Systems and methods for determining the location of mobile devices independent of location fixing hardware
AssigneeQUALCOMM Incorporated
InventorBruce K. Jackson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Implementations relate to systems and methods for determining a location of a mobile device. The mobile device can query other mobile devices within service range for identification information, and send the identification information to a remote server for storage therein. The remote server can receive location information from other mobile devices corresponding to the identification information. The mobile device can send a location query to the remote server, which can determine or calculate a location of the mobile device based on the identification and/or location information of the other mobile devices. The remote server can provide the location of the mobile device to the mobile device for use in associated mobile applications.
Claims50
A system for enabling location services, comprising:
- a server configured to:
- receive location information from each of a set of mobile devices, wherein each of the set of mobile devices sends the location information to the server over a wireless interface;
- maintain a record of the location information for each of the set of mobile devices, wherein the location information for each mobile device is associated with an identification of each mobile device;
- receive a request for a location from a mobile device, the request including identifications for other mobile devices of the set of mobile devices within a range of a self-configuring network interface of the mobile device;
- determine the location of the mobile device utilizing available location information, from the record, associated with the received set of identifications;
- and
- provide the determined location to the mobile device.
A method for enabling location services, comprising:
- receiving, at a server, location information from each of a set of mobile devices, wherein each of the set of mobile devices sends the location information to the server over a wireless interface;
- maintaining, at the server, a record of the location information for each of the set of mobile devices, wherein the location information for each mobile device is associated with an identification of each mobile device;
- receiving, at the server, a request for a location from a mobile device, the request including identifications for other mobile devices of the set of mobile devices within a range of a self-configuring network interface of the mobile device;
- determining, at the server, the location of the mobile device utilizing available location information, from the record, associated with the received set of identifications;
- and
- providing, by the server, the determined location to the mobile device.
A system for enabling location services, comprising:
- means for receiving location information from each of a set of mobile devices, wherein each of the set of mobile devices sends the location information to the system over a wireless interface;
- means for maintaining a record of the location information for each of the set of mobile devices, wherein the location information for each mobile device is associated with an identification of each mobile device;
- means for receiving a request for a location from a mobile device and providing the location to the mobile device, the request including identifications for other mobile devices of the set of mobile devices within a range of a self-configuring network interface of the mobile device;
- and
- means for determining the location of the mobile device utilizing available location information, from the record, associated with the received set of identifications;
- and
- means for providing the determined location to the mobile device.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that causes a computer to perform location services when executed by the computer, comprising:
- at least one instruction for causing the computer to receive location information from each of a set of mobile devices, wherein each of the set of mobile devices sends the location information to the computer over a wireless interface;
- at least one instruction for causing the computer to maintain a record of the location information for each of the set of mobile devices, wherein the location information for each mobile device is associated with an identification of each mobile device;
- at least one instruction for causing the computer to receive a request for a location from a mobile device, the request including identifications for other mobile devices of the set of mobile devices within a range of a self-configuring network interface of the mobile device;
- at least one instruction for causing the computer to determine the location of the mobile device utilizing available location information, from the record, associated with the received set of identifications;
- and
- at least one instruction for causing the computer to provide the determined location to the mobile device.
A mobile device, comprising:
- a wireless interface to a server;
- a self-configuring wireless network interface;
- and
- a processor, communicating with the wireless interface and the self-configuring wireless network interface, the processor being configured to initiate processing comprising:
- identifying, via the self-configuring wireless network interface, a set of other mobile devices within a range of the self-configuring wireless network interface of the mobile device;
- requesting, from the server via the wireless interface, a location of the mobile device based on identifications of the set of other mobile devices, wherein the server receives location information from the set of other mobile devices over one or more wireless interfaces;
- and
- receiving, from the server via the wireless interface, the location of the mobile device.
A method of determining location in a mobile device independent of location fixing hardware, comprising:
- identifying, by the mobile device, a set of other mobile devices within a range of a self-configuring network interface of the mobile device;
- requesting, by the mobile device, from a server, a location of the mobile device based on identifications of the set of other mobile devices, wherein the server receives location information from the set of other mobile devices over one or more wireless interfaces;
- and
- receiving, by the mobile device, from the server, the location of the mobile device.
A system for determining location in a mobile device independent of location fixing hardware, comprising:
- means for identifying a set of other mobile devices within a range of a self-configuring network interface of the mobile device;
- means for requesting, from a server, a location of the mobile device based on identifications of the set of other mobile devices, wherein the server receives location information from the set of other mobile devices over one or more wireless interfaces;
- and
- means for receiving, from the server, the location of the mobile device.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that causes a mobile device to determine location independent of location fixing hardware when executed by the mobile device, comprising:
- at least one instruction for causing the mobile device to identify a set of other mobile devices within a range of a self-configuring network interface of the mobile device;
- at least one instruction for causing the mobile device to request, from a server, a location of the mobile device based on identifications of the set of other mobile devices, wherein the server receives location information from the set of other mobile devices over one or more wireless interfaces;
- and
- at least one instruction for causing the mobile device to receive, from the server, the location of the mobile device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.