Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090075672 | SERVER FOR UPDATING LOCATION BEACON DATABASE - A location beacon database and server, method of building location beacon database, and location based service using same. Wi-Fi access points are located in a target geographical area to build a reference database of locations of Wi-Fi access points. At least one vehicle is deployed including at least one scanning device having a GPS device and a Wi-Fi radio device and including a Wi-Fi antenna system. The target area is traversed in a programmatic route to reduce arterial bias. The programmatic route includes substantially all drivable streets in the target geographical area and solves an Eulerian cycle problem of a graph represented by said drivable streets. While traversing the target area, Wi-Fi identity information and GPS location information is detected. The location information is used to reverse triangulate the position of the detected Wi-Fi access point; and the position of the detected access point is recorded in a reference database. | 03-19-2009 |
20090149197 | CONTINUOUS DATA OPTIMIZATION OF NEW ACCESS POINTS IN POSITIONING SYSTEMS - Methods and systems of continuously optimizing data in WiFi positioning systems. A location-based services system uses WiFi-enabled devices to monitor WiFi access points in a target area to indicate whether a WiFi access point is newly-observed. A WiFi-enabled device communicates with WiFi access points within range of the WiFi-enabled device so that observed WiFi access points identify themselves. A reference database is accessed to obtain information specifying a recorded location for each observed WiFi access point in the target area. Observed WiFi access points for which the reference database has no information specifying a corresponding recorded location are identified. The recorded location information for each of the observed WiFi access points is used to calculate the position of the WiFi-enabled device. The reference database is informed of the WiFi access points (for which there was no information in the database) and is provided the calculated position in conjunction therewith. | 06-11-2009 |
20090252138 | ESTIMATION OF SPEED AND DIRECTION OF TRAVEL IN A WLAN POSITIONING SYSTEM USING MULTIPLE POSITION ESTIMATIONS - A method for estimating the speed and bearing of a Wi-Fi enabled device using WLAN radio signals in a WLAN based location service is provided. A method used to estimate a speed of travel of a Wi-Fi enabled device comprises the Wi-Fi enabled device receiving signals transmitted by Wi-Fi access points in range of the Wi-Fi enabled device, and using the signals to estimate the speed of and/or direction of travel of the Wi-Fi enabled device. | 10-08-2009 |
20110021207 | System and Method for Estimating Positioning Error Within a WLAN-Based Positioning System - The invention features a method of estimating an expected error of a position estimate for use in a WLAN positioning system that estimates the position of a WLAN-enabled device. The WLAN-enabled device receives signals transmitted by at least one WLAN access point in range of the WLAN-enabled device, and a position of the WLAN-enabled device is estimated based on the received signals from the at least one WLAN access point in range. A signal strength value is measured for the signals transmitted by the at least one WLAN access point, and a maximum signal strength value is determined. The method also estimates an expected error of the position estimate based on the maximum signal strength value of the signals transmitted by the at least one WLAN access point in range of the WLAN enabled device. The expected error predicts a relative accuracy of the position estimate. | 01-27-2011 |
20110035420 | Location Beacon Database - A location beacon database and server, method of building location beacon database, and location based service using same. Wi-Fi access points are located in a target geographical area to build a reference database of locations of Wi-Fi access points. At least one vehicle is deployed including at least one scanning device having a GPS device and a Wi-Fi radio device and including a Wi-Fi antenna system. The target area is traversed in a programmatic route to avoid arterial bias. The programmatic route includes substantially all drivable streets in the target geographical area and solves an Eulerian cycle problem of a graph represented by said drivable streets. While traversing the target area, periodically receive the GPS coordinates of the GPS device. While traversing the target area, detecting Wi-Fi signals from Wi-Fi access points in range of the Wi-Fi device and recording identity information of the detected Wi-Fi access point in conjunction with GPS location information of the vehicle when the detection of the Wi-Fi access point was made. The location information is used to reverse triangulate the position of the detected Wi-Fi access point; and the position of the detected access point is recorded in a reference database. | 02-10-2011 |
20110058495 | Estimation of Speed and Direction of Travel in a WLAN Positioning System - A method for estimating the speed and bearing of a Wi-Fi enabled device using WLAN radio signals in a WLAN based location service is provided. A method used to estimate a speed of travel of a Wi-Fi enabled device comprises the Wi-Fi enabled device receiving signals transmitted by Wi-Fi access points in range of the Wi-Fi enabled device, and using the signals to estimate the speed of and/or direction of travel of the Wi-Fi enabled device. | 03-10-2011 |
20110080841 | System and Method for Estimating Positioning Error within a WLAN-Based Positioning System - The invention features a method of estimating an expected error of a position estimate for use in a WLAN positioning system that estimates the position of a WLAN-enabled device. The WLAN-enabled device receives signals transmitted by a WLAN access point in range of the WLAN-enabled device. The method estimates the position of the WLAN-enabled device based on the received signals from the WLAN access point in range of the WLAN enabled device. The method also estimates an expected error of the position estimate based on characteristics of the WLAN access point in range of the WLAN enabled device, wherein the expected error predicts a relative accuracy of the position estimate. | 04-07-2011 |
20110093443 | Access Point Database - A location beacon database and server, method of building location beacon database, and location based service using same. Wi-Fi access points are located in a target geographical area to build a reference database of locations of Wi-Fi access points. At least one vehicle is deployed including at least one scanning device having a GPS device and a Wi-Fi radio device and including a Wi-Fi antenna system. The target area is traversed in a programmatic route to avoid arterial bias. The programmatic route includes substantially all drivable streets in the target geographical area and solves an Eulerian cycle problem of a graph represented by said drivable streets. While traversing the target area, periodically receive the GPS coordinates of the GPS device. While traversing the target area, detecting Wi-Fi signals from Wi-Fi access points in range of the Wi-Fi device and recording identity information of the detected Wi-Fi access point in conjunction with GPS location information of the vehicle when the detection of the Wi-Fi access point was made. The location information is used to reverse triangulate the position of the detected Wi-Fi access point; and the position of the detected access point is recorded in a reference database. | 04-21-2011 |
20110287783 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ESTIMATING POSITIONING ERROR WITHIN A WLAN-BASED POITIONING SYSTEM - The invention features a method of estimating an expected error of a position estimate for use in a WLAN positioning system that estimates the position of a WLAN-enabled device. The WLAN-enabled device receives signals transmitted by a WLAN access point in range of the WLAN-enabled device. The method estimates the position of the WLAN-enabled device based on the received signals from the WLAN access point in range of the WLAN enabled device. The method also estimates an expected error of the position estimate based on characteristics of the WLAN access point in range of the WLAN enabled device, wherein the expected error predicts a relative accuracy of the position estimate. | 11-24-2011 |
20110317579 | SERVER FOR UPDATING LOCATION BEACON DATABASE - A location beacon database and server, method of building location beacon database, and location based service using same. Wi-Fi access points are located in a target geographical area to build a reference database of locations of Wi-Fi access points. At least one vehicle is deployed including at least one scanning device having a GPS device and a Wi-Fi radio device and including a Wi-Fi antenna system. The target area is traversed in a programmatic route to reduce arterial bias. The programmatic route includes substantially all drivable streets in the target geographical area and solves an Eulerian cycle problem of a graph represented by said drivable streets. While traversing the target area, Wi-Fi identity information and GPS location information is detected. The location information is used to reverse triangulate the position of the detected Wi-Fi access point; and the position of the detected access point is recorded in a reference database. | 12-29-2011 |
20120100872 | ESTIMATION OF SPEED AND DIRECTION OF TRAVEL IN A WLAN POSITIONING SYSTEM - A method for estimating the speed and bearing of a Wi-Fi enabled device using WLAN radio signals in a WLAN based location service is provided. A method used to estimate a speed of travel of a Wi-Fi enabled device comprises the Wi-Fi enabled device receiving signals transmitted by Wi-Fi access points in range of the Wi-Fi enabled device, and using the signals to estimate the speed of and/or direction of travel of the Wi-Fi enabled device. | 04-26-2012 |
20120178477 | CONTINUOUS DATA OPTIMIZATION OF NEW ACCESS POINTS IN POSITIONING SYSTEMS - Methods and systems of continuously optimizing data in WiFi positioning systems. A location-based services system uses WiFi-enabled devices to monitor WiFi access points in a target area to indicate whether a WiFi access point is newly-observed. A WiFi-enabled device communicates with WiFi access points within range of the WiFi-enabled device so that observed WiFi access points identify themselves. A reference database is accessed to obtain information specifying a recorded location for each observed WiFi access point in the target area. Observed WiFi access points for which the reference database has no information specifying a corresponding recorded location are identified. The recorded location information for each of the observed WiFi access points is used to calculate the position of the WiFi-enabled device. The reference database is informed of the WiFi access points (for which there was no information in the database) and is provided the calculated position in conjunction therewith. | 07-12-2012 |
20120309420 | Continuous Data Optimization of Moved Access Points in Positioning Systems - Methods and systems of continuously optimizing data in WiFi positioning systems. A location-based services system uses WiFi-enabled devices to monitor WiFi access points in a target area to indicate whether a WiFi access point has moved relative to its previously recorded location. A WiFi-enabled device communicates with WiFi access points within range of the WiFi-enabled device so that observed WiFi access points identify themselves; A reference database is accessed to obtain information specifying a recorded location for each observed WiFi access point in the target area. The recorded location information is used for each of the observed WiFi access points in conjunction with predefined rules to infer whether an observed WiFi access point has moved relative to its recorded location. The reference database is informed of the identity of any observed WiFi access point that is inferred to have moved. | 12-06-2012 |
20120331561 | Method of and Systems for Privacy Preserving Mobile Demographic Measurement of Individuals, Groups and Locations Over Time and Space - Disclosed are techniques for privacy preserving mobile demographic measurement of individuals, groups, and locations over time and space. A method of estimating demographic information associated with a user of a mobile device and/or a location while preserving the privacy of the user based at least in part on a location estimate of the mobile device of the user includes receiving an estimated geographical location of the mobile device of the user and receiving a time at which the mobile device was at the estimated geographical location. The method includes assigning substitute identifiers for the geographical location and the time at which the mobile device was at the estimated geographical location. The method includes associating the geographical areas substitute identifiers with demographic information and estimating demographic information associated with the user of the mobile device based on the substitute identifiers and based on the demographic information associated with substitute identifiers. | 12-27-2012 |
20130184003 | LOCATION-BASED SERVICES THAT CHOOSE LOCATION ALGORITHMS BASED ON NUMBER OF DETECTED ACCESS POINTS WITHIN RANGE OF USER DEVICE - In one embodiment, in response to a user application request to determine a location of a user-device having a Wi-Fi radio, the Wi-Fi radio is triggered to transmit a request to Wi-Fi access points within range. Messages are received from the Wi-Fi access points, each message identifying the Wi-Fi access point sending the message. Signal strength of the messages received from the Wi-Fi access points is calculated. A reference database of stored locations for Wi-Fi access points in a target area is accessed to obtain the stored locations for the identified Wi-Fi access points. Based on the number of the identified Wi-Fi access points identified via received messages, a corresponding location-determination algorithm is chosen from a plurality of location-determination algorithms. The location of the user-device is determined using the stored locations for the identified Wi-Fi access points, the signal strengths of the received messages and the chosen location-determination algorithm. | 07-18-2013 |
20140342752 | TECHNIQUES FOR COMPUTING LOCATION OF A MOBILE DEVICE BASED ON OBSERVED WI-FI ACCESS POINTS - In one embodiment, characteristics of signals received from Wi-Fi access points during a traversal of a number of drivable streets within a geographic area having a radius of one or more miles are determined, the characteristics of a given signal including a unique identifier of a Wi-Fi access point that transmitted the signal, a location where the signal was observed, and an observed signal strength at the location where the signal was observed. Using the characteristics, a reference database is built including records descriptive of Wi-Fi access points in the geographic area. To determine a current location of a mobile device, an observed signal strength of one or more Wi-Fi access points observed by the mobile device from the current location is determined and a current location of the mobile device is computed using at least the observed signal strength of the one or more Wi-Fi access points observed by the mobile device in comparison to information in the reference database. | 11-20-2014 |
20150087336 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ESTIMATING POSITIONING ERROR WITHIN A WLAN-BASED POSITIONING SYSTEM - In one embodiment, a technique is provided for estimating and using an expected error of a position estimate of a wireless local area network (WLAN)-enabled mobile device. The WLAN-enabled mobile device received signals transmitted by a plurality of WLAN access points that are in range. A position of the WLAN-enabled mobile device is estimated based on the signals from one or more of the plurality of WLAN access points. An expected error of the position estimate is estimated based on a combination of correlated parameters, such as a spatial spread of geographic positions of the one or more WLAN access points, the signal coverage areas of the one or more WLAN access points, and a number of the one or more WLAN access points. Based on the expected error, the position estimate may be weighted or excluded from use in deriving a position, speed, or direction of travel. | 03-26-2015 |