Crowd sourced location determination

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11700503-B2
Application number	US-202117537134-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2021
Priority date	Jul 15, 2014
Publication date	Jul 11, 2023
Grant date	Jul 11, 2023

Abstract

Techniques and systems for determining locations of devices using location data sources are provided. For example, a network device, method, and computer-program product may be provided. In one example, a method may include receiving, on a computing device, a request to locate a device, wherein the request includes an identifier of the device. The method may further include receiving a communication from the device, wherein the communication includes the identifier of the device, and obtaining a location of the device. The method may further include transmitting the location of the device and the identifier of the device to a server, wherein the server is configured to use the location of the device and the identifier of the device to send a response to the requestor of the request.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A network device comprising:
one or more processing devices;
a non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium containing instructions which when executed by the one or more processing devices, cause the one or more processing devices to perform operations comprising:
processing a tracking signal received from a second network device, wherein the tracking signal comprises an identifier of the second network device;
identifying location information of the network device;
determining a distance between the network device and the second network device;
determining a location of the second network device using the location information and the determined distance; and
causing communication of second location information corresponding to the location of the second network device and the identifier of the second network device to a network server and/or another device.

2. The network device as recited in claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
receiving a request to locate the second network device, and
where the determining the location of the second network device is consequent to the request.

3. The network device as recited in claim 2 , where the request to locate the second network device is received from a third network device.

4. The network device as recited in claim 2 , where the request comprises the identifier of the second network device, and the operations further comprise using the identifier from the request and the identifier from the tracking signal to identify the second network device.

5. The network device as recited in claim 1 , where the determining the distance between the network device and the second network device comprises:
analyzing multiple responses received over a period of time from the second network device; and
determining the distance between the network device and the second network device based on analyzing the multiple responses and using triangulation or trilateration.

6. The network device as recited in claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
causing transmitting, to the second network device, of an indication that the location of the second network device has been determined.

7. The network device as recited in claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
initiating storing of the second location information in a profile associated with the second network device.

8. One or more non-transitory, machine-readable media having machine-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
processing a tracking signal received from a second network device, wherein the tracking signal comprises an identifier of the second network device;
identifying location information of a network device;
determining a distance between the network device and the second network device;
determining a location of the second network device using the location information and the determined distance; and
causing communication of second location information corresponding to the location of the second network device and the identifier of the second network device to a network server and/or another device.

9. The one or more non-transitory, machine-readable media as recited in claim 8 , the operations further comprising:
receiving a request to locate the second network device, and
where the determining the location of the second network device is consequent to the request.

10. The one or more non-transitory, machine-readable media as recited in claim 9 , where the request to locate the second network device is received from a third network device.

11. The one or more non-transitory, machine-readable media as recited in claim 10 , where the request comprises the identifier of the second network device, and the operations further comprise using the identifier from the request and the identifier from the tracking signal to identify the second network device.

12. The one or more non-transitory, machine-readable media as recited in claim 8 , where the determining the distance between the network device and the second network device comprises:
analyzing multiple responses received over a period of time from the second network device; and
determining the distance between the network device and the second network device based on analyzing the multiple responses and using triangulation or trilateration.

13. The one or more non-transitory, machine-readable media as recited in claim 8 , the operations further comprising:
causing transmitting, to the second network device, of an indication that the location of the second network device has been determined.

14. The one or more non-transitory, machine-readable media as recited in claim 8 , the operations further comprising:
initiating storing of the second location information in a profile associated with the second network device.

15. A method comprising:
processing a tracking signal received from a second network device, wherein the tracking signal comprises an identifier of the second network device;
identifying location information of a network device;
determining a distance between the network device and the second network device;
determining a location of the second network device using the location information and the determined distance; and
causing communication of second location information corresponding to the location of the second network device and the identifier of the second network device to a network server and/or another device.

16. The method as recited in claim 15 , further comprising:
receiving a request to locate the second network device, and
where the determining the location of the second network device is consequent to the request.

17. The method as recited in claim 16 , where the request to locate the second network device is received from a third network device.

18. The method as recited in claim 16 , where the request comprises the identifier of the second network device, and the method further comprises using the identifier from the request and the identifier from the tracking signal to identify the second network device.

19. The method as recited in claim 15 , where the determining the distance between the network device and the second network device comprises:
analyzing multiple responses received over a period of time from the second network device; and
determining the distance between the network device and the second network device based on analyzing the multiple responses and using triangulation or trilateration.

20. The method as recited in claim 15 , further comprising:
causing transmitting, to the second network device, of an indication that the location of the second network device has been determined.

Assignees

• Belkin International Inc

Inventors

• Kim Ryan Yong
• Plummer Jon
• Shao David

Classifications

• H04W56/0005

  synchronizing of arrival of multiple uplinks · CPC title

• H04W64/003

  locating network equipment · CPC title

• H04W4/02

  Services making use of location information · CPC title

• H04W56/001

  Synchronization between nodes · CPC title

• H04W4/021 Primary

  Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences · CPC title