A method and apparatus for recording information from a plurality of mobile devices in an area

An apparatus for recording information from a plurality of mobile devices in an area, the apparatus comprising:

• a wireless device configured for listening for data packets from the plurality of mobile devices in a predetermined time period;
• and
• a processing unit configured for
• creating a record for containing addresses and signal strength readings associated with the plurality of mobile devices, the addresses and signal strength readings of the mobile devices being retrieved from data packets received by the wireless device when the wireless device is listening;
• determining whether a data packet received by the wireless device during the predetermined time period is from a mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices;
• determining whether an address associated with the mobile device is recorded in the record if the data packet received by the wireless device during the predetermined time period is from the mobile device;
• updating the record with the address associated with the mobile device and a signal strength reading associated with the mobile device if the data packet received is from the mobile device and the address has not been previously recorded into the record during the predetermined time period;
• and
• updating the record with a signal strength reading associated with the mobile device if the data packet is from the mobile device and the address of the mobile device is previously updated into the record, and updating the record depending upon the number of times the record has been updated with a signal strength reading associated with the mobile device during the predetermined time period.

A non-transitory machine-readable medium, having stored thereon machine-readable instructions for executing, in a machine, a method for creating a record, the method comprising:

• listening for data packets from the plurality of mobile devices in a predetermined time period using a wireless device;
• creating a record for containing addresses and signal strength readings associated with the plurality of mobile devices, the addresses and signal strength readings of the mobile devices being retrieved from data packets received by the wireless device when the wireless device is listening;
• determining whether a data packet received by the wireless device during the predetermined time period is from a mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices;
• determining whether an address associated with the mobile device is recorded in the record if the data packet received by the wireless device during the predetermined time period is from the mobile device;
• updating the record with the address associated with the mobile device and a signal strength reading associated with the mobile device if the data packet received is from the mobile device and the address has not been previously recorded into the record during the predetermined time period;
• and
• updating the record with a signal strength reading associated with the mobile device if the data packet is from the mobile device and the address of the mobile device is previously updated into the record, and updating the record depending upon the number of times the record has been updated with a signal strength reading associated with the mobile device during the predetermined time period.