METHOD FOR ESTIMATING LOCATION AND APPARATUS USING THE SAME

• US 20090177399A1
• Filed: 06/04/2008
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Hyun-jin, Park, Yong-gook, Yoo, Myung-hyun, Kweon, Ji-hyeon
• Granted Patent: US 8,868,330 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/300
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/00 Satellite radio beacon positioning systems; Determining position, velocity or attitude using signals transmitted by such systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/48 by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/011 Identifying the radio environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A method for estimating location, and an apparatus using the same. The method for estimating location includes receiving information on the location of a plurality of external apparatuses from the plurality of external apparatuses; setting estimable areas for estimating an area wherein there is a possibility that the device is located based on the information on the location of the plurality of external apparatuses; and determining a predetermined area of the estimable areas to be an estimation area wherein there is the possibility that the device is located. If it is impossible to receive a GPS signal, the location information of a device is estimated using information on the location of an external apparatus communicable with the device.

Claims

1. A method for estimating the location of a device, comprising:

receiving location information regarding a plurality of external apparatuses from the plurality of external apparatuses;

setting estimable areas to estimate an area in which the device may be located based on the location information regarding the plurality of external apparatuses; and

determining a predetermined area of the estimable areas to be an estimation area in which the device may be located.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining comprises:

determining an overlapping area of the estimable areas to be an estimation area within which the device is located.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the device performs short range wireless communication with the plurality of external apparatuses.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of external apparatuses receives a Global Positioning System (GPS) signal to acquire the location information.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a map on which the estimation area is indicated.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the estimable area corresponds to a circle with a radius of a predetermined distance from the location of a corresponding one of the external apparatuses.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the predetermined distance is equal to either the distance between the device and the external apparatuses, or half of the distance within which the external apparatuses are communicable.

20. A computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a mobile device, cause the mobile device to perform the method according to claim 1.

8. A device to estimate a location of the device, comprising:

a communication module to receive location information regarding a plurality of external apparatuses from the plurality of external apparatuses;

an estimable area setting unit to set estimable areas in which the device may be located based on the location information regarding the plurality of external apparatuses; and

a location estimation unit to determine a predetermined area of the estimable areas to be an estimation area in which the device may be located.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the location estimation unit determines an overlapping area of the estimable areas to be an estimation area in which the device may be located.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the device performs short range wireless communication with the plurality of external apparatuses.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the device is located within an area in which it is impossible to receive a GPS signal, or is not capable of receiving the GPS signal.

12. The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

a display to display a map on which the estimation area is indicated.

13. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the estimable area corresponds to a circle with a radius of a predetermined distance from the location of a corresponding one of the external apparatuses.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the predetermined distance is equal to either the distance between the device and the external apparatuses or half of the distance within which the external apparatuses can communicate.

15. A mobile apparatus comprising:

a communication unit to communicate with a plurality of external devices and a global positioning system (GPS) service; and

a location-based service (LBS) provider to estimate an area in which the mobile apparatus is located based on location information received from the at least one external device, when the mobile apparatus determines that the GPS service is unavailable or that a GPS signal cannot be received.

16. The mobile apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the LBS provider further comprises:

a setting unit to determine an estimable area in which the mobile apparatus may be located, based on the location information received from the external devices; and

a location estimation unit to determine a subset of the estimable area as the estimated area in which the mobile device is located.

17. The mobile apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the LBS provider estimates the area at predetermined time intervals.

18. The mobile apparatus according to claim 15, wherein:

one of the plurality of external devices communicates with the mobile apparatus via another of the plurality of external devices; and

the other external device cannot receive a GPS signal, or has determined that the GPS service is not available to the other external device.

19. The mobile apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the LBS provider estimates the area when the user requests a location based service.