A method and a system for monitoring a space by a portable sensor device (102) are disclosed. The portable sensor device (102) comprising a first sensor (120) of a first sensor type for providing first sensor data indicative of first environmental information in the space, and a second sensor (122) of a second sensor type for providing second sensor data indicative of second environmental information in the space. The method comprises determining a location of the portable sensor device (102) in the space, transmitting, if the portable sensor device (102) is located at the first location, the first sensor data indicative of the first environmental information via the communication unit to a first device or application (110) of a plurality of devices or applications (110, 112), and transmitting, if the portable sensor (device 102) is located at the second location, the second sensor data indicative of the second environmental information via the communication unit to a second device or application (112) of the plurality of devices or applications (110, 112).

A device and method for context-aware, intelligent beaconing in a mission include: determining a current location of a beacon device; obtaining context information from one or more of a plurality of sensors, a database, a server, the beacon device, and external devices, wherein the context information includes behavior of the beacon device, and mission objectives; dynamically fusing the context information together to produce fused context information; dynamically setting a frequency for transmission of a beacon, based on the fused context information; and transmitting the beacon at the set frequency.

A method comprises a first device: receiving at least one Bluetooth Low Energy message transmitted from each of at least three second devices, each Bluetooth Low Energy message including data indicating a position of the respective second device (S2); measuring a radio parameter for each of the received Bluetooth Low Energy messages (S3); using the radio parameters and the data included in the messages to calculate the position of the first device (S4); and transmitting a Bluetooth Low Energy message including data indicating the position of the first device (S5). A further method comprises a third device: receiving at least one Bluetooth Low Energy message transmitted from each of at least three devices, each Bluetooth Low Energy message including data indicating a position of the respective device; measuring a radio parameter for each of the received Bluetooth Low Energy messages; using the radio parameters and the data included in the messages to calculate the position of the third device; receiving at least one Bluetooth Low Energy message transmitted by a first device and including data indicating a position of the first device; and causing display of the position of the first device relative to the third device.

Some demonstrative embodiments include apparatuses, systems and/or methods of time preservation. For example, an apparatus may include a time controller to preserve a time of a clock of a mobile device based on signals received by the mobile device from less than four location origin transmitters, the time controller is to determine the time based on a position of a location origin transmitter of the less than four location origin transmitters and one or more parameters relating to a transmission path between the location origin transmitter and the mobile device.

The present invention relates to a communication assembly comprising a first terminal provided with a first communication module arranged to communicate with a plurality of beacons, each comprising a communication circuit to enable data to be sent and/or received with a particular periodicity Said assembly additionally comprises a second terminal having a second communication module, wherein said second terminal is arranged to scan its environment by means of said second communication module in order to detect the presence of beacons within range and to retrieve for each beacon detected the particular periodicity and a time offset corresponding to the period between a reference point and the start of the transmission of the message and send them to the first terminal.

Apparatuses, components and methods are provided herein useful to provide assistance to customers and/or workers in a shopping facility. In some embodiments, a shopping facility personal assistance system comprises: a plurality of motorized transport units located in and configured to move through a shopping facility space; a plurality of user interface units, each corresponding to a respective motorized transport unit during use of the respective motorized transport unit; and a central computer system having a network interface such that the central computer system wirelessly communicates with one or both of the plurality of motorized transport units and the plurality of user interface units, wherein the central computer system is configured to control movement of the plurality of motorized transport units through the shopping facility space based at least on inputs from the plurality of user interface units.

Apparatuses, components and methods are provided herein useful to provide assistance to customers and/or workers in a shopping facility. In some embodiments, a shopping facility personal assistance system comprises: a plurality of motorized transport units located in and configured to move through a shopping facility space; a plurality of user interface units, each corresponding to a respective motorized transport unit during use of the respective motorized transport unit; and a central computer system having a network interface such that the central computer system wirelessly communicates with one or both of the plurality of motorized transport units and the plurality of user interface units, wherein the central computer system is configured to control movement of the plurality of motorized transport units through the shopping facility space based at least on inputs from the plurality of user interface units.

Disclosed embodiments relate, generally, to beacon systems where a locator beacon is used as a marker for a location of interest, and improving false positive immunity in such beacon systems. Confiner beacons are included in such beacon systems to confine a triggering area for triggering a location indication for a location of interest marked by a locator beacon. In other embodiments, arbitrarily shaped triggering areas are defined using confiner beacons. In other embodiments, errant locator signals are identified and handled (e.g., ignored).

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a balloon-based positioning system and method. In one example embodiment, a system includes a group of at least three balloons deployed in the stratosphere and a control system configured for: determining a first set of spatial relationships relating to the group; determining a second set of spatial relationships relating to at least a portion of the group and to a reference point; determining a position of the reference point relative to the earth; using the determined first set, the determined second set, and the determined position of the reference point relative to the earth as a basis for determining a position of a target balloon in the group relative to the earth; and transmitting the determined position of the target balloon relative to the earth.

Venue information is stored, the venue information including a first location portion of the venue and a second location portion of the venue. An actual presence of a location sensing mobile device is identified within the venue, the actual presence identified based on beacon signals received from a beacon associated with the first location portion of the venue. A first drone associated with the first location portion of the venue is selected based on the actual presence. First sensor data is received from the first drone. A virtual presence of the location sensing mobile device is received, the virtual presence being different from the actual presence. A second drone associated with the second location portion of the venue is selected based on the virtual presence. Second sensor data is received from the second drone. The first and second sensor data is transmitted to the location sensing mobile device.