Wireless location recognition for wearable device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11234099-B2
Application number	US-201916441403-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 14, 2019
Priority date	Oct 20, 2017
Publication date	Jan 25, 2022
Grant date	Jan 25, 2022

Abstract

In one embodiment, an apparatus ( 12 ) is presented that detects wireless signals from external devices ( 18 ) that uniquely identify each of the external devices, records, in memory ( 30 ), information about the external devices without access to an external database, and compares information from the external devices to determine a relative location of the wearable device without using additional, power-hungry position location functionality if there is a threshold match in the compared information. In some embodiments, the invention uses the determined relative location to trigger an action at another device. The invention, using self-contained functionality, enables improvements in same location or home location determination accuracy, memory conservation, and power consumption.

First claim

At least the following is claimed:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a memory comprising executable code;
a position location module configured to obtain a location fix;
a wireless communications module configured to receive data over a wireless medium; and
a processor configured to run the executable code to:
receive a command to set a current location of the apparatus as a home location;
in response to the command, detect wireless signals from a set of one or more external devices that uniquely identify each of the set of external devices;
record in the memory, information for one or more of the devices of the set of external devices without accessing an external data structure; and
associate in the memory the record with the home location.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to run the executable code to receive the command from a remote location based on a trigger, the trigger comprising transmittal of an alert.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to run the executable code to receive the command based on a trigger, the trigger comprising depression of a button.

4. An apparatus, comprising:
a memory comprising executable code;
a position location module configured to obtain a location fix;
a wireless communications module configured to transmit and receive data over a wireless medium; and
a processor configured to run the executable code to:
detect wireless signals from a first set of external devices that uniquely identify each of the first set of external devices;
record, in the memory and based on the detection, information for each device of the first set of external devices without accessing an external data structure;
detect wireless signals from a second set of external devices that uniquely identify each of the second set of external devices;
compare the information of the first set of external devices with information for the second set of external devices;
associate the first and second set of external devices with a same location if there is a threshold match between the information of the first and second set of external devices, and
activate an external device if the same location is confirmed.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the activation includes turning on an electronic appliance.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the activation includes turning on a light.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to run the executable code to trigger an action at another device using the same location, the triggering causing a change in operation or state of the other device.

8. The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising a cellular module or wireless communications module communicating through a device connected to the Internet, wherein said modules are configured to enable telephony and data transfer operations for the apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising one or more sensors.

10. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the apparatus comprises a wearable device.

11. An apparatus, comprising:
a memory comprising executable code;
a position location module configured to obtain a location fix;
a wireless communications module configured to receive data over a wireless medium; and
a processor configured to run the executable code to:
receive a command to set a current location of the apparatus as a home location;
in response to the command, detect wireless signals from a set of one or more external devices that uniquely identify each of the set of external devices;
record in the memory, information for one or more of the devices of the set of external devices without accessing an external data structure; and
associate in the memory the record with the home location without using the location fix.

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Roy Prasenjit
• Russ Tomas
• Liu Chibing
• Baril Paul

Classifications

• G01S5/0295

  Proximity-based methods, e.g. position inferred from reception of particular signals · CPC title

• G01S5/017

  Detecting state or type of motion · CPC title

• G01S2205/06

  Emergency · CPC title

• G01S5/02529

  not involving signal parameters, i.e. only involving identifiers · CPC title

• G01S5/02526

  using non-dedicated equipment, e.g. user equipment or crowd-sourcing · CPC title