Signal strength determination and mobile device identification monitoring system

Abstract

A consumer sensing and audience measurement system that utilizes the mobile phone carried by the consumer as a proxy for the consumer's location inside a building and consumer attributes. Actions include monitoring wireless communications being provided by one or more mobile devices. A first broadcast identifier indicated in wireless communications can be identified during a first time period. A first location corresponding to the first broadcast identifier can be determined based on a strength associated with wireless communications that indicate the first broadcast identifier. A second broadcast identifier can be identified in the monitored wireless communications during a second time period. A second location corresponding to the second broadcast identifier can be determined based on a strength associated with wireless communications that indicate the second broadcast identifier. A likelihood that the first broadcast identifier and the second broadcast identifier are associated with a same particular mobile device can be determined.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An active beacon system comprising one or more processors and one or more computer storage media storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
 monitor wireless communications being provided by one or more mobile devices, the mobile devices being within a threshold distance of the active beacon system;   identify, from the wireless communications, a first broadcast identifier indicated in the wireless communications during a first time period;   determine a first location corresponding to the first broadcast identifier based on a strength associated with wireless communications that indicate the first broadcast identifier, the first location indicating a location of a mobile device associated with the first broadcast identifier;   identify, from the wireless communications, a second broadcast identifier indicated in the monitored wireless communications during a second time period;   determine a second location corresponding to the second broadcast identifier based on a strength associated with wireless communications that indicate the second broadcast identifier; and   determine a likelihood that the first broadcast identifier and the second broadcast identifier are associated with a same particular mobile device of the one or more mobile devices, the determination based on a time difference between the first time period and the second time period, and a difference between the first location and the second location.   
     
     
         2 . The active beacon system of  claim 1 , wherein each broadcast identifier is a MAC address. 
     
     
         3 . The active beacon system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:
 while identifying the second broadcast identifier, determine that the first broadcast identifier is not being indicated in the wireless communications, wherein the likelihood is further based on the determination.   
     
     
         4 . The active beacon system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:
 accessing information identifying broadcast identifiers assigned to mobile devices;   identifying the first broadcast identifier or second broadcast identifier in the accessed information; and   associating the identified first broadcast identifier or second broadcast identifier with particular mobile device.   
     
     
         5 . The active beacon system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:
 determine that the first broadcast identifier or second broadcast identifier is a phantom broadcast identifier, wherein the determination is based, at least in part, on historical locations associated with the first broadcast identifier or second broadcast identifier.   
     
     
         6 . A mobile device calibration system comprising one or more processors and one or more computer storage media storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
 receive, from a particular mobile device, information indicating that it is to be carried around a perimeter of an area, the information specifying a broadcast identifier associated with the particular mobile device;   obtain, from one or more wireless receivers monitoring communications associated with the specified broadcast identifier, information indicating signal strengths associated with monitored wireless communications;   determine locations associated with the particular mobile device based on the obtained information and information indicating locations of the one or more wireless receivers; and   determine, based on information indicating locations of the one or more wireless receivers, signal strengths associated with a plurality of locations included in the perimeter of the area, the signal strengths usable to associate signal strengths associated with mobile devices and locations of the mobile devices.   
     
     
         7 . The mobile device calibration system of  claim 6 , wherein the particular mobile device executes an application that provides information to the mobile device calibration system. 
     
     
         8 . The mobile device calibration system of  claim 6 , wherein the particular mobile device provides location information as it is being carried around the perimeter. 
     
     
         9 . The mobile device calibration system of  claim 8 , wherein the location information comprises global positioning system coordinates. 
     
     
         10 . The mobile device calibration system of  claim 6 , wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to:
 obtain information indicating locations of the particular mobile device that are associated with respective signal strengths, the locations being determined based on one or more of: time offsets from a time associated with receiving information indicating that the particular mobile device is to be carried, distance measurements associated with the particular mobile device, wherein determining locations of the particular mobile device is further based on the obtained information.   
     
     
         11 . The mobile device calibration system of  claim 10 , wherein the distance measurements are determined based on a stereo camera monitoring movement of the particular mobile device, or a sensor measuring a distance of the sensor to the particular mobile device. 
     
     
         12 . An indoor mapping system in communication with at least three active beacons, the system comprising one or more processors and one or more computer storage media storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
 monitor, from information received from the active beacons, signal strengths of wireless communications being provided by one or more mobile devices located in a particular area;   determine, based on the monitor signal strengths, respective locations of the one or more mobile devices over a time period;   compare the determined locations with historical locations of other mobile devices in the particular area; and   determine, based on the comparisons, locations within the particular area in which mobile devices can be located.   
     
     
         13 . The indoor mapping system of  claim 12 , wherein the active beacons are configured to identify a presence and signal strength of RFID tags associated with mobile devices. 
     
     
         14 . The indoor mapping system of  claim 13 , wherein the instructions cause the processors to calculate locations of said RFIG tags based on the identified signal strengths. 
     
     
         15 . The indoor mapping system of  claim 14 , the instructions cause the processors to transfer, to said mobile devices, content based in part on the RFID tags in proximity to the locations. 
     
     
         16 . The indoor mapping system of  claim 12 , wherein determining locations within the particular area in which mobile devices can be located comprises:
 determining, based on the monitored signal strengths, locations within the particular area that are associated with signal strengths that have not been measured; and   storing information describing the determined locations, remaining locations within the particular area representing locations at which the mobile devices can be located.   
     
     
         17 . The indoor mapping system of  claim 12 , wherein the determined locations are stored in one or more databases, and wherein the databases are accessible to one or more outside systems. 
     
     
         18 . A crowd-sourced audience measurement system, said system comprising:
 a memory;   a mobile device including processor and suitable wireless communications hardware configured to:
 identify a second mobile device in proximity via its wireless transmissions; 
 store a unique identifier and the signal strength of wireless transmissions from second mobile device in memory; 
 transfer unique identifier and signal strength data, including the present location of the mobile device, to a remote computer system; and 
   a remote computer system configured to:
 receive data from mobile device; 
 convert second mobile device's unique identifier into at least one demographic attribute; and 
 assign the demographic attribute to the location. 
   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , the mobile device further configured to:
 identify a third mobile device in proximity via its wireless transmissions;   store a unique identifier and the signal strength of wireless transmissions from third mobile device in memory;   transfer unique identifier and signal strength data, including the present location of the mobile device, to a remote computer system; and   
       a remote computer system configured to:
 receive data from mobile device; 
 convert third mobile device's unique identifier into at least one demographic attribute; and 
 combine the demographic attributes of the second and third mobile devices into an aggregate demographic profile and assign said profile to the location. 
 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the remote computer system is further configured to associate a mobile device count to said profile.