Communicating with isolated mobile devices in indoor positioning systems

• US 9,900,750 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2017
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Berentsen, Lambert S., Boss, Gregory J., Hamilton, II, Rick A., Kozloski, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHEDRICK, CHARLES TERRELL
• Application Number:
  US15/434,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20170164160A1
• Time in Patent Office: 369 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:

sending, by a server, a query toward a first mobile device, wherein;

the query is directed toward a set of information about a second mobile device; and

the server is not connected to the second mobile device;

receiving, by the server, the set of 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 a location of the first mobile device; and

performing, by the server, in response to determining the estimated location of the second mobile device, analytics on the set of information about the second mobile device to provide real-time targeted information to the second mobile device via the first mobile device.

2. 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 both the server the second mobile device; 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.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the server and the first mobile device are connected via a first wireless communications protocol of a first network; and

the first mobile device and the second mobile device are connected via a second wireless communications protocol of a second network.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the first network is an indoor positioning system network; and

the second network is an ad hoc network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the set of information includes one or more network transmittable identifiers of the second mobile device; and

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

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

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

send, by a server, a query toward a first mobile device, wherein;

the query is directed toward a set of information about a second mobile device; and

the server is not connected to the second mobile device;

receive, by the server, the set of 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 a location of the first mobile device; and

perform, by the server, in response to determining the estimated location of the second mobile device, analytics on the set of information about the second mobile device to provide real-time targeted information to the second mobile device via the first mobile device.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising instructions to:

receive, by the server, additional information from a third mobile device, wherein the third mobile device is connected to both the server the second mobile device; and

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

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

the server and the first mobile device are connected via a first wireless communications protocol of a first network; and

the first mobile device and the second mobile device are connected via a second wireless communications protocol of a second network.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein:

the first network is an indoor positioning system network; and

the second network is an ad hoc network.

11. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein:

the set of information includes one or more network transmittable identifiers of the second mobile device; and

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

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein:

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

13. 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;

send, by a server, a query toward a first mobile device, wherein;

the query is directed toward a set of information about a second mobile device; and

the server is not connected to the second mobile device;

receive, by the server, the set of 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 a location of the first mobile device; and

perform, by the server, in response to determining the estimated location of the second mobile device, analytics on the set of information about the second mobile device to provide real-time targeted information to the second mobile device via the first mobile device.

14. The computer system of claim 13, further comprising instructions to:

receive, by the server, additional information from a third mobile device, wherein the third mobile device is connected to both the server the second mobile device; and

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

15. The computer system of claim 13, wherein:

the server and the first mobile device are connected via a first wireless communications protocol of a first network; and

the first mobile device and the second mobile device are connected via a second wireless communications protocol of a second network.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein:

the first network is an indoor positioning system network; and

the second network is an ad hoc network.

17. The computer system of claim 13, wherein:

the set of information includes one or more network transmittable identifiers of the second mobile device; and

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

18. The computer system of claim 17, wherein:

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