System and method for in-building location determination

• US 8,040,219 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2008
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Lindquist, Bjorn, Camp, William O. Jr., Haartsen, Jacobus
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lai; Anne
• Application Number:
  US12/265,921
• Publication Number:
  US 20100109864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,076 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-457, 455/404.2, 455/41.2, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 340/539.23, 340/825.49, 340/8.1, 342/464, 342/463
• US Class Current: 340/8.1
• 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: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location

Abstract

To enhance in-building location determination of an electronic device, described is a system and a method that uses a blip access point to transfer location assistance information to the electronic device. The location assistance information may contain a map of dummy beacons that serve as reference points (e.g., landmarks) from which the electronic device may determine its location relative to the map information.

Claims

1. A method of determining a location of an electronic device when the electronic device is in a building, comprising:

receiving location assistance information from a data source when the electronic device enters the building, wherein the location assistance information is a logistical map containing a position and a beacon identity for each of plural location beacons that are deployed in the building;

listening for one or more beacon identities from the location beacons;

collecting data in addition to the location assistance information as the electronic device moves within the building;

determining an area of the building in which the electronic device is located, the area determined from a distance parameter associated with each received beacon identity and from the collected data, each distance parameter indicating a relative distance between the electronic device and the position of the corresponding location beacon contained in the location assistance information; and

transmitting the collected data from the electronic device to a location assistance system when the electronic device departs the building, the transmitted collected data for updating the location assistance information for making future location determinations for the electronic device or another electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the location assistance information is received from a wireless access point when the electronic device enters the building.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the wireless access point also functions as one of the location beacons.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data source broadcasts the location assistance information using Bluetooth.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the location beacons broadcast using a one-directional broadcast protocol.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the location beacons are not interconnected with a network infrastructure.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising correlating the determined area to a position value using the location assistance information, the position value approximating the location of the electronic device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a signal strength for each received beacon identity, and using the signal strengths to determine the distance parameter.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the location assistance information contains signal strength contours for each location beacon, and the signal strengths for each received beacon identity are compared to the corresponding signal strength contours to determine a distance range between the electronic device and the corresponding location beacon.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device uses Chase combining to extend a listening range of the electronic device for the beacon identities.

11. The method of claim 1, further including carrying out at least one of turning off an audible ringer of the electronic device or commanding a telephone system to forward calls normally received with a hardwired telephone to the electronic device in response to the determination.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving updated location assistance information from the data source when the electronic device returns to the building, wherein the updated location assistance information is a logistical map containing a position and a beacon identity for each of the plural location beacons that are deployed in the building.

13. An electronic device, comprising:

a radio circuit over which location assistance information from a data source is received when the electronic device enters the building, wherein the location assistance information is a logistical map containing a position and a beacon identity for each of plural location beacons that are deployed in a building; and

a control circuit that controls the electronic device to;

listen for one or more beacon identities from the location beacons;

collect data in addition to the location assistance information as the electronic device moves within the building;

determine an area of the building in which the electronic device is located, the area determined from a distance parameter associated with each received beacon identity and from the collected data, each distance parameter indicating a relative distance between the electronic device and the position of the corresponding location beacon contained in the location assistance information; and

transmit the collected data from the electronic device to a location assistance system when the electronic device departs the building, the collected data for updating the location assistance information for making future location determinations for the electronic device or another electronic device.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the control circuit controls the electronic device to carry out at least one of turning off an audible ringer of the electronic device or commanding a telephone system to forward calls normally received with a hardwired telephone to the electronic device in response to the determination.

15. A location assistance system for aiding an electronic device to determine a location of the electronic device while in a building in which the location assistance system is deployed, comprising:

a plurality of location beacons that each broadcast a beacon identity; and

a wireless access point that transmits location assistance information when the electronic device enters the building, wherein the location assistance information is a logistical map containing a position and the beacon identity for each of the plural location beacons,

wherein the location assistance system is configured to;

receive data collected by the electronic device when the electronic device departs the building; and

update the location assistance information using the collected data, the updated location assistance information for making future location determinations for the electronic device or another electronic device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the wireless access point is located at an entrance to the building to broadcast the location assistance information to the electronic device when the electronic device enters the building.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the wireless access point also functions as one of the location beacons.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the location beacons broadcast using a one-directional broadcast protocol.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the location assistance information contains signal strength contours for each location beacon.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the beacon identities are broadcast by each location beacon as a repeating sequence.