Method and system for locating a person and medium comprising instructions for performing the method

A non-transitory tangible information-recording medium having encoded thereon software for implementing a method for localizing a person in surroundings equipped with fixed electrical appliances, the software including instructions that, when executed by an electronic computer, cause the computer to:

• request and receive a measure of an electromagnetic field radiated by one or more of the fixed electrical appliances by means of a magnetometer carried by the person to be localized, identify the fixed electrical appliance operating in proximity to the magnetometer by comparing the measured magnetic field with pre-recorded magnetic signatures, each pre-recorded magnetic signature being associated with a respective electrical appliance present in the surroundings, and localize the person at least in part on the basis of pre-recorded items of information about the localization, in the surroundings, of the fixed electrical appliance identified by its magnetic signature.

A system for localizing a person in surroundings, said system comprising:

• a magnetometer that can be carried by the person to be localized, a computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a data base containing pre-recorded magnetic signatures, each capable of enabling identification of a fixed electrical appliance in the surroundings among several fixed electrical appliances present in the surroundings, and a computer configured to:
• identify a fixed electrical appliance operating in proximity to the magnetometer by comparing an electromagnetic field measured by the magnetometer with the pre-recorded magnetic signatures contained in the data base, and localizing the person at least in part on the basis of pre-recorded information items about localization, in the surroundings, of the fixed electrical appliance identified by its magnetic signature.