Method and system for indoor RF mapping

• US 8,781,495 B1
• Filed: 04/26/2012
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Blue Ocean Robotics ApS
• Original Assignee: James Eric Jr. Greenhaw
• Inventors: Gold, Andrew Joseph, Cantin, Graham Tyler, Greenhaw, James Eric Jr., Tesfaye, Tesh
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, PHUOC HUU
• Application Number:
  US13/457,312
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/67.11, 455/67.13, 705/26.61, 342/457
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02521 using a radio-map
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A method is disclosed for determining a region of highest probability. At a first electronic device an RF signal is received comprising a first wireless signal and a second wireless signal is received. The first wireless signal and the second wireless signal are each other than solely a GPS signal. Based on both the first wireless signal and the second wireless signal, a region of highest probability is determined comprising an area of location estimates for the electronic device, the determined region of highest probability other than a region of highest probability determinable independently with each of the first RF signal and the second RF signal.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a. receiving at a first electronic device an RF signal comprising a first wireless signal and a second wireless signal, the first wireless signal and the second wireless signal other than solely a UPS signal; and

b. based on both the first wireless signal and the second wireless signal, determining a region of highest probability comprising an area of location estimates for the electronic device, the determined region of highest probability other than a region of highest probability determinable independently with each of the first RF signal and the second RF signal.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the region of highest probability is determined other than relying exclusively on triangulation.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the region of highest probability is determined other than relying on triangulation.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the region of highest probability includes at least some statistical information relating to a probability of locations within the region.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the region of highest probability is other than a regular shape.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the region of highest probability is other than one of a circle and a sphere.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the first wireless signal and the second wireless signal are received at different times.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein a velocity value estimation is determined and wherein the region of highest probability is shaped based on a statistical likelihood in dependence upon the velocity, the location estimates, and previous location estimates.

9. A method according to claim 7 wherein path data is determined and the region of highest probability is shaped based on a statistical likelihood dependent upon the path data, the location estimates, and previous location estimates.

10. A method according to claim 1 comprising determining path data for a probable location of the electronic device across different times for which wireless signals are received wherein determining the region of highest probability is further based on the path data.

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein the path data is based on regions of highest probability previously determined for the device.

12. A method according to claim 10 wherein path data is based on a statistical function relating to regions of highest probability previously determined for the device.

13. A method comprising:

a. receiving at a first electronic device an RF signal comprising a wireless signal according to a first standard and a wireless signal according to a second standard, the first standard and the second standard other than a GPS standard;

b. determining a first region of highest probability estimate for an electronic device based solely on the wireless signal according to the first standard and determining a second region of highest probability estimate for the electronic device based solely on the wireless signal according to the second standard; and

c. determining a third region of highest probability of the electronic device based on the first region of highest probability and the second region of highest probability.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein determining the third region of highest probability comprises:

applying a known correlation between the first region of highest probability and the second region of highest probability, the known correlation different for different regions of highest probability.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein the known correlation is stored within a database and wherein the known correlation comprises additional information, for relating location estimates determinable based on signals according to each of the first and second standards.

16. A method comprising:

a. receiving at a first electronic device a first wireless signal according to a first standard and receiving at the first electronic device a second wireless signal according to the first standard at a different time temporally proximate to the first wireless signal;

b. determining a first region of highest probability based on the first wireless signal and determining a second region of highest probability based on the second wireless signal; and

c. determining the third region of highest probability of the electronic device based on the first region of highest probability and the second region of highest probability.

17. A method comprising:

a. receiving at a first electronic device a first wireless signal according to a first standard and receiving at the first electronic device a second wireless signal according to the first standard at a different time temporally proximate to the first wireless signal;

b. receiving at the first electronic device a second first wireless signal according to a first standard and receiving at the first electronic device a seconds second wireless signal according to the first standard at a different time temporally proximate to the first wireless signal and second wireless signal;

c. determining a first region of highest probability based on the first wireless signal and second wireless signal and determining a second region of highest probability based on the second first wireless signal and second second wireless signal; and

d. determining the third region of highest probability of the electronic device based on the first region of highest probability and the second region of highest probability.

18. A method comprising:

a. receiving at a first electronic device a first wireless signal according to a first standard and receiving at the first electronic device a second wireless signal according to the first standard at a different time temporally proximate to the first wireless signal;

b. receiving at the first electronic device a second first wireless signal according to the first standard and receiving at the first electronic device a second second wireless signal according to the first standard at a different time temporally proximate to the first wireless signal and second wireless signal;

c. determining a first region of highest probability based on the first wireless signal, a second region of highest probability based on the second wireless signal, a second first region of highest probability based on the second first wireless signal and a second second wireless signal based on the second second wireless signal; and

d. determining a third region, of highest probability of the electronic device based on the first region of highest probability, the second region of highest probability, the second first region of highest probability, and the second second region of highest probability.

19. A method comprising:

a. receiving at a first electronic device a first wireless signal according to a first standard and receiving at the first electronic device a second wireless signal according to the first standard;

b. determining a second measured time based on a difference between a second time associated with a second region of highest probability and a third time associated with a third region of highest probability;

c. determining a velocity value based on the second measured time; and

d. determining another region of highest probability based on the first wireless signal, the second wireless signal, the second measured time, and the velocity value.

20. A method according to claim 19 comprising determining a velocity function for a plurality of probable locations of the electronic device across different times for which wireless signals are received wherein determining a third region of highest probability is based on a velocity value based on the velocity function.

21. A method according to claim 20 wherein determining the velocity function comprises determining acceleration data.

22. A method according to claim 21 wherein determining the third region of highest probability is further based on the acceleration data.

23. A method comprising:

a. receiving at a first electronic device a first wireless signal and a second wireless signal;

b. determining using RF fingerprinting a first region of highest probability based on the first wireless signal;

c. determining using RF fingerprinting a second region of highest probability based on the second wireless signal; and

d. determining based on the first and second regions of highest probability a third region of highest probability for the electronic device.