A method includes obtaining piece(s) of calendar information indicative of at least one appointment taking place in a space and extracting a set of space identifiers representing space(s) of the venue. The space identifier(s) for one or more spaces are extracted based on an indoor map of the venue. The method also includes determining or triggering determining whether at least a part of the set of space identifiers or one or more spaces of the set of space identifiers match(es) the at least one space as represented by the piece(s) of calendar information; and if a match is found: determining one or more reference location estimates. A respective reference location estimate is indicative of a location of the space that was determined to be a match. A corresponding apparatus, computer program product and system are also provided.

A control apparatus, method and computer program code for controlling indoor positioning transitions. In response to detecting that a mobile apparatus is in an unmapped location, commanding the mobile apparatus to suspend generation of sensor data for indoor positioning with one or more sensors of the mobile apparatus. In response to an invoke mechanism, checking whether the mobile apparatus is likely to enter an indoor location for which indoor signal map data exists. If (YES) the checking indicates that the mobile apparatus is likely to enter the indoor location, commanding the mobile apparatus to start generating the sensor data for the indoor positioning with the one or more sensors, or else (NO) commanding the mobile apparatus to resume the suspension, and, in response to the invoke mechanism, performing the checking again.

Techniques for Check-In/Be-out (CiBo) and Be-in/Be-out (BiBo) using Mesh Networks are disclosed. In one implementation, an access control system includes a mesh network. The mesh network includes a set of mesh nodes disposed proximate to a gate to an access-controlled area and a master mesh node communicatively coupled to the set of mesh nodes. The master mesh node is configured to determine whether a device is near the gate based on a strength of a signal received at one of the set of the mesh nodes from the device. The system further includes a validator communicatively coupled to the master mesh node and a backend system. The validator is configured to: receive an indication from the master mesh node that the device is near the gate, determine, based on the indication, whether the device is authorized to enter or exit through the gate, and transmit a result of the determination of whether the device is authorized to enter or exit through the gate to the backend system.

Examples of systems and methods for locating movable objects such as carts (e.g., shopping carts) are disclosed. Such systems and methods can use dead reckoning techniques to estimate the current position of the movable object. Various techniques for improving accuracy of position estimates are disclosed, including compensation for various error sources involving the use of magnetometer and accelerometer, and using vibration analysis to derive wheel rotation rates. Also disclosed are various techniques to utilize characteristics of the operating environment in conjunction with or in lieu of dead reckoning techniques, including characteristic of environment such as ground texture, availability of signals from radio frequency (RF) transmitters including precision fix sources. Such systems and methods can be applied in both indoor and outdoor settings and in retail or warehouse settings.

A method of tracking entry to and exit from a confined space includes a portable radio beacon placed proximate to but outside the confined space transmitting a first radio signal with an identifier that is associated with the confined space. A mobile device receives the first radio signal, measures a first real-time value of a first measure of received signal strength or quality, and transmits a second radio signal with the identifier and the first real-time value. A base station receives the second radio signal, measures a second real-time value of a second measure of received signal strength or quality, and transmits data including the identifier, and the first and second real-time values. A computer receives the data, determines proximity of the mobile device to the confined space from the identifier, and determines whether the mobile device is outside or inside the confined space from the real-time values.

The invention relates to navigation, particularly, to detection of indoor and outdoor positions of mobile devices. Technical result of the invention is to improve the accuracy of mobile terminal position detection at time of occurrence of a specific trigger event and decrease of load on sensor, computing, communication and other resources of the mobile terminal at times when a trigger event occurs. Mobile terminal positioning technique at the trigger event moment, is characterized by the following sequence: receipt of series of readings of inertial and non-inertial sensors, identification of intervals, during which readings of at least one sensor generates a stationary process; then detection of at least one point of time, when at least one stationary process is replaced by another stationary process; then identification of parameters of at least one pattern of movement for at least one stationarity interval; then detection of at least one position of the mobile terminal according to readings of non-inertial sensors; estimation of mobile terminal path according to parameters of at least one pattern of movement and then of position corresponding to change of one stationary process to another; then detection of mobile terminal position at time corresponding to a specific trigger event.

The present invention discloses, inter alia, a computerized system for building a multisensory location map, the system comprising an interface for receiving multiple multisensory data vectors acquired by multiple mobile devices at multiple locations and accelerometer readings obtained upon movement of at least one device carried by at least one user between the multiple locations; at least a portion of said movement being walking; at least a majority of the multiple locations are located within an area in which an accuracy of global positioning system (GPS) based navigation is below an allowable threshold; and a processor, interconnected with said interface, with accelerometers, a magnetometer and a map calculator, configured for: extracting, out of accelerometer readings, accelerometer information related to multiple walking phases of the walking; for at least two of said multiple walking phases, real-time correcting a currently measured Z vector, and a pitch angle and a roll angle thereof, thereby compensating for horizontal accelerations, thereby obtaining a Z vector pointing toward Earth's center; calculating, from said Z vector pointing toward earth's center, a surface parallel to Earth's face (perpendicular to said Z vector pointing toward earth's center); estimating, from said surface parallel to Earth's face and from a magnetic north measured by at least one built-in magnetometer in said at least one device, an offset selected from a group consisting of: an azimuth offset from magnetic north and a heading offset from geometric north; processing the accelerometer information related to said at least two of said multiple walking phases to determine a direction of propagation of the at least one user and correcting said direction of propagation based on said offset; and estimating, from said corrected direction of propagation, at least one location of said at least one user; and the map calculator calculating, in response to the multiple multisensory data vectors and said at least one estimated location, a location fingerprinting map that comprises multiple grid points; each of the multiple grid points comprising a multisensory grid point fingerprint and grid point location information derivable from said at least one estimated location.

Examples of systems and methods for locating movable objects such as carts (e.g., shopping carts) are disclosed. Such systems and methods can use dead reckoning techniques to estimate the current position of the movable object. Various techniques for improving accuracy of position estimates are disclosed, including compensation for various error sources involving the use of magnetometer and accelerometer, and using vibration analysis to derive wheel rotation rates. Also disclosed are various techniques to utilize characteristics of the operating environment in conjunction with or in lieu of dead reckoning techniques, including characteristic of environment such as ground texture, availability of signals from radio frequency (RF) transmitters including precision fix sources. Such systems and methods can be applied in both indoor and outdoor settings and in retail or warehouse settings.

The present invention discloses, inter alia, a computerized system for building a multisensory location map, the system comprising an interface for receiving multiple multisensory data vectors acquired by multiple mobile devices at multiple locations and accelerometer readings obtained upon movement of at least one device carried by at least one user between the multiple locations; at least a portion of said movement being walking; at least a majority of the multiple locations are located within an area in which an accuracy of global positioning system (GPS) based navigation is below an allowable threshold; and a processor, interconnected with said interface, with accelerometers, a magnetometer and a map calculator, configured for: extracting, out of accelerometer readings, accelerometer information related to multiple walking phases of the walking; for at least two of said multiple walking phases, real-time correcting a currently measured Z vector, and a pitch angle and a roll angle thereof, thereby compensating for horizontal accelerations, thereby obtaining a Z vector pointing toward Earth's center; calculating, from said Z vector pointing toward earth's center, a surface parallel to Earth's face (perpendicular to said Z vector pointing toward earth's center); estimating, from said surface parallel to Earth's face and from a magnetic north measured by at least one built-in magnetometer in said at least one device, an offset selected from a group consisting of: an azimuth offset from magnetic north and a heading offset from geometric north; processing the accelerometer information related to said at least two of said multiple walking phases to determine a direction of propagation of the at least one user and correcting said direction of propagation based on said offset; and estimating, from said corrected direction of propagation, at least one location of said at least one user; and the map calculator calculating, in response to the multiple multisensory data vectors and said at least one estimated location, a location fingerprinting map that comprises multiple grid points; each of the multiple grid points comprising a multisensory grid point fingerprint and grid point location information derivable from said at least one estimated location.

A tunnel detection system for a motor vehicle comprises a radiofrequency signal receiver provided to receive a radiofrequency signal coming from a source external to the vehicle; a controller communicating with the radiofrequency signal receiver, the controller being configured to detect at least one amplitude variation in the radiofrequency signal received by the receiver; the controller is configured to determine at least one correspondence level representative of the difference between the detected amplitude variation in the radiofrequency signal and at least one predetermined reference signal amplitude variation representative of the amplitude variation in a signal received by the receiver when the receiver travels into a tunnel; the controller is configured to compare the determined correspondence level with a predetermined minimum correspondence threshold, and detect the tunnel being travelled through by the detection system when the determined correspondence level is greater than or equal to the predetermined minimum correspondence threshold.