Methods and apparatus relating to the use of real and/or virtual beacons
First Claim
1. A communications device, comprising:
- memory including stored beacon transmitter information, said beacon transmitter information including for a first beacon signal, information indicating;
i) a location of a first beacon transmitter which transmits the first beacon signal, ii) a transmit power level of the first beacon signal; and
iii) information communicated by the first beacon signal; and
a processor configured to;
determine, based on a location of a wireless terminal and the location of said first beacon transmitter, a beacon signal to be reported, said beacon signal to be reported being a beacon signal which would be received by the wireless terminal if the beacon signal to be reported were transmitted in accordance with the stored beacon transmitter information; and
communicate a message indicating reception of the beacon signal to be reported to the wireless terminal or a component in said wireless terminal which acts upon information indicating the receipt of one or more beacon signals.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus relating to use of actual and/or virtual beacons are described. Virtual beacons are virtual in that an actual beacon need not be transmitted but a rather a virtual beacon transmitter at a desired location maybe considered to transmit virtual beacons. In some embodiments a set of beacon transmitter information for one or more beacons is supplied to devices in a communications system. The beacon transmitter information indicates transmission power and location of actual and virtual beacon transmitters as well as information to be communicated by virtual beacons. Devices with access to beacon information can determine based on the location of a wireless terminal whether the wireless terminal is within coverage area of a virtual beacon and report reception of the virtual beacon to the wireless terminal or a component of the wireless terminal which acts upon receiving an indication of beacon reception.
68 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A communications device, comprising:
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memory including stored beacon transmitter information, said beacon transmitter information including for a first beacon signal, information indicating;
i) a location of a first beacon transmitter which transmits the first beacon signal, ii) a transmit power level of the first beacon signal; and
iii) information communicated by the first beacon signal; anda processor configured to; determine, based on a location of a wireless terminal and the location of said first beacon transmitter, a beacon signal to be reported, said beacon signal to be reported being a beacon signal which would be received by the wireless terminal if the beacon signal to be reported were transmitted in accordance with the stored beacon transmitter information; and communicate a message indicating reception of the beacon signal to be reported to the wireless terminal or a component in said wireless terminal which acts upon information indicating the receipt of one or more beacon signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of operating a communications device, the method comprising:
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storing beacon transmitter information, said beacon transmitter information including for a first beacon signal, information indicating;
i) a location of a first beacon transmitter which transmits the first beacon signal, ii) a transmit power level of the first beacon signal; and
iii) information communicated by the first beacon signal;determining, based on a location of a wireless terminal and the location of said first beacon transmitter, a beacon signal to be reported, said beacon signal to be reported being a beacon signal which would be received by the wireless terminal if the beacon signal to be reported were transmitted in accordance with the stored beacon transmitter information; and communicating a message indicating reception of the beacon signal to be reported to the wireless terminal or a component in said wireless terminal which acts upon information indicating the receipt of one or more beacon signals. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A non-transitory computer readable medium for use in a communications device, said non-transitory computer readable medium including processor executable instructions which when executed by at least one processor cause said communications device to:
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store beacon transmitter information, said beacon transmitter information including for a first beacon signal, information indicating;
i) a location of a first beacon transmitter which transmits the first beacon signal, ii) a transmit power level of the first beacon signal; and
iii) information communicated by the first beacon signal;determine, based on a location of a wireless terminal and the location of said first beacon transmitter, a beacon signal to be reported, said beacon signal to be reported being a beacon signal which would be received by the wireless terminal if the beacon signal to be reported were transmitted in accordance with the stored beacon transmitter information; and communicate a message indicating reception of the beacon signal to be reported to the wireless terminal or a component in said wireless terminal which acts upon information indicating the receipt of one or more beacon signals.
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Specification