Method and apparatus for recording information from a plurality of mobile devices in an area
First Claim
1. A method for recording information from a plurality of mobile devices in an area, the method comprising:
- listening for data packets from the plurality of mobile devices in a predetermined time period using a wireless device;
creating a record for containing addresses and signal strength readings associated with the plurality of mobile devices, the addresses and signal strength readings of the mobile devices being retrieved from data packets received by the wireless device when the wireless device is listening;
determining whether a data packet received by the wireless device during the predetermined time period is from a mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices;
when the data packet received by the wireless device during the predetermined time period is from the mobile device, determining whether an address associated with the mobile device is recorded in the record;
updating the record with the address associated with the mobile device and a signal strength reading associated with the mobile device if the address has not been previously recorded in the record during the predetermined time period;
updating, based on the number of times the record has been updated with a signal strength reading associated with the mobile device during the predetermined time period, the record with a signal strength reading associated with the mobile device the address of the mobile device was previously updated in the record, wherein the predetermined time period comprises;
a first time period for recording received addresses and signal strength readings associated with one or more of the plurality of mobile devices in the record for tracking footfall of the plurality of mobile devices in the area; and
a second time period for recording received addresses and signal strength readings associated with one or more of the plurality of mobile devices in a second record created and updated in same manner as the record for estimating location of one or more of the plurality of mobile devices in the area; and
estimating a location of the mobile device based on the record for tracking footfall of the plurality of mobile devices in the area without initiation by the mobile device and estimating a location of the mobile device based on the second record upon initiation by the mobile device, wherein number of times of recording signal strength readings in the record for tracking footfall of the plurality of mobile devices in the area is lesser than number of times of recording signal strength readings in the second record.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for recording information from a plurality of mobile devices in an area, the method comprising listening for data packets from the plurality of mobile devices in a predetermined time period, creating a record for containing addresses and signal strength readings associated with the plurality of mobile devices, determining whether a data packet received during the predetermined time period is from a mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices, determining whether an address associated with the mobile device is recorded in the record, updating the record with the address and a signal strength reading associated with the mobile device, and updating the signal strength reading associated with the mobile device updating the record depending upon the number of times the record has been updated with a signal strength reading associated with the mobile device during the predetermined time period.
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Citations
62 Claims
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1. A method for recording information from a plurality of mobile devices in an area, the method comprising:
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listening for data packets from the plurality of mobile devices in a predetermined time period using a wireless device; creating a record for containing addresses and signal strength readings associated with the plurality of mobile devices, the addresses and signal strength readings of the mobile devices being retrieved from data packets received by the wireless device when the wireless device is listening; determining whether a data packet received by the wireless device during the predetermined time period is from a mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices; when the data packet received by the wireless device during the predetermined time period is from the mobile device, determining whether an address associated with the mobile device is recorded in the record; updating the record with the address associated with the mobile device and a signal strength reading associated with the mobile device if the address has not been previously recorded in the record during the predetermined time period; updating, based on the number of times the record has been updated with a signal strength reading associated with the mobile device during the predetermined time period, the record with a signal strength reading associated with the mobile device the address of the mobile device was previously updated in the record, wherein the predetermined time period comprises; a first time period for recording received addresses and signal strength readings associated with one or more of the plurality of mobile devices in the record for tracking footfall of the plurality of mobile devices in the area; and a second time period for recording received addresses and signal strength readings associated with one or more of the plurality of mobile devices in a second record created and updated in same manner as the record for estimating location of one or more of the plurality of mobile devices in the area; and estimating a location of the mobile device based on the record for tracking footfall of the plurality of mobile devices in the area without initiation by the mobile device and estimating a location of the mobile device based on the second record upon initiation by the mobile device, wherein number of times of recording signal strength readings in the record for tracking footfall of the plurality of mobile devices in the area is lesser than number of times of recording signal strength readings in the second record. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus for recording information from a plurality of mobile devices in an area, the apparatus comprising:
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a wireless device configured to listen for data packets from the plurality of mobile devices in a predetermined time period; and a processing unit configured to; create a record for containing addresses and signal strength readings associated with the plurality of mobile devices, the addresses and signal strength readings of the mobile devices being retrieved from data packets received by the wireless device when the wireless device is listening; determine whether a data packet received by the wireless device during the predetermined time period is from a mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices; when the data packet received by the wireless device during the predetermined time period is from the mobile device, determine whether an address associated with the mobile device is recorded in the record; update the record with the address associated with the mobile device and a signal strength reading associated with the mobile device if the address has not been previously recorded in the record during the predetermined time period; update, based on the number of time the record has been updated with a signal strength reading associated with the mobile device during the predetermined time period, the record with a signal strength reading associated with the mobile device if the address of the mobile device was previously updated in the record, wherein the predetermined time period comprises; a first time period for recording received addresses and signal strength readings associated with one or more of the plurality of mobile devices in the record for tracking footfall of the plurality of mobile devices in the area; and a second time period for recording received addresses and signal strength readings associated with one or more of the plurality of mobile devices in a second record created and updated in same manner as the record for estimating location of one or more of the plurality of mobile devices in the area; and estimate a location of the mobile device based on the record for tracking footfall of the plurality of mobile devices in the area without initiation by the mobile device and estimating a location of the mobile device based on the second record upon initiation by the mobile device, wherein number of times of recording signal strength readings in the record for tracking footfall of the plurality of mobile devices in the area is lesser than number of times of recording signal strength readings in the second record. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for recording information from a plurality of mobile devices in an area, the method comprising:
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listening for data packets from the plurality of mobile devices in a predetermined time period using a wireless device; creating a record for containing addresses and signal strength readings associated with the plurality of mobile devices, the addresses and signal strength readings of the mobile devices being retrieved from data packets received by the wireless device when the wireless device is listening; determining whether a data packet received by the wireless device during the predetermined time period is from a mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices; when the data packet received by the wireless device during the predetermined time period is from the mobile device, determining whether an address associated with the mobile device is recorded in the record; updating the record with the address associated with the mobile device and a signal strength reading associated with the mobile device if the address has not been previously recorded in the record during the predetermined time period; updating, based on the number of times the record has been updated with a signal strength reading associated with the mobile device during the predetermined time period, the record with a signal strength reading associated with the mobile device if the address of the mobile device was previously updated in the record; and increasing a count associated with the address of the mobile device each time the record is updated as a result of the wireless device receiving a data packet from the mobile device during the predetermined time period, the count being reset at beginning of the predetermined time period, wherein updating of the record with a signal strength reading associated with the mobile device during the predetermined time period stops when the count reaches a predetermined number. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An apparatus that records information from a plurality of mobile devices in an area, the apparatus comprising:
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a wireless device configured to listen for data packets from the plurality of mobile devices in a predetermined time period; and a processing unit configured to; create a record for containing addresses and signal strength readings associated with the plurality of mobile devices, the addresses and signal strength readings of the mobile devices being retrieved from data packets received by the wireless device when the wireless device is listening; determine whether a data packet received by the wireless device during the predetermined time period is from a mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices; when the data packet received by the wireless device during the predetermined time period is from the mobile device, determine whether an address associated with the mobile device is recorded in the record; update the record with the address associated with the mobile device and a signal strength reading associated with the mobile device if the address has not been previously recorded in the record during the predetermined time period; update, based on the number of times the record has been updated with a signal strength reading associated with the mobile device during the predetermined time period, the record with a signal strength reading associated with the mobile device if the address of the mobile device was previously updated in the record; and
—increase a count associated with the address of the mobile device each time the record is updated as a result of the wireless device receiving a data packet from the mobile device during the predetermined time period, the count being reset at beginning of the predetermined time period, wherein updating of the record with a signal strength reading associated with the mobile device during the predetermined time period stops when the count reaches a predetermined number. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method for recording information from a plurality of mobile devices in an area, the method comprising:
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listening for data packets from the plurality of mobile devices in a predetermined time period using a wireless device; creating a record for containing addresses and signal strength readings associated with the plurality of mobile devices, the addresses and signal strength readings of the mobile devices being retrieved from data packets received by the wireless device when the wireless device is listening; determining whether a data packet received by the wireless device during the predetermined time period is from a mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices; and when the data packet received by the wireless device during the predetermined time period is from the mobile device; determining whether an address associated with the mobile device is recorded in the record; updating the record with the address associated with the mobile device and a signal strength reading associated with the mobile device if the address has not been previously recorded in the record during the predetermined time period; updating, based on the number of times the record has been updated with a signal strength reading associated with the mobile device during the predetermined time period, the record with a signal strength reading associated with the mobile device if the address of the mobile device was previously updated in the record; and updating the record with a null signal strength reading if the address of the mobile device was previously updated in the record, and if a data packet is not received from the mobile device before a predetermined sampling time within the predetermined time period expires. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. An apparatus that records information from a plurality of mobile devices in an area, the apparatus comprising:
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a wireless device configured to listen for data packets from the plurality of mobile devices in a predetermined time period; and a processing unit configured to; create a record for containing addresses and signal strength readings associated with the plurality of mobile devices, the addresses and signal strength readings of the mobile devices being retrieved from data packets received by the wireless device when the wireless device is listening; determine whether a data packet received by the wireless device during the predetermined time period is from a mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices; and when the data packet received by the wireless device during the predetermined time period is from the mobile device; determine whether an address associated with the mobile device is recorded in the record; update the record with the address associated with the mobile device and a signal strength reading associated with the mobile device if the address has not been previously recorded in the record during the predetermined time period; update, based on the number of times the record has been updated with a signal strength reading associated with the mobile device during the predetermined time period, the record with a signal strength reading associated with the mobile device if the address of the mobile device was previously updated in the record; and update the record with a null signal strength reading if the address of the mobile device was previously updated in the record, and if a data packet is not received from the mobile device before a predetermined sampling time within the predetermined time period expires. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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Specification