Indoor location survey assisted by a motion path on a venue map

• US 9,769,622 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2014
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Patel, Abhinav R., Tay, Darin, Millman, David Benjamin, Tsoong, Jessica Noel, Huang, Joseph Ding-Jiu, Mayor, Robert, Lovich, Vitali, Samsalovic, Vojislav, Agarwal, Ashish, Kumar, Mithilesh
• Primary Examiner(s): ZEWDU, MELESS NMN
• Application Number:
  US14/503,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20150350845A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,085 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/021 Calibration, monitoring or correction G01S5/0252 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0236 Assistance data, e.g. base station almanac
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02524 Creating or updating the radio-map
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program product for generating location fingerprint data for a venue are described. A sampling device surveying a venue can move inside the venue. While the sampling device moves, the sampling device can record environmental readings including, for example, strengths of signals from multiple radio signal sources. The sampling device can take the recording at fixed or various time intervals. Meanwhile, the sampling device can determine, based on a starting point and motion sensor readings, an estimated location of the mobile device for each time the sampling device takes the recordings. The sampling device can display a motion path of the estimated locations and a user interface item for receiving a user input for correcting the estimated locations. The sample device can tag the recorded environmental readings with the corrected locations, and submit the tagged readings to a server for determining a location fingerprint for the venue.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a user interface for display on a sampling device, the user interface comprising a map of a venue, the venue comprising a space accessible by a pedestrian and one or more constraints of movement of the pedestrian in the space;

estimating a set of locations while the sampling device moves in the venue;

determining a motion path of the sampling device in the venue, the motion path starting at a starting location in the venue and ending at an estimated current location of the sampling device, wherein the estimated current location is determined using readings from one or more motion sensors of the sampling device;

overlaying a representation of the motion path on the map, including animating an end point of the motion path and displaying an anchor on the motion path when an estimated moving direction of the sampling device changes;

recording environmental readings by one or more signal sensors of the sampling device;

adjusting the motion path on the map in response to a user input moving the anchor, the adjusted motion path connecting the starting location and the moved anchor;

tagging the environmental readings with waypoints on the adjusted motion path; and

submitting the tagged environmental readings to a server as survey data for determining a location fingerprint of the venue, the location fingerprint usable by a user device to estimate a location of the user device in the venue.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the starting location is obtained from a user input on the map or is represented by an anchor previously provided on the map.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more motion sensors include an accelerometer operable to detect frequency of human footsteps, and the estimated current location is determined based on the frequency of the human footsteps.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the environmental readings comprise at least one of:

readings of radio frequency (RF) signals from one or more RF signal sources;

readings of a magnetometer;

readings of a barometer;

readings of a light sensor; and

readings of a microphone.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the readings of the RF signals include received signal strength indicators (RSSIs), and each RF signal source is a cellular site, a wireless access point, or a Bluetooth device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein

recording the environmental readings comprises:

scanning for wireless signals in a plurality of scans at predetermined time intervals;

recording a set of environmental readings for each of the scans; and

for each of the scans, associating a timestamp that corresponds to the scan with the set of environmental readings recorded for the scan.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein tagging the environmental readings with waypoints comprises:

determining the waypoints according to the timestamps and a distance between the starting location and positions on the adjusted motion path; and

tagging each set of environmental readings with a corresponding waypoint.

8. A method comprising:

obtaining, by a sampling device and from a venue server, a map of a venue, the map including records of indoor structures and indoor pathways of the venue;

in response to a request to conduct a survey of the venue, providing the map for display in a user interface of the sampling device, the survey comprising recording environmental variables from locations in the indoor structures and indoor pathways, the user interface operable to receive an input from a user identifying a starting location for beginning the recording;

in response to the input, recording the environmental variables and readings of one or more motion sensors until a termination condition has been satisfied, the readings usable to determine estimated locations of the sampling device in the venue while the sampling device records the environmental variables, wherein recording the environmental variables comprises;

scanning for the environmental variables in a plurality of scans;

recording a respective set of measurements of wireless signals for each of the scans; and

associating a respective timestamp of each of the scans with the respective set of measurements;

tagging the recorded environmental variables with the estimated locations; and

submitting the tagged environmental variables to the venue server as survey data for determining a location fingerprint of the venue, the location fingerprint usable by a user device to estimate a location of the user device in the venue.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the venue includes one or more buildings.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the input is a touch input on the displayed map at a location corresponding to the starting location.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more motion sensors include an accelerometer operable to detect frequency of human footsteps, and the estimated location is determined based on the frequency of the human footsteps.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the recorded environmental variables comprise at least one of:

readings of radio frequency (RF) signals from one or more RF signal sources;

readings of a magnetometer;

readings of a barometer;

readings of a light sensor; and

readings of a microphone.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the readings of the RF signals include received signal strength indicators (RSSIs), and each RF signal source is a cellular site, a wireless access point, or a Bluetooth device.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein

the scanning for the environmental variables occurs at predetermined time intervals.

15. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

at least one non-transitory device storing computer instructions operable to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

providing a user interface for display on a sampling device, the user interface comprising a map of a venue, the venue comprising a space accessible by a pedestrian and one or more constraints of movement of the pedestrian in the space;

estimating a set of locations while the sampling device moves in the venue;

determining a motion path of the sampling device in the venue, the motion path starting at a starting location in the venue and ending at an estimated current location of the sampling device, wherein the estimated current location is determined using readings from one or more motion sensors of the sampling device;

overlaying a representation of the motion path on the map, including animating an end point of the motion path and displaying an anchor on the motion path when an estimated moving direction of the sampling device changes;

recording environmental readings by one or more signal sensors of the sampling device;

adjusting the motion path on the map in response to a user input moving the anchor, the adjusted motion path connecting the starting location and the moved anchor;

tagging the environmental readings with waypoints on the adjusted motion path; and

submitting the tagged environmental readings to a server as survey data for determining a location fingerprint of the venue, the location fingerprint usable by a user device to estimate a location of the user device in the venue.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the starting location is obtained from a user input on the map or is represented by an anchor previously provided on the map.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more motion sensors include an accelerometer operable to detect frequency of human footsteps, and the estimated current location is determined based on the frequency of the human footsteps.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the environmental readings comprise at least one of:

readings of radio frequency (RF) signals from one or more RF signal sources;

readings of a magnetometer;

readings of a barometer;

readings of a light sensor; and

readings of a microphone.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the readings of the RF signals include received signal strength indicators (RSSIs), and each RF signal source is a cellular site, a wireless access point, or a Bluetooth device.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein

recording the environmental readings comprises:

scanning for wireless signals in a plurality of scans at predetermined time intervals;

recording a set of environmental readings for each of the scans; and

for each of the scans, associating a timestamp that corresponds to the scan with the set of environmental readings recorded for the scan.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein tagging the environmental readings with waypoints comprises:

determining the waypoints according to the timestamps and a distance between the starting location and positions on the adjusted motion path; and

tagging each set of environmental readings with a corresponding waypoint.

22. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

at least one non-transitory device storing computer instructions operable to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

obtaining, by a sampling device and from a venue server, a map of a venue, the map including records of indoor structures and indoor pathways of the venue;

in response to a request to conduct a survey of the venue, providing the map for display in a user interface of the sampling device, the survey comprising recording environmental variables from locations in the indoor structures and indoor pathways, the user interface operable to receive an input from a user identifying a starting location for beginning the recording;

in response to the input, recording the environmental variables and readings of one or more motion sensors until a termination condition has been satisfied, the readings usable to determine estimated locations of the sampling device in the venue while the sampling device records the environmental variables, wherein recording the environmental variables comprises;

scanning for the environmental variables in a plurality of scans;

recording a respective set of measurements of wireless signals for each of the scans; and

associating a respective timestamp of each of the scans with the respective set of measurements;

tagging the recorded environmental variables with the estimated locations; and

submitting the tagged environmental variables to the venue server as survey data for determining a location fingerprint of the venue, the location fingerprint usable by a user device to estimate a location of the user device in the venue.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the venue includes one or more buildings.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the input is a touch input on the displayed map at a location corresponding to the starting location.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the one or more motion sensors include an accelerometer operable to detect frequency of human footsteps, and the estimated location is determined based on the frequency of the human footsteps.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the recorded environmental variables comprise at least one of:

readings of radio frequency (RF) signals from one or more RF signal sources;

readings of a magnetometer;

readings of a barometer;

readings of a light sensor; and

readings of a microphone.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the readings of the RF signals include received signal strength indicators (RSSIs), and each RF signal source is a cellular site, a wireless access point, or a Bluetooth device.

28. The system of claim 22, wherein

the scanning for the environmental variables occurs at predetermined time intervals.

29. At least one non-transitory storage device storing computer instructions operable to cause one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

obtaining, by a sampling device and from a venue server, a map of a venue, the map including records of indoor structures and indoor pathways of the venue;

in response to a request to conduct a survey of the venue, providing the map for display in a user interface of the sampling device, the survey comprising recording environmental variables from locations in the indoor structures and indoor pathways, the user interface operable to receive an input from a user identifying a starting location for beginning the recording;

in response to the input, recording the environmental variables and readings of one or more motion sensors until a termination condition has been satisfied, the readings usable to determine estimated locations of the sampling device in the venue while the sampling device records the environmental variables, wherein recording the environmental variables comprises;

scanning for the environmental variables in a plurality of scans;

recording a respective set of measurements of wireless signals for each of the scans; and

associating a respective timestamp of each of the scans with the respective set of measurements;

tagging the recorded environmental variables with the estimated locations; and

submitting the tagged environmental variables to the venue server as survey data for determining a location fingerprint of the venue, the location fingerprint usable by a user device to estimate a location of the user device in the venue.

30. The non-transitory storage device of claim 29, wherein the venue includes one or more buildings.

31. The non-transitory storage device of claim 29, wherein the input is a touch input on the displayed map at a location corresponding to the starting location.

32. The non-transitory storage device of claim 29, wherein the one or more motion sensors include an accelerometer operable to detect frequency of human footsteps, and the estimated location is determined based on the frequency of the human footsteps.

33. The non-transitory storage device of claim 29, wherein the recorded environmental variables comprise at least one of:

readings of radio frequency (RF) signals from one or more RF signal sources;

readings of a magnetometer;

readings of a barometer;

readings of a light sensor; and

readings of a microphone.

34. The non-transitory storage device of claim 33, wherein the readings of the RF signals include received signal strength indicators (RSSIs), and each RF signal source is a cellular site, a wireless access point, or a Bluetooth device.

35. The non-transitory storage device of claim 29, wherein

the scanning for the environmental variables occurs at predetermined time intervals.

36. At least one non-transitory storage device storing computer instructions operable to cause one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

providing a user interface for display on a sampling device, the user interface comprising a map of a venue, the venue comprising a space accessible by a pedestrian and one or more constraints of movement of the pedestrian in the space;

estimating a set of locations while the sampling device moves in the venue;

determining a motion path of the sampling device in the venue, the motion path starting at a starting location in the venue and ending at an estimated current location of the sampling device, wherein the estimated current location is determined using readings from one or more motion sensors of the sampling device;

overlaying a representation of the motion path on the map, including animating an end point of the motion path and displaying an anchor on the motion path when an estimated moving direction of the sampling device changes;

recording environmental readings by one or more signal sensors of the sampling device;

adjusting the motion path on the map in response to a user input moving the anchor, the adjusted motion path connecting the starting location and the moved anchor;

tagging the environmental readings with waypoints on the adjusted motion path; and

submitting the tagged environmental readings to a server as survey data for determining a location fingerprint of the venue, the location fingerprint usable by a user device to estimate a location of the user device in the venue.

37. The non-transitory storage device of claim 36, wherein the starting location is obtained from a user input on the map or is represented by an anchor previously provided on the map.

38. The non-transitory storage device of claim 36, wherein the one or more motion sensors include an accelerometer operable to detect frequency of human footsteps, and the estimated current location is determined based on the frequency of the human footsteps.

39. The non-transitory storage device of claim 36, wherein the environmental readings comprise at least one of:

readings of radio frequency (RF) signals from one or more RF signal sources;

readings of a magnetometer;

readings of a barometer;

readings of a light sensor; and

readings of a microphone.

40. The non-transitory storage device of claim 39, wherein the readings of the RF signals include received signal strength indicators (RSSIs), and each RF signal source is a cellular site, a wireless access point, or a Bluetooth device.

41. The non-transitory storage device of claim 36, wherein

recording the environmental readings comprises:

scanning for wireless signals in a plurality of scans at predetermined time intervals;

recording a set of environmental readings for each of the scans; and

for each of the scans, associating a timestamp that corresponds to the scan with the set of environmental readings recorded for the scan.

42. The non-transitory storage device of claim 41, wherein tagging the environmental readings with waypoints comprises:

determining the waypoints according to the timestamps and a distance between the starting location and positions on the adjusted motion path; and

tagging each set of environmental readings with a corresponding waypoint.