System and method for mapping wireless network coverage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9888390-B2
Application number	US-201615332286-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2016
Priority date	Nov 2, 2015
Publication date	Feb 6, 2018
Grant date	Feb 6, 2018

Abstract

Disclosed is a system for collecting data and mapping wireless network coverage in a building such as a retail store. A mobile computing device is used by an employee to collect data captures and wireless coverage indicators in the retail store. The wireless coverage indicator includes data on the status of wireless network coverage in the location where the data capture was collected. The data capture and the wireless coverage indicators are wirelessly transmitted to a utility for mapping a building when a wireless network is available. If no wireless network is available, the data is stored in the mobile computing device until a wireless network is available. The utility for mapping a building uses information in the data capture to determine the location where the data capture was collected, and maps the data in the wireless coverage indicator to the location on a map of the building.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for mapping wireless network coverage of a building, the system comprising:
a mobile computing device wherein the mobile computing device comprises:
a data capture module, wherein the data capture module collects a barcode scan;
a coverage capture module, wherein the coverage capture module creates a wireless coverage indicator associated with the barcode scan, and wherein the wireless coverage indicator comprises a first measurement of a signal strength of a first wireless network and a second measurement of a signal strength of a second wireless network; and
a data capture memory, wherein the mobile computing device stores the barcode scan and the wireless coverage indicator in the data capture memory in response to the first measurement of the signal strength of the first wireless network and the second measurement of the signal strength of the second wireless network being less than a predetermined minimum wireless network signal strength; and

a utility for mapping a building, wherein the utility for mapping a building is resident on a server;
wherein the utility for mapping a building correlates the barcode scan to a location in the building, and maps the wireless coverage indicator to the location in response to receiving the barcode scan and the wireless coverage indicator from the mobile computing device.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mobile computing device transmits the barcode scan and the wireless coverage indicator to the utility for mapping a building in response to the mobile computing device receiving a wireless network signal from the first and/or the second wireless network.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mobile computing device transmits the barcode scan and the wireless coverage indicator to the utility for mapping a building in response to the mobile computing device receiving a wireless network signal from either the first or the second wireless network with a signal strength greater than the predetermined minimum wireless network signal strength level.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mobile computing device stores the barcode scan and the wireless coverage indicator in the data capture memory in response to the mobile computing device not receiving a wireless signal from a wireless network.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless coverage indicator comprises an indication of whether the mobile computing device is receiving a wireless network signal from a wireless network.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mobile computing device transmits the barcode scan and the wireless coverage indicator to the utility for mapping a building using the second wireless network in response to the first measurement of the signal strength of the first wireless network being less than a predetermined minimum wireless network signal strength and the second measurement of the signal strength of the second wireless network being greater than the predetermined minimum wireless network signal strength.

7. A method of mapping wireless network coverage in a building, the method comprising:
using a mobile computing device to collect a bar code scan in the building;
associating a wireless coverage indicator to the bar code scan, wherein the wireless coverage indicator comprises a first measurement of a signal strength of a first wireless network and a second measurement of a signal strength of a second wireless network;
transmitting the barcode scan and the wireless coverage indicator to a utility for mapping a building using the second wireless network in response to the first measurement of the signal strength of the first wireless network being less than a predetermined minimum wireless network signal strength and the second measurement of the signal strength of the second wireless network being greater than the predetermined minimum wireless network signal strength;
correlating the bar code scan to a location in the building; and
mapping the wireless coverage indicator to the location on a map of the building.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising storing the bar code scan and the wireless coverage indicator in a data capture memory in the mobile computing device in response to the wireless coverage indicator indicating that the mobile computing device is not receiving a wireless network signal.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising storing the bar code scan and the wireless coverage indicator in a data capture memory in the mobile computing device in response to determining that the mobile computing device is not receiving a wireless network signal.

10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising storing the bar code scan and the wireless coverage indicator in a data capture memory in the mobile computing device in response to the first measurement of the signal strength of the first wireless network and the second measurement of the signal strength of the second wireless network being less than a predetermined minimum wireless network signal strength.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising creating the wireless coverage indicator, wherein the wireless coverage indicator comprises an indication of whether or not the mobile computing device is receiving a wireless network signal.

12. A system for mapping wireless network coverage of a building, the system comprising:
a mobile computing device wherein the mobile computing device comprises:
a data capture module, wherein the data capture module collects a barcode scan;
a coverage capture module, wherein the coverage capture module creates a wireless coverage indicator associated with the barcode scan, and wherein the wireless coverage indicator comprises a first measurement of a signal strength of a first wireless network and a second measurement of a signal strength of a second wireless network; and

a utility for mapping a building, wherein the utility for mapping a building is resident on a server;
wherein the mobile computing device transmits the barcode scan and the wireless coverage indicator to the utility for mapping a building using the second wireless network in response to the first measurement of the signal strength of the first wireless network being less than a predetermined minimum wireless network signal strength and the second measurement of the signal strength of the second wireless network being greater than the predetermined minimum wireless network signal strength;
and
wherein the utility for mapping a building correlates the barcode scan to a location in the building, and maps the wireless coverage indicator to the location in response to receiving the barcode scan and the wireless coverage indicator from the mobile computing device.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the mobile computing device further comprises a data capture memory, and wherein the mobile computing device stores the barcode scan and the wireless coverage indicator in the data capture memory in response to the first measurement of the signal strength of the first wireless network and the second measurement of the signal strength of the second wireless network being less than a predetermined minimum wireless network signal strength.

Assignees

• Wal Mart Stores Inc

Inventors

• Jones Nicholaus Adam
• Jones Matthew Allen
• Taylor Robert James
• Shields Daniel R
• Fletter Marc Ashley

Classifications

• H04W4/02

  Services making use of location information · CPC title

• H04W16/20 Primary

  for indoor coverage or short range network deployment · CPC title

• H04W4/021

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

• H04B17/27

  for locating or positioning the transmitter · CPC title

• H04W4/33

  for indoor environments, e.g. buildings · CPC title