Method and system for positioning state transition

Abstract

A method and system for detecting a transition in positioning state of a mobile device relative to an indoor facility. The method, executed in a processor of the mobile device, comprises monitoring, based at least in part on global positioning system (GPS) data, for a positioning state of the mobile device as one of an indoor and an outside location relative to an indoor facility, determining a set of probabilistic weightings for respective ones of ambient data and the GPS data, the ambient data including one or more of received signal strength data, signal connectivity data, magnetic data, ambient lighting data and barometric data, and detecting a transition in positioning state of the mobile device from one of the indoor and the outside locations to another of the indoor and the outside locations when a weighted sum value based at least in part on the set of probabilistic weightings is one of above and below a predetermined state transition value.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for detecting a transition in positioning state of a mobile device relative to an indoor facility, the mobile device having a processor and a memory, the method comprising:
 detecting, via one or more sensors of the mobile device, ambient data;   determining respective weightings for the ambient data and GPS data of the mobile device, the ambient data including one or more of received signal strength data and signal connectivity data, wherein the respective weightings for at least one of the signal strength data and the signal connectivity data are assigned, by the processor, based on a degree of signal coverage established according to fingerprint data for the indoor facility; and   detecting, by the processor, the transition in positioning state of the mobile device from one of an indoor and an outside locations to another of the indoor and the outside locations when a weighted sum value of the respective weightings.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising detecting the transition from one of the indoor and the outside locations when the weighted sum value is one of above and below a predetermined state transition value. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the weighting for the GPS data is based at least in part on at least one of a distance from a GPS determined location associated with the positioning state to a boundary of the indoor facility and a predetermined degree of accuracy associated with the GPS signal. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein, upon detecting, based on the monitoring, the positioning state of the mobile device as the outside location, receiving at least one of magnetic data, inertial sensor data, signal strength data, signal connectivity data and barometric data from a set of mobile device sensors. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the set of mobile device sensors includes at least one of an accelerometer and a gyroscope, and the inertial sensor data is acquired using the at least one of the accelerometer and the gyroscope. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  wherein, upon detecting that the transition in positioning state is from the outside to the indoor location, initiate display, at the mobile device, of a facility layout map of the indoor location showing at least one of a mobile device position and an estimated trajectory segment within the indoor location based on computations by the processor, the computations based on the at least one of inertial sensor data, the received signal strength and signal connectivity data, the magnetic data, the barometric data and a historical set of trajectory data associated with the indoor location. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the display of the facility layout map illustrates a physical constraint feature including at least one of a doorway, an exit, a physical marker, an entrance, a wall, a stairwell, a stairway, a corridor, an elevator, and a boundary outline of the indoor facility. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising:
 detecting that the transition in positioning state is from the indoor to the outside location; and 
 at least one of terminating the display of the facility layout map and displaying the map according to at least one of a reduced brightness level and a reduced intensity level, wherein electrical power consumed by the processor is reduced. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising:
 detecting that the transition in positioning state is from the indoor to the outside location; and 
 terminating the computations in the processor based on the at least one of inertial sensor data, the received signal strength and connectivity data, the magnetic data, the barometric data and the historical set of trajectory data associated with the indoor location. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 determining, based on the GPS data, that the positioning state is the outside location relative to the indoor facility; and 
 selectively switching off, using the processor, a plurality of mobile device sensors upon which any of the signal strength data, the signal connectivity data, ambient lighting data and barometric data are based. 
 
     
     
         11 . A mobile device comprising:
 a processor;   a memory storing a set of instructions, the instructions executable in the processor to:   monitor, based at least in part on global positioning system (GPS) data of the mobile device, for a positioning state of the mobile device relative to an indoor facility;   detect, via one or more sensors of the mobile device, ambient data;   determine respective weightings for the ambient data and the GPS data, the ambient data including one or more of received signal strength data and signal connectivity data, wherein the respective weightings for at least one of the signal strength data and the signal connectivity data are assigned based on a degree of signal coverage established according to fingerprint data the indoor facility; and   detect a transition in positioning state of the mobile device from one of an indoor and an outside locations to another of the indoor and the outside locations based on a weighted sum value of the respective weightings.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising instructions executable in the processor to detect the transition from one of the indoor and the outside locations when the weighted sum value is one of above and below a predetermined state transition value. 
     
     
         13 . The mobile device of  claim 11  wherein the weighting for the GPS data is based at least in part on at least one of a distance from a GPS determined location associated with the positioning state to a boundary of the indoor facility and a predetermined degree of accuracy associated with the GPS signal. 
     
     
         14 . The mobile device of  claim 13  further comprising instructions executable in the processor to:
 upon detecting, based on the monitoring, the positioning state of the mobile device as the inside location, receiving at least one of magnetic data, inertial sensor data, signal strength data, signal connectivity data and barometric data from a set of mobile device sensors. 
 
     
     
         15 . The mobile device of  claim 14  wherein the set of mobile device sensors include at least one of an accelerometer and a gyroscope, and the inertial sensor data is received using the at least one of the accelerometer and the gyroscope. 
     
     
         16 . The mobile device of  claim 15  further comprising instructions executable in the processor to:
 upon detecting that the transition in positioning state is from the outside to the indoor location, initiate display, at the mobile device, of a facility layout map of the indoor location showing at least one of a mobile device position and an estimated trajectory segment within the indoor location based on computations by the processor, the computations based on the at least one of inertial sensor data, the received signal strength and signal connectivity data, the magnetic data, the barometric data and a historical set of trajectory data associated with the indoor location. 
 
     
     
         17 . The mobile device of  claim 16  wherein the display of the facility layout map illustrates a physical constraint feature including at least one of a doorway, an exit, a physical marker, an entrance, a wall, a stairwell, a stairway, a corridor, an elevator, and a boundary outline of the indoor facility. 
     
     
         18 . The mobile device of  claim 17  further comprising instructions executable in the processor to:
 detect that the transition in positioning state is from the indoor to the outside location; and 
 at least one of terminate the display of the facility layout map and display the map according to at least one of a reduced brightness level and a reduced intensity level, wherein electrical power consumed by the processor is reduced. 
 
     
     
         19 . The mobile device of  claim 18  further comprising instructions executable in the processor to:
 detect that the transition in positioning state is from the indoor to the outside location; and 
 terminate the computations in the processor based on the at least one of inertial sensor data, the received signal strength and connectivity data, the magnetic data, the barometric data and the historical set of trajectory data associated with the indoor location. 
 
     
     
         20 . The mobile device of  claim 11  further comprising instructions executable in the processor to:
 determine, based on the GPS data, that the positioning state is the outside location relative to the indoor facility; and 
 selectively switch off, using the processor, a plurality of mobile device sensors upon which any of the signal strength data, the signal connectivity data, ambient lighting data and barometric data are based.