Providing indoor location, position, or tracking of a mobile computer using building information

• US 8,395,968 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2012
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: HJ Laboratories, LLC
• Inventors: Vartanian, Harry, Jurikson-Rhodes, Jaron
• Primary Examiner(s): PIHULIC, DANIEL T
• Application Number:
  US13/412,317
• Publication Number:
  US 20120214507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 372 Days
• Field of Search: 367/99, 367/96, 702/156
• US Class Current: 367/99
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/00 Measuring arrangements or details thereof, where the measuring technique is not covered by the other groups of this subclass, unspecified or not relevant
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/06 Systems determining the position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/08 Systems for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S15/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/06 Systems determining position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/06 employing an initial estimate of the location of the receiver as aiding data or in generating aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/11 wherein the cooperating elements are pseudolites or satellite radio beacon positioning system signal repeaters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/466 by Trilateration, i.e. two antennas or two sensors determine separately the distance to a target, whereby with the knowledge of the baseline length, i.e. the distance between the antennas or sensors, the position data of the target is determined
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/468 by Triangulation, i.e. two antennas or two sensors determine separately the bearing, direction or angle to a target, whereby with the knowledge of the baseline length, the position data of the target is determined
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2015/465 by Trilateration, i.e. two transducers determine separately the distance to a target, whereby with the knowledge of the baseline length, i.e. the distance between the transducers, the position data of the target is determined
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/012 Identifying whether indoors or outdoors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/013 Identifying areas in a building
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/015 between indoor and outdoor environments
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0294 Trajectory determination or predictive filtering, e.g. target tracking or Kalman filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0266 based on the position of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/30 : Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 : for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 367/907 : Coordinate determination

Abstract

Providing indoor location, position, or tracking of a mobile computer using building information is disclosed. The mobile computer determines the dimensions of a room in a building using range determination or a range finder in the mobile computer. The determined dimensions of the room are compared to the building information to locate, position, or track the mobile computer in the building.

Claims

1. A mobile computer comprising:

circuitry configured to perform at least one range measurement of a room in a building where the mobile computer is present;

circuitry configured to determine an orientation of the mobile computer in the room;

circuitry configured to determine at least two dimensions of the room based on the at least one range measurement of the room and the orientation; and

circuitry configured to determine a location of the room within the building where the mobile computer is currently located based on a comparison of the at least two dimensions of the room to room layout information of the building.

2. The mobile computer of claim 1 further comprising:

circuitry configured to transmit and receive signals, wherein the signals are used to generate a map of the building.

3. The mobile computer of claim 1 wherein the at least one range measurement of the room is based on at least one of an ultrasound signal, light signal, a near visible light signal, or a laser signal transmitted or received by the mobile computer.

4. The mobile computer of claim 1 further comprising:

circuitry configured to receive global positioning system (GPS) or cellular triangulation information, wherein the room layout information of the building is provided based on the GPS or cellular triangulation information.

5. The mobile computer of claim 1 wherein the location of the room is used to determine a user context for an application on the mobile computer.

6. The mobile computer of claim 1 wherein the circuitry configured to perform the at least one range measurement of the room in the building is in an add-on device or attachment device of the mobile computer.

7. The mobile computer of claim 1 further comprising:

circuitry configured to determine momentum information of the mobile computer, wherein the momentum information is used to track the mobile computer.

8. The mobile computer of claim 1 wherein the circuitry configured to perform the at least one range measurement of the room in the building where the mobile computer is present is a speaker and a microphone on the mobile computer.

9. The mobile computer of claim 1 further comprising:

circuitry configured to determine environmental information, wherein the environmental information is used to determine the location of the room.

10. The mobile computer of claim 1 further comprising:

circuitry configured to generate an image of the room, wherein the image is used to determine the location of the room within the building.

11. A method performed by a mobile computer, the method comprising:

performing, by the mobile computer, at least one range measurement of a room in a building where the mobile computer is present;

determining, by the mobile computer, an orientation of the mobile computer in the room;

determining, by the mobile computer, at least two dimensions of the room based on the at least one range measurement of the room and the orientation; and

determining, partly by the mobile computer, a location of the room within the building where the mobile computer is currently located based on a comparison of the at least two dimensions of the room to room layout information of the building.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

transmitting and receiving signals, by the mobile computer, wherein the signals are used to generate a map of the building.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the performing the at least one range measurement of the room is based on at least one of an ultrasound signal, light signal, a near visible light signal, or a laser signal transmitted or received by the mobile computer.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

receiving, by the mobile computer, global positioning system (GPS) information or cellular triangulation information, wherein the room layout information of the building is provided based on the GPS or cellular triangulation information.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the location of the room is used to determine a user context for an application on the mobile computer.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the performing of the at least one range measurement of the room in the building is performed by an add-on device or attachment device of the mobile computer.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

determining, by the mobile computer, momentum information of the mobile computer, wherein the momentum information is used to track the mobile computer.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the performing of the at least one range measurement of the room in the building where the mobile computer is present is performed by a speaker and a microphone on the mobile computer.

19. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

determining, by the mobile computer, environmental information, wherein the environmental information is used to determine the location of the room.

20. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

generating an image of the room, wherein the image is used to determine the location of the room within the building.