Communicating with isolated mobile devices in indoor positioning systems

• US 9,674,670 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2015
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated (Kyndryl Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Boss, Gregory J., Hamilton, II, Rick A., Kozloski, James R., Berentsen, Lambert S.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHEDRICK, CHARLES TERRELL
• Application Number:
  US14/810,822
• Publication Number:
  US 20170034668A1
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561, 455 111
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• 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 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

Communicating with isolated mobile devices in indoor positioning systems is provided. Information is received from a first mobile device connected to both a first network of a designated environment and a second mobile device that is not connected to the first network. The information includes one or more identifiers of the second mobile device. An estimated location of the second mobile device is determined based, at least in part, on the information received from the first mobile device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing, by a server, a first network connection between the server and a first mobile device via a first wireless communications protocol of a first network, wherein;

the first network is an indoor positioning system network;

determining, by the server, that a second network connection exists between the first mobile device and a second mobile device via a second wireless communications protocol of a second network, wherein;

the second network is an ad hoc network;

determining, by the server, that the server is not connected to the second mobile device;

sending, by the server, a query toward the first mobile device via the first wireless communications protocol, wherein;

the query is directed toward information about the second mobile device;

receiving, by the server, the information about the second mobile device from the first mobile device;

determining, by the server, an estimated location of the second mobile device based, at least in part, on the information received from the first mobile device, wherein the information received by the server includes at least a timestamp and a location of the first mobile device; and

in response to receiving at least the timestamp and the location of the first mobile device;

performing, by the server, analytics on the information to provide real-time targeted information to the second mobile device via the first mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the query toward the first mobile device is in response to expiration of a predetermined time period.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the information includes one or more network transmittable identifiers of the second mobile device, wherein each of the one or more network transmittable identifiers identifies the second mobile device on the second network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the query toward the first mobile device is in response to establishing the first network connection between the server and the first mobile device via the first wireless communications protocol of the first network.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the server, additional information from a third mobile device, wherein the third mobile device is connected to;

the server via the first wireless communications protocol of the first network; and

the second mobile device via the second wireless communications protocol of the second network; and

updating, by the server, the estimated location of the second mobile device based, at least in part, on a location of the third mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

each of the one or more network transmittable identifiers uniquely identifies the second mobile device on the second network; and

the one or more network transmittable identifiers include at least one of a machine address, a media access control address, a Bluetooth identifier, or a SIM card identifier.

7. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium and program instructions stored on the computer readable storage medium, the program instructions comprising instructions to;

establish, by a server, a first network connection between the server and a first mobile device via a first wireless communications protocol of a first network, wherein;

the first network is an indoor positioning system network;

determine, by the server, that a second network connection exists between the first mobile device and a second mobile device via a second wireless communications protocol of a second network, wherein;

the second network is an ad hoc network;

determine, by the server, that the server is connected to the second mobile device;

send, by the server, a query toward the first mobile device via the first wireless communications protocol, wherein;

the query is directed toward information about the second mobile device;

receive, by the server, the information about the second mobile device from the first mobile device;

determine, by the server, an estimated location of the second mobile device based, at least in part, on the information received from the first mobile device, wherein the information received by the server includes at least a timestamp and a location of the first mobile device; and

in response to receiving at least the timestamp and the location of the first mobile device;

perform, by the server, analytics on the information to provide real-time targeted information to the second mobile device via the first mobile device.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the instructions to send the query toward the first mobile device are in response to expiration of a predetermined time period.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the information includes:

one or more network transmittable identifiers of the second mobile device wherein each of the one or more network transmittable identifiers identifies the second mobile device on the second network.

10. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the instructions to send the query toward the first mobile device are in response to establishing the network connection between the server and the first mobile device via the first wireless communications protocol of the first network.

11. A computer system comprising:

one or more computer processors;

one or more computer readable storage media;

program instructions stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, the program instructions comprising instructions to;

establish, by a server, a first network connection between the server and a first mobile device via a first wireless communications protocol of a first network, wherein;

the first network is an indoor positioning system network;

determine, by the server, that a second network connection exists between the first mobile device and a second mobile device via a second wireless communications protocol of a second network, wherein;

the second network is an ad hoc network;

determine, by the server, that the server is not connected to the second mobile device;

send, by the server, a query toward the first mobile device via the first wireless communications protocol, wherein;

the query is directed toward information about the second mobile device;

receive, by the server, the information about the second mobile device from the first mobile device;

determine, by the server, an estimated location of the second mobile device based, at least in part, on the information received from the first mobile device, wherein the information received by the server includes at least a timestamp and a location of the first mobile device; and

determine, by the server, an estimated location of the second mobile device based, at least in part, on the information received from the first mobile device, wherein the information received by the server includes at least a timestamp and a location of the first mobile device; and

in response to receiving at least the timestamp and the location of the first mobile device;

perform, by the server, analytics on the information to provide real-time targeted information to the second mobile device via the first mobile device.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the instructions to send the query toward the first mobile device are in response to expiration of a predetermined time period.

13. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the information includes:

one or more network transmittable identifiers of the second mobile device, wherein each of the one or more network transmittable identifiers identifies the second mobile device on the second network.

14. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the instructions to send the query toward the first mobile device are in response to establishing the network connection between the server and the first mobile device via the first wireless communications protocol of the first network.