DYNAMIC VIRTUAL BEACON METHODS AND APPARATUS
First Claim
1. A method of operating a device in a communications system, the method comprising:
- determining, based on a location of a wireless device and information stored in memory indicating a location of a first beacon transmitter, a beacon signal strength to be reported, said beacon signal strength to be reported being an expected received beacon signal strength of a first beacon signal at the location of said wireless device given the indicated location of said first beacon transmitter in said memory; and
communicating a message indicating the determined received beacon signal strength to the wireless device or a component in said wireless device which acts upon received beacon signal information.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus relating to use of actual and/or virtual beacons are described. Virtual beacons are virtual in that an actual beacon need not be transmitted but a rather a virtual beacon transmitter at a desired location may be considered to transmit virtual beacons. Beacon transmitter information indicates transmission power and location of actual and virtual beacon transmitters as well as information to be communicated by virtual beacons and is dynamically updated based on device movement, a schedule and/or the locations of devices in a group. Virtual personal beacons, virtual group beacons and virtual scheduled beacons are supported. A virtual personal beacon transmitter location is updated as the location of a device corresponding to the person moves. Reception of a virtual beacon is reported in a message sent to a wireless terminal or a component of the wireless terminal which acts upon receiving an indication of beacon reception.
17 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of operating a device in a communications system, the method comprising:
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determining, based on a location of a wireless device and information stored in memory indicating a location of a first beacon transmitter, a beacon signal strength to be reported, said beacon signal strength to be reported being an expected received beacon signal strength of a first beacon signal at the location of said wireless device given the indicated location of said first beacon transmitter in said memory; and communicating a message indicating the determined received beacon signal strength to the wireless device or a component in said wireless device which acts upon received beacon signal information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A communications device, comprising:
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memory including stored information indicating a location of a first beacon transmitter; a processor configured to; determine, based on a location of a wireless device and said information indicating the location of the first beacon transmitter, a beacon signal strength to be reported, said beacon signal strength to be reported being an expected received beacon signal strength of a first beacon signal at the location of said wireless device given the indicated location of said first beacon transmitter in said memory; and communicate a message indicating the determined received beacon signal strength to the wireless device or a component in said wireless device which acts upon received beacon signal information. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A non-transitory computer readable medium for use in a communications device, said non-transitory computer readable medium including processor executable instructions which when executed by at least one processor cause said communications device to:
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determine, based on a location of a wireless device and information stored in memory indicating a location of a first beacon transmitter, a beacon signal strength to be reported, said beacon signal strength to be reported being an expected received beacon signal strength of a first beacon signal at the location of said wireless device given the indicated location of said first beacon transmitter in said memory; and communicate a message indicating the determined received beacon signal strength to the wireless device or a component in said wireless device which acts upon received beacon signal information.
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Specification