Determining indoor location or position of a mobile computer using building information

• US 9,110,159 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2015
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: HJ Laboratories, LLC
• Inventors: Vartanian, Harry, Jurikson-Rhodes, Jaron
• Primary Examiner(s): PIHULIC, DANIEL T
• Application Number:
  US14/619,600
• Publication Number:
  US 20150153450A1
• Time in Patent Office: 188 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/00 Measuring arrangements or details thereof, where the measuring technique is not covered by the other groups of this subclass, unspecified or not relevant
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/06 Systems determining the position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/08 Systems for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S15/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/06 Systems determining position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/06 employing an initial estimate of the location of the receiver as aiding data or in generating aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/11 wherein the cooperating elements are pseudolites or satellite radio beacon positioning system signal repeaters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/466 by Trilateration, i.e. two antennas or two sensors determine separately the distance to a target, whereby with the knowledge of the baseline length, i.e. the distance between the antennas or sensors, the position data of the target is determined
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/468 by Triangulation, i.e. two antennas or two sensors determine separately the bearing, direction or angle to a target, whereby with the knowledge of the baseline length, the position data of the target is determined
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2015/465 by Trilateration, i.e. two transducers determine separately the distance to a target, whereby with the knowledge of the baseline length, i.e. the distance between the transducers, the position data of the target is determined
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/012 Identifying whether indoors or outdoors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/013 Identifying areas in a building
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/015 between indoor and outdoor environments
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0294 Trajectory determination or predictive filtering, e.g. target tracking or Kalman filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0266 based on the position of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/30 : Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 : for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 367/907 : Coordinate determination

Abstract

A mobile computer may use building information to determine its indoor location or position. The mobile computer determines the dimensions of a room in a building using range determination or a range finder in the mobile computer. The determined dimensions of the room may be compared to the building information to locate, position, or track the mobile computer in the building.

Claims

1. A mobile computer characterized in that:

the mobile computer is configured to calculate at least two dimensions of a room in a building based on at least one range measurement;

a processor, of the mobile computer, is configured to compare the at least two dimensions of the room to room layout information of the building; and

the mobile computer is configured to determine, based on the comparison, a location of the room within the building where the mobile computer is located.

2. The mobile computer of claim 1, wherein the at least one range measurement of the room is based on any one of an ultrasound signal, light signal, a near visible light signal, or a laser signal transmitted or received by the mobile computer.

3. The mobile computer of claim 1, wherein the location of the room is used to determine a user context for an application on the mobile computer.

7. The mobile computer of claim 1 further comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a notification related to an advertisement, wherein the notification is received based on the location.

4. A method performed by a mobile computer, the method comprising:

calculating, by the mobile computer, at least two dimensions of a room in a building based on at least one range measurement;

comparing, by a processor of the mobile computer, the at least two dimensions of the room to room layout information of the building; and

determining, by the mobile computer based on the comparison, a location of the room within the building where the mobile computer is located.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one range measurement of the room is based on any one of an ultrasound signal, light signal, a near visible light signal, or a laser signal transmitted or received by the mobile computer.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the location of the room is used to determine a user context for an application on the mobile computer.

8. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

receiving, by a receiver, a notification related to an advertisement, wherein the notification is received based on the location.

9. A method comprising:

calculating, by a mobile computer, at least two dimensions of a room in a building based on at least one range measurement;

comparing, by a processor of the mobile computer, the at least two dimensions of the room to room layout information of the building;

determining, by the mobile computer based on the comparison, a location of the room within the building where the mobile computer is located; and

receiving a notification related to an advertisement, wherein the notification is received based on the location.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one range measurement of the room is based on any one of an ultrasound signal, light signal, a near visible light signal, or a laser signal transmitted or received by the mobile computer.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the location of the room is used to determine a user context for an application on the mobile computer.