Tracking a mobile computer indoors using wi-fi and motion sensor information

• US 9,182,494 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2015
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: HJ Laboratories, LLC
• Inventors: Vartanian, Harry, Jurikson-Rhodes, Jaron
• Primary Examiner(s): PIHULIC, DANIEL T
• Application Number:
  US14/611,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20150145727A1
• Time in Patent Office: 283 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/00 Measuring arrangements or details thereof, where the measuring technique is not covered by the other groups of this subclass, unspecified or not relevant
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/06 Systems determining the position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/08 Systems for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S15/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/06 Systems determining position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/06 employing an initial estimate of the location of the receiver as aiding data or in generating aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/11 wherein the cooperating elements are pseudolites or satellite radio beacon positioning system signal repeaters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/466 by Trilateration, i.e. two antennas or two sensors determine separately the distance to a target, whereby with the knowledge of the baseline length, i.e. the distance between the antennas or sensors, the position data of the target is determined
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/468 by Triangulation, i.e. two antennas or two sensors determine separately the bearing, direction or angle to a target, whereby with the knowledge of the baseline length, the position data of the target is determined
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2015/465 by Trilateration, i.e. two transducers determine separately the distance to a target, whereby with the knowledge of the baseline length, i.e. the distance between the transducers, the position data of the target is determined
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/012 Identifying whether indoors or outdoors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/013 Identifying areas in a building
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/015 between indoor and outdoor environments
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0294 Trajectory determination or predictive filtering, e.g. target tracking or Kalman filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0266 based on the position of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• 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: Y10S 367/907 : Coordinate determination

Abstract

A mobile computer may receive a bluetooth signal from a wireless sensor to determine entrance to a building. The mobile computer may track, on a floor of the building, its indoor position by utilization of a combination of Wi-Fi information and accelerometer information. The indoor position may be tracked without global positioning system (GPS) information and may be associated with a probability related accuracy value.

Claims

1. A mobile computer comprising:

a processor, of the mobile computer, configured to determine an initial indoor location of the mobile computer in a building, wherein the initial indoor location is associated with probability related accuracy and selectively determined with satellite related positioning information;

the processor further configured to track, in part with the initial indoor location, data, and estimated motion information from an accelerometer, location in a room in the building; and

wherein the data is a combination of Wi-Fi related position information and environmental sensor information utilized to determine a floor of the room.

2. The mobile computer of claim 1 further comprising:

the processor further configured to analyze gyroscope related data to determine an orientation of the mobile computer.

3. A method comprising:

determining, by a processor of a mobile computer, an initial indoor location of the mobile computer in a building, wherein the initial indoor location is associated with probability related accuracy and selectively determined with satellite related positioning information;

tracking, by the mobile computer, in part with the initial indoor location, data, and estimated motion information from an accelerometer, location in a room in the building; and

wherein the data is a combination of Wi-Fi related position information and environmental sensor information utilized to determine a floor of the room.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

analyzing, by the mobile computer, gyroscope related data to determine an orientation of the mobile computer.