Method and System for Providing Enhanced Location Based Information for Wireless Handsets

Abstract

Methods, devices and systems for generating enhanced location information on or about a mobile device may include configuring a mobile device to receive first location information from a plurality of other devices, and use the received first location information to determine an approximate location of the mobile device to a first level of accuracy. The mobile device may then group itself with one or more wireless transceivers in proximity to the mobile device, and send the approximate location to the wireless transceivers in the communication group. In response, the mobile device may receive second location information from the one or more wireless transceivers in the communication group in response to sending the determined approximate location, and use the received second location information to determine a more precise location of the mobile device to a second level of accuracy.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method of determining a location of a mobile device, comprising:
 determining, via a processor of the mobile device, an approximate location of the mobile device to a first level of accuracy;   sending the determined approximate location to one or more wireless transceivers in a communication group;   receiving location information from the one or more wireless transceivers in the communication group; and   using the received location information to determine a more precise location of the mobile device to a second level of accuracy, wherein the second level of accuracy is greater than the first level of accuracy.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein determining the approximate location of the mobile device to the first level of accuracy comprises determining the approximate location of the mobile device based on information received from fewer than three wireless transceivers. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein determining the approximate location of the mobile device to the first level of accuracy comprises:
 computing a first location value;   determining a first confidence value for the computed first location value;   determining whether the first confidence value is greater than or equal to one or more confidence values; and   selecting a previously computed location value as the approximate location of the mobile device in response to determining that the first confidence value is not greater than or equal to the one or more confidence values.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein determining the approximate location of the mobile device to the first level of accuracy further comprises selecting the first location value as the approximate location of the mobile device in response to determining that the first confidence value is greater than or equal to the one or more confidence values. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein determining the approximate location of the mobile device to the first level of accuracy comprises:
 computing a first location value;   determining whether the mobile device is moving at a rate that is greater than or equal to a movement threshold value; and   computing an estimated future location value based on the rate and selecting the computed estimated future location as the approximate location of the mobile device in response to determining that the mobile device is moving at the rate that is greater than or equal to the movement threshold value.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein determining the approximate location of the mobile device to the first level of accuracy further comprises selecting the first location value as the approximate location of the mobile device in response to determining that the mobile device is not moving at the rate that is greater than or equal to the movement threshold value. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 collecting information from sensors on the mobile device; and   using the information collected from the sensors on the mobile device to perform sensor fusion operations.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein determining the approximate location of the mobile device to the first level of accuracy further comprises determining the approximate location based a result of the sensor fusion operations. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein determining the more precise location of the mobile device to the second level of accuracy comprises determining the more precise location based a result of the sensor fusion operations. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 sending information relating to the determined more precise location of the mobile device to a server;   receiving, on the mobile device, updated location information from the server; and   re-computing the more precise location of the mobile device based on the updated location information received from the server.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 grouping the mobile device with the one or more wireless transceivers to form the communication group;   establishing a near field communication link between the mobile device and at least one of the one or more wireless transceivers in response to forming the communication group; and   sending the determined approximate location to the wireless transceiver via the established near field communication link.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising performing dead reckoning operations to generate a dead reckoning location value. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein determining the approximate location of the mobile device to the first level of accuracy comprises determining the approximate location of the mobile device based on the dead reckoning location value. 
     
     
         34 . A mobile device, comprising:
 a memory; and   a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising:
 determining an approximate location of the mobile device to a first level of accuracy; 
 sending the determined approximate location to one or more wireless transceivers in a communication group; 
 receiving location information from the one or more wireless transceivers in the communication group; and 
 using the received location information to determine a more precise location of the mobile device to a second level of accuracy, wherein the second level of accuracy is greater than the first level of accuracy. 
   
     
     
         35 . The mobile device of  claim 34 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that determining the approximate location of the mobile device to the first level of accuracy comprises determining the approximate location of the mobile device based on information received from fewer than three wireless transceivers. 
     
     
         36 . The mobile device of  claim 34 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that determining the approximate location of the mobile device to the first level of accuracy comprises:
 computing a first location value;   determining a first confidence value for the computed first location value;   determining whether the first confidence value is greater than or equal to one or more confidence values; and   selecting a previously computed location value as the approximate location of the mobile device in response to determining that the first confidence value is not greater than or equal to the one or more confidence values.   
     
     
         37 . The mobile device of  claim 34 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that determining the approximate location of the mobile device to the first level of accuracy comprises:
 computing a first location value;   determining whether the mobile device is moving at a rate that is greater than or equal to a movement threshold value; and   computing an estimated future location value based on the rate and selecting the computed estimated future location as the approximate location of the mobile device in response to determining that the mobile device is moving at the rate that is greater than or equal to the movement threshold value.   
     
     
         38 . The mobile device of  claim 34 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:
 collecting information from sensors on the mobile device; and   using the information collected from the sensors on the mobile device to perform sensor fusion operations.   
     
     
         39 . The mobile device of  claim 34 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:
 grouping the mobile device with the one or more wireless transceivers to form the communication group;   establishing a near field communication link between the mobile device and at least one of the one or more wireless transceivers in response to forming the communication group; and   sending the determined approximate location to the wireless transceiver via the established near field communication link.   
     
     
         40 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable software instructions configured to cause a processor in a mobile device to perform operations comprising:
 determining an approximate location of the mobile device to a first level of accuracy;   sending the determined approximate location to one or more wireless transceivers in a communication group;   receiving location information from the one or more wireless transceivers in the communication group; and   
       using the received location information to determine a more precise location of the mobile device to a second level of accuracy, wherein the second level of accuracy is greater than the first level of accuracy.