Intelligent map combination for venues enabling indoor positioning

• US 8,983,774 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2013
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Gao, Weihua, Raman, Sundar, Venkatraman, Sai Pradeep, Do, Ju-Yong, Emadzadeh, Amir A., Zhang, Gengsheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOLDMAN, RICHARD A
• Application Number:
  US13/938,124
• Publication Number:
  US 20150019121A1
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/450
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/383 Indoor data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3841 Data obtained from two or more sources, e.g. probe vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/02 Indoor
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02524 Creating or updating the radio-map
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/04 Context-preserving transformations, e.g. by using an importance map panospheric to cylindrical image transformations G06T3/12
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/003 Maps
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters

Abstract

Methods and devices are described for merging maps. In one potential embodiment a method may comprise receiving an indication of at least one plurality of geographically proximate points, where each of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points are determined by at least one access point in communication with one or more mobile devices. A first and second map may then be received, where the first map and the second map each cover a first area such that the first area is in both the first map and the second map. The first map and the second map may then be merged by matching a mapping of a first portion of an indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the first map and a second portion of an indication of an at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the second map.

Claims

1. A method of combining maps comprising:

receiving, at a computing device, an indication of at least one plurality of geographically proximate points, wherein each of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points are determined by at least one access point in communication with one or more mobile devices;

receiving a first map;

receiving a second map, wherein the first map and the second map each cover a first area such that the first area is in both the first map and the second map, and wherein the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points is located within the first area;

mapping at least a first portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the first map;

mapping at least a second portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the second map; and

merging the first map and the second map by matching the mapping of the first portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the first map and the second portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the second map.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first portion and the second portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points comprises at least one vector.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein mapping at least the first portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the first map comprises mapping the at least one vector on the first map;

wherein mapping at least the second portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the second map comprises mapping the at least one vector on the second map; and

wherein merging the first map and the second map by matching the mapping of the first portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the first map and the second portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the second map comprises;

orienting the first map to match a first direction of the at least one vector as mapped on the first map to a second direction of the at least one vector as mapped on the second map; and

scaling the first map to match a first magnitude of the at least one vector as mapped on the first map to match a second magnitude of the at least one vector as mapped on the second map.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one vector is derived from one of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points are recorded at contiguous times.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points is based upon information received from a plurality of mobile devices.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points comprises an exit.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the indication of at least one plurality of geographically proximate points comprises an indication of at least three pluralities of geographically proximate points.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the first portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points comprises a first plurality of geographically proximate points, wherein the second portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points comprises a second plurality of geographically proximate points, and wherein the first plurality and the second plurality of geographically proximate points are mutually exclusive portions of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the first plurality of geographically proximate points is based upon information from a first plurality of mobile devices and wherein the second plurality of geographically proximate points is based upon information from a second plurality of mobile devices that is different from the first plurality of mobile devices.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein merging the first map and the second map by matching the mapping of the first portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the first map and the second portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the second map comprises:

identifying a first pattern associated with the first plurality of geographically proximate points;

identifying a second pattern associated with the second plurality of geographically proximate points;

identifying a pattern match between the first pattern and the second pattern;

orienting the first map and the second map to match a first direction of the first pattern as mapped onto the first map with a second direction of the second pattern as mapped onto the second map; and

scaling the first map and the second map to match a first size of the first pattern as mapped onto the first map with a second size of the second pattern as mapped onto the second map.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein identifying the first pattern associated with the first plurality of geographically proximate points comprises identifying at least a first map point, a second map point, and a third map point from the first plurality of geographically proximate points;

and

wherein identifying the second pattern associated with the second plurality of geographically proximate points comprises identifying at least the first map point, the second map point, and the third map point from the second plurality of geographically proximate points.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the first pattern is associated with a turn.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points comprises receiving, from a crowdsourcing server computer, at least two map points derived from the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points, wherein the crowdsourcing server computer derives the at least two map points from information received from a plurality of mobile devices via the at least one access point.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points comprises receiving, from a crowdsourcing server computer, at least one vector derived from the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points, wherein the crowdsourcing server computer derives the at least one vector from information received from a plurality of mobile devices via the at least one access point.

16. A computing device comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

a memory coupled to the wireless transceiver, the memory comprising a first map and a second map wherein the first map and the second map each cover a first area such that the first area is in the first map and the second map, and wherein the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points is located within the first area; and

a processor coupled to the memory and the wireless transceiver;

wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to receive, an indication of at least one plurality of geographically proximate points, wherein each of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points are determined by at least one access point; and

wherein the processor is configured to;

map at least a first portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the first map;

map at least a second portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the second map; and

merge the first map and the second map to create a merged map by matching the mapping of the first portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the first map and the second portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the second map.

17. The computing device of claim 16 further comprising:

a location module coupled to the processor that is configured to determine a current location of the computing device; and

an output display coupled to the processor, wherein the output display is configured to receive the merged map from the processor and presents the merged map via the output display along with the current location of the computing device.

18. The computing device of claim 17 wherein the computing device is a mobile phone;

and

wherein the processor is configured to determine at least one plurality of geographically proximate points using the location module of the mobile phone.

19. The computing device of claim 16 wherein the first portion and the second portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points comprises at least one vector.

20. The computing device of claim 19 wherein the processor is further configured to:

map the at least one vector on the first map when the processor maps at least the first portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the first map;

map the at least one vector on the second map when the processor maps at least the second portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the second map; and

orient the first map to match a first direction of the at least one vector as mapped on the first map to a second direction of the at least one vector as mapped on the second map, and scales the first map to match a first magnitude of the at least one vector as mapped on the first map to match a second magnitude of the at least one vector as mapped on the second map when the processor merges the first map and the second map to create the merged map.

21. A computing device comprising:

means for receiving an indication of at least one plurality of geographically proximate points, wherein each of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points are determined by at least one access point in communication with one or more mobile devices;

means for receiving a first map;

means for receiving a second map, wherein the first map and the second map each cover a first area such that the first area is in the first map and the second map, and wherein the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points is located within the first area;

means for mapping at least a first portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the first map;

means for mapping at least a second portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the second map; and

means for merging the first map and the second map by matching the mapping of the first portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the first map and the second portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the second map.

22. The computing device of claim 21, wherein the first portion and the second portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points comprises at least one vector;

and

wherein the means for merging the first map and the second map comprises means for rotating and scaling the first map to match the at least one vector as mapped to the first map with the at least one vector as mapped to the second map.

23. The computing device of claim 21, wherein the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points is based upon information received from at least three mobile devices;

and

wherein the information received from each mobile device of the at least three mobile devices comprises at least one vector within the first area.

24. The computing device of claim 21 wherein the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points is based upon information received from a plurality of mobile devices.

25. The computing device of claim 24 wherein the first portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points comprises a first plurality of geographically proximate points, wherein the second portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points comprises a second plurality of geographically proximate points, and wherein the first plurality and the second plurality of geographically proximate points are mutually exclusive portions of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points.

26. The computing device of claim 25 wherein the means for merging the first map and the second map by matching the mapping of the first portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the first map and the second portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the second map comprises:

means for identifying a first pattern associated with the first plurality of geographically proximate points;

means for identifying a second pattern associated with the second plurality of geographically proximate points;

means for identifying a pattern match between the first pattern and the second pattern;

means for orienting the first map and the second map to match a first direction of the first pattern as mapped onto the first map with a second direction of the second pattern as mapped onto the second map; and

means for scaling the first map and the second map to match a first size of the first pattern as mapped onto the first map with a second size of the second pattern as mapped onto the second map.

27. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed by a processor coupled to the storage medium cause a device to:

receive an indication of at least one plurality of geographically proximate points, wherein each of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points are determined by at least one access point in communication with one or more mobile devices;

receive a first map;

receive a second map, wherein the first map and the second map each cover a first area such that the first area is in the first map and the second map, and wherein the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points is located within the first area;

map at least a first portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the first map;

map at least a second portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the second map; and

merge the first map and the second map by matching the mapping of the first portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the first map and the second portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the second map.

28. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 27 wherein mapping at least the first portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the first map comprises causing the device to:

determine a location of the at least one access point within a first coordinate system of the first map;

determine a location of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points with respect to the at least one access point; and

determine the location of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points within the first coordinate system of the first map using the location of the location of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points with respect to the at least one access point.

29. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 27 wherein mapping at least the first portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the first map comprises causing the device to:

select the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the first map from multiple pluralities of geographically proximate points based on a pattern associated with the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points;

wherein the merging the first map and the second map is performed using the pattern associated with the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points.

30. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 27 wherein the first portion and the second portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points comprises at least one vector.

31. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 30 wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor coupled to the storage medium further cause the device to:

map the at least one vector on the first map when the device maps at least the first portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the first map;

map the at least one vector on the second map when the device maps at least the second portion of the indication of the at least one plurality of geographically proximate points on the second map; and

orient the first map to match a first direction of the at least one vector as mapped on the first map to a second direction of the at least one vector as mapped on the second map, and scale the first map to match a first magnitude of the at least one vector as mapped on the first map to match a second magnitude of the at least one vector as mapped on the second map when the device merges the first map and the second map to create a merged map.