Inter-AP distance estimation using crowd sourcing

A method for providing an estimated distance between a first wireless access point and a second wireless access point using a mobile device, the method comprising:

• obtaining, with the mobile device, a plurality of data sets, wherein each data set of the plurality of data sets includes data regarding:
• a first Round-Trip Time (RTT) value relating to a distance between the mobile device and the first wireless access point;
• and
• a second RTT value relating to a distance between the mobile device and the second wireless access point;
• determining the estimated distance by:
• determining a first data set having a highest first RTT value of any data set of the plurality of data sets;
• determining the second RTT value in the first data set;
• and
• estimating the distance between the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point by subtracting, from the second RTT value in the first data set:
• the first RTT value in the first data set, and
• a processing delay;
• and
• sending, with the mobile device, the estimated distance between the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point.

A method for crowdsourcing a determined distance between a first wireless access point and a second wireless access point of an indoor positioning system, the method comprising:

• receiving distance estimation data comprising:
• at least one distance estimate of a distance between the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point, and
• at least one confidence value corresponding to the at least one distance estimate;
• determining the distance between the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point based on the at least one distance estimate and the at least one confidence value;
• and
• sending the determined distance via a wireless communications interface;
• wherein:
• the distance estimation data comprises a plurality of distance estimates;
• each distance estimate of the plurality of distance estimates has a confidence value;
• and
• determining the distance comprises determining, based on the confidence value of each distance estimate of the plurality of distance estimates, a weighted average of the plurality of distance estimates.

A mobile device adapted to providing an estimated distance between a first wireless access point and a second wireless access point, the mobile device comprising:

• a wireless communications interface;
• a processing unit communicatively coupled with the wireless communications interface;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processing unit, wherein the memory stores executable instructions for causing the processing unit to:
• obtain a plurality of data sets, wherein each data set of the plurality of data sets includes data regarding:
• a first Round-Trip Time (RTT) value relating to a distance between the mobile device and the first wireless access point;
• and
• a second RTT value relating to a distance between the mobile device and the second wireless access point;
• determine the estimated distance by:
• determining a first data set having a lowest first RTT value of any data set of the plurality of data sets;
• determining the second RTT value in the first data set;
• and
• estimating the distance between the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point by subtracting a processing delay from the second RTT value in the first data set;
• and
• send, via the wireless communications interface, the estimated distance between the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point.

A mobile device adapted to providing an estimated distance between a first wireless access point and a second wireless access point, the mobile device comprising:

• a wireless communications interface;
• a processing unit communicatively coupled with the wireless communications interface;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processing unit, wherein the memory stores executable instructions for causing the processing unit to:
• obtain a plurality of data sets, wherein each data set of the plurality of data sets includes data regarding:
• a first Round-Trip Time (RTT) value relating to a distance between the mobile device and the first wireless access point;
• and
• a second RTT value relating to a distance between the mobile device and the second wireless access point;
• determine the estimated distance by:
• determining a first data set having a highest first RTT value of any data set of the plurality of data sets;
• determining the second RTT value in the first data set;
• and
• estimating the distance between the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point by subtracting, from the second RTT value in the first data set:
• the first RTT value in the first data set, and
• a processing delay;
• and
• send, via the wireless communications interface, the estimated distance between the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point.

A server for crowdsourcing a determined distance between a first wireless access point and a second wireless access point of an indoor positioning system, the server comprising:

• a wireless communications interface;
• a processing unit communicatively coupled with the wireless communications interface;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processing unit, wherein the memory stores executable instructions for causing the processing unit to:
• receive distance estimation data comprising:
• at least one distance estimate of a distance between the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point, and
• at least one confidence value corresponding to the at least one distance estimate;
• determine the distance between the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point, based on the at least one distance estimate and the at least one confidence value;
• and
• send the determined distance via the wireless communications interface;
• wherein:
• the instructions for causing the processing unit to receive the distance estimation data include instructions for receiving a plurality of distance estimates;
• and
• the memory further stores instructions for:
• receiving a confidence value for each distance estimate of the plurality of distance estimates;
• and
• causing the processing unit to determine the distance by determining, based on the confidence value of each distance estimate of the plurality of distance estimates, a weighted average of the plurality of distance estimates.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon for causing a processing unit to:

• obtain a plurality of data sets, wherein each data set of the plurality of data sets includes data regarding:
• a first Round-Trip Time (RTT) value relating to a distance between a mobile device and a first wireless access point;
• and
• a second RTT value relating to a distance between the mobile device and a second wireless access point;
• determine the estimated distance by:
• determining a first data set having a lowest first RTT value of any data set of the plurality of data sets;
• determining the second RTT value in the first data set;
• and
• estimating the distance between the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point by subtracting a processing delay from the second RTT value in the first data set;
• and
• send an estimated distance between the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon for causing a processing unit to:

• obtain a plurality of data sets, wherein each data set of the plurality of data sets includes data regarding:
• a first Round-Trip Time (RTT) value relating to a distance between a mobile device and a first wireless access point;
• and
• a second RTT value relating to a distance between the mobile device and a second wireless access point;
• determine the estimated distance by:
• determining a first data set having a highest first RTT value of any data set of the plurality of data sets;
• determining the second RTT value in the first data set;
• and
• estimating the distance between the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point by subtracting, from the second RTT value in the first data set:
• the first RTT value in the first data set, and
• a processing delay;
• and
• send an estimated distance between the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon for causing a processing unit to:

• receive distance estimation data comprising:
• at least one distance estimate of a distance between first wireless access point and a second wireless access point, and
• at least one confidence value corresponding to the at least one distance estimate;
• determine the distance between the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point, based on the at least one distance estimate and the at least one confidence value;
• and
• send the determined distance via a wireless communications interface;
• wherein:
• the instructions for causing the processing unit to receive the distance estimation data include instructions for receiving a plurality of distance estimates;
• each distance estimate of the plurality of distance estimates has a confidence value;
• and
• the instructions for determining the distance comprise instructions for determining, based on the confidence value of each distance estimate of the plurality of distance estimates, a weighted average of the plurality of distance estimates.

A mobile device for crowdsourcing a determined distance between a first wireless access point and a second wireless access point of an indoor positioning system, the mobile device comprising:

• means for obtaining a plurality of data sets, wherein each data set of the plurality of data sets includes data regarding:
• a first Round-Trip Time (RTT) value relating to a distance between the mobile device and the first wireless access point;
• and
• a second RTT value relating to a distance between the mobile device and the second wireless access point;
• means for determining the estimated distance by:
• determining a first data set having a lowest first RTT value of any data set of the plurality of data sets;
• determining the second RTT value in the first data set;
• and
• estimating the distance between the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point by subtracting a processing delay from the second RTT value in the first data set;
• and
• means for sending an estimated distance between the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point.

A mobile device for crowdsourcing a determined distance between a first wireless access point and a second wireless access point of an indoor positioning system, the mobile device comprising:

• means for obtaining a plurality of data sets, wherein each data set of the plurality of data sets includes data regarding:
• a first Round-Trip Time (RTT) value relating to a distance between the mobile device and the first wireless access point;
• and
• a second RTT value relating to a distance between the mobile device and the second wireless access point;
• means for determining the estimated distance by:
• determining a first data set having a highest first RTT value of any data set of the plurality of data sets;
• determining the second RTT value in the first data set;
• and
• estimating the distance between the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point by subtracting, from the second RTT value in the first data set:
• the first RTT value in the first data set, and
• a processing delay;
• and
• means for sending an estimated distance between the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point.

A system comprising:

• means for receiving distance estimation data comprising:
• at least one distance estimate of a distance between a first wireless access point and a second wireless access point, and
• at least one confidence value corresponding to the at least one distance estimate;
• means for determining the distance between the first wireless access point to and the second wireless access point, based on the at least one distance estimate and the at least one confidence value;
• and
• means for sending the determined distance via a wireless communications interface;
• wherein:
• the means for receiving distance estimation data include means for receiving a plurality of distance estimates;
• the system includes means for receiving a confidence value for each distance estimate of the plurality of distance estimates;
• and
• the means for causing determining the distance include means for determining, based on the confidence value of each distance estimate of the plurality of distance estimates, a weighted average of the plurality of distance estimates.