Tiered delivery of location data

• US 9,071,937 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2013
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Marti, Lukas M., Mayor, Robert, Ma, Shannon M.
• Primary Examiner(s): WASHINGTON, ERIKA ALISE
• Application Number:
  US13/756,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20140213298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0236 Assistance data, e.g. base station almanac
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02521 using a radio-map
• 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 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Techniques of delivering location data are described. A location server can receive, from a mobile device, a request for location data for determining a location of the mobile device at a venue. The request can include an estimated location of the mobile device. The location server can provide to the mobile device coarse location data for each venue that is located within a threshold distance to the estimated location of the mobile device. The coarse location data can include a list of coarse tiles at each venue, and parameters of a probability distribution function for determining in which tile of the venue the mobile device is located based on signals detected by the mobile device. The location server can the provide location fingerprint data associated with the tile and neighboring tiles to the mobile device. The mobile can use the location fingerprint data to determine a more detailed location.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining that a location of a mobile device is within a threshold distance from a venue cluster, the venue cluster comprising one or more venues, each venue comprising a space accessible by a pedestrian and one or more constraints of movement of the pedestrian in the space;

providing, to the mobile device, coarse location data for each venue in the venue cluster, the coarse location data comprising;

a venue identifier of a corresponding venue and a venue bounding box of the corresponding venue, the venue bounding box representing space occupied by the venue;

a group of one or more coarse tiles of the corresponding venue, each coarse tile comprising a coarse tile identifier and a tile bounding box, the tile bounding box representing space occupied by the corresponding coarse tile at the venue; and

parameters of a probability distribution function for determining a location of the mobile device at the venue based on measurements of signals from one or more signal sources;

receiving, from the mobile device;

an indication that a contextual condition for downloading location fingerprint data has been satisfied, and

one of the coarse tile identifiers; and

based on the contextual condition, providing detailed location data corresponding to the coarse tile to the mobile device for determining a location of the mobile device in at least one of the one or more venues,

wherein the method is performed by one or more computers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the venue bounding box and each coarse tile bounding box is a three-dimensional box.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more signal sources includes a radio frequency (RF) signal transmitter.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the contextual condition comprises at least one of:

a movement velocity of the mobile device satisfies a pedestrian walking speed threshold;

or

an estimated location of the mobile device is in the venue bounding box.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the detailed location data comprise location fingerprints of the corresponding venue, the location fingerprints comprising:

expected measurements of signals at multiple locations of the venue; and

variance of the expected measurements, wherein the location fingerprints are usable by the mobile device to determine a venue location of the mobile device at the corresponding venue, the venue location being a location relative to the venue.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier received from the mobile device is determined from the one or more coarse tile identifiers based on a probability that the mobile device is located in the tile bounding box of the corresponding coarse tile.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising:

determining, based on the location of the mobile device, that the mobile device will enter a venue in which data communications are subject to interference; and

upon the determining, providing detailed location data corresponding to the venue to the mobile device.

8. A non-transitory storage device storing instructions operable to cause one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

determining that a location of a mobile device is within a threshold distance from a venue cluster, the venue cluster comprising one or more venues, each venue comprising a space accessible by a pedestrian and one or more constraints of movement of the pedestrian in the space;

providing, to the mobile device, coarse location data for each venue in the venue cluster, the coarse location data comprising;

a venue identifier of a corresponding venue and a venue bounding box of the corresponding venue, the venue bounding box representing space occupied by the venue;

a group of one or more coarse tiles of the corresponding venue, each coarse tile comprising a coarse tile identifier and a tile bounding box, the tile bounding box representing space occupied by the corresponding coarse tile at the venue; and

parameters of a probability distribution function for determining a location of the mobile device at the venue based on measurements of signals from one or more signal sources;

receiving, from the mobile device;

an indication that a contextual condition for downloading location fingerprint data has been satisfied, and

a coarse tile identifier, the coarse tile identifier being determined from the one or more coarse tile identifiers based on a probability that the mobile device is located in the tile bounding box of the corresponding coarse tile; and

based on the contextual condition, providing detailed location data corresponding to the coarse tile to the mobile device for determining a location of the mobile device in at least one of the one or more venues.

9. The non-transitory storage device of claim 8, wherein the venue bounding box and each coarse tile bounding box is a three-dimensional box.

10. The non-transitory storage device of claim 8, wherein each of the one or more signal sources includes a radio frequency (RF) signal transmitter.

11. The non-transitory storage device of claim 8, wherein the contextual condition comprises at least one of:

a movement velocity of the mobile device satisfies a pedestrian walking speed threshold;

or

an estimated location of the mobile device is in the venue bounding box.

12. The non-transitory storage device of claim 8, wherein the detailed location data comprise location fingerprints of the corresponding venue, the location fingerprints comprising:

expected measurements of signals at multiple locations of the venue; and

variance of the expected measurements, wherein the location fingerprints are usable by the mobile device to determine a venue location of the mobile device at the corresponding venue, the venue location being a location relative to the venue.

13. The non-transitory storage device of claim 8, wherein the identifier received from the mobile device is determined from the one or more coarse tile identifiers based on a probability that the mobile device is located in the tile bounding box of the corresponding coarse tile.

14. The non-transitory storage device of claim 8, the operations comprising:

determining, based on the location of the mobile device, that the mobile device will enter a venue in which data communications are subject to interference; and

upon the determining, providing detailed location data corresponding to the venue to the mobile device.

15. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a storage device storing instructions operable to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

determining that a location of a mobile device is within a threshold distance from a venue cluster, the venue cluster comprising one or more venues, each venue comprising a space accessible by a pedestrian and one or more constraints of movement of the pedestrian in the space;

providing, to the mobile device, coarse location data for each venue in the venue cluster, the coarse location data comprising;

a venue identifier of a corresponding venue and a venue bounding box of the corresponding venue, the venue bounding box representing space occupied by the venue;

a group of one or more coarse tiles of the corresponding venue, each coarse tile comprising a coarse tile identifier and a tile bounding box, the tile bounding box representing space occupied by the corresponding coarse tile at the venue; and

parameters of a probability distribution function for determining a location of the mobile device at the venue based on measurements of signals from one or more signal sources;

receiving, from the mobile device;

an indication that a contextual condition for downloading location fingerprint data has been satisfied, and

a coarse tile identifier, the coarse tile identifier being determined from the one or more coarse tile identifiers based on a probability that the mobile device is located in the tile bounding box of the corresponding coarse tile; and

based on the contextual condition, providing detailed location data corresponding to the coarse tile to the mobile device for determining a location of the mobile device in at least one of the one or more venues.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the venue bounding box and each coarse tile bounding box is a three-dimensional box.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein each of the one or more signal sources includes a radio frequency (RF) signal transmitter.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the contextual condition comprises at least one of:

a movement velocity of the mobile device satisfies a pedestrian walking speed threshold;

or

an estimated location of the mobile device is in the venue bounding box.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the detailed location data comprise location fingerprints of the corresponding venue, the location fingerprints comprising:

expected measurements of signals at multiple locations of the venue; and

variance of the expected measurements, wherein the location fingerprints are usable by the mobile device to determine a venue location of the mobile device at the corresponding venue, the venue location being a location relative to the venue.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the identifier received from the mobile device is determined from the one or more coarse tile identifiers based on a probability that the mobile device is located in the tile bounding box of the corresponding coarse tile.

21. The system of claim 15, the operations comprising:

determining, based on the location of the mobile device, that the mobile device will enter a venue in which data communications are subject to interference; and

upon the determining, providing detailed location data corresponding to the venue to the mobile device.