Method of locating a mobile device and mobile device utilizing the same

• US 9,414,189 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2014
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Home Intelligence Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Athentek Incorporated
• Inventors: Chen, Chun-Nan
• Primary Examiner(s): TORRES, MARCOS L
• Application Number:
  US14/498,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20160007146A1
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

A method of locating a mobile device and the mobile device utilizing the same are provided. The method, adopted by a mobile device, includes: scanning for a first signal of a first signal source in a vicinity of a first location to obtain first signal source information; receiving a logging request to log the first location; and upon receiving the logging request, recording a first location identifier and the first signal source information in a location log, wherein the first location identifier represents the first location.

Claims

1. A method, adopted by a mobile device, comprising:

scanning radio frequency (RF) signals of at least one signal source in a vicinity of a first location to obtain first signal source information at a first time point, wherein the first signal source information comprises at least a type and a signal strength of at least one signal source;

receiving a logging request entered by a user of the mobile device to log information about the first location;

upon receiving the logging request, recording a first location identifier and the first signal source information in a location log to show that the first signal source information is associated with the first location identifier, wherein the first location identifier represents the first location;

scanning radio frequency signals to obtain second signal source information at a second time point, wherein the second signal source information comprises at least a type and a signal strength of at least one signal source;

comparing the second signal source information with the first signal source information in the location log; and

determining the first location identifier as a current location of the mobile device when the second signal source information is the same as the first signal source information in the location log; and

displaying the current location of the mobile device on a screen of the mobile device or displaying advertising on the screen of the mobile device based on the current location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal source comprises a wireless access point, the first signal source information further comprises an identifier and a media access control (MAC) address, and when the content of the second signal source information is the same as the part of content of the first signal source information in the location log, the first location identifier is determined as the current location of the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal source comprises a Bluetooth device, the first signal source information further comprises a Bluetooth identifier and a Bluetooth address, and when the content of the second signal source information is the same as the part of content of the first signal source information in the location log, the first location identifier is determined as the current location of the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal source comprises a small cell, the first signal source information further comprises a cell identifier, and when the content of the second signal source information is the same as the part of content of the first signal source information in the location log, the first location identifier is determined as the current location of the mobile device.

5. A mobile device, comprising:

a screen;

a scanning circuit, configured to scan RF signals of at least one signal source in a vicinity of a first location to obtain first signal source information at a first time point, wherein the first signal source information comprises at least a type and a signal strength of at least one signal source;

a logging circuit, configured to receive a logging request entered by a user of the mobile device to log information about the first location, and upon receiving the logging request, record a first location identifier and the first signal source information in a location log to show that the first signal source information is associated with the first location identifier, wherein the first location identifier represents the first location;

a memory, configured to store the location log; and

a location identification circuit,

wherein the scanning circuit scans RF signals to obtain second signal source information at a second time point, and the second signal source information comprises at least a type and a signal strength of at least one signal source, and the location identification circuit determines the first location identifier as a current location of the mobile device when the second signal source information is the same as the first signal source information in the location log; and

wherein the current location of the mobile device is displayed on the screen or advertising is displayed on the screen based on the current location.

6. The mobile device of claim 5, wherein the signal source comprises a wireless access point, the first signal source information further comprises an identifier and a media access control (MAC) address, and when the content of the second signal source information is the same as the part of content of the first signal source information in the location log, the first location identifier is determined as the current location of the mobile device.

7. The mobile device of claim 5, wherein the signal source comprises a Bluetooth device, the first signal source information further comprises a Bluetooth identifier and a Bluetooth address, and when the content of the second signal source information is the same as the part of content of the first signal source information in the location log, the first location identifier is determined as the current location of the mobile device.

8. The mobile device of claim 5, wherein the signal source comprises a small cell, the first signal source information further comprises a cell identifier, and when the content of the second signal source information is the same as the part of content of the first signal source information in the location log, the first location identifier is determined as the current location of the mobile device.