Hybrid location using a weighted average of location readings and signal strengths of wireless access points
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for determining a location of a device, comprising the steps of:
- scanning with the device one or more radio frequencies for visible transmitting devices;
receiving at the device a signal strength and an identifier for each visible transmitting device among the visible transmitting devices;
using the identifier to query a database containing location points for a plurality of visible transmitting devices;
andfor visible transmitting devices having location points within the database, performing a weighted average analysis of those location points to determine the location of the device based on an average of those location points, wherein a weight assigned to each location point is based on the signal strength for the visible transmitting device corresponding to that location point.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A query device scans radio frequencies for visible transmitting devices. The querying device receives at least a signal strength and identifier information associated with each of the transmitting devices. The list of visible devices is used to query a database containing location information for a plurality of visible devices. The list may be sent to a locationing system that may perform a location analysis on the resulting data to return a location to the query device. The weighted average of the locations returned in the database query may be computed to determine the location of the querying device, with the weight for each of the locations being the current signal strength detected by the querying device. Neural network analysis may also be used to determine the location of the querying device. Learning and seeding operations many also be used to populate the database with location information for transmitting devices.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for determining a location of a device, comprising the steps of:
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scanning with the device one or more radio frequencies for visible transmitting devices; receiving at the device a signal strength and an identifier for each visible transmitting device among the visible transmitting devices; using the identifier to query a database containing location points for a plurality of visible transmitting devices;
andfor visible transmitting devices having location points within the database, performing a weighted average analysis of those location points to determine the location of the device based on an average of those location points, wherein a weight assigned to each location point is based on the signal strength for the visible transmitting device corresponding to that location point. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for determining a location of a device, comprising:
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a computer processor; a memory in communication with the computer processor when the system is activated, the memory comprising computer readable instructions that upon execution by the computer processor cause the system to scan with the device one or more radio frequencies for visible transmitting devices, receive with the device a signal strength and an identifier for each visible transmitting device among the visible transmitting devices, use the identifier to query a database containing location points for a plurality of visible transmitting devices, and for all visible transmitting devices having a location point within the database, perform a weighted average analysis of those location points, wherein a weight assigned to each location point is based on the signal strength for the visible transmitting device corresponding to that location point.
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Specification