Client-server approach for indoor-outdoor detection of an electronic device, and associated systems and methods

A method, performed by a server, for indoor-outdoor detection of an electronic device, the method comprising:

• receiving a request from an electronic device for location information corresponding to access points detected in range of the electronic device and identified in the request, the request including sensor data detected by the electronic device at a location of the electronic device;
• accessing, in response to receiving the request, stored crowdsourced signals, including access-point detections and corresponding sensor data previously received from a plurality of electronic devices that observed a plurality of access points, the accessing to locate a subset of the stored crowdsourced signals that correspond to the access points identified in the request;
• determining, based on the stored crowdsourced signals and per access point identified in the request, a percentage of detections of the access point that are accompanied by a global positioning system, GPS, signal of a device that detected the access point;
• determining, based on the stored crowdsourced signals and per access point identified in the request, a received signal strength, RSS, value below which no GPS signal accompanies the detections of the access point;
• and
• transmitting the percentage and the RSS value, per access point identified in the request, to the electronic device to enable the electronic device to determine if the location of the electronic device is an outdoor location or an indoor location and trigger a corresponding function.