Wi-Fi based location availability for sparse signal locations

• US 9,949,137 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2016
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Smith, Brian S., Millman, David B., Brumley, Rob, Mayor, Rob, Detwiler, Ben
• Primary Examiner(s): Beamer, Temica M
• Application Number:
  US15/216,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20170026850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561, 4554562, 4554565, 4554566
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• 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 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

In some implementations, a server device can improve Wi-Fi based location availability for sparse signal locations by augmenting Wi-Fi access point location data with additional Wi-Fi scan data that was collected near the sparse signal locations. The server can receive Wi-Fi access point scans from client devices, determine the locations of the Wi-Fi access points, and generate Wi-Fi access point tiles that include data describing the locations of access points in the geographic areas corresponding to the Wi-Fi access point tiles. After the tiles are generated, the server device can augment the access point tiles by inserting additional Wi-Fi access point scan information into the access point tiles near identified sparse signal locations. The server device can deliver the augmented access point tile data to a client device. The client device can determine the current location of the client device based on the augmented access point tile data.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a server device, wireless access point scan data from a plurality of client devices over a wireless network connection;

generating, by the server device, access point tiles based on the wireless access point scan data received from the plurality of client devices;

obtaining, by the server device, sparse signal location data that identifies a sparse signal location;

obtaining, by the server device, additional access point scan data associated with wireless access points that were detected within a sparse signal location area surrounding the sparse signal location;

identifying, by the server device, an access point tile corresponding to the sparse signal location area;

inserting, by the server device, the additional access point scan data into the access point tile; and

transmitting the access point tile over the wireless network connection to at least one of the client devices when it is determined that the at least one client device is within a predetermined distance of the access point tile, the transmitted access point tile allowing the at least one client device to determine a current location of the at least one client device based on received access signals.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sparse signal location area corresponds to a circular area defined by a radius distance from the sparse signal location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the access point tile corresponds to a geographic area and includes access point location data identifying estimated locations for access points within the geographic area.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the access point tile corresponds to a geographic area and includes access point location data identifying locations within the geographic area where access points were detected by one or more client devices.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein generating access point tiles based on wireless access point scan data received from a plurality of client devices comprises filtering the access point scan data to remove a least significant wireless access point scan data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying an access point tile corresponding to the sparse signal location area comprises identifying an access point tile corresponding to a wireless access point detection location within the sparse signal location area.

7. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes;

receiving, by the one or more processors, wireless access point scan data from a plurality of client devices over a wireless network connection;

generating access point tiles based on wireless access point scan data received from the plurality of client devices;

obtaining sparse signal location data that identifies a sparse signal location;

obtaining additional access point scan data associated with wireless access points that were detected within a sparse signal location area surrounding the sparse signal location;

identifying an access point tile corresponding to the sparse signal location area;

inserting the additional access point scan data into the access point tile; and

transmitting the access point tile over the wireless network connection to at least one of the client devices when it is determined that the at least one client device is within a predetermined distance of the access point tile, the transmitted access point tile allowing the at least one client device to determine a current location of the at least one client device based on received access signals.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the sparse signal location area corresponds to a circular area defined by a radius distance from the sparse signal location.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the access point tile corresponds to a geographic area and includes access point location data identifying estimated locations for access points within the geographic area.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the access point tile corresponds to a geographic area and includes access point location data identifying locations within the geographic area where access points were detected by one or more client devices.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the instructions that cause generating access point tiles based on wireless access point scan data received from a plurality of client devices include instructions that cause filtering the access point scan data to remove a least significant wireless access point scan data.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the instructions that cause identifying an access point tile corresponding to the sparse signal location area include instructions that cause identifying an access point tile corresponding to a wireless access point detection location within the sparse signal location area.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes:

receiving, by the one or more processors, wireless access point scan data from a plurality of client devices over a wireless network connection;

generating access point tiles based on wireless access point scan data received from the plurality of client devices;

obtaining sparse signal location data that identifies a sparse signal location;

obtaining additional access point scan data associated with wireless access points that were detected within a sparse signal location area surrounding the sparse signal location;

identifying an access point tile corresponding to the sparse signal location area;

inserting the additional access point scan data into the access point tile; and

transmitting the access point tile over the wireless network connection to at least one of the client devices when it is determined that the at least one client device is within a predetermined distance of the access point tile, the transmitted access point tile allowing the at least one client device to determine a current location of the at least one client device based on received access signals.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the sparse signal location area corresponds to a circular area defined by a radius distance from the sparse signal location.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the access point tile corresponds to a geographic area and includes access point location data identifying estimated locations for access points within the geographic area.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the access point tile corresponds to a geographic area and includes access point location data identifying locations within the geographic area where access points were detected by one or more client devices.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions that cause generating access point tiles based on wireless access point scan data received from a plurality of client devices include instructions that cause filtering the access point scan data to remove a least significant wireless access point scan data.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions that cause identifying an access point tile corresponding to the sparse signal location area include instructions that cause identifying an access point tile corresponding to a wireless access point detection location within the sparse signal location area.