Locating a mobile computing device in an indoor environment
First Claim
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1. A method, comprising:
- receiving data pertaining to a mobile computing device that comprises an inertial sensor, the data comprising;
an initial reading from the inertial sensor in the mobile computing device, the initial reading obtained when the mobile computing device is at an initial location in an indoor environment, wherein the initial location is unknown; and
a plurality of readings from the inertial sensor, the plurality of readings obtained subsequent in time from when the initial reading was obtained, the plurality of readings from the inertial sensor obtained over a range of time as the mobile computing device transits along a path in the indoor environment beginning at the initial location; and
inferring at least one location along the path of the mobile computing device in the indoor environment based at least in part upon the initial reading and the plurality of readings, wherein inferring of the at least one location of the mobile computing device in the indoor environment comprises inferring a length of a stride of a user of the mobile computing device based upon the initial reading and the plurality of readings.
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Abstract
Inferring location of a mobile computing device in an indoor environment and crowdsourcing radio frequency data are described herein. A location of the mobile computing device in the indoor environment is inferred based upon known physical constraints of the indoor environment and data from an inertial sensor of the mobile computing device, wherein an initial location in the indoor environment of the mobile computing device is unknown, a heading offset of the mobile computing device is arbitrary, and wherein a placement of the mobile computing device on a user is arbitrary.
22 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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receiving data pertaining to a mobile computing device that comprises an inertial sensor, the data comprising; an initial reading from the inertial sensor in the mobile computing device, the initial reading obtained when the mobile computing device is at an initial location in an indoor environment, wherein the initial location is unknown; and a plurality of readings from the inertial sensor, the plurality of readings obtained subsequent in time from when the initial reading was obtained, the plurality of readings from the inertial sensor obtained over a range of time as the mobile computing device transits along a path in the indoor environment beginning at the initial location; and inferring at least one location along the path of the mobile computing device in the indoor environment based at least in part upon the initial reading and the plurality of readings, wherein inferring of the at least one location of the mobile computing device in the indoor environment comprises inferring a length of a stride of a user of the mobile computing device based upon the initial reading and the plurality of readings. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system, comprising:
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a processor; and memory that comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform acts comprising; receiving data generated by at least one inertial sensor in a mobile computing device, the mobile computing device residing in an indoor environment, and wherein the data comprises; first data generated by the at least one inertial sensor when the mobile computing device is at an initial unknown location in the indoor environment, the initial unknown location being an arbitrary location in the indoor environment, and wherein the initial unknown location is indeterminable based solely upon the first data; and second data generated by the at least one inertial sensor subsequent to the mobile computing device being at the initial unknown location in the indoor environment, the second data generated by the at least one inertial sensor during transit of the mobile computing device from the initial unknown location along a path; estimating a length of a stride of a user of the mobile computing device based upon the second data generated by the at least one inertial sensor; and inferring a geographic location of the initial unknown location of the mobile computing device in the indoor environment based at least in part upon the first data and the estimated length of the stride of the user. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 19, 20)
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18. A computer-readable data storage device comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform acts comprising:
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receiving a first reading from an inertial sensor in a mobile computing device when the mobile computing device is at an initial unknown location in an indoor environment, the initial unknown location being an arbitrary location in the indoor environment, and wherein the initial, unknown location is indeterminable based solely upon the first reading; receiving a plurality of readings from the inertial sensor in the mobile computing device when the mobile computing device is transiting in the indoor environment, the plurality of readings obtained from inertial sensor subsequent to the first reading being obtained from the inertial sensor; jointly inferring a length of a stride of a user of the mobile computing device, a heading offset of the mobile computing device, and a current location of the mobile computing device based at least in part upon the first reading, the plurality of readings, and known physical constraints of the indoor environment, wherein the heading offset is an orientation of the mobile computing device relative to a direction of travel of the mobile computing device; inferring a path of the mobile computing device in the indoor environment from the initial unknown location to a destination location based at least in part upon the jointly inferring of the stride length, the heading offset, and the current location; receiving signal strengths observed at the mobile computing device from signals received from at least one wireless access point, the signal strengths corresponding in time to when the mobile computing device is transiting in the indoor environment; and assigning at least one signal strength to at least one location along the path of the mobile computing device based at least in part upon the inferring of the path of the mobile computing device in the indoor environment.
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Specification