Providing location related information for a structure to mobile stations

• US 8,874,131 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2011
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Khorashadi, Behrooz, Das, Saumitra M., Aggarwal, Alok
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Huy C
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAM, DUNG LE
• Application Number:
  US13/215,737
• Publication Number:
  US 20130053066A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: 455/457, 455/456.1
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• 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 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings

Abstract

Techniques are provided which may be implemented using various methods and/or apparatuses to allow for location related information for a region of space within a structure to be divided into blocks and selectively provided in an efficient manner to a mobile station and/or a proxy device associated therewith. The mobile station may, for example, use the blocks of location related information to support signal-based position estimation and/or other like location based services.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

with at least one computing device;

obtaining one or more signals representing location related information (LRI) for at least one region of space within a structure, wherein said at least one region of space corresponds to a plurality of position points;

dividing said LRI into at least two blocks based, at least in part, on two or more different LRI types, wherein each of said at least two blocks corresponds to said at least one region; and

in response to a determination that a remote device lacks at least one of said at least two blocks available from said at least one computing device, transmitting said at least one of said at least two blocks to said remote device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

with said at least one computing device, obtaining an LRI request from said remote device.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein said LRI request comprises an indication of one or more existing blocks at said remote device.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising:

with said at least one computing device, determining that said remote device lacks said at least one of said at least two blocks available from said at least one computing device based, at least in part on said indication.

5. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising:

with said at least one computing device, in response to said LRI request, transmitting a response to said remote device, said response comprising an indication that at least one of said at least two blocks is available from said at least one computing device.

6. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein said LRI request indicates said determination that said remote device lacks said at least one of said at least two blocks available from said at least one computing device.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said plurality of position points is arranged in an identifiable pattern.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one region of space corresponds to at least one of:

a tiled portion of a map for said structure, or a location context identifier (LCI).

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said LRI comprises metadata.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said LRI corresponds to a location based service associated with said structure.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said LRI corresponds to a specific radio transmitter.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said LRI is operatively associated with at least one of:

said remote device, a class of remote devices, a user account associated with said remote device, or a class of user accounts.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said LRI in a first block of said at least two blocks comprises one of:

expected signal data information, connectivity graph information, routing graph information, or probability map information.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein said expected signal data information is associated with at least one of:

a signal strength, or a signal propagation time.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said remote device comprises at least one of:

a mobile station, or a proxy device associated with said mobile station.

16. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

with said at least one computing device;

in response to a determination that said at least one region of space comprises at least one transition feature associated with said structure, selectively predetermining at least one of said at least two blocks.

17. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein transmitting said at least one of said at least two blocks to said remote device further comprises selectively transmitting a preexisting version of at least one of said at least two blocks.

18. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein obtaining said LRI comprises selectively predetermining at least one of said at least two blocks.

19. A method comprising:

with at least one computing device;

obtaining one or more signals representing location related information (LRI) for at least one region of space within a structure, wherein said at least one region of space corresponds to a plurality of position points;

dividing said LRI into at least two blocks based, at least in part, on two or more LRI types, wherein each of said blocks is associated with each of said plurality of position points;

obtaining an LRI request from a remote device, said LRI request comprising an indication of one or more existing blocks at said remote device comprising at least a first hash value for a first existing block available at said remote device;

determining that said remote device lacks said at least one of said at least two blocks available from said at least one computing device based, at least in part on a comparison of, said first hash value to a second hash value associated with a corresponding first block available from said at least one computing device; and

in response to a determination that said remote device lacks said at least one of said at least two blocks available from said at least one computing device, transmitting said at least one of said at least two blocks to said remote device.

20. A method comprising:

with at least one computing device;

obtaining one or more signals representing location related information (LRI) for at least one region of space within a structure, wherein said at least one region of space corresponds to a plurality of position points;

dividing said LRI into at least two blocks based, at least in part, on two or more LRI types, wherein each of said blocks is associated with each of said plurality of position points;

obtaining an LRI request from a remote device, said LRI request comprising a hash value for one or more existing blocks at said remote device;

transmitting a response to said remote device, said response comprising a hash value for a corresponding one of said at least two blocks available from said at least one computing device; and

in response to a determination that said remote device lacks at least one of said at least two blocks available from said at least one computing device, transmitting said at least one of said at least two blocks to said remote device.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a network interface; and

one or more processing units to;

obtain location related information (LRI) for at least one region of space within a structure, wherein said at least one region of space corresponds to a plurality of position points;

divide said LRI into at least two blocks based, at least in part, on two or more different LRI types, wherein each of said at least two blocks corresponds to said at least one region; and

in response to a determination that a remote device lacks at least one of said at least two blocks available from said apparatus, initiate transmission of said at least one of said at least two blocks to said remote device via said network interface.

22. The apparatus as recited in claim 21, said one or more processing units to further obtain an LRI request from said remote device via said network interface.

23. The apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein said LRI request comprises an indication of one or more existing blocks at said remote device, and said one or more processing units to further determine that said remote device lacks said at least one of said at least two blocks available from said apparatus based, at least in part on said indication.

24. The apparatus as recited in claim 23, said one or more processing units to further, in response to said LRI request, initiate transmission of a response to said remote device via said network interface, said response comprising an indication that at least one of said at least two blocks is available from said apparatus.

25. The apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein said indication comprises a hash value for a corresponding one of said at least two blocks available from said apparatus.

26. The apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein said LRI request indicates said determination that said remote device lacks said at least one of said at least two blocks available from said apparatus.

27. The apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein said at least one region of space corresponds to at least one of:

a tiled portion of a map of said structure, or a location context identifier (LCI).

28. The apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein said LRI in a first block of said at least two blocks comprises one of:

-expected signal data information, connectivity graph information, routing graph information, or probability map information.

29. The apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein said remote device comprises at least one of:

a mobile station, or a proxy device associated with said mobile station.

30. An apparatus comprising:

a network interface; and

one or more processing units to;

obtain location related information (LRI) for at least one region of space within a structure, wherein said at least one region of space corresponds to a plurality of position point;

divide said LRI into at least two blocks based, at least in part, on two or more LRI types, wherein each of said blocks is associated with each of said plurality of position points;

obtain an LRI request from said remote device via said network interface, said LRI request comprising an indication of one or more existing blocks at said remote device, wherein said indication comprises at least a first hash value for a first existing block available at said remote device;

determine that said remote device lacks said at least one of said at least two blocks available from said apparatus based, at least in part on a comparison of said first hash value to a second hash value associated with a corresponding first block available from said at least one computing device; and

in response to a determination that a remote device lacks at least one of said at least two blocks available from said apparatus, initiate transmission of said at least one of said at least two blocks to said remote device via said network interface.

31. An apparatus comprising:

means for obtaining location related information (LRI) for at least one region of space within a structure, wherein said at least one region of space corresponds to a plurality of position points;

means for dividing said LRI into at least two blocks based, at least in part, on two or more different LRI types, wherein each of said at least two blocks corresponds to said at least one region; and

means for transmitting at least one of said at least two blocks to a remote device, in response to a determination that said remote device lacks said at least one of said at least two blocks available from said apparatus.

32. The apparatus as recited in claim 31, further comprising:

means for obtaining an LRI request from said remote device.

33. The apparatus as recited in claim 32, wherein said LRI request comprises an indication of one or more existing blocks at said remote device, and further comprising:

means for determining that said remote device lacks said at least one of said at least two blocks available from said apparatus based, at least in part on said indication.

34. The apparatus as recited in claim 33, further comprising:

means for transmitting a response to said remote device in response to said LRI request, said response comprising an indication that at least one of said at least two blocks is available from said apparatus.

35. The apparatus as recited in claim 34, wherein said indication comprises a hash value for a corresponding one of said at least two blocks available from said apparatus.

36. The apparatus as recited in claim 32, wherein said LRI request indicates said determination that said remote device lacks said at least one of said at least two blocks available from said apparatus.

37. The apparatus as recited in claim 31, wherein said at least one region of space corresponds to at least one of:

a tiled portion of a map of said structure, or a location context identifier (LCI).

38. The apparatus as recited in claim 31, wherein said LRI in a first block of said at least two blocks comprises one of:

expected signal data information, connectivity graph information, routing graph information, or probability map information.

39. The apparatus as recited in claim 31, wherein said remote device comprises at least one of:

a mobile station, or a proxy device associated with said mobile station.

40. An apparatus comprising:

means for obtaining location related information (LRI) for at least one region of space within a structure, wherein said at least one region of space corresponds to a plurality of position points;

means for dividing said LRI into at least two blocks based, at least in part, on two or more LRI types, wherein each of said blocks is associated with each of said plurality of position points;

means for obtaining an LRI request from said remote device, said LRI request comprising an indication of one or more existing blocks at said remote device, wherein said indication comprises at least a first hash value for a first existing block available at said remote device;

means for determining that said remote device lacks said at least one of said at least two blocks available from said apparatus based, at least in part on a comparison of said first hash value to a second hash value a corresponding first block available from said apparatus; and

means for transmitting at least one of said at least two blocks to a remote device, in response to a determination that said remote device lacks said at least one of said at least two blocks available from said apparatus.

41. An article comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein computer-implementable instructions executable by one or more processing units in at least one computing device to;

obtain location related information (LRI) for at least one region of space within a structure, wherein said at least one region of space corresponds to a plurality of position points;

divide said LRI into at least two blocks based, at least in part, on two or more different LRI types, wherein each of said blocks corresponds to said at least one region; and

in response to a determination that a remote device lacks at least one of said at least two blocks available from said at least one computing device, initiate transmission of said at least one of said at least two blocks to said remote device.

42. The article as recited in claim 41, said computer-implementable instructions being further executable by said one or more processing units to obtain an LRI request from said remote device.

43. The article as recited in claim 42, wherein said LRI request comprises an indication of one or more existing blocks at said remote device, and said computer-implementable instructions are further executable by said one or more processing units to determine that said remote device lacks said at least one of said at least two blocks available from said at least one computing device based, at least in part on said indication.

44. The article as recited in claim 43, said computer-implementable instructions being further executable by said one or more processing units to, in response to said LRI request, initiate transmission of a response to said remote device, said response comprising an indication that at least one of said at least two blocks is available from said at least one computing device.

45. The article as recited in claim 44, wherein said indication comprises a hash value for a corresponding one of said at least two blocks available from said at least one computing device.

46. The article as recited in claim 42, wherein said LRI request indicates said determination that said remote device lacks said at least one of said at least two blocks available from said at least one computing device.

47. The article as recited in claim 41, wherein said at least one region of space corresponds to at least one of:

a tiled portion of a map of said structure, or a location context identifier (LCI).

48. The article as recited in claim 41, wherein said LRI in a first block of said at least two blocks comprises one of:

expected signal data information, connectivity graph information, routing graph information, or probability map information.

49. The article as recited in claim 41, wherein said remote device comprises at least one of:

a mobile station, or a proxy device associated with said mobile station.

50. An article comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein computer-implementable instructions executable by one or more processing units in at least one computing device to;

obtain location related information (LRI) for at least one region of space within a structure, wherein said at least one region of space corresponds to a plurality of position points;

divide said LRI into at least two blocks based, at least in part, on two or more LRI types, wherein each of said blocks is associated with each of said plurality of position points;

obtain an LRI request from said remote device, said LRI request comprising an indication of one or more existing blocks at said remote device, wherein said indication comprises at least a first hash value for a first existing block available at said remote device;

determine that said remote device lacks said at least one of said at least two blocks available from said apparatus based, at least in part on a comparison of said first hash value to a second hash value associated with a corresponding first block available from said apparatus; and

in response to a determination that a remote device lacks at least one of said at least two blocks available from said at least one computing device, initiate transmission of said at least one of said at least two blocks to said remote device.

51. An apparatus comprising:

a network interface; and

one or more processing units to;

obtain location related information (LRI) for at least one region of space within a structure, wherein said at least one region of space corresponds to a plurality of position points;

divide said LRI into at least two blocks based, at least in part, on two or more LRI types, wherein each of said blocks is associated with each of said plurality of position points;

obtain an LRI request from a remote device via said network interface, said LRI request comprising at least a first hash value for a first existing block available at said remote device;

determine that said remote device lacks said at least one of said at least two blocks available from said at least one computing device based, at least in part on a comparison of said first hash value to a second hash value associated with a corresponding first block available from said at least one computing device; and

initiate transmission of said at least one of said at least two blocks to said remote device via said network interface, in response to a determination that said remote device lacks said at least one of said at least two blocks available from said at least one computing device.

52. An apparatus comprising:

means for obtaining location related information (LRI) for at least one region of space within a structure, wherein said at least one region of space corresponds to a plurality of position points;

means for dividing said LRI into at least two blocks based, at least in part, on two or more LRI types, wherein each of said blocks is associated with each of said plurality of position points;

means for obtaining an LRI request from a remote device, said LRI request comprising at least a first hash value for a first existing block available at said remote device;

means for determining that said remote device lacks said at least one of said at least two blocks available from said at least one computing device based, at least in part on a comparison of said first hash value to a second hash value associated with a corresponding first block available from said at least one computing device; and

means for initiate transmission of said at least one of said at least two blocks to said remote device, in response to a determination that said remote device lacks said at least one of said at least two blocks available from said at least one computing device.

53. An article comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein computer-implementable instructions executable by one or more processing units in at least one computing device to;

obtain location related information (LRI) for at least one region of space within a structure, wherein said at least one region of space corresponds to a plurality of position points;

divide said LRI into at least two blocks based, at least in part, on two or more LRI types, wherein each of said blocks is associated with each of said plurality of position points;

obtain an LRI request from a remote device, said LRI request comprising at least a first hash value for a first existing block available at said remote device;

determine that said remote device lacks said at least one of said at least two blocks available from said at least one computing device based, at least in part on a comparison of said first hash value to a second hash value associated with a corresponding first block available from said at least one computing device; and

in response to a determination that said remote device lacks said at least one of said at least two blocks available from said at least one computing device, initiate transmission of said at least one of said at least two blocks to said remote device.