Location services in an obfuscated wireless network

A method executable on an electronic computing device for providing location information about the physical location of a mobile wireless device within a wireless network, the wireless network having a plurality of wireless network access points, the wireless network operable to obfuscate location information, the method comprising:

• periodically by the electronic computing device altering the network profile of one or more of the plurality of wireless network access points;
• storing by the electronic computing device network profile data about a plurality of wireless network access points within the network, the network profile data including:
• an identifier for the network access point;
• signal information;
• physical location of the network access point;
• and
• all the times that the network profile data was correct;
• receiving on an electronic computing device a request for location information from a client application executing on a mobile device, the request including:
• information about wireless network access points the mobile wireless device has been in communication with;
• information about the received signal;
• and
• time of the communication;
• determining by electronic computing device the location of the mobile wireless device using the request data and the network profile data;
• and
• sending by electronic computing device the location to the client application.

An apparatus for providing location information within a wireless network, the wireless network having a plurality of wireless network access points, the wireless network operable to obfuscate location information, the apparatus comprising a processor and memory coupled to the processor capable of storing data, wherein the processor is configured to:

• periodically alter the network profile of one or more of the plurality of wireless network access points, wherein the network profile is altered by changing the access point MAC address and by changing the access point transmit antenna and/or the access point transmit signal strength;
• store network profile data about each of the wireless network access points within the network, the network profile data including:
• an identifier for the network access point;
• signal information;
• physical location of the network access point;
• and times that the network profile data was correct;
• receive a request for location information from a client application executing on a mobile wireless device, the request data including:
• information about the wireless network access points the mobile wireless device has been in communication with;
• information about the received signal;
• and time of the communication;
• determine the location of the mobile wireless device using the request data and the network profile data;
• and send the location to the client application.

A method executable on an electronic computing device for providing location information about the physical location of a mobile wireless device within a wireless network, the wireless network having a plurality of wireless network access points, the wireless network operable to obfuscate location information, the method comprising:

• periodically, by the electronic computing device, altering the network profile of one or more of the plurality of wireless network access points, wherein the network profile is altered by changing the access point MAC address and by changing the access point transmit antenna and/or the access point transmit signal strength;
• storing, by the electronic computing device, network profile data about a plurality of wireless network access points within the network, the network profile data including:
• an identifier for the network access point;
• signal information;
• physical location of the network access point;
• and times that the network profile data was correct;
• receiving on an electronic computing device a request for location information from a client application executing on a mobile device, the request including:
• information about wireless network access points the mobile wireless device has been in communication with;
• information about the received signal;
• and time of the communication;
• determining, by electronic computing device, the location of the mobile wireless device using the request data and the network profile data;
• and sending, by electronic computing device, the location to the client application.