Automatically generating and maintaining a floor plan

• US 9,307,368 B1
• Filed: 05/14/2013
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Bartlett, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Brandt, Christopher M
• Application Number:
  US13/893,680
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/457
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02525 Gathering the radio frequency fingerprints
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Systems and techniques for automatically obtaining data indicating the locations of wireless devices and physical objects within a region are provided. An autonomous mobile platform may survey a region with a wireless signal strength sensor and/or a physical environment sensor. The signal strength data and the spatial data are used to generate a map that indicates the locations of wireless devices within a region such as a home or office. The map may be automatically generated and/or updated in the course of other operations performed by an autonomous mobile platform.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

surveying a region by a region mapping platform configured to navigate the region, the platform having at least one wireless signal strength sensor and a physical environment sensor;

wherein the region mapping platform comprises no more than a single device configured to navigate the region autonomous from human assistance based on spatial data obtained from the physical environment sensor;

obtaining signal strength data from the wireless signal strength sensor for a wireless device in the region;

obtaining spatial data from the physical environment sensor for the region; and

providing the signal strength data and the spatial data to a central automation system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal strength data comprises a plurality of received signal strength indicator values.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal strength data comprises a signal strength vector indicating a direction and strength of a received signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of obtaining signal strength data comprises receiving a message from the wireless device that includes the signal strength data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of obtaining signal strength data comprises obtaining signal strength data from a wireless message transmitted according to a wireless protocol in use by the wireless device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a map from a home automation system, where the map indicates the location of the wireless device in the region.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the map is a topographical map.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the map is a listing of wireless devices organized by regions.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal strength data further comprises a wireless device identifier.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the central automation system is a home automation system.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to surveying the region, receiving a map of a region comprising an indicator of a physical object in a first location;

determining, based on the spatial data, that the physical object is no longer in the first location; and

updating the map to remove the indicator from the first location.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a physical object in the region based on the spatial data;

generating a map of the region based on the signal strength data and the spatial data,

wherein the map comprises an indicator of a location of signal strength and an indicator of a location of the object.

13. A method comprising:

receiving first spatial data of a region from a first region mapping platform configured to navigate the region;

wherein the region mapping platform comprises no more than a single device configured to navigate the region autonomous from human assistance based on spatial data obtained from a physical environment sensor;

receiving first signal strength data for a wireless device in the region;

determining a location of the wireless device based on the signal strength data; and

generating a map of the region based upon the first spatial data and the location of the wireless device, the map indicating the location of the wireless device in the region.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising updating the map to reflect differential map data.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising updating the map to reflect differential location data.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the location data includes signal strength data.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving second spatial data of the region from a second region mapping platform; and

generating the map of the region further based upon the second spatial data.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of receiving the first signal strength data further comprises receiving the first signal strength data from the first region mapping platform.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving second signal strength data for the wireless device from a second region mapping platform; and

determining the location of the wireless device further based upon the second signal strength data.

20. A system comprising:

a region mapping platform configured to navigate a region, said region mapping platform comprising;

a wireless signal strength sensor configured to obtain signal strength data;

a physical environment sensor configured to obtain spatial data;

a wireless network antenna; and

a processor configured to communicate the signal strength data and the spatial data via the wireless network antenna to a central automation system

wherein the region mapping platform comprises no more than a single device configured to navigate the region autonomous from human assistance based on spatial data obtained from the physical environment sensor.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the wireless signal strength sensor comprises a directional antenna.

22. The system of claim 20, further comprising a multi-purpose sensor that comprises the wireless signal strength sensor and the physical environment sensor.

23. The system of claim 20, further comprising a server configured to receive the signal strength data and the spatial data and to generate a map based upon the received data.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the map indicates the location of a wireless device in a region surveyed by the region mapping platform.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the map comprises a topographical map.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the map comprises a listing of wireless devices organized by location within the region.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the signal strength data further comprises a wireless device identifier.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein the physical environment sensor is configured to obtain orientation data.

29. The system of claim 20, wherein the signal strength data is obtained from a message received from the wireless device that includes the signal strength data.

30. The system of claim 20, wherein the signal strength data comprises signal strength data obtained from a wireless message transmitted according to a wireless protocol in use by the wireless device.

31. The system of claim 20, wherein the central automation system is a home automation system.