Positioning system and method utilizing normalized beacon signal strengths

A method comprising:

• determining a signal strength of signals received from at least first and second directive antennas of a beacon and at least a non-directive antenna of the beacon, wherein each of the first and second directive antennas are two-element array antennas, the first and second directive antennas angularly offset from one another by a predetermined angle, wherein each of the first and second directive antennas and the non-directive antenna transmit a packet identifying a signal address and identification of the antenna transmitting the respective packet;
• normalizing the signal strength of the signals received from the first and second directive antennas based on the signal strength of the signals received from the non-directive antenna to determine normalized signal strengths of the signals received from the first and second directive antennas;
• plotting the normalized signal strength of signal received from the first directive antenna versus probe angle around the beacon on a first plot;
• plotting the normalized signal strength of signal received from the second directive antenna versus probe angle around the beacon on a second plot;
• matching a normalized signal strength of the first directive antenna received at a mobile device to a point on a curve of the first plot;
• matching a normalized signal strength of the second directive antenna received at the mobile device to a point on a curve of the second plot;
• and
• determining an angle of departure from the beacon at which the mobile device is located based upon the matched point on the curve of the first plot and the matched point on the curve of the second plot.

A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code portions stored therein, the computer-executable program code portions comprising program code instructions configured to:

• determine a signal strength of signals received from at least first and second directive antennas of a beacon and at least a non-directive antenna of the beacon, wherein each of the first and second directive antennas are two-element array antennas, the first and second directive antennas angularly offset from one another by a predetermined angle, wherein each of the first and second directive antennas and the non-directive antenna transmit a packet identifying a signal address and identification of the antenna transmitting the respective packet;
• normalize the signal strength of the signals received from the first and second directive antennas based on the signal strength of the signals received from the non-directive antenna to determine normalized signal strengths of the signals received from the first and second directive antennas;
• plot the normalized signal strength of signal received from the first directive antenna versus probe angle around the beacon on a first plot;
• plot the normalized signal strength of signal received from the second directive antenna versus probe angle around the beacon on a second plot;
• match a normalized signal strength of the first directive antenna received at a mobile device to a point on a curve of the first plot;
• match a normalized signal strength of the second directive antenna received at the mobile device to a point on a curve of the second plot;
• and
• determine an angle of departure from the beacon at which the mobile device is located based upon the matched point on the curve of the first plot and the matched point on the curve of the second plot normalized signal strengths.