A system includes a plurality of wireless transmitters and a processor configured to: receive, from a mobile device, signal strengths of signals from the wireless transmitters as detected by the mobile device. The processor is also configured to determine a location of the mobile device in a vehicle, based on a distance from the mobile device to each of the wireless transmitters, as indicated by the received signal strengths and store the location of the mobile device as an occupant location.

In one embodiment, a technique is provided for wireless position determination wherein identification information and positional information about wireless beacons are supplied from a central database maintained by a central facility to a wireless computing device, the identification information and positional information usable by a wireless positioning system of the wireless computing device to estimate a position of the wireless computing device. The central facility receives a contribution from the wireless computing device of identification information and positional information for at least one wireless beacon, the positional information of the at least one wireless beacon estimated based on the position of the wireless computing device. It updates the central database based on the identification information and positional information for the at least one wireless beacon and provides, from the central database, updated identification information and positional information about wireless beacons to at least one other wireless computing device.

Various embodiments determine a position of a wireless device and enable the wireless device to retrieve the determined location. In one embodiment, a system comprises of at least one wireless transmitting device, a plurality of wireless receivers, and at least one server. Each of the plurality of wireless devices receive signals from the wireless transmitting device with unknown position and send time stamped information to the server. Each of the plurality of wireless device also sends unique identifying information about the wireless transmitting device. The server calculates a position of the wireless transmitting device by considering the inputs received from the plurality of wireless receivers. The wireless device obtains its position from the server. The process can be executed on demand or at regular frequent intervals.

A method for locating a portable radio unit (TF) within a predetermined area (AB, IB) of a vehicle (FZ) has the following steps. A first radio signal (FS1) is transmitted from a vehicle-based position (PO1) outside the vehicle. Further, a second radio signal (FS2) is transmitted from a vehicle-based position (PO2) inside the vehicle. Values (R1, R2) of the respective measured reception field strengths of the first and second radio signals at the location (OF) of the portable radio unit or a value derived therefrom is/are received. Finally, the location (OF) of the portable radio unit is ascertained on the basis of a comparison of the values of the respective measured reception field strengths. In this manner, a simple and reliable way of locating a portable radio unit is also made possible using radio-frequency radio signals.

Systems and methods for WiFi mapping an industrial facility are disclosed. The system comprises a self-driving vehicle having a WiFi transceiver. The self-driving vehicle communicates with a fleet-management using the WiFi transceiver, via a WiFi access point. The self-driving vehicle receives a mission from the fleet-management system, and moves to a destination location based on the mission, using autonomous navigation. While executing the mission, the self-driving vehicle simultaneously measures the received signal strength indication of the WiFi access point and other WiFi access points in the facility, and stores the received signal strength indication in association with the location at which the received signal strength indication was measured.

In a geographic area with limited satellite coverage, multiple signal sources are statically disposed along a path through the geographic area. To automatically determine geographic positions of the signal sources, signal data collected by a receiver moving along the path is received, where the signal data indicates changes, over a period of time, in strength of respective signals emitted by the signal sources. Indications of a first position of the receiver at a first time prior to entering the geographic area and a second position of the receiver at a second time subsequent to leaving the geographic area are received, and positions for the signal sources are determined using the received signal data and the received indications of the positions and the times. The determined positions for the signal sources are used to geoposition a device moving along the path.

An electronic apparatus includes a communication unit configured to perform wireless communication, a storage, a first determiner, and an indoor specifying unit. The storage stores therein, as registered identification information, identification information whose contents are changeable, the identification information being allocated to a first communication device with which the communication unit is capable of performing wireless communication. The first determiner determines whether received identification information agrees with the registered identification information, the received identification information being the identification information received by the communication unit from a second communication device and allocated to the second communication device. The indoor specifying unit performs indoor specification to specify that a user having the electronic apparatus is indoors, based on a first result of determination by the first determiner.

Location-based systems, such as a Real-time Location System (RTLS), are used to locate and track assets such as equipment, people, etc. In order to accomplish high accuracy in determining locations of assets (112-118), the information sent to the location server (108) from sensors (134, 138) should be accurate, relevant, sufficient, and timely. The limitations of a low bandwidth network between the sensors and the location server may pose challenges to reliably determining locations of assets. This invention is related to a hybrid lighting and location system (100), which involves the use of a system control device (106) and lighting devices (102, 104) that may include integrated sensors, transceivers, etc. Different embodiments are disclosed on apparatus, methods and systems to resolve the potential network congestion in such a hybrid system.

A method for estimating the geographical position of a terminal of interest, among a panel of terminals of a wireless communication system. For each terminal of the panel, a time signature including values measured for each terminal during a predetermined observation period is determined. Values of similarity between the time signatures of the terminals of the panel is calculated, a similarity value calculated for two terminals representing the probability of the terminals being moved together or having been located at the same place during the observation period. Various terminals of the panel are partitioned into different groups depending on the similarity values. The geographical position of the terminal of interest is estimated as a function of the available geolocation data for at least one other terminal of the group to which the terminal of interest belongs.

In one embodiment, a technique is provided for wireless position determination wherein identification information and positional information about wireless beacons are supplied from a central database maintained by a central facility to a wireless computing device, the identification information and positional information usable by a wireless positioning system of the wireless computing device to estimate a position of the wireless computing device. The central facility receives a contribution from the wireless computing device of identification information and positional information for at least one wireless beacon, the positional information of the at least one wireless beacon estimated based on the position of the wireless computing device. It updates the central database based on the identification information and positional information for the at least one wireless beacon and provides, from the central database, updated identification information and positional information about wireless beacons to at least one other wireless computing device.