Method for enhancing location identity through incorporation of shorter range communication and sensing (nearlocate)

Abstract

A method of determining location of a mobile device including estimating an absolute location using long range communication estimates, estimating a relative location based on shorter-range communications, receiving location information from a plurality of peer entities, and refining the absolute location and based on the received location information.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for locating a first device by a processing device, the method comprising:
 providing a positional relationship estimate between each of a population of neighboring mobile devices and the first device; wherein the positional relationship estimate is derived from data acquired by either the first device or the respective neighboring device; wherein the positional relationship estimate includes an inference of a position of first device in relation to the respective neighboring device; wherein a population includes one or more neighboring mobile devices;   providing location estimates for each of the population of neighboring mobile devices using location determinations that do not rely on use of positional relationship estimates between each of a population of neighboring mobile devices and the first device; and   deriving, by the processing device, a location estimate for the first device, through multilateration using the provided neighboring mobile devices' location estimates and the provided positional relationship estimates.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein multilateration includes use of the location estimates and positional relationship estimates of only one neighboring mobile device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising providing a location estimate for the first device and producing, by the processing device, a refined location estimate of the first device using the derived location estimate for the first device and the location estimate of the first device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising assigning a precision factor to at least one of the provided neighboring mobile devices' location estimates or the provided positional relationship estimates. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising assigning a weight to at least one of the provided neighboring mobile devices' location estimates or the provided positional relationship estimates based on the respective precision factor. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the location estimate derivation weighs the location estimate of at least one neighboring mobile device or at least one positional relationship estimate by the assigned weight. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising comparing sensing information from the neighboring mobile device and the first device to determine whether the neighboring mobile device and the first device are sensing a same thing; wherein at least one positional relationship estimate is based on the sensing information comparison. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the refined location estimate is forwarded to a social networking site. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the refinement of the location estimate for the device is performed iteratively by deriving interim refined location estimates to converge on a final refined location estimate. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising positional relationship estimates from and to a neighboring device having a fixed location or previously deterministically estimated location. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the derived location estimate uses a mean and an expected deviation of the location estimates of at least one neighboring mobile devices or at least one positional relationship estimate. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the refined location estimate uses a mean and an expected deviation of the derived location estimate of the first device. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the location estimate for at least one neighboring mobile device is derived through multilateration of location estimates and the positional relationship estimates of other neighboring devices or the first device. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the refinement of the location estimate further uses a comparison of the location estimates and positional relationship estimates with a map or blueprint that identifies physical objects. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the iteratively refined location estimate is considered final, once a predetermined level of precision is achieved. 
     
     
         16 . A processing device for locating a first device, the processing device comprising:
 a processor configured to provide a positional relationship estimate between each of a population of neighboring mobile devices and the first device; wherein the positional relationship estimate is derived from data acquired by either the first device or the respective neighboring device; wherein the positional relationship estimate includes an inference of a position of first device in relation to the respective neighboring device; wherein a population includes one or more neighboring mobile devices;   the processor is further configured to provide location estimates for each of the population of neighboring mobile devices using location determinations that do not rely on use of positional relationship estimates between each of a population of neighboring mobile devices and the first device; and   the processor is further configured to derive a location estimate for the first device, through multilateration using the provided neighboring mobile devices' location estimates and the provided positional relationship estimates.   
     
     
         17 . The processing device of  claim 16  wherein multilateration includes use of the location estimates and positional relationship estimates of only one neighboring mobile device. 
     
     
         18 . The processing device of  claim 16  wherein the processing device is further configured to provide a location estimate for the first device and to produce a refined location estimate of the first device using the derived location estimate for the first device and the location estimate of the first device. 
     
     
         19 . The processing device of  claim 16  wherein the processing device is further configured to assign a precision factor to at least one of the provided neighboring mobile devices' location estimates or the provided positional relationship estimates. 
     
     
         20 . The processing device of  claim 19  wherein the processing device is further configured to assign a weight to at least one of the provided neighboring mobile devices' location estimates or the provided positional relationship estimates based on the respective precision factor.