Method and apparatus for transmitting indoor context information

• US 9,143,899 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2013
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Gupta, Rajarshi, Wachter, Andreas Klaus
• Primary Examiner(s): Elhag, Magdi
• Application Number:
  US13/957,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20130317778A1
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.4, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/457
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/00 Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0036 of measured values, i.e. measurement on mobile and position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0045 Transmission from base station to mobile station G01S5/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• 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 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• 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: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a system and method for determining indoor context information relating to a location of a mobile device. Indoor context information may be utilized by a mobile device or a network element to obtain an estimate of a location of the mobile device within an indoor environment.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining information relating to a location of a mobile device based at least in part on one or more signals received by the mobile device;

transmitting, by the mobile device, the information relating to the location of the mobile device to one or more first network elements;

receiving from one or more second network elements, by the mobile device, indoor context information for an indoor environment based at least in part on the information relating to the location of the mobile device, wherein the indoor context information comprises information identifying a position of one or more first wireless access points within the indoor environment;

receiving signals from one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information;

sending, from the mobile device, information associated with the one or more second wireless access points to the one or more second network elements, the information associated with the one or more second wireless access points being based on the signals from the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information;

receiving, at the mobile device, updated indoor context information from the one or more second network elements, the updated indoor context information comprising information associated with the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information; and

obtaining an estimate of the location of the mobile device based at least in part on the information relating to the location of the mobile device and the updated indoor context information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

estimating a distance from the mobile device to each of the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information,

wherein sending the information associated with the one or more second wireless access points to the one or more second network elements comprises sending the distance from the mobile device to each of the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information to the one or more second network elements.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

measuring a receive signal strength (RSSI) of the signals from each of the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information,

wherein sending the information associated with the one or more second wireless access points to the one or more second network elements comprises sending the RSSI of the signals from each of the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information to the one or more second network elements.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a probe request signal to each of the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information;

receiving an acknowledgement to the probe request signal from each of the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information; and

estimating a range between each of the one or more second wireless access points and the mobile device,

wherein sending the information associated with the one or more second wireless access points to the one or more second network elements comprises sending the range between each of the one or more second wireless access points and the mobile device to the one or more second network elements.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the signals from the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information comprise beacon signals, the method further comprising:

estimating a range between each of the one or more second wireless access points and the mobile device based on a transmit time and an arrival time at the mobile device of a respective beacon signal associated with the respective wireless access point,

wherein sending the information associated with the one or more second wireless access points to the one or more second network elements comprises sending the range between each of the one or more second wireless access points and the mobile device to the one or more second network elements.

6. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor configured to determine information relating to a location of a mobile device based at least in part on one or more signals received by the mobile device;

memory;

a transmitter configured to send the information relating to the location of the mobile device to one or more first network elements;

a receiver configured to;

receive, from one or more second network elements, indoor context information for an indoor environment based at least in part on the information relating to the location of the mobile device, wherein the indoor context information comprises information identifying a position of one or more first wireless access points within the indoor environment; and

receive signals from one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information;

the transmitter further configured to send information associated with the one or more second wireless access points to the one or more second network elements, the information associated with the one or more second wireless access points being based on the signals from the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information;

the receiver further configured to receive updated indoor context information from the one or more second network elements, the updated indoor context information comprising information associated with the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information; and

the processor further configured to determine an estimate of the location of the mobile device based at least in part on the information relating to the location of the mobile device and the updated indoor context information.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the processor is further configured to estimate a distance from the mobile device to each of the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information;

and wherein the transmitter is further configured to send the distance from the mobile device to each of the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information to the one or more second network elements.

8. The apparatus of claim 6:

wherein the receiver is further configured to measure a receive signal strength (RSSI) of the signals from each of the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information; and

wherein the transmitter is further configured to send the RSSI of the signals from each of the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information to the one or more second network elements.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein:

the transmitter is further configured to transmit a probe request signal to each of the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information;

the receiver is further configured to receive an acknowledgement to the probe request signal from each of the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information;

the processor is further configured to estimate a range between each of the one or more second wireless access points and the mobile device; and

the transmitter is further configured to send the range between each of the one or more second wireless access points and the mobile device to the one or more second network elements.

10. The apparatus of claim 6:

wherein the signals from the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information comprise beacon signals;

wherein the processor is further configured to estimate a range between each of the one or more second wireless access points and the mobile device based on a transmit time and an arrival time at the mobile device of a respective beacon signal associated with the respective wireless access point; and

wherein the transmitter is configured to send the range between each of the one or more second wireless access points and the mobile device to the one or more second network elements.

11. An apparatus comprising:

means for determining information relating to a location of a mobile device based at least in part on one or more signals received by the mobile device;

means for transmitting the information relating to the location of the mobile device to one or more first network elements;

means for receiving, from one or more second network elements, indoor context information for an indoor environment based at least in part on the information relating to the location of the mobile device, wherein the indoor context information comprises information identifying a position of one or more first wireless access points within the indoor environment;

means for receiving signals from one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information;

means for sending information associated with the one or more second wireless access points to the one or more second network elements, the information associated with the one or more second wireless access points being based on the signals from the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information;

means for receiving updated indoor context information from the one or more second network elements, the updated indoor context information comprising information associated with the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information; and

means for obtaining an estimate of the location of the mobile device based at least in part on the information relating to the location of the mobile device and the updated indoor context information.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

means for estimating a distance from the mobile device to each of the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information,

wherein the means for sending the information associated with the one or more second wireless access points to the one or more second network elements comprises means for sending the distance from the mobile device to each of the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information to the one or more second network elements.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

means for measuring a receive signal strength (RSSI) of the signals from each of the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information,

wherein the means for sending the information associated with the one or more second wireless access points to the one or more second network elements comprises means for sending the RSSI of the signals from each of the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information to the one or more second network elements.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

means for transmitting a probe request signal to each of the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information;

means for receiving an acknowledgement to the probe request signal from each of the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information; and

means for estimating a range between each of the one or more second wireless access points and the mobile device,

wherein the means for sending the information associated with the one or more second wireless access points to the one or more second network elements comprises means for sending the range between each of the one or more second wireless access points and the mobile device to the one or more second network elements.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the signals from the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information comprise beacon signals, the apparatus further comprising:

means for estimating a range between each of the one or more second wireless access points and the mobile device based on a transmit time and an arrival time at the mobile device of a respective beacon signal associated with the respective wireless access point,

wherein the means for sending the information associated with the one or more second wireless access points to the one or more second network elements comprises means for sending the range between each of the one or more second wireless access points and the mobile device to the one or more second network elements.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, having stored thereon computer readable instructions, the instructions configured to cause a computer to:

determine information relating to a location of a mobile device based at least in part on one or more signals received by the mobile device;

transmit the information relating to the location of the mobile device to one or more first network elements;

receive, from one or more second network elements, indoor context information for an indoor environment based at least in part on the information relating to the location of the mobile device, wherein the indoor context information comprises information identifying a position of one or more first wireless access points within the indoor environment;

receive signals from one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information;

send, from the mobile device, information associated with the one or more second wireless access points to the one or more second network elements, the information associated with the one or more second wireless access points being based on the signals from the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information;

receive updated indoor context information from the one or more second network elements, the updated indoor context information comprising information associated with the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information; and

obtain an estimate of the location of the mobile device based at least in part on the information relating to the location of the mobile device and the updated indoor context information.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising instructions configured to cause the computer to:

estimate a distance from the mobile device to each of the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information,

wherein the instructions configured to cause the computer to send the information associated with the one or more second wireless access points to the one or more second network elements comprise instructions configured to cause the computer to send the distance from the mobile device to each of the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information to the one or more second network elements.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising instructions configured to cause the computer to:

measure a receive signal strength (RSSI) of the signals from each of the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information,

wherein the instructions configured to cause the computer to send the information associated with the one or more second wireless access points to the one or more second network elements comprise instructions configured to cause the computer to send the RSSI of the signals from each of the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information to the one or more second network elements.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising instructions configured to cause the computer to:

transmit a probe request signal to each of the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information;

receive an acknowledgement to the probe request signal from each of the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information; and

estimate a range between each of the one or more second wireless access points and the mobile device,

wherein the instructions configured to cause the computer to send the information associated with the one or more second wireless access points to the one or more second network elements comprises instructions configured to cause the computer to send the range between each of the one or more second wireless access points and the mobile device to the one or more second network elements.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 wherein the signals from the one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information comprise beacon signals, and further comprising instructions configured to cause the computer to:

estimate a range between each of the one or more second wireless access points and the mobile device based on a transmit time and an arrival time at the mobile device of a respective beacon signal associated with the respective wireless access point,

wherein the instructions configured to cause the computer to sending the information associated with the one or more second wireless access points to the one or more second network elements comprise instructions configured to cause the computer to send the range between each of the one or more second wireless access points and the mobile device to the one or more second network elements.

21. A method comprising:

receiving, by a network element, information relating to a location of one or more mobile devices within an indoor environment;

selecting information relating to indoor context information for the indoor environment based at least in part on the location of the one or more mobile devices within the indoor environment, the information relating to the indoor context information comprising information identifying a position of one or more first wireless access points within the indoor environment;

sending, by the network element, the information relating to the indoor context information for the indoor environment;

receiving, by the network element, from the one or more mobile devices, information associated with one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information;

generating updated indoor context information by updating the information relating to the indoor context information to include the information associated with the one or more second wireless access points; and

sending the updated indoor context information to the one or more mobile devices from the network element.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

sending the updated indoor context information to a second mobile device from the network element.

23. An apparatus, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive information relating to a location of one or more mobile devices within an indoor environment;

a processor configured to select information relating to indoor context information for the indoor environment based at least in part on the location of the one or more mobile devices within the indoor environment, the information relating to the indoor context information comprising information identifying a position of one or more first wireless access points within the indoor environment;

a transmitter configured to send the information relating to the indoor context information for the indoor environment;

the receiver further configured to receive from the one or more mobile devices, information associated with one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information;

the processor further configured to generate updated indoor context information by updating the information relating to the indoor context information to include the information associated with the one or more second wireless access points; and

the transmitter further configured send the updated indoor context information to the one or more mobile devices.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the transmitter is further configured to:

send the updated indoor context information to a second mobile device from the network element.

25. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving information relating to a location of one or more mobile devices within an indoor environment;

means for selecting information relating to indoor context information for the indoor environment based at least in part on the location of the one or more mobile devices within the indoor environment, the information relating to the indoor context information comprising information identifying a position of one or more first wireless access points within the indoor environment;

means for sending the information relating to the indoor context information for the indoor environment;

means for receiving from the one or more mobile devices, information associated with one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information;

means for generating updated indoor context information by updating the information relating to the indoor context information to include the information associated with the one or more second wireless access points; and

means for sending the updated indoor context information to the one or more mobile devices.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

means for sending the updated indoor context information to a second mobile device.

27. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, having stored thereon computer readable instructions, configured to cause a computer to:

receive information relating to a location of one or more mobile devices within an indoor environment;

select information relating to indoor context information for the indoor environment based at least in part on the location of the one or more mobile devices within the indoor environment, the information relating to the indoor context information comprising information identifying a position of one or more first wireless access points within the indoor environment;

send the information relating to the indoor context information for the indoor environment;

receive from the one or more mobile devices, information associated with one or more second wireless access points not included with the indoor context information;

generate updated indoor context information by updating the information relating to the indoor context information to include the information associated with the one or more second wireless access points; and

send the updated indoor context information to the one or more mobile devices from the network element.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 27, further comprising instructions configured to cause the computer to:

send the updated indoor context information to a second mobile device from the network element.