# US 10,481,247 B2 · Method, an apparatus and a computer program product for positioning > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,481,247 B2 - Document ID: US10481247B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/537,720 - Filed: 2014-12-19 - Published: 2018-09-27 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2014-12-19 - Assignees: HERE Global B.V. - Applicants: Here Global B.V. - Inventors: Muhammad Irshan Khan; Jari Syrjärinne; Pavel Ivanov - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10481247B2 ## CPC - G01S 11/06: using intensity measurements - G01S 5/012: {Identifying whether indoors or outdoors} - G01S 5/0205: {Details} - G01S 5/02521: {using a radio-map} - G01S 5/0278: {involving statistical or probabilistic considerations (G01S5/0252, G01S5/0294 take precedence)} - H04W 4/02: Services making use of location information - H04M 1/724: User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones - H04M 1/72403: with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) ## Abstract The invention relates to determination of a location of a device of a user. In a methods, information of signal strength of one or more wireless signals and information of signal strength distribution of wireless signals is obtained by a device. The information of signal strength and the information of signal strength distribution are used to determine at least one likelihood whether the device is inside an area. In the method radio maps representing signal strength distribution in the building may be used. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising at least one processor, and memory including computer program code, the memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following: obtain information of signal strength of one or more wireless signals by a device; obtain information of signal strength distribution of wireless signals; use the information of signal strength and the information of signal strength distribution to determine likelihoods for the device being inside an area by determining a first likelihood that the device is in an indoors area and determining a second likelihood that the device is in an outdoors area; and conclude that the device is one of indoors or outdoors based upon a relationship between the first likelihood and the second likelihood, wherein the apparatus is caused to conclude that the device is one of indoors or outdoors by: concluding that the device is indoors, if the first likelihood is greater than the second likelihood, and concluding that the device is outdoors, if the second likelihood is greater than the first likelihood. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, the indoor area covering two or more buildings, wherein said memory including computer program code, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to: determine in which building the device is, if it was concluded that the device is indoors. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, said memory including computer program code, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to: obtain information of identities of the one or more access points; and use the identities to find out one or more radio maps which comprise information of signal strength distribution of the one or more access points. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the radio maps comprise information on a plurality of signal strength measurements. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The apparatus according to claim 3, said memory including computer program code, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to: examine if the radio map is stored in the device; and request the radio map from a server, if the examination reveals that the radio map is not stored in the device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wireless signal is one of WLAN signal, Bluetooth signal, Bluetooth low energy signal, cellular signal, Pseudolite signal and DigitalTV signal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the area is formed from one or more buildings forming an indoor area. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a radio map is formed for each floor of the one or more buildings. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein it is incorporated in a mobile terminal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a radio map covers one or more buildings and a part of an outdoor area. ### Claim 11 An apparatus comprising at least one processor and memory including computer program code, said memory and the computer program code, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to: obtain information of signal strength of one or more wireless signals by a device; obtain information of signal strength distribution of wireless signals; and use the information of signal strength and the information of signal strength distribution to determine at least one likelihood for the device being inside an area by: calculating for each one or more radio maps a sum of differences between the obtained signal strength of an access point and signal strength measurements of the radio map, wherein the one or more radio maps comprise information of signal strength distribution of one or more access points; and using the sum of differences to determine which radio map provides the greatest likelihood that the device is within the area represented by the radio map. ### Claim 12 An apparatus comprising at least one processor and memory including computer program code, said memory and the computer program code, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to: obtain information of signal strength of one or more wireless signals by a device; obtain information of signal strength distribution of wireless signals; and use the information of signal strength and the information of signal strength distribution to determine at least one likelihood for the device being inside an area by: comparing the obtained signal strength with signal strength measurements of the radio map; using location information associated with the signal strength measurement of the radio map which is closest to the obtained signal strength as an assumed location of the device; and determining a likelihood that the assumed location corresponds with the actual location of the device. ### Claim 13 A method comprising: obtaining information of signal strength of one or more wireless signals by a device; obtaining information of signal strength distribution of wireless signals; using the information of signal strength and the information of signal strength distribution to determine likelihoods for the device being inside an area by determining a first likelihood that the device is in an indoors area and determining a second likelihood that the device is in an outdoors area; and concluding that the device is one of indoors or outdoors based upon a relationship between the first likelihood and the second likelihood, wherein concluding that the device is one of indoors or outdoors comprises: concluding that the device is indoors, if the first likelihood is greater than the second likelihood, and concluding that the device is outdoors, if the second likelihood is greater than the first likelihood. ### Claim 14 A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising computer program code configured to, when executed on at least one processor, cause an apparatus or a system to: obtain information of signal strength of one or more wireless signals by a device; obtain information of signal strength distribution of wireless signals; use the information of signal strength and the information of signal strength distribution to determine likelihoods for the device being inside an area by determining a first likelihood that the device is in an indoors area and determining a second likelihood that the device is in an outdoors area; and conclude that the device is one of indoors or outdoors based upon a relationship between the first likelihood and the second likelihood, wherein the apparatus or the system is caused to conclude that the device is one of indoors or outdoors by: concluding that the device is indoors, if the first likelihood is greater than the second likelihood, and concluding that the device is outdoors, if the second likelihood is greater than the first likelihood. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, the indoor area covering two or more buildings, wherein the method further comprises: determining in which building the device is, if it was concluded that the device is indoors. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, further comprising: obtaining information of identities of the one or more access points; and using the identities to find out one or more radio maps which comprise information of signal strength distribution of the one or more access points. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method according to claim 16, wherein the radio maps comprise information on a plurality of signal strength measurements. ### Claim 18 A method comprising: obtaining information of signal strength of one or more wireless signals by a device; obtaining information of signal strength distribution of wireless signals; and using the information of signal strength and the information of signal strength distribution to determine at least one likelihood for the device being inside an area by: calculating for each of one or more radio maps a sum of differences between the obtained signal strength of an access point and signal strength measurements of the radio map, wherein the one or more radio maps comprise information of signal strength distribution of one or more access points; and using the sum of differences to determine which radio map provides the greatest likelihood that the device is within the area represented by the radio map. ### Claim 19 A method comprising: obtaining information of signal strength of one or more wireless signals by a device; obtaining information of signal strength distribution of wireless signals; and using the information of signal strength and the information of signal strength distribution to determine at least one likelihood for the device being inside an area by: comparing the obtained signal strength with signal strength measurements of the radio map; using location information associated with the signal strength measurement of the radio map which is closest to the obtained signal strength as an assumed location of the device; and determining a likelihood that the assumed location corresponds with the actual location of the device. ### Claim 20 A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising computer program code configured to, when executed on at least one processor, cause an apparatus or a system to: obtain information of signal strength of one or more wireless signals by a device; obtain information of signal strength distribution of wireless signals; and use the information of signal strength and the information of signal strength distribution to determine at least one likelihood for the device being inside an area by: calculating for each one or more radio maps a sum of differences between the obtained signal strength of an access point and signal strength measurements of the radio map, wherein the one or more radio maps comprise information of signal strength distribution of one or more access points; and using the sum of differences to determine which radio map provides the greatest likelihood that the device is within the area represented by the radio map. ### Claim 21 A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising computer program code configured to, when executed on at least one processor, cause an apparatus or a system to: obtain information of signal strength of one or more wireless signals by a device; obtain information of signal strength distribution of wireless signals; and use the information of signal strength and the information of signal strength distribution to determine at least one likelihood for the device being inside an area by: comparing the obtained signal strength with signal strength measurements of the radio map; using location information associated with the signal strength measurement of the radio map which is closest to the obtained signal strength as an assumed location of the device; and determining a likelihood that the assumed location corresponds with the actual location of the device.