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Methods and systems for estimating a user position in a WLAN positioning system based on user assigned access point locations

DC
  • US 7,471,954 B2
  • Filed: 02/23/2007
  • Issued: 12/30/2008
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2006
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of estimating a geographic location of a WLAN-enabled user-device in a WLAN-based positioning system having a plurality of WLAN-enabled access points, the method comprising:

  • the WLAN-enabled device receiving signals transmitted by WLAN-enabled access points in range of the WLAN-enabled user-device so that observed WLAN-enabled access points identify themselves;

    accessing a master database that associates WLAN-enabled access points with corresponding geographic locations for the WLAN-enabled access points as determined by an audit of a relatively large geographic area and obtaining geographic location information for any identified WLAN-enabled access point in range of the WLAN-enabled user-device;

    accessing a supplemental database to obtain inferred geographic location information corresponding to any identified WLAN-enabled access point in range of the WLAN-enabled user-device, the supplemental database having a relatively small set of WLAN-enabled access points and corresponding inferred geographic locations, the inferred geographic locations being inferred based on input by a user of the WLAN-based positioning system; and

    estimating a geographic location of the WLAN-enabled user-device based on the geographic location information obtained from the master database and the inferred geographic location information obtained from the supplemental database.

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