Method and apparatus for determining location using a smart meter as a location reference

An apparatus comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a transceiver coupled to the processor, wherein the transceiver is configured to:
• receive a first signal transmitted by a smart meter;
• receive a second signal transmitted by a wireless access point where the second signal and the first signal are both received within a first time period;
• and
• provides information describing the first signal and the second signal to at least one server.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium that contains computer readable instructions for performing a method that, when executed by a processor coupled to the storage medium, causes a device to execute the method comprising:

• receiving a first signal transmitted by a smart meter;
• receiving a second signal transmitted by a wireless access point, wherein the second signal is received concurrently with the first signal;
• and
• providing information describing the first signal and the second signal to at least one server.

A system comprising:

• an almanac server coupled to a location server and a first mobile device;
• wherein the almanac server receives almanac information from the first mobile device and communicates location information derived from the almanac information to the location server;
• and
• wherein the almanac information is derived from smart meter information using a first signal received at the first mobile device from a smart meter and the almanac information is further derived from wireless access point information using a second signal received at the first mobile device from a wireless access point.

A method comprising:

• receiving, at an almanac server, information associating a first smart meter with a first wireless access point;
• identifying a location of the first wireless access point based on a known location of the first smart meter and further based on the information associating the first smart meter with the first wireless access point;
• and
• communicating the location of the first wireless access point to a mobile device in response to a request for location services.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium that contains computer readable instructions for performing a method that, when executed by a processor coupled to the storage medium, causes a device to execute the method comprising:

• receiving, at an almanac server comprising the computer readable storage medium, information associating a first smart meter with a first wireless access point;
• identifying a location of the first wireless access point based on a known location of the first smart meter and further based on the information associating the first smart meter with the first wireless access point;
• and
• communicating the location of the first wireless access point to a mobile device in response to a request for location services.