Proximate beacon identification

Abstract

Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for identifying a proximate beacon to a mobile device. One or more first received signal strengths (RSSs), relative to the mobile device, may be received and used to determine a first average signal strength (RSS) and a first average RSS deviation for a first beacon during an observation period. An average RSS deviation for the observation period can be determined using the first average RSS deviation (e.g., and other average RSS deviations). If the average RSS deviation meets a desired deviation threshold, the first beacon may be identified as the proximate beacon. In this manner, if the user of the mobile device consents to the same, the user may be provided with relevant information (e.g., advertisements) on the mobile device while in a locale (e.g., store) corresponding to the (known) location of the beacon, for example.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-based method for identifying a proximate beacon to a mobile device, comprising:
 comparing a first average received signal strength (RSS) for a first beacon with a second average RSS for a second beacon; and   identifying the first beacon as a proximate beacon based at least upon the comparing.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising receiving a first beacon data report for the first beacon comprising one or more of:
 a first transmission power for the first beacon; or   a first beacon identifier corresponding to the first beacon.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising determining the first average RSS based at least upon a first RSS. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising identifying a potential location of a mobile device based at least upon the proximate beacon. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , the identifying comprising determining that the first average RSS is greater than the second average RSS. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , the identifying comprising determining that the first average RSS meets a desired RSS threshold. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , the desired RSS threshold comprising one or more of:
 an RSS value;   an RSS value difference between the first average RSS and the second average RSS;   an RSS value proportion difference between the first average RSS and the second average RSS; or   a function of RSS difference compared against the first average RSS.   
     
     
         8 . A computer readable medium comprising instructions that when executed via processing unit, perform a method, comprising:
 comparing a first average received signal strength (RSS) for a first beacon with a second average RSS for a second beacon; and   identifying the first beacon as a proximate beacon based at least upon the comparing.   
     
     
         9 . The computer readable medium of  claim 8 , the method comprising receiving a first beacon data report for the first beacon comprising one or more of:
 a first transmission power for the first beacon; or   a first beacon identifier corresponding to the first beacon.   
     
     
         10 . The computer readable medium of  claim 8 , the method comprising determining the first average RSS based at least upon a first RSS. 
     
     
         11 . The computer readable medium of  claim 8 , the method comprising identifying a potential location of a mobile device based at least upon the proximate beacon. 
     
     
         12 . The computer readable medium of  claim 8 , the identifying comprising determining that the first average RSS is greater than the second average RSS. 
     
     
         13 . The computer readable medium of  claim 8 , the identifying comprising determining that the first average RSS meets a desired RSS threshold. 
     
     
         14 . The computer readable medium of  claim 13 , the desired RSS threshold comprising one or more of:
 an RSS value;   an RSS value difference between the first average RSS and the second average RSS;   an RSS value proportion difference between the first average RSS and the second average RSS; or   a function of RSS difference compared against the first average RSS.   
     
     
         15 . A system, comprising:
 a period average received signal strength (RSS) deviation determination component configured to determine an average RSS deviation for a desired observation period; and   a proximate beacon selection component configured to identify a first beacon as a proximate beacon, if the average RSS deviation meets a desired deviation threshold.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , comprising an observation period determination component configured to determine the desired observation period, the desired observation period comprising a period of time during which a desired number of beacon data reports are received. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , the proximate beacon selection component configured to identify the first beacon as the proximate beacon if a first average RSS for the first beacon comprises a desired value when compared with a second average RSS for a second beacon. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , the proximate beacon selection component configured to identify the first beacon as the proximate beacon if a first average RSS for the first beacon meets a desired RSS threshold. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , comprising a beacon data report receiving component configured to receive a first beacon data report for the first beacon. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , the first beacon data report comprising one or more of:
 a first transmission power for the first beacon; or   a first beacon identifier corresponding to the first beacon.