A system includes a processor configured to detect the presence of a wireless network access point usable for vehicular communication. The processor is also configured to connect to the wireless access point and report connection information relating to the connected wireless access point to an entity capable of establishing direct cellular connection with a vehicle, identifying the connected wireless access point as an alternative communication method if cellular communication is unavailable.

The disclosure describes methods, apparatuses and systems for indoor navigation. In one embodiment, a method is disclosed which comprises receiving a current location of a moving object at a current building level and a destination location at a destination building level; transmitting the current location and the destination location to a back-end device; receiving information of available cross-level tools and routes to the destination location from the back-end device, wherein the available cross-level tools comprise a plurality of available cross-level tools at the current building level, and the routes to the destination location include one or more direct or indirect routes to the destination location using the available cross-level tools; and displaying the available cross-level tools and the routes to the destination location.

An electronic apparatus for indoor positioning navigation, a method thereof, and a system thereof are provided. The electronic apparatus includes a transceiver for receiving near field wireless signals, a sensor for detecting motion of the electronic apparatus, a display, and at least one processor configured to determine if building map data of a building is received through the transceiver, generate a navigations map according to a type of the received building map data when the building map data is received, and control the display to display, a map matching a position of the electronic apparatus to a position of a destination of the electronic apparatus on the generated navigation map, by using one among intensity information of the wireless signals received through the transceiver and the motion information of the electronic apparatus detected through the sensor.

Techniques, systems, and devices are disclosed for capturing and delivering real-time racing videos when a race car travels around a racetrack. The disclosed systems and techniques are designed to capture racing video signals both from the vantage point of the race car itself and using a set of cameras installed around the racetrack. The captured racing videos and racing metadata can be uploaded or streamed live to a server as the race car travels around a racetrack by connecting the race car to a nearby or the closest Wi-Fi hotspot to the race car within a set of Wi-Fi hotspot placed around the racetrack. The uploaded multiple channels of racing video signals can be combined with racing metadata collected from the race car to generate “meta-video” packages which can be automatically delivered in multiple formats.

A system for minimizing driver distractions from a mobile device can include a blocking device and a blocking engine. The blocking device can include a first end, a second end, a cable, and a control board. The first end can include a first connector for coupling to a first port of a mobile device. The second end can include a second connector for coupling to a second port of a vehicle to receive a power signal from the vehicle. The cable can connect the first end to the second end. The control board can determine when movement of the vehicle exceeds a threshold value and transmit a launch signal. The blocking engine can receive the launch signal from the control board and launch a mobile application on the mobile device.

A method of orienting a mobile device to a vehicle includes determining an orientation of a gravity vector and aligning a first axis of the mobile device with respect to the gravity vector. The method also includes determining an orientation of a magnetic direction and aligning a second axis of the mobile device with respect to the magnetic direction. The method further includes determining a direction of travel for the vehicle and orienting the mobile device to the vehicle.

A communications apparatus is included among a communications apparatus group arranged in a given area and capable of communicating with a nearby communications apparatus. The communications apparatus includes a sensor that detects a given property at a location of the communications apparatus; communications circuitry that receives from the nearby communications apparatus, a detection result that is obtained by another communications apparatus, for the given property at the location of the other communications apparatus; a processor that determines whether a difference between the detection result received by the communications circuitry and a detection result of the sensor is a given amount or less. The communications circuitry transmits the received detection result to the nearby communications apparatus, when the processor determines that the difference is the given amount or less, and refrains from transmitting the received detection result, when the processor determines that the difference is not the given amount or less.

The disclosure includes a system and method for providing charging services to mobile client devices. The system includes a processor and a memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the system to: receive demand response event data associated with a geographic region; determine a last-mile distribution network that includes a first endpoint in the geographic region, the first endpoint associated with a mobile client device; estimate one or more last-mile power usage factors describing power usage of a set of endpoints in the last-mile distribution network, the set of endpoints including the first endpoint associated with the mobile client device; and determine a charge schedule for the mobile client device based on the demand response event data and the one or more last-mile power usage factors.

Methods for emergency visualization are disclosed. The methods include a computer-implemented method for interactive emergency visualization that includes receiving a notification concerning an incident associated with a multi-floor structure, requesting location information from a user device geographically associated with the multi-floor structure, and receiving, in response to the request, a beacon identifier from the user device, the beacon identifier being associated with a beacon disposed within the multi-floor structure. The method also includes determining on which floor of the multi-floor structure the user device is located based on the beacon identifier and stored information indicating the location of the beacon and displaying a graphical map of the multi-floor structure and information indicating the specific floor on which the user device is located.

A communication system with a master device configured to determine location information in real-time with respect to a portable device. The master device may direct one or more monitor devices to monitor communications that occur over a primary communication link. The monitor devices may sense characteristic information about the signal from the portable device, and communicate this characteristic information to the master device via an auxiliary communication link. The communication system may determine location of the portable device, authenticate the portable device, determine whether the portable device is authorized to allow or initiate an action, and command or enable an action with respect to equipment.