Methods, systems, and products for location determination

• US 9,439,045 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2014
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kingsmill, Kirk, Johnston, Robert, Russell, Jeffery
• Primary Examiner(s): Ghulamali, Qutbuddin
• Application Number:
  US14/526,556
• Publication Number:
  US 20160127874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• 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 4/30 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 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Location may be determined based on electrical outlets in a home or business. One or more of the electrical outlets may wirelessly communicate with a mobile device, thus updating a database with the location of the mobile device. As the mobile device moves within the home or business, a current location of the mobile device may be continually logged by passing one of the electrical outlets. Rules and operations may then be performed, based on the current location.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a processor, outlet messages sent from electrical outlets of an electrical distribution system, each one of the outlet messages comprising a device identifier and an outlet identifier, the device identifier associated with a mobile device communicating with a transceiver in a corresponding one of the electrical outlets, and the outlet identifier uniquely identifying the transceiver in the corresponding one of the electrical outlets; and

adding, by the processor, an entry to an electronic database of locations associated with the mobile device, the electronic database of locations having entries that log the outlet identifier as an indoor location associated with the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising time stamping each one of the outlet messages.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising activating a luminaire associated with the outlet identifier represented by a latest time stamp.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising deactivating the luminaire after an expiration of time.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising triangulating the current location associated with the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising triangulating the indoor location associated with the mobile device based on the outlet messages received from different ones of the electrical outlets.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising activating an electronic lock associated with the indoor location of the mobile device.

8. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that when executed causes the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

receiving an outlet message sent from a transceiver in an electrical outlet in an electrical system, the outlet message comprising a device identifier and an outlet identifier, the device identifier associated with a mobile device communicating with the transceiver in the electrical outlet, and the outlet identifier uniquely identifying the transceiver in the electrical outlet; and

storing the outlet identifier in an electronic database of locations associated with the mobile device, the electronic database of locations having entries that log the outlet identifier as an indoor location of the mobile device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise time stamping the outlet message.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise activating a luminaire associated with the outlet identifier.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise deactivating the luminaire after an expiration of a time.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise triangulating the indoor location of the mobile device.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise triangulating the indoor location of the mobile device based on outlet messages received from different electrical outlets.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise activating an electronic lock associated with the indoor location of the mobile device.

15. A memory device storing instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving an outlet message sent from a transceiver in an electrical outlet installed in a wall, the electrical outlet connected to conductors of an electrical system, the outlet message comprising a device identifier and an outlet identifier, the device identifier associated with a mobile device communicating with the transceiver in the electrical outlet installed in the wall, and the outlet identifier uniquely identifying the transceiver in the electrical outlet installed in the wall; and

storing the outlet identifier in an electronic database of locations associated with the mobile device, the electronic database of locations having entries that log the outlet identifier as an indoor location of the mobile device.

16. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise time stamping the outlet message.

17. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise activating a luminaire associated with the indoor location of the mobile device.

18. The memory device of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise deactivating the luminaire after an expiration of a time.

19. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise triangulating the indoor location of the mobile device.

20. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise activating an electronic lock associated with the indoor location of the mobile device.