Harvesting communication parameter observations in GNSS-denied environments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9942698-B2
Application number	US-201114237748-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 9, 2011
Priority date	Aug 9, 2011
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

A method includes receiving location information from a mobile device, the location information indicating a location of a mobile device operating the mobile device in a global positioning navigation satellite system (GNSS)-location-denied environment. One or more communication parameters associated with communications between the mobile device and a network can be identified. The communication parameters can be associated with the location of the mobile device. The mobile device can provide the location information using a social networking site, for example, using a check-in feature or drop-down location menu.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, at a server, location information from user input received through a mobile device, the location information indicating a name or an address of a location of the mobile device operated by a user in a global navigation satellite system (GNSS)-location-denied environment;
identifying, at the server, one or more communication parameters associated with communications between the mobile device and a network, wherein the one or more communication parameters include cell site neighbor information and timing information;
associating, at the server, the one or more communication parameters with the name or the address of the location of the mobile device independent of coordinates from a GNSS;
aggregating, at the server, location information and communication parameters associated with a plurality of mobile devices, the plurality of mobile devices including the mobile device, the location information associated with the plurality of mobile devices including the location information received through the mobile device, and the communication parameters associated with the plurality of mobile devices including the identified one or more communication parameters associated with the mobile device, wherein the aggregating comprises:
determining whether a particular communication parameter associated with a particular location is reliable based on a standard deviation threshold of communication parameters that are associated with the particular location; and
aggregating the communication parameters that are determined to be reliable;
receiving, at the server, a location query from a different mobile device, wherein the different mobile device is other than the plurality of mobile devices;
receiving, at the server, a current communication parameter of the different mobile device, wherein the current communication parameter includes cell site neighbor information, and timing information associated with the different mobile device; and providing, from the server to the different mobile device, a location of the different mobile device based on the current communication parameter of the different mobile device and the aggregated location information and the communication parameters from the plurality of mobile devices.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication parameters include information identifying whether the mobile device is in motion.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the location information indicating the location of the mobile device includes information provided through a check-in feature of a social networking application.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the location information indicating the location of the user is based on information provided through a user interface feature allowing specifying location related information.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the user interface feature is a drop-down menu.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the user interface feature is a combo-box control.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the user interface features is a list-box control.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the location information indicating the location of the mobile device includes information provided through a location-enabled social application.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user self-identifies their physical location as part of a location-enabled application.

10. The method of claim 1 the method further comprising:
storing location information about the mobile device over a period of time;
storing communication parameters associated with the location information over the period of time;
aggregating the location information and the communication parameters from the mobile device; and
identifying the location of the different mobile device based on at least one of the aggregated location information and the communication parameters from the mobile device.

11. A system comprising:
one or more hardware processors operable to:
receive, at a server, location information from user input received through a mobile device, the location information indicating a name or an address of a location of the mobile device operated by a user in a global navigation satellite system (GNSS)-location-denied environment;
identify, at the server, one or more communication parameters associated with communications between the mobile device and a network, wherein the one or more communication parameters include cell site neighbor information and timing information;
associate, at the server, the one or more communication parameters with the name or the address of the location of the mobile device independent of coordinates from a GNSS;
aggregate, at the server, location information and communication parameters associated with a plurality of mobile devices, the plurality of mobile devices including the mobile device, the location information associated with the plurality of mobile devices including the location information received through the mobile device, and the communication parameters associated with the plurality of mobile devices including the identified one or more communication parameters associated with the mobile device, wherein the aggregating comprises:
determining whether a particular communication parameter associated with a particular location is reliable based on a standard deviation threshold of communication parameters that are associated with the particular location; and
aggregating the communication parameters that are determined to be reliable;
receive, at the server, a location query from a different mobile device;
receive, at the server, a current communication parameter of the different mobile device, wherein the current communication parameter includes cell site neighbor information, and timing information associated with the different mobile device, wherein the different mobile device is other than the plurality of mobile devices; and
provide, from the server to the different mobile device, a location of the different mobile device based on the current communication parameter of the different mobile device and the aggregated location information and the communication parameters from the plurality of mobile devices.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the communication parameters include information identifying whether the mobile device is in motion.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the location information indicating the location of the mobile device includes information provided through a check-in feature of a social networking application.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the location information indicating the location of the mobile device includes information provided through a location drop-down menu.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the location information indicating the location of the mobile device includes information provided through a location-enabled social application.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the user self-identifies their physical location as part of a GNSS-location-enabled application.

17. The system of claim 11 further comprising:
storing location information about the mobile device over a period of time;
storing communication parameters associated with the location information over the period of time;
aggregating the location information and the communication parameters from the mobile device; and
identifying the location of the different mobile device based on at least one of the aggregated location information and the communication parameters from the mobile device.

Assignees

• Bernhardt Bruce Allen
• Mubarek Ali Oemer
• Sheynman Arnold
• Shenfield Michael
• Blackberry Ltd

Inventors

• Bernhardt Bruce Allen
• Mubarek Ali Ömer
• Sheynman Arnold
• Shenfield Michael

Classifications

• G01S5/02526

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

• H04W4/02 Primary

  Services making use of location information · CPC title

• G01S19/48

  by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system · CPC title

• G01S5/0257

  Hybrid positioning (by coordinating position lines of different shape G01S5/12) · CPC title

• G01S5/02521

  using a radio-map · CPC title