Method and apparatus for determining premises semantics

• US 9,803,986 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2009
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Conversant Wireless Licensing S.à.r.l. (f/k/a Core Wireless Licensing S.a.r.l.) (MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management))
• Original Assignee: Core Wiresless Licensing SARL (MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management))
• Inventors: Prehofer, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): Adnan, Muhammad
• Application Number:
  US12/625,251
• Publication Number:
  US 20110121963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,898 Days
• Field of Search: 34053913
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/30 Map- or contour-matching
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/383 Indoor data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3841 Data obtained from two or more sources, e.g. probe vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3844 Data obtained from position sensors only, e.g. from inertial navigation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

An approach is provided for generating trace data corresponding to one or more mobile devices detected within a premises, where the trace data specifies movement of the mobile device(s) within the premises. A map customizing platform utilizes the user traces to determine accessibility information about areas within the premises using connecting elements of the premises.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting presence of one or more mobile devices within a premises;

generating trace data corresponding to the one or more mobile devices, wherein the trace data comprises a time duration and movement pattern of the one or more mobile devices within the premises;

retrieving a stored version of a map of the premises;

updating the stored version of the map of the premises by including accessibility information about the premises and by determining a type of at least one connecting element between two areas of the premises based on the trace data, wherein a type of connecting element is determined based on the time duration, whether communication was disrupted, and movement pattern, and wherein the accessibility information is based on at least one of business hours and temporary conditions in the premises,

determining a property of the at least one connecting element by using the determined accessibility information, wherein the property of a connecting element is one of a door, an elevator, an escalator, and a stairway; and

generating a message for transmission to the one or more mobile devices associated with a user, wherein the message prompts the user to provide feedback information about the determined property when the user is positioned near a location point within the premises to verify the determined property.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein identifying at least one connecting element between two areas of the premises comprises:

sending a message to at least one mobile device requesting confirmation of the at least one connecting element; and

receiving feedback information from the mobile device.

3. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining position information of the one or more mobile devices over a predetermined time interval, wherein the trace data is generated based on the position information.

4. A method of claim 1, wherein the premises includes a plurality of areas, the plurality of areas comprising at least one floor, at least one hallway, and at least one room.

5. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing, at least in part, storage of trace data within a database configured to store a plurality of trace data; and

determining whether the trace data and another one of the trace data corresponds to a common user identifier.

6. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving a user profile of a user associated with one of the mobile devices, wherein the user profile includes classification of the user; and

filtering the trace data based on the classification of the user.

7. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following;

detect a presence of one or more mobile devices within a premises;

generate trace data corresponding to the one or more mobile devices, wherein the trace data comprises a time duration and movement pattern of the one or more mobile devices within the premises;

retrieving a stored version of a map of the premises; and

updating the stored version of the map of the premises by including accessibility

information about the premises and by determining a type of at least one connecting element between two areas of the premises based on the trace data, wherein a type of connecting element is determined based on the time duration, whether communication was disrupted, and movement pattern, and wherein the accessibility information is based on at least one of business hours and temporary conditions in the premises,

the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to determine a property of the at least one connecting element by using the determined accessibility information, wherein the property of a connecting element is one of a door, an elevator, an escalator, and a stairway; and

generate a message for transmission to the one or more mobile devices associated with a user, wherein the message prompts the user to provide feedback information about the determined property when the user is positioned near a location point within the premises to verify the determined property.

8. An apparatus of claim 7, wherein when identifying at least one connecting element between two areas of the premises, the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to send a message to at least one mobile device requesting confirmation of the at least one connecting element;

and receive feedback information from the mobile device.

9. An apparatus of claim 7, wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to determine position information of the one or more mobile devices over a predetermined time interval, wherein the trace data is generated based on the position information.

10. An apparatus of claim 7, wherein the premises includes a plurality of areas, the plurality of areas comprising at least one floor, at least one hallway, and at least one room.

11. An apparatus of claim 7, wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:

store of trace data within a database configured to store a plurality of trace data; and

determine whether the trace data and another one of the trace data corresponds to a common user identifier.

12. An apparatus of claim 7, wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:

retrieve a user profile of a user associated with one of the mobile devices, wherein the

user profile includes classification of the user, and filter the trace data based on the classification of the user.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to perform at least the following steps:

detecting a presence of one or more mobile devices within a premises;

determining position information of the one or more mobile devices over a predetermined time interval;

generating trace data corresponding to the one or more mobile devices using the position information, wherein the trace data comprises a time duration and movement pattern of the one or more mobile devices within the premises;

retrieving a stored version of a map of the premises;

updating the stored version of the map of the premises by including accessibility information about the premises and by determining a type of at least one connecting element between two areas of the premises based on the trace data, wherein a type of connecting element is determined based on the time duration, whether communication was disrupted, and movement pattern, and wherein the accessibility information is based on at least one of business hours and temporary conditions in the premises,

determining a property of the at least one connecting element by using the determined accessibility information, wherein the property of a connecting element is one of a door, an elevator, an escalator, and a stairway; and

generating a message for transmission to the one or more mobile devices associated with a user, wherein the message prompts the user to provide feedback information about the determined property when the user is positioned near a location point within the premises to verify the determined property.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the apparatus is caused, at least in part, to further perform:

wherein the premises includes a plurality of areas, the plurality of areas comprising at least one floor, at least one hallway, and at least one room.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the apparatus is caused, at least in part, to further perform:

causing, at least in part, storage of trace data within a database configured to store a plurality of trace data; and

determining whether the trace data and another one of the trace data corresponds to a common user identifier.