Crowdsourcing method to detect broken WiFi indoor locationing model

• US 9,107,045 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2013
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhou, Shuchang, Mantri, Anup
• Primary Examiner(s): Sarwar, Babar
• Application Number:
  US13/937,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20150018003A1
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/41.2, 455/550.1, 455/422.1, 455/556.2, 455/436, 455/439, 370/328, 370/338, 370/331, 370/332
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0242 Determining the position of transmitters to be subsequently used in positioning G01S5/0289 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• 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 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for detecting breaks in a wireless network data model. An exemplary method includes determining neighboring access points from scans of network access points in a space. Each neighboring access point occurs together in a scan of a particular level of the space. Wireless data is received from a plurality of mobile devices moving through a space. A set of all access points for the space is identified based on the wireless data. A ratio is derived based on a difference between the neighboring access points and the set of all access points. The ratio represents a percentage of missing access points for the particular level of the space.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining a set of neighboring access points from scans of network access points in a space, wherein each neighboring access point occurs together in a scan of a particular level of the space;

receiving wireless data from a plurality of mobile devices moving through the space;

identifying a set of all access points for the space based on the wireless data; and

deriving, using a processor, a ratio based on the size of a difference between the set of neighboring access points and the set of all access points, the ratio representing a percentage of missing access points for the particular level of the space.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the scans of network access points are used for creating a model of the space.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless data includes information identifying current access points on different levels of the space, the wireless data is collected over a period of time.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising identifying access point neighbors of a given access point on a given level of the space, the access point neighbors appear together most often with the given access point in the information.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising determining whether the given access point has moved to a different level of the space based on the access point neighbors.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a number of users to visit a level of the space based on a positioning system.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein when the number of users to visit the level is below a threshold level, the method further comprises determining whether the ratio of missing access points applies to that level.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

determining a set of neighboring access points from scans of network access points in a space, wherein each neighboring access point occurs together in a scan of a particular level of the space;

receiving wireless data from a plurality of mobile devices moving through the space;

identifying a set of all access points for the space based on the wireless data; and

deriving, using a processor, a ratio based on the size of a difference between the set of neighboring access points and the set of all access points, the ratio representing a percentage of missing access points for the particular level of the space.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the wireless data includes information identifying current access points on different levels of the space, the wireless data is collected over a period of time.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises identifying access point neighbors of a given access point on a given level of the space, the access point neighbors appear together most often with the given access in the information.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises determining whether the given access point has moved to a different level of the space based on the access point neighbors.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises determining a number of users to visit a level of the space based on a positioning system.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein when the number of users to visit the level is below a threshold level, the method further comprises determining whether the ratio of missing access points applies to that level.

14. A system, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the processor being configured to;

determine a set of neighboring access points from scans of network access points in a space, wherein each neighboring access point occurs together in a scan of a particular level of the space;

receive wireless data from a plurality of mobile devices moving through the space;

identify a set of all access points for the space based on the wireless data; and

derive a ratio based on the size of a difference between the set of neighboring access points and the set of all access points, the ratio representing a percentage of missing access points for the particular level of the space.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the scans of network access points are used for creating a model of the space.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the wireless data includes information identifying current access points on different levels of the space, the wireless data is collected over a period of time.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to identify access point neighbors of a given access point on a given level of the space, the access point neighbors appear together most often with the given access point in the information.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the given access point has moved to a different level of the space based on the access point neighbors.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a number of users to visit a level of the space based on a positioning system.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein when the number of users to visit the level is below a threshold level the processor is further configured to determine whether the ratio of missing access points applies to that level.