POSITIONING SERVICE UTILIZING EXISTING RADIO BASE STATIONS

• US 20100120422A1
• Filed: 06/28/2005
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Krumm, John C., Sharma, Anurag, Cheung, Matthew Man Chung, Lombardi, Steve J., Thota, Chandrasekhar
• Granted Patent: US 7,738,884 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/434
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0226 Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0236 Assistance data, e.g. base station almanac
• 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 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Location position information of a mobile device utilizing Wi-Fi, FM, AM, television transmissions(s), other radio transmission(s), electromagnetic, acoustic, or other signals received from base stations or access points. The position information can be provided through a Web service and/or locally on a mobile user device. The position information can be provided with a certainty and/or uncertainty probability percentage or other perceivable means for the user to determine the expected accuracy of the location information. Also provided is a means for updating base station information to include newly detected base stations through information from a plurality of user devices, wherein each user device is given a reliance factor. User devices that have a low reliance factor are disregarded and/or scrutinized to determine accuracy prior to such information being utilized to update information. Functioning of the system can be improved through analysis of usage data and/or the additions to the database.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates position location, comprising:

an external environment component that detects at least one base station in a vicinity of a user device, communicates a base station information to a World Wide Web service and receives a database of base station locations from the Web service, the base station locations are proximate the at least one base station;

an analysis component that employs the database of base station locations and determines a location of the user device based at least in part on the database of base station locations;

an erroneous data component that tracks base station information received from the user device and flags the user device if false data is received; and

a proximity component configured to;

use the determined location of the user device for determining whether another device is located within a predetermined distance from the user device; and

if it is determined that the devices are located within the predetermined distance from one another, initiate a communication with a user of the another device and request a meeting with the user via the communication.

2. The system of claim 1, the analysis component comprising:

an uncertainty component that determines an uncertainty of the user device location information.

3. The system of claim 2, the uncertainty of the user device is a sum of a probability function.

4. The system of claim 2, the uncertainty of the user device is based on experimental data.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a training component that automatically updates the database of base station locations with at least one of a new base station location, an indication that a base station has moved, or an indication that a base station has been taken out of service if the base station information received from the external analysis component is not included in the database.

8. The system of claim 1, the at least one base station emits a signal that can be characterized by the user device.

9. The system of claim 1, the at least one base station emits one of a Wi-Fi, AM, FM, TV, an electromagnetic and an acoustic signal.

6-7. -7. (canceled)

10-17. -17. (canceled)

18. A system that determines location of a mobile device, comprising:

means for receiving base station identification information and reception characteristics from a plurality of base stations;

means for communicating the base station identification information to a Web service;

means for receiving a first subset of a database of base station locations, the base station locations are in a vicinity of the base stations;

means for verifying accuracy of a location of the base stations based at least in part on the first subset of base station locations;

means for computing location of the mobile device based at least in part on the determined location of the base stations;

means for automatically requesting a second subset of the database of base station locations from the Web service if a base station is detected that is not included in the first subset of the database of base station locations received from the Web service;

means for predicting a future location of the mobile device based on past behavior;

means for using the computed location of the mobile device for determining whether another device is located within a predetermined distance from the user mobile device;

means for initiating a communication with a user of the another device and requesting a meeting with the user via the communication if it is determined that the devices are located within the predetermined distance from one another;

means for determining an uncertainty of the computed location of the mobile device based on one of a number of the plurality of base stations and the base station identification information; and

means for calculating an accuracy level of the computed location of the mobile device based at least in part on the determined uncertainty.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising means for calculating an error percentage of the calculated mobile device location.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

means for updating the database of base station locations at the Web service;

means for determining an accuracy of the updated base station locations; and

means for prohibiting transmission of the updated base station locations if the accuracy is below an acceptable level.

21. A system that determines location of a mobile device, comprising:

an external environment component that detects at least one base station in a vicinity of a mobile device and obtains a signal characteristic of the at least one base station;

a measurement component that determines a value of the signal characteristic;

a communication component that transmits base station information to a World Wide Web service and receives a first subset of a database of base station locations from the Web service, the base station locations are proximate the at least one base station;

an analysis component that employs the database of base station locations and determines a location of the mobile device based at least in part on the base station information and the database of base station locations, wherein the analysis component automatically requests a second subset of the database of base station locations from the Web service if a base station is detected that is not included in the first subset of the database of base station locations received from the Web service, and wherein the device or Web service is configurable to delete the first subset of the database of base station locations from the device when the second subset of the database of base station locations is provided; and

an uncertainty component that refines the location of the mobile device based on an uncertainty factor determined at least in part from the value of the signal characteristic;

an erroneous data component that tracks base station information received from the mobile device and flags the mobile device if false data is received; and

a proximity component configured to;

use the determined location of the mobile device for determining whether another device is located within a predetermined distance from the mobile device; and

if it is determined that the devices are located within the predetermined distance from one another, initiate a communication with a user of the another device and request a meeting with the user via the communication.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising a training component that automatically updates the Web service with at least one new base station location if the new base station location is not included in the subset of the database of base station locations.

23. A method for determining a location of a mobile device, comprising:

receiving base station identification information and reception characteristics from a plurality of base stations;

communicating the base station identification information to a Web service;

receiving a first subset of a database of base station locations, the base station locations are in a vicinity of the base stations;

verifying accuracy of a location of the base stations based at least in part on the first subset of base station locations;

computing location of the mobile device based at least in part on the determined location of the base stations;

automatically requesting a second subset of the database of base station locations from the Web service if a base station is detected that is not included in the first subset of the database of base station locations received from the Web service;

predicting a future location of the mobile device based on past behavior;

using the computed location of the mobile device for determining whether another device is located within a predetermined distance from the mobile device;

initiating a communication with a user of the another device and requesting a meeting with the user via the communication if it is determined that the devices are located within the predetermined distance from one another;

determining an uncertainty of the computed location of the mobile device based on one of a number of the plurality of base stations and the base station identification information; and

calculating an accuracy level of the computed location of the mobile device based at least in part on the determined uncertainty.