Methods and apparatuses for use in estimating a location of a mobile device within a structure

• US 8,412,232 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2011
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Gupta, Rajarshi, Das, Saumitra Mohan, Jeong, Min-Wook
• Primary Examiner(s): Gelin, Jean
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hong, Dung
• Application Number:
  US13/212,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20120046045A1
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.2, 4554561-457, 340988-996, 342450-465
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02522 The radio-map containing measured values of non-radio values
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0278 involving statistical or probabilistic considerations G01S5/0252, G01S5/0294 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are provided that may be implemented in a mobile device to determine two or more variations between a baseline probability distribution and two or more probability distributions for signals received from two or more sets of transmitters assigned to two or more regions of a structure. The methods and apparatuses may be further implemented to determine whether the mobile device is located in at least one of the two or more regions based, at least in part, on a comparison of the two or more determined variations.

Claims

1. A method comprising, at a mobile device:

determining a first variation between one or more electrical signals representing a baseline probability distribution and one or more electrical signals representing a first probability distribution for signals received from a first set of transmitters assigned to a first region of a structure;

determining a second variation between the one or more electrical signals representing the baseline probability distribution and one or more electrical signals representing a second probability distribution for signals received from a second set of transmitters assigned to a second region of the structure;

determining whether the mobile device is located in the first region or the second region based, at least in part, on a comparison of the first variation and the second variation;

verifying that at least one of the first variation or the second variation satisfies a threshold variation; and

generating one or more electrical signals indicating a determined location of the mobile device with respect to the structure.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein determining whether the mobile device is located in the first region or the second region further comprises:

determining that the mobile device is located in the first region if the first variation is less than the second variation, and

determining that the mobile device is located in the second region if the second variation is less than the first variation.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least a part of at least one of the baseline probability distribution, the first probability distribution, or the second probability distribution mathematically corresponds to at least one of:

a probability distribution function (PDF);

a cumulative distribution function (CDF);

a histogram;

a continuous probability distribution;

or a discrete probability distribution.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first probability distribution is based, at least in part, on signal strengths for the signals received from the first set of transmitters.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, and further comprising, at the mobile device:

determining at least one of the signal strengths based, at least in part, on a measured RSSI.

6. The method as recited in claim 4, and further comprising, at the mobile device:

determining at least one of the signal strengths by adjusting a measured RSSI.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the baseline probability distribution is associated with at least one of:

the structure;

a specific class of structures;

at least the first set of transmitters and the second set of transmitters;

a specific class of transmitters;

the mobile device;

a specific class of mobile devices;

or a specific period of time.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the structure comprises a plurality of levels, the first region comprises at least a portion of one level of the structure, and the second region comprises at least a portion of another level of the structure.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, and further comprising, at the mobile device:

in response to determining that the mobile device is located in the first region, transmitting one or more signals representing a request for assistance data associated with the first region of the structure.

10. An apparatus for use in a mobile device, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining;

a first variation between a baseline probability distribution and a first probability distribution for signals received from a first set of transmitters assigned to a first region of a structure; and

a second variation between the baseline probability distribution and a second probability distribution for signals received from a second set of transmitters assigned to a second region of the structure;

means for verifying that at least one of the first variation or the second variation satisfies a threshold variation; and

means for determining whether the mobile device is located in the first region or the second region based, at least in part, on the first variation and the second variation.

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, the means for determining whether the mobile device is located in the first region or the second region to determine that the mobile device is located in the first region if the first variation is less than the second variation, and that the mobile device is located in the second region if the second variation is less than the first variation.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein at least a part of at least one of the baseline probability distribution, the first probability distribution, or the second probability distribution mathematically corresponds to at least one of:

a probability distribution function (PDF);

a cumulative distribution function (CDF);

a histogram;

a continuous probability distribution;

or a discrete probability distribution.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the first probability distribution is based, at least in part, on signal strengths for the signals received from the first set of transmitters.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, and further comprising:

means for determining at least one of the signal strengths based, at least in part, on a measured RSSI.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, and further comprising:

means for determining at least one of the signal strengths by adjusting a measured RSSI.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the baseline probability distribution is associated with at least one of:

the structure;

a specific class of structures;

at least the first set of transmitters and the second set of transmitters;

a specific class of transmitters;

the mobile device;

a specific class of mobile devices;

or a specific period of time.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the structure comprises a plurality of levels, the first region comprises at least a portion of one level of the structure, and the second region comprises at least a portion of another level of the structure.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, and further comprising:

means for transmitting a request for assistance data associated with the first region of the structure, in response to a determination that the mobile device is located in the first region.

19. A mobile device comprising:

a network interface; and

a processing unit to;

determine a first variation between a baseline probability distribution and a first probability distribution for signals received via the network interface from a first set of transmitters assigned to a first region of a structure;

determine a second variation between the baseline probability distribution and a second probability distribution for signals received via the network interface from a second set of transmitters assigned to a second region of the structure;

verify that at least one of the first variation or the second variation satisfies a threshold variation; and

determine whether the mobile device is located in the first region or the second region based, at least in part, on a comparison of the first variation and the second variation.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, the processing unit to further:

determine that the mobile device is located in the first region if the first variation is less than the second variation, and determine that the mobile device is located in the second region if the second variation is less than the first variation.

21. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein at least a part of at least one of the baseline probability distribution, the first probability distribution, or the second probability distribution mathematically corresponds to at least one of:

a probability distribution function (PDF);

a cumulative distribution function (CDF);

a histogram;

a continuous probability distribution;

or a discrete probability distribution.

22. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the first probability distribution is based, at least in part, on signal strengths for the signals received via the network interface from the first set of transmitters.

23. The apparatus as recited in claim 22, the processing unit to further:

determine at least one of the signal strengths based, at least in part, on a measured RSSI.

24. The apparatus as recited in claim 22, the processing unit to further:

determine at least one of the signal strengths by adjusting a measured RSSI.

25. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the baseline probability distribution is associated with at least one of:

the structure;

a specific class of structures;

at least the first set of transmitters and the second set of transmitters;

a specific class of transmitters;

the mobile device;

a specific class of mobile devices;

or a specific period of time.

26. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the structure comprises a plurality of levels, the first region comprises at least a portion of one level of the structure, and the second region comprises at least a portion of another level of the structure.

27. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, the processing unit to further:

initiate transmission via the network interface of a request for assistance data associated with the first region of the structure, in response to a determination that the mobile device is located in the first region.

28. An article comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by a processing unit in a mobile device to;

determine a first variation between a baseline probability distribution and a first probability distribution for signals received from a first set of transmitters assigned to a first region of a structure;

determine a second variation between the baseline probability distribution and a second probability distribution for signals received from a second set of transmitters assigned to a second region of the structure;

verify that at least one of the first variation or the second variation satisfies a threshold variation; and

determine whether the mobile device is located in the first region or the second region based, at least in part, on a comparison of the first variation and the second variation.

29. The article as recited in claim 28, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processing unit to:

determine that the mobile device is located in the first region if the first variation is less than the second variation, and

determine that the mobile device is located in the second region if the second variation is less than the first variation.

30. The article as recited in claim 28, wherein at least a part of at least one of the baseline probability distribution, the first probability distribution, or the second probability distribution mathematically corresponds to at least one of:

a probability distribution function (PDF);

a cumulative distribution function (CDF);

a histogram;

a continuous probability distribution;

or a discrete probability distribution.

31. The article as recited in claim 28, wherein the first probability distribution is based, at least in part, on signal strengths for the signals received via the network interface from the first set of transmitters.

32. The article as recited in claim 31, and the instructions are further executable by the processing unit to:

determine at least one of the signal strengths based, at least in part, on a measured RSSI.

33. The article as recited in claim 31, and the instructions are further executable by the processing unit to:

determine at least one of the signal strengths by adjusting a measured RSSI.

34. The article as recited in claim 28, wherein the baseline probability distribution is associated with at least one of:

the structure;

a specific class of structures;

at least the first set of transmitters and the second set of transmitters;

a specific class of transmitters;

the mobile device;

a specific class of mobile devices;

or a specific period of time.

35. The article as recited in claim 28, wherein the structure comprises a plurality of levels, the first region comprises at least a portion of one level of the structure, and the second region comprises at least a portion of another level of the structure.

36. The article as recited in claim 28, and the instructions are further executable by the processing unit to:

initiate transmission of a request for assistance data associated with the first region of the structure, in response to a determination that the mobile device is located in the first region.