Location detection within identifiable pre-defined geographic areas

• US 9,113,291 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2013
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Venkatraman, Sai Pradeep, Garin, Lionel Jacques, Zhang, Gengsheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Jiang, Charles C
• Assistant Examiner(s): KAMARA, MOHAMED A
• Application Number:
  US13/787,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20130336138A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 370/316, 370/324, 370/350, 370/395.62, 370328-329, 370331-334, 370338-339, 370/341, 455/67.3, 455443-444, 455/446, 455448-450, 455/456, 455/464, 455/502, 455524-525
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/48 by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0258 by combining or switching between measurements derived from different systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0278 involving statistical or probabilistic considerations G01S5/0252, G01S5/0294 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Disclosed are systems, apparatus, devices, methods, computer program products, and other implementations, including a method that includes receiving signals at a mobile device from one or more access points, computing one or more positioning quality parameters by analyzing the received signals, and determining based, at least in part, on the computed one or more positioning quality parameters whether the mobile device is inside at least one of one or more areas respectively associated with the one or more access points.

Claims

1. A mobile device-implemented method comprising:

receiving signals at a mobile device from one or more access points;

computing one or more positioning quality parameters by analyzing the received signals, the one or more positioning quality parameters being indicative of respective error levels corresponding to respective one or more estimated positions of the mobile device;

determining based, at least in part, on the computed one or more positioning quality parameters whether the mobile device is located inside or outside at least one of one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more access points, wherein determining whether the mobile device is located inside or outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more access points comprises determining whether the mobile device is located inside or outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas based on a determination of whether the computed one or more positioning quality parameters, indicative of the respective error levels corresponding to the respective one or more estimated positions of the mobile device, exceed one or more pre-determined error thresholds; and

switching an operating mode of a positioning engine between a single-fix mode and a tracking mode based on determination of whether the mobile device is located inside or outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas, wherein switching the operating mode further comprises disabling transitions between the single-fix mode and the tracking mode based on;

one or more values for at least one historical positioning quality parameter for one or more previous fixes,

a determination of whether a difference between a first horizontal estimated position error (HEPE) value for a first time instance, preceding a current time, and a second HEPE value for a second time instance preceding the first time instance, is less than a pre-determined transitioning threshold,

or both.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more access points are associated with one or more location context identifiers (LCIs), and wherein determining based, at least in part, on the computed one or more positioning quality parameters whether the mobile device is located inside or outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more access points comprises:

determining based, at least in part, on the computed one or more positioning quality parameters whether the mobile device is located inside or outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more LCIs.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein computing the one or more positioning quality parameters comprises:

computing a current HEPE value associated with the received signals.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein computing the one or more positioning quality parameters comprises:

computing a variance between actual round trip times (RTTs) or ranges associated with the received signals and expected RTTs or ranges associated with the received signals.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein switching the operating mode of the positioning engine comprises:

operating the positioning engine in the single-fix mode when the mobile device is determined to be outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more access points.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein operating the positioning engine in the single-fix mode comprises:

determining a likely location of the mobile device based on a subset of available feasible nodes used to determine the likely location of the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a position fix, determined based on the received signals from the one or more access points, at the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein computing the one or more positioning quality parameters comprises computing a current HEPE value associated with the received signals, and wherein the method further comprises:

suspending display of the position fix when position of the mobile device is determined to be outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more access points and the computed current HEPE value is above a HEPE-Display threshold.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining based, at least in part, on the computed one or more positioning quality parameters whether the mobile device is located inside or outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more access points comprises:

defining a first bounding area using boundaries of the one or more areas respectively associated with the one or more access points, the first bounding associated with a first access point;

defining a second bounding area that extends from the first bounding area by a predetermined distance, the second bounding area encompassing the first bounding area;

determining whether the mobile device is positioned within the first bounding area; and

when the mobile device is positioned outside the first bounding area, determining whether the mobile device is positioned within the second bounding area.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein computing the one or more positioning quality parameters comprises:

computing at least one received signal strength indication (RSSI) for at least one of the received signals;

and wherein determining based, at least in part, on the computed one or more positioning quality parameters whether the mobile device is located inside or outside the at least one of one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more access points comprises comparing the computed at least one RSSI to a pre-determined RSSI threshold.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying on the mobile device a first map of a first area in response to a determination that the mobile device is inside the first area; and

displaying a second map of a second area on the mobile device in response to a determination that the mobile device moved outside the first area and inside the second area.

12. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory, coupled to the at least one processor, the memory comprising software code for implementing;

a positioning receiver coupled to a mobile device and configured to receive signals from one or more access points;

a signal analysis module configured to compute one or more positioning quality parameters by analyzing the received signals, the one or more positioning quality parameters being indicative of respective error levels corresponding to respective one or more estimated positions of the mobile device;

a detector configured to determine based, at least in part, on the computed one or more positioning quality parameters whether the mobile device is located inside or outside at least one of one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more access points, wherein the detector configured to determine whether the mobile device is located inside or outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more access points is configured to determine whether the mobile device is located inside or outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas based on a determination of whether the computed one or more positioning quality parameters, indicative of the respective error levels corresponding to the respective one or more estimated positions of the mobile device, exceed one or more pre-determined error thresholds; and

a controller to switch an operating mode of a positioning engine between a single-fix mode and a tracking mode based on determination of whether the mobile device is located inside or outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas, wherein the controller configured to switch the operating mode is configured to disable transitions between the single-fix mode and the tracking mode based on;

one or more values for at least one historical positioning quality parameter for one or more previous fixes,

a determination of whether a difference between a first horizontal estimated position error (HEPE) value for a first time instance, preceding a current time, and a second HEPE value for a second time instance preceding the first time instance, is less than a pre-determined transitioning threshold,

or both.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the one or more access points are associated with one or more location context identifiers (LCIs), and wherein the detector configured to determine based, at least in part, on the computed one or more positioning quality parameters whether the mobile device is located inside or outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more access points is configured to:

determine based, at least in part, on the computed one or more positioning quality parameters whether the mobile device is located inside or outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more LCIs.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the signal analysis module configured to compute the one or more positioning quality parameters is configured to:

compute a current HEPE value associated with the received signals.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the signal analysis module configured to compute the one or more positioning quality parameters is configured to:

compute a variance between actual round trip times (RTTs) or ranges associated with the received signals and expected RTTs or ranges associated with the received signals.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller to switch the operating mode of the positioning engine is configured to:

operate the positioning engine in the single-fix mode when the mobile device is determined to be outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more access points.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the controller configured to operate the positioning engine in the single-fix mode is configured to:

determine a likely location of the mobile device based on a subset of available feasible nodes used to determine the likely location of the mobile device.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

a display device, at the mobile device, configured to display a position fix, determined based on the received signals from the one or more access points.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the signal analysis module configured to compute the one or more positioning quality parameters is configured to compute current HEPE value associated with the received signals, and wherein the display device is further configured to:

suspend display of the position fix when position of the mobile device is determined to be outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more access points, and the computed current HEPE value is above a HEPE-Display threshold.

20. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the detector configured to determine based, at least in part, on the computed one or more positioning quality parameters whether the mobile device is located inside or outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more access points is configured to:

define a first bounding area using boundaries of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more access points;

define a second bounding area that extends from the first bounding area by a predetermined distance;

determine whether the mobile device is positioned within the first bounding area; and

when the mobile device is positioned outside the first bounding area, determine whether the mobile device is positioned within the second bounding area.

21. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the signal analysis module configured to compute the one or more positioning quality parameters is configured to:

compute at least one received signal strength indication (RSSI) for at least one of the received signals;

and wherein the detector configured to determine based, at least in part, on the computed one or more positioning quality parameters whether the mobile device is located inside or outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more access points is configured to compare the computed at least one RSSI to a pre-determined RSSI threshold.

22. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

a display device configured to;

display on the mobile device a first map of a first area in response to a determination that the mobile device is inside the first area; and

display a second map of a second area on the mobile device in response to a determination that the mobile device moved outside the first area and inside the second area.

23. A system comprising:

means for receiving signals at a mobile device from one or more access points;

means for determining based, at least in part, on computed one or more positioning quality parameters whether the mobile device is located inside or outside at least one of one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more access points, wherein the one or more positioning quality parameters are indicative of respective error levels corresponding to respective one or more estimated positions of the mobile device, wherein the means for determining whether the mobile device is located inside or outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more access points is configured to determine whether the mobile device is located inside or outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas based on a determination of whether the computed one or more positioning quality parameters, indicative of the respective error levels corresponding to the respective one or more estimated positions of the mobile device, exceed one or more pre-determined error thresholds; and

means for switching an operating mode of a positioning engine between a single-fix mode and a tracking mode based on determination of whether the mobile device is located inside or outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas, wherein the means for switching the operating mode comprises means for disabling transitions between the single-fix mode and the tracking mode based on;

one or more values for at least one historical positioning quality parameter for one or more previous fixes,

a determination of whether a difference between a first horizontal estimated position error (HEPE) value for a first time instance, preceding a current time, and a second HEPE value for a second time instance preceding the first time instance, is less than a pre-determined transitioning threshold,

or both.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the one or more access points are associated with one or more location context identifiers (LCIs), and wherein the means for determining based, at least in part, on the computed one or more positioning quality parameters whether the mobile device is located inside or outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more access points comprises:

means for determining based, at least in part, on the computed one or more positioning quality parameters whether the mobile device is located inside or outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more LCIs.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the one or more positioning quality parameters

comprise a current HEPE value associated with the received signals.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the one or more positioning quality parameters comprise a variance between actual round trip times (RTTs) or ranges associated with the received signals and expected RTTs or ranges associated with the received signals.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the means for switching the operating mode of the positioning engine comprises:

means for operating the positioning engine in the single-fix mode when the mobile device is determined to be outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more access points.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the means for operating the positioning engine in the single-fix mode comprises:

means for determining a likely location of the mobile device based on a subset of available feasible nodes used to determine the likely location of the mobile device.

29. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

means for displaying a position fix, determined based on the received signals from the one or more access points, at the mobile device.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the one or more positioning quality parameters comprise current HEPE value associated with the received signals, and wherein the system further comprises:

means for suspending display of the position fix when position of the mobile device is determined to be outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more access points and the computed current HEPE value is above a HEPE-Display threshold.

31. The system of claim 23, wherein the means for determining based, at least in part, on the computed one or more positioning quality parameters whether the mobile device is located inside or outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more access points comprises is configured to:

define a first bounding area using boundaries of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more access points;

define a second bounding area that extends from the first bounding area by a predetermined distance;

determine whether the mobile device is positioned within the first bounding area; and

determine whether the mobile device is positioned within the second bounding area when the mobile device is positioned outside the first bounding area.

32. The system of claim 23, wherein the one or more positioning quality parameters

comprise at least one received signal strength indication (RSSI) for at least one of the received signals;

and wherein the means for determining based, at least in part, on the computed one or more positioning quality parameters whether the mobile device is located inside or outside the at least one of one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more access points is configured to compare the computed at least one RSSI to a pre-determined RSSI threshold.

33. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

means for displaying on the mobile device a first map of a first area in response to a determination that the mobile device is inside the first area; and

means for displaying a second map of a second area on the mobile device in response to a determination that the mobile device moved outside the first area and inside the second area.

34. A non-transitory processor readable media programmed with a set of instructions executable on a processor that, when executed, causes operations comprising:

receiving signals at a mobile device from one or more access points;

computing one or more positioning quality parameters by analyzing the received signals, the one or more positioning quality parameters being indicative of respective error levels corresponding to respective one or more estimated positions of the mobile device;

determining based, at least in part, on the computed one or more positioning quality parameters whether the mobile device is located inside or outside at least one of one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more access points, wherein determining whether the mobile device is located inside or outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more access points comprises determining whether the mobile device is located inside or outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas based on a determination of whether the computed one or more positioning quality parameters, indicative of the respective error levels corresponding to the respective one or more estimated positions of the mobile device, exceed one or more pre-determined error thresholds; and

switching an operating mode of a positioning engine between a single-fix mode and a tracking mode based on determination of whether the mobile device is located inside or outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas, wherein switching the operating mode comprises disabling transitions between the single-fix mode and the tracking mode based on;

one or more values for at least one historical positioning quality parameter for one or more previous fixes,

a determination of whether a difference between a first horizontal estimated position error (HEPE) value for a first time instance, preceding a current time, and a second HEPE value for a second time instance preceding the first time instance, is less than a pre-determined transitioning threshold,

or both.

35. The processor readable media of claim 34, wherein the one or more access points are associated with one or more location context identifiers (LCIs), and wherein determining based, at least in part, on the computed one or more positioning quality parameters whether the mobile device is located inside or outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more access points comprises:

determining based, at least in part, on the computed one or more positioning quality parameters whether the mobile device is located inside or outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more LCIs.

36. The processor readable media of claim 34, wherein computing the one or more positioning quality parameters comprises:

computing a current HEPE value associated with the received signals.

37. The processor readable media of claim 34, wherein computing the one or more positioning quality parameters comprises:

computing a variance between actual round trip times (RTTs) or ranges associated with the received signals and expected RTTs or ranges associated with the received signals.

38. The processor readable media of claim 34, wherein switching the operating mode of the positioning engine comprises:

operating the positioning engine in the single-fix mode when the mobile device is determined to be outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more access points.

39. The processor readable media of claim 38, wherein operating the positioning engine in the single-fix mode comprises:

determining a likely location of the mobile device based on a subset of available feasible nodes used to determine the likely location of the mobile device.

40. The processor readable media of claim 34, wherein the set of instructions causes further operations comprising:

displaying a position fix, determined based on the received signals from the one or more access points, at the mobile device.

41. The processor readable media of claim 40, wherein computing the one or more positioning quality parameters comprises computing a current HEPE value associated with the received signals, and wherein the method further comprises:

suspending display of the position fix when position of the mobile device is determined to be outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more access points and the computed current HEPE value is above a HEPE-Display threshold.

42. The processor readable media of claim 34, wherein determining based, at least in part, on the computed one or more positioning quality parameters whether the mobile device is located inside or outside the at least one of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more access points comprises:

defining a first bounding area using boundaries of the one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more access points;

defining a second bounding area that extends from the first bounding area by a predetermined distance;

determining whether the mobile device is positioned within the first bounding area; and

when the mobile device is positioned outside the first bounding area, determining whether the mobile device is positioned within the second bounding area.

43. The processor readable media of claim 34, wherein computing the one or more positioning quality parameters comprises:

computing at least one received signal strength indication (RSSI) for at least one of the received signals;

and wherein determining based, at least in part, on the computed one or more positioning quality parameters whether the mobile device is located inside or outside the at least one of one or more pre-defined geographic areas respectively associated with the one or more access points comprises comparing the computed at least one RSSI to a pre-determined RSSI threshold.

44. The processor readable media of claim 34, wherein the set of instructions causes further operations comprising:

displaying on the mobile device a first map of a first area in response to a determination that the mobile device is inside the first area; and

displaying a second map of a second area on the mobile device in response to a determination that the mobile device moved outside the first area and inside the second area.