Abstract: The invention provides a method of generating data relating to a vertical structure (20) of a built environment comprising a plurality of floors (24, 26, 28), the method comprising: receiving altitude change data representing changes in altitude within the built environment of a plurality of mobile devices (1a, 1b, 1c, 1d) or from which changes in altitude of a plurality of mobile devices within a built environment comprising a plurality of floors can be determined; determining a parameter relating to an estimated storey height of the building from received said altitude change data; and processing received said altitude change data and the said parameter relating to the estimated storey height to thereby generate data relating to the vertical structure of the multi-storey building.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of generating data relating to a vertical structure (20) of a built environment comprising a plurality of floors (24, 26, 28), the method comprising: receiving altitude change data representing changes in altitude within the built environment of a plurality of mobile devices (1a, 1b, 1c, 1d) or from which changes in altitude of a plurality of mobile devices within a built environment comprising a plurality of floors can be determined; determining a parameter relating to an estimated storey height of the building from received said altitude change data; and processing received said altitude change data and the said parameter relating to the estimated storey height to thereby generate data relating to the vertical structure of the multi-storey building.

Abstract: A method of estimating the position of a user device is provided. The user device is initially in electronic communication with a positioning system controller through a communication network. The method comprises determining that a user device meets one or more proximity criteria with respect to an offline region where electronic communication between the user device and the positioning system controller, through the communication network, is expected to meet one or more failure criteria. Responsive thereto and in advance of the user device entering the said offline region, the positioning system controller transmitting local positioning data to the user device, the local positioning data comprising data concerning electromagnetic signal sources in the said offline region. The user device subsequently estimates its position whilst it is within the offline region by measuring signal data from a plurality of electromagnetic signal sources and processing the measured signal data and the local positioning data.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of estimating the position of a device, the method comprising: providing a database of location specific geographical descriptive data; obtaining location data relating to the position of the device; retrieving geographical descriptive data specific to an indoor region from the said database, the indoor region being selected dependent on the location data; and subsequently estimating the position of the device taking into account the retrieved data. The method can be used with existing or new positioning systems to improve the execution of the said positioning systems, particularly when the positioning system is being used indoors.

Abstract: A method of estimating the position of a user device is provided. The user device is initially in electronic communication with a positioning system controller through a communication network. The method comprises determining that a user device meets one or more proximity criteria with respect to an offline region where electronic communication between the user device and the positioning system controller, through the communication network, is expected to meet one or more failure criteria. Responsive thereto and in advance of the user device entering the said offline region, the positioning system controller transmitting local positioning data to the user device, the local positioning data comprising data concerning electromagnetic signal sources in the said offline region. The user device subsequently estimates its position while it is within the offline region by measuring signal data from a plurality of electromagnetic signal sources and processing the measured signal data and the local positioning data.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of estimating the position of a device, the method comprising: providing a database of location specific geographical descriptive data; obtaining location data relating to the position of the device; retrieving geographical descriptive data specific to an indoor region from the said database, the indoor region being selected dependent on the location data; and subsequently estimating the position of the device taking into account the retrieved data. The method can be used with existing or new positioning systems to improve the execution of the said positioning systems, particularly when the positioning system is being used indoors.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of updating a database of spatial features, said spatial features being associated with a region, and the method comprising: receiving positioning data that has been collected at a plurality of locations within the region; processing the collected positioning data to identify at least one candidate spatial feature associated with the region; identifying at least one other spatial feature corresponding to said at least one candidate spatial feature, said at least one other spatial feature and said at least one candidate spatial feature as a whole constituting matching spatial features; processing said matching spatial features; and updating the database of spatial features in dependence on the processing of said matching spatial features.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of updating a database of positioning data, using a mobile user device moved along a path through a plurality of positions, the method comprising the steps of: at each of the plurality of positions: receiving position estimate data and measurement data from a plurality of positioning modules associated with the mobile user device; calculating an estimate of the position in dependence on the data received from the plurality of positioning modules; and storing the estimate of the position and the measurement data; subsequently processing the stored measurement data to calculate at least one revised estimate of a respective position; and processing said at least one revised estimate to update the database of positioning data.

Abstract: In a mobile positioning system, mobile user devices carry out data validation on locally stored positioning data, regulating the positioning data provided to a positioning module and selectively requesting updated positioning data from a central database. A controller receives requests for updated positioning data and selectively responds with updates. The mobile user devices store observations data concerning measurements of signals from electromagnetic signal sources and transmit data about the locally stored observations data to the controller. The controller then selectively requests transmission of the locally stored observations data and the mobile user device determines when and whether to transmit that data. The amount of positioning data which must be transmitted to and from the mobile user device and the overall power consumption of the mobile user device is reduced.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of estimating the position of a user device carried by a user, the method comprising: providing an initial position of the user device; measuring a vertical acceleration of the user device, thereby generating vertical acceleration data; measuring an orientation of the user device, thereby generating principal direction data; processing the vertical acceleration data to detect one or more steps taken by the user, and subsequently validating the detection of one or more of said one or more steps; generating one or more motion vectors in respect of the validated steps taken by the user using the principal direction data; and estimating an updated position of the user device by combining the motion vector(s) with the initial position. The method may be used by, for example, a smartphone to estimate its position, particularly where other positioning systems are unavailable.

Abstract: Disclosed is the estimation of the position of a user device (18) using radio beacons (B1-B4) which are operable at a plurality of transmit power levels. The radio beacons (B1-B4) may transmit their position and current transmit power level. Estimates of distance between a user device and a radio beacon can take into account both received signal strength and the current transmit power level of the radio beacon. The position of the user device (18) can be estimated taking into account whether a radio beacon (B1-B4)) can be detected at a given transmit power level. The transmit power level of the radio beacon may vary according to a cycle. The transmit power level of the radio beacon may be changed to facilitate positioning, for example in response to a signal from a user device. A radio beacon (B1-B4) changes transmit power level in a cycle. The radio beacon can reduce transmit power level responsive to a signal.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of estimating the location of a plurality of electromagnetic signal sources, comprising: scanning at a first plurality of locations to generate signal source position data, the signal source position data representing estimates of the position of at least one of said signal sources; scanning at a second plurality of locations using a signal detection system to generate signal detection data, the signal detection data relating to signals received at the second plurality of locations from the signal sources; processing the signal source position data in dependence on the signal detection data to correct estimation errors in the signal source position data; and outputting the processed signal source position data.

Abstract: Disclosed is the estimation of the position of a user device using radio beacons which are operable at a plurality of transmit power levels. The radio beacons may transmit their position and current transmit power level. Estimates of distance between a user device and a radio beacon can take into account both received signal strength and the current transmit power level of the radio beacon. The position of the user device can be estimated taking into account whether a radio beacon can be detected at a given transmit power level. The transmit power level of the radio beacon may vary according to a cycle. The transmit power level of the radio beacon may be changed to facilitate positioning, for example in response to a signal from a user device. A radio beacon changes transmit power level in a cycle. The radio beacon can reduce transmit power level responsive to a signal. The radio beacon may be compatible with Bluetooth short range wireless connectivity standard core specification version 4.0.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of managing a database of positioning data, the positioning data including electromagnetic signal source data for use by a positioning system, and the method comprising: receiving signal data relating to signals received from a plurality of electromagnetic signal sources; associating an appropriate one of a plurality of zone identifiers with each of the electromagnetic signal sources, each zone identifier being associated with a respective geographical zone; selecting a subset of the plurality of electromagnetic signal sources in dependence on their associated zone identifiers; processing the signal data relating to the subset of the plurality of electromagnetic signal sources to compute position estimates of the electromagnetic signal sources; and updating the database of electromagnetic signal source data in dependence on the computed position estimates.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of managing a database of positioning data, the positioning data including electromagnetic signal source data for use by a positioning system, and the method comprising: receiving signal data relating to signals received from a plurality of electromagnetic signal sources; associating an appropriate one of a plurality of zone identifiers with each of the electromagnetic signal sources, each zone identifier being associated with a respective geographical zone; selecting a subset of the plurality of electromagnetic signal sources in dependence on their associated zone identifiers; processing the signal data relating to the subset of the plurality of electromagnetic signal sources to compute position estimates of the electromagnetic signal sources; and updating the database of electromagnetic signal source data in dependence on the computed position estimates.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of estimating the location of a plurality of electromagnetic signal sources, comprising: scanning at a first plurality of locations to generate signal source position data, the signal source position data representing estimates of the position of at least one of said signal sources; scanning at a second plurality of locations using a signal detection system to generate signal detection data, the signal detection data relating to signals received at the second plurality of locations from the signal sources; processing the signal source position data in dependence on the signal detection data to correct estimation errors in the signal source position data; and outputting the processed signal source position data.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of estimating the position of a user device (902), the method comprising: receiving signal data from a plurality of electromagnetic signal sources (W) having known locations; dividing the plurality of electromagnetic signal sources (W) into a plurality of groups (G1, G2, G3, G4, G5) of the signal sources; processing the received signal data to generate group position data representing the position of at least one group location (910, 912, 914, 916, 918), each group location being characteristic of the location of a respective group of the signal sources; and processing the group position data to generate position data representing an estimate of the position of the user device (902); and outputting the position data.

Abstract: Data concerning the strength of signals received from electromagnetic signal sources within a building is obtained at a plurality of points. Instead of storing the raw data for use in positioning, the data for each electromagnetic signal source is fitted to a function of received signal strength with distance from the electromagnetic signal source. This data is then used to estimate the position of a user device. The advantage of the invention is that the amount of data which requires to be stored is significantly reduced.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of managing a database of positioning data, the positioning data including electromagnetic signal source data for use by a positioning system, and the method comprising: receiving signal data relating to signals received from a plurality of electromagnetic signal sources; associating an appropriate one of a plurality of zone identifiers with each of the electromagnetic signal sources, each zone identifier being associated with a respective geographical zone; selecting a subset of the plurality of electromagnetic signal sources in dependence on their associated zone identifiers; processing the signal data relating to the subset of the plurality of electromagnetic signal sources to compute position estimates of the electromagnetic signal sources; and updating the database of electromagnetic signal source data in dependence on the computed position estimates.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of providing positioning data to a mobile user device comprising a positioning module for estimating a location of the mobile user device, the method comprising: providing a database comprising positioning data for use by the positioning module of the mobile user device to estimate the location of the mobile user device; providing customised user data specific to a user of the mobile user device; selecting one or more subsets of positioning data from the positioning data provided in the said database responsive to a determination that the said subsets of positioning data meet one or more relevance criteria relating to the said customised user data; and providing the selected subsets of positioning data to the mobile user device.