Likelihood of mobile device portal transition

• US 8,706,137 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2011
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Sridhara, Vinay, Gupta, Rajarshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Sivji, Nizar
• Application Number:
  US13/196,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20130035110A1
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.3, 455/414.1, 455/404, 455/414.2, 707/765, 707/830, 345/641, 701/400, 701/409, 701/467
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/014 Identifying transitions between environments
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/016 between areas within a building
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02521 using a radio-map
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0278 involving statistical or probabilistic considerations G01S5/0252, G01S5/0294 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0294 Trajectory determination or predictive filtering, e.g. target tracking or Kalman filtering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

The subject matter disclosed herein may relate to methods, apparatuses, systems, devices, articles, or means for conditionally performing a scan responsive to a likelihood of a portal transition, etc. For certain example implementations, a method for a mobile device may comprise determining an indication of a likelihood that a position of the mobile device is transitioning from a first area identifiable by a first location context identifier to a second area identifiable by a second location context identifier via a portal linking the first area and the second area; and conditionally performing a scan for signals transmitted by one or more transmitter devices corresponding to the second area responsive to the indication of the likelihood that the position of the mobile device is transitioning to the second area via the portal. Other example implementations are described herein.

Claims

1. A method for a mobile device, the method comprising:

obtaining an estimate of a location of said mobile device, the estimated location of said mobile device being in a first area identifiable by a first location context identifier;

determining an indication of a probability that the mobile device subsequently transitions from said first area to a second area at a subsequent moment, said second area identifiable by a second location context identifier via a portal linking the first area and the second area, wherein said determination is based at least in part on a likelihood heat man;

applying a threshold to said indication of said probability; and

conditionally performing a scan for signals transmitted by one or more transmitter devices corresponding to the second area responsive to said application of said threshold to the indication of the probability that the mobile device subsequently transitions to the second area via the portal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first area comprises one floor, and the second area comprises another floor;

and wherein the portal is selected from a group comprising;

a stairway, an escalator, or an elevator.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining the indication of the probability that the mobile device subsequently transitions from the first area to the second area via the portal comprises:

predicting one or more likely positions of the mobile device in the first area.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said likelihood heat map corresponds to at least a portion of the first area, wherein the likelihood heat map is indicative of one or more probabilities that a mobile device subsequently transitions from the first area to the second area via the portal.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said obtaining the indication of the probability that the mobile device subsequently transitions further comprises:

obtaining the indication of the probability that the mobile device subsequently transitions based, at least in part, on the obtained estimate of the location of the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said obtaining the indication of the probability that the mobile device subsequently transitions further comprises:

obtaining the indication of the probability that the mobile device subsequently transitions based, at least in part, on a history of movement of the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining the indication of the probability that the mobile device subsequently transitions from the first area to the second area via the portal comprises:

obtaining at least one inertial measurement value.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said conditionally performing the scan for the signals transmitted by the one or more transmitter devices comprises:

performing the scan for the signals transmitted by the one or more transmitter devices corresponding to the second area based, at least in part, on a type of the portal.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said performing the scan further comprises:

performing the scan for the signals transmitted by the one or more transmitter devices corresponding to the second area in a passive manner if the type of the portal comprises an elevator type.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said performing the scan further comprises:

performing the scan for the signals transmitted by the one or more transmitter devices corresponding to the second area in a directed probe manner if the type of the portal comprises an escalator type or a stairway type.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the portal comprises an elevator, ceasing scanning for other signals transmitted by other transmitter devices during at least a portion of a time that the mobile device is located in a passenger compartment of the elevator.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the portal comprises an elevator;

and wherein the method further comprises;

acquiring at least one signal from a transmitter device that is connected to the elevator; and

ceasing scanning for other signals transmitted by other transmitter devices during at least a portion of a time that the mobile device is located in a passenger compartment of the elevator responsive at least to said acquiring of the at least one signal from the transmitter device that is connected to the elevator.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

ascertaining the first location context identifier by which the first area is identifiable, the first location context identifier comprising a reference to request one or more characteristics that are descriptive of the first area.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said ascertaining further comprises:

ascertaining the first location context identifier based, at least partly, on at least one medium access control identifier (MAC ID) that is received from at least one transmitter device that corresponds to the first area.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said ascertaining further comprises:

ascertaining the first location context identifier based, at least partly, on a location that is advertised by at least one transmitter device.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said ascertaining further comprises:

ascertaining the first location context identifier based, at least partly, on an entry floor of a building.

17. A mobile device for using a probability of a portal transition, the mobile device comprising:

at least one memory to store instructions;

a receiver; and

one or more processors to execute said instructions to;

obtain an estimate of a location of said mobile device, the estimated location of said mobile device being in a first area identifiable by a first location context identifier;

determine an indication of a probability that the mobile device subsequently transitions from said first area to a second area at a subsequent moment, said second area identifiable by a second location context identifier via a portal linking the first area and the second area, wherein said determination is based at least in part on a likelihood heat map;

apply a threshold to said indication of said probability; and

conditionally perform a scan at said receiver for signals transmitted by one or more transmitter devices corresponding to the second area responsive to said application of said threshold to the indication of the probability that the mobile device subsequently transitions to the second area via the portal.

18. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the first area comprises one floor, and the second area comprises another floor;

and wherein the portal is selected from a group comprising;

a stairway, an escalator, or an elevator.

19. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein to determine the indication of the probability that the mobile device subsequently transitions from the first area to the second area via the portal said one or more processors are further to execute said instructions to:

predict one or more likely positions of the mobile device in the first area.

20. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein said likelihood heat map corresponds to at least a portion of the first area, wherein the likelihood heat map is indicative of one or more probabilities that a mobile device subsequently transitions from the first area to the second area via the portal.

21. The mobile device of claim 20, wherein to obtain the indication of the probability that the mobile device subsequently transitions said one or more processors are further to execute said instructions to:

obtain the indication of the probability that the mobile device subsequently transitions based, at least in part, on said obtained estimate of the location of the mobile device.

22. The mobile device of claim 20, wherein to obtain the indication of the probability that the mobile device subsequently transitions said one or more processors are further to execute said instructions to:

obtain the indication of the probability that the mobile device subsequently transitions based, at least in part, on a history of movement of the mobile device.

23. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein to determine the indication of the probability that the mobile device subsequently transitions from the first area to the second area via the portal said one or more processors are further to execute said instructions to:

obtain at least one inertial measurement value.

24. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein to conditionally perform the scan at said receiver for the signals transmitted by the one or more transmitter devices said one or more processors are further to execute said instructions to:

perform the scan at said receiver for the signals transmitted by the one or more transmitter devices corresponding to the second area based, at least in part, on a type of the portal.

25. The mobile device of claim 24, wherein to perform the scan said one or more processors are further to execute said instructions to:

perform the scan at said receiver for the signals transmitted by the one or more transmitter devices corresponding to the second area in a passive manner if the type of the portal comprises an elevator type.

26. The mobile device of claim 24, wherein to perform the scan said one or more processors are further to execute said instructions to:

perform the scan at said receiver for the signals transmitted by the one or more transmitter devices corresponding to the second area in a directed probe manner if the type of the portal comprises an escalator type or a stairway type.

27. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein said one or more processors are further to execute said instructions to:

cease scanning for other signals transmitted by other transmitter devices during at least a portion of a time that the mobile device is located in a passenger compartment of an elevator if the portal comprises the elevator.

28. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the portal comprises an elevator;

and wherein said one or more processors are further to execute said instructions to;

acquire at least one signal from a transmitter device that is connected to the elevator; and

cease scanning for other signals transmitted by other transmitter devices during at least a portion of a time that the mobile device is located in a passenger compartment of the elevator responsive at least to said acquiring of the at least one signal from the transmitter device that is connected to the elevator.

29. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein said one or more processors are further to execute said instructions to:

ascertain the first location context identifier by which the first area is identifiable, the first location context identifier comprising a reference to request one or more characteristics that are descriptive of the first area.

30. The mobile device of claim 29, wherein to ascertain the first location context identifier by which the first area is identifiable said one or more processors are further to execute said instructions to:

ascertain the first location context identifier based, at least partly, on at least one medium access control identifier (MAC ID) that is received from at least one transmitter device that corresponds to the first area.

31. The mobile device of claim 29, wherein to ascertain the first location context identifier by which the first area is identifiable said one or more processors are further to execute said instructions to:

ascertain the first location context identifier based, at least partly, on a location that is advertised by at least one transmitter device.

32. The mobile device of claim 29, wherein to ascertain the first location context identifier by which the first area is identifiable said one or more processors are further to execute said instructions to:

ascertain the first location context identifier based, at least partly, on an entry floor of a building.

33. A mobile device for using a probability of a portal transition, the mobile device comprising:

means for obtaining an estimate of a location of said mobile device, the estimated location of said mobile device being in a first area identifiable by a first location context identifier;

means for determining an indication of a probability that the mobile device subsequently transitions from said first area identifiable to a second area at a subsequent moment, said second area identifiable by a second location context identifier via a portal linking the first area and the second area, wherein said determination is based at least in part on a likelihood heat map;

means for applying a threshold to said indication of said probability; and

means for conditionally performing a scan for signals transmitted by one or more transmitter devices corresponding to the second area responsive to said application of said threshold to the indication of the probability that the mobile device subsequently transitions to the second area via the portal.

34. The mobile device of claim 33, wherein said likelihood heat map corresponds to at least a portion of the first area, wherein the likelihood heat map is indicative of one or more probabilities that a mobile device subsequently transitions from the first area to the second area via the portal.

35. The mobile device of claim 33, wherein said means for determining the indication of the probability that the mobile device subsequently transitions from the first area to the second area via the portal comprises:

means for obtaining at least one inertial measurement value.

36. The mobile device of claim 33, wherein said means for conditionally performing the scan for the signals transmitted by the one or more transmitter devices comprises:

means for performing the scan for the signals transmitted by the one or more transmitter devices corresponding to the second area based, at least in part, on a type of the portal.

37. An article comprising:

at least one non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon instructions executable by one or more processors of a mobile device to;

obtain an estimate of a location of said mobile device, the estimated location of said mobile device being in a first area identifiable by a first location context identifier;

determine an indication of a probability that a mobile device subsequently transitions from said first area to a second area at a subsequent moment, said second area identifiable by a second location context identifier via a portal linking the first area and the second area, wherein said determination is based at least in part on a likelihood heat map;

apply a threshold to said indication of said probability; and

conditionally perform a scan for signals transmitted by one or more transmitter devices corresponding to the second area responsive to said application of said threshold to the indication of the probability that the mobile device subsequently transitions to the second area via the portal.

38. The article of claim 37, wherein said likelihood heat map corresponds to at least a portion of the first area, wherein the likelihood heat map is indicative of one or more that a mobile device subsequently transitions from the first area to the second area via the portal.

39. The article of claim 37, wherein to determine the indication of the probability that the mobile transitions from the first area to the second area via the portal said instructions stored on said at least one storage medium are further executable by the one or more processors to:

obtain at least one inertial measurement value.

40. The article of claim 37, wherein to conditionally perform the scan for the signals transmitted by the one or more transmitter devices said instructions stored on said at least one storage medium are further executable by the one or more processors to:

perform the scan for the signals transmitted by the one or more transmitter devices corresponding to the second area based, at least in part, on a type of the portal.

41. A method, at a computing platform, comprising:

accessing a non-transitory storage medium to obtain one or more features of a map of a first area identifiable by a first location context identifier;

determining one or more indications of probabilities of transitions from a first area identifiable by a first location context identifier to a second area identifiable by a second location context identifier via one or more portals, said transitions being at a subsequent moment, and said determination being based, at least in part, on said obtained one or more features of said and one or more locations of the one or more portals and on a likelihood heat map,

wherein the one or more indications of probabilities of transitions enable a determination of a particular probability that a mobile device transitions from the first area to the second area via a particular portal of the one or more portals based, at least partly, on a current position of the mobile device in the first area.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the one or more portals comprise at least a first portal and a second portal;

and wherein said determining further comprises;

determining the one or more indications of the one or more probabilities of transitions based, at least in part, on a first location of the first portal and a second location of the second portal along at least one passageway as represented by the one or more features of the map and on at least one expected foot traffic pattern along the at least one passageway.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein said determining further comprises:

determining the one or more indications of the one or more probabilities of transitions based, at least in part, on one or more user interactions with the mobile device and on at least one point of interest that is associated with the second area or with another area that is accessible via the one or more portals.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein said determining further comprises:

determining the one or more indications of the one or more probabilities of transitions based, at least in part, on historical movement of the mobile device within at least the first area.

45. A device for determining a heat map, the device comprising:

at least one memory to store instructions; and

one or more processors to execute said instructions to;

access a non-transitory storage medium to obtain one or more features of a map of a first area identifiable by a first location context identifier;

determine one or more indications of one or more probabilities of transitions from a first area identifiable by a first location context identifier to a second area identifiable by a second location context identifier, said transitions being at a subsequent moment and being via one or more portals, said determination being based, at least in part, on said one or more features of said map of the first area and one or more locations of the one or more portals and on a likelihood heat map,

wherein the one or more indications of probabilities of transitions enable a determination of a particular probability that a mobile device transitions from the first area to the second area via a particular portal of the one or more portals based, at least partly, on a current position of the mobile device in the first area.

46. The mobile device of claim 45, wherein the one or more portals comprise at least a first portal and a second portal;

and wherein to determine the one or more indications of the one or more probabilities of transitions said one or more processors are further to execute said instructions to;

determine the one or more indications of the one or more probabilities of transitions based, at least in part, on a first location of the first portal and a second location of the second portal along at least one passageway as represented by the one or more features of the map and on at least one expected foot traffic pattern along the at least one passageway.

47. The mobile device of claim 45, wherein to determine for the one or more indications of the one or more probabilities of transitions said one or more processors are further to execute said instructions to:

determine the one or more indications of the one or more probabilities of transitions based, at least in part, on one or more user interactions with the mobile device and on at least one point of interest that is associated with the second area or with another area that is accessible via the one or more portals.

48. The mobile device of claim 45, wherein to determine the one or more indications of the one or more probabilities of transitions said one or more processors are further to execute said instructions to:

determine the one or more indications of the one or more probabilities of transitions based, at least in part, on historical movement of the mobile device within at least the first area.

49. A device for determining a heat map, the device comprising:

means for determining the heat map for an indoor environment having at least a first area identifiable by a first location context identifier and a second area identifiable by a second location context identifier; and

means for determining for the one or more indications of one or more probabilities of transitions from the first area to the second area at a subsequent moment, said transitions being via one or more portals, said determination being based, at least in part, on one or more features of a map of the first area and one or more locations of the one or more portals, wherein the heat map enables a determination of a particular probability that a mobile device transitions from the first area to the second area via a particular portal of the one or more portals based, at least partly, on a current position of the mobile device in the first area.

50. An article comprising:

at least one non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon instructions executable by one or more processors to;

determine one or more indications of one or more probabilities of transitions from a first area identifiable by a first location context identifier to a second area identifiable by a second location context identifier, said transitions being at a subsequent moment and being via one or more portals, said determination being based, at least in part, on one or more features of a map of the first area and one or more locations of the one or more portals and on a likelihood heat map,

wherein the one or more indications of one or more probabilities of transitions enable a determination of a particular probability that a mobile device transitions from the first area to the second area via a particular portal of the one or more portals based, at least partly, on a current position of the mobile device in the first area.