Augmenting Wi-Fi localization with auxiliary sensor information

• US 9,571,980 B1
• Filed: 12/28/2015
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Apostolopoulos, John George, Tan, Wai-tian, Zhu, Xiaoqing
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Mahendra
• Application Number:
  US14/980,316
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• Field of Search: 455/466, 455/445, 455/428, 455/433, 455/412.1, 455/414.1, 370/401, 370/310.2, 370/331, 712/241
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/622 Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

In one implementation, a method of maintaining continuous identity for mobile devices includes: obtaining a first address for a first device; and obtaining, from one or more auxiliary sensors, auxiliary sensor information related to the first device. The method also includes determining whether the auxiliary sensor information matches information associated with a second address, where the second address was previously associated with the first device. The method further includes linking the first address with the second address for the first device, in order to continue tracking the first device when the second address is no longer detected, in response to determining that the auxiliary sensor information matches information associated with the second address.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

at a network controller including one or more processors and non-transitory memory;

obtaining, by the controller, a first address for a first device;

obtaining, by the controller, auxiliary sensor information related to the first device from one or more auxiliary sensors, wherein the auxiliary sensor information is different from the first address;

determining, by the controller, whether the auxiliary sensor information matches information associated with a second address, wherein the second address was previously associated with the first device;

linking, by the controller, the first address with the second address for the first device, in order to continue tracking the first device when the second address is no longer detected, in response to determining that the auxiliary sensor information matches information associated with the second address; and

linking, by the controller, the first address for the first device with the auxiliary sensor information, in order to initiate tracking of the first device, in response to determining that the auxiliary sensor information does not match the information associated with the second address.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a positive match is determined as a function of at least one threshold criteria.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second addresses include media control access (MAC) addresses.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary sensor information includes a visual signature of a person associated with the first device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the visual signature includes at least one of:

a heat map, one or more facial features, one or more articles of clothing, a gait pattern of the person associated with the first device, or a color histogram of the person associated with the first device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary sensor information includes at least one of a trajectory, speed, or acceleration of a person associated with the first device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary sensor information includes at least one of a trajectory, speed, or acceleration of the first device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary sensor information includes an address of a second device within a predetermined radius of the first device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the second device is communicatively coupled to the first device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary sensor information includes an address of a second device within a predetermined radius of the first device over a predefined time period.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first address for the device is linked to the second address when a correlation score between auxiliary sensor information related to the first address and the second address satisfies a correlation confidence threshold.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the correlation confidence threshold is satisfied when an accumulated probability distribution over a predetermined time period exceeds a predefined confidence score.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the first address is linked with the second address for the first device when the first address is a randomized form of the second address.

13. A non-transitory memory storing one or more programs, which, when executed by one or more processors of a network controller, cause the controller to:

obtain, by the controller, a first address for a first device;

obtain, by the controller, auxiliary sensor information related to the first device from one or more auxiliary sensors, wherein the auxiliary sensor information is different from the first address;

determine, by the controller, whether the auxiliary sensor information matches information associated with a second address, wherein the second address was previously associated with the first device;

link, by the controller, the first address with the second address for the first device, in order to continue tracking the first device when the second address is no longer detected, in response to determining that the auxiliary sensor information matches information associated with the second address; and

link, by the controller, the first address for the first device with the auxiliary sensor information, in order to initiate tracking of the first device, in response to determining that the auxiliary sensor information does not match the information associated with the second address.

14. The non-transitory memory of claim 13, wherein the auxiliary sensor information includes a visual signature of a person associated with the first device.

15. The non-transitory memory of claim 14, wherein the visual signature includes at least one of:

a heat map, one or more facial features, one or more articles of clothing, a gait pattern of the person associated with the first device, or a color histogram of the person associated with the first device.

16. The non-transitory memory of claim 13, wherein the auxiliary sensor information includes an address of a second device within a predetermined radius of the first device.

17. The non-transitory memory of claim 16, wherein the second device is communicatively coupled to the first device.

20. The non-transitory memory of claim 13, wherein the first address is linked with the second address for the first device when the first address is a randomized form of the second address.

18. A network controller comprising:

one or more processors;

a non-transitory memory;

means for obtaining, by the controller, a first address for a first device;

means for obtaining, by the controller, auxiliary sensor information related to the first device from one or more auxiliary sensors, wherein the auxiliary sensor information is different from the first address;

means for determining, by the controller, whether the auxiliary sensor information matches information associated with a second address, wherein the second address was previously associated with the first device;

means for linking, by the controller, the first address with the second address for the first device, in order to continue tracking the first device when the second address is no longer detected, in response to determining that the auxiliary sensor information matches information associated with the second address; and

means for linking, by the controller, the first address for the first device with the auxiliary sensor information, in order to initiate tracking of the first device, in response to determining that the auxiliary sensor information does not match the information associated with the second address.