating point wherein said position data is provided in a message from said most prominent originating point.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said position of said mobile device is determined as being that of said most prominent originating point.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said position of said mobile device is determined as a weighted average of positions of said plurality of originating points of said messages in said set.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said set is defined by a receiving time window.

5. A position-discovery method for a mobile device, comprising:

participating in a process for locally diffusing information for presentation to users of mobile devices, wherein said process involves propagating said information in messages passed from a first device to a second device by non-wired short-range communication means of the said first and second devices, a number of copies of a message in propagation initially tending to increase due to propagation activities of receiving devices and then tending to decrease as said receiving devices implement propagation limitation measures for said message, wherein at least some of said messages include position data specific to originating points of said messages; and

processing a set of recently received messages to determine a position of said mobile device based on at least, position data of a most prominent originating point, wherein said most prominent originating point is a member of said originating points that originates a greatest quantity of said messages in said set.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein said mobile device determines its position as being that of said most prominent originating point.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein said mobile device determines its position as a weighted average of positions of said originating points of said messages in said set.

8. A method according to claim 5, wherein said set is defined by a receiving time window.

9. A mobile device comprising:

a short-range wireless receiver for receiving messages, wherein at least some of said messages include position data specific to originating points of said messages;

an originating-point monitor for determining originating points of a set of recently received messages; and

a location determination unit for processing said set of recently received messages to determine a position of said mobile device based on, at least, position data of a most prominent originating point, wherein said most prominent originating point is a member of said originating points that originates a greatest quantity of said messages in said set.

10. A device according to claim 9, wherein said location determination unit determines said position of said mobile device as being that of said most prominent originating point.

11. A device according to claim 9, wherein said location determination unit determines said position of said mobile device as a weighted average of positions of said originating points of said messages in said set.

12. A device according to claim 9, wherein said set is defined by a receiving time window preset in said originating-point monitor.