Location determination
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorChristopher J. Hansen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Method and apparatus for location determination by a wireless communication device is disclosed. The method includes a wireless communication device at least formatting a message defined to trigger initiation of a timing measurement exchange; sending the message to trigger initiation of the timing measurement exchange; monitoring a timing measurement exchange between a plurality of access points as part of the timing measurement exchange initiated in response to the message; and determining a location of the wireless communication device based on the timing measurement exchange.
Claims20
A method for determining a location of a wireless local area network (WLAN) station configured to communicate with a first access point and a second access point, the method comprising:
- at the WLAN station:
- sending a request to the first access point to cause the first access point to initiate a timing measurement exchange with the second access point;
- receiving, from the first access point, a first report message based on the timing measurement exchange;
- receiving, from the second access point, a second report message based on the timing measurement exchange;
- and
- determining a location of the WLAN station based on the first report message and the second report message.
A method for determining a location of a wireless communication device configured to communicate with a first access point and a second access point, the method comprising:
- at the first access point:
- receiving an initiation message from the wireless communication device, the initiation message indicating the wireless communication device requests that the first access point initiate a timing measurement exchange;
- in response to the receiving the initiation message, initiating the timing measurement exchange by sending a timing message to the second access point;
- sending to the wireless communication device a first report message based on the sent timing message;
- and
- receiving an acknowledgement message from the second access point.
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that, when executed by a processor included in a wireless communication device, cause the wireless communication device to:
- format an initiation message defined to cause a timing measurement exchange between a plurality of access points;
- send the initiation message to at least one of the plurality of access points, wherein sending the initiation message (i) causes the timing measurement exchange between the plurality of access points, and (ii) causes the wireless communication device to operate in an awake state for at a least a portion of time during the timing measurement exchange;
- monitor the timing measurement exchange;
- and
- determine a location of the wireless communication device based on information received from the plurality of access points during the timing measurement exchange.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.