Apparatus and methods of artificial intelligent based provision of digital content where and when the digital content is needed based upon where a user is located and a purpose for accessing the content as well as credentials of a user seeking to access the digital content. Persistent digital content is linked to location coordinates. More specifically, the present invention links a physical onsite location with digital content to enable a user interface with augmented reality that combines aspects of the physical area with location specific digital content. In addition, access to digital content may be limited to users in defined access areas.

It is inter-alia disclosed a method comprises: obtaining or holding available at least one training set of radio signal observation results, wherein a respective training set of radio signal observation results is held available in association with identification information of a corresponding area of interest on a site, wherein a respective training set of radio signal observation results is captured at a corresponding observation position within a corresponding area of interest on said site; obtaining or holding available area of interest information indicating whether at least one tracking device has been determined to have entered and/or to have been located within a corresponding area of interest on the site; obtaining or holding available current radio signal observation data of a current tracking device representing one or more current sets of radio signal observation results captured by a radio interface of the current tracking device when present on said site, wherein a respective current set of radio signal observation results is captured at a corresponding observation position on said site; determining whether the current tracking device has entered or is located within an area of interest, identification information of which is associated with the at least one training set of radio signal observation results, based on at least one current set of radio signal observation results, based on at least one training set of radio signal observation results associated with the identification information of the area of interest, and based on the area of interest information.

A geolocationing system and method for providing awareness in a multi-space environment, such as a hospitality environment or educational environment, are presented. In one embodiment of the geolocationing system, a vertical and horizontal array of gateway devices is provided. Each gateway device includes a gateway device identification providing an accurately-known fixed location within the multi-space environment. Each gateway device includes a wireless transceiver that receives a beacon signal from a proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device. The gateway devices, in turn, send gateway signals to a server, which determines estimated location of the wireless-enabled personal location device with angle of arrival modeling.

To automatically determine geographic positions of signal sources in areas with limited satellite coverage, a system receives signal data collected by a receiver moving along a path through a geographic area with limited satellite coverage, the signal data being indicative of changes, over a period of time, in strength of respective signals detected by the moving receiver and emitted by multiple signal sources statically disposed along the path. The system determines a time it takes for a length of a vehicle to pass by the signal source at the determined speed. The system then calculates static positions of the signal sources using the signal data and the determined time, including associating the location of each signal source with a time when the signal source was directly over the roof of the vehicle in which the moving receiver is travelling.

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.

A system and method are provided for detecting direction of movement. The system includes at least two radio frequency identification (RFID) readers arranged in different locations. The RFID readers transmit respective location signals from their locations and receive corresponding response signals from a portable electronic device (PED) when the PED is within range to receive the corresponding location signals, respectively. The system includes a controller configured to determine whether the individual response signals received by the RFID readers respectively satisfy a predetermined condition at a first time and a second time subsequent to the first time. The controller is also configured to determine a direction of movement of the portable electronic device relative to the locations of the RFID readers during the first and second times based on whether the response signals respectively satisfy the predetermined condition at the first and second times.

A geolocationing system and method for providing awareness in a multi-space environment, such as a hospitality environment or educational environment, are presented. In one embodiment of the geolocationing system, a vertical and horizontal array of gateway devices is provided. Each gateway device includes a gateway device identification providing an accurately-known fixed location within the multi-space environment. Each gateway device includes a wireless transceiver that receives a beacon signal from a proximate wireless-enabled personal locator device. The gateway devices, in turn, send gateway signals to a server, which determines an estimated location of the wireless-enabled personal locator device.

A method comprises: a mobile tag receiving at least one first Bluetooth Low Energy message transmitted from each of at least two fixed tags, each first Bluetooth Low Energy message including at least an identifier corresponding to the respective fixed tag; the mobile tag measuring a radio parameter for each of the received first Bluetooth Low Energy messages; and the mobile tag transmitting a second Bluetooth Low Energy message including the identifiers of each of the fixed tags, the measured radio parameters associated with each of the received first Bluetooth Low Energy messages, and an identifier corresponding to the mobile tag, said second Bluetooth Low Energy message enabling the calculation of a position of the mobile tag by a server apparatus. A further method comprises: a Bluetooth receiver device receiving at least one second Bluetooth Low Energy message from a mobile tag; the Bluetooth receiver device decoding from the message identifiers of at least two fixed tags from which first Bluetooth Low Energy messages have been transmitted; the Bluetooth receiver device decoding from the message measured radio parameters associated with the first Bluetooth Low Energy messages; and the Bluetooth receiver device decoding from the message an identifier corresponding to the mobile tag; server apparatus retrieving position data corresponding to each of the fixed tags using their respective identifiers; and the server apparatus using the position data and the radio parameters included in the second Bluetooth Low Energy message to calculate a position of the mobile tag.

UE positioning is added by use of a reconfigurable reflecting surface (e.g., IRS). The IRS is configured to adjust elements of the surface. The configuration may include signal switching on or off, signal phase, group delay, or signal amplitude. Positioning reference signal transmissions are performed that have line of sight to the UE and that reflect off the IRS. The UE takes measurements for the transmissions and can determine measurement(s) of angle of arrival or time of arrival or reference signal received power, and/or determine a channel estimation. Multiple methods are proposed to provide UE positioning.

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.