Abstract: A method of authentication in ride hailing situations may include directing, by a first computing device of a passenger, the passenger to point a camera of the first computing device toward a location of a second computing device of a driver located in a vehicle, receiving data from the camera, wherein the data comprises streaming image frames including vehicle information pertaining to a vehicle included in the streaming image frames, analyzing the data to obtain the vehicle information, and determining whether the vehicle in the streaming image frames corresponds to an expected vehicle for the driver, the determination based on the vehicle information and expected vehicle information.

Abstract: Reducing the spread of contagions. At least one example embodiment is a computer-implemented method including: creating, by a server system, an indication of suspended micro-droplets of spittle in an area of a building; receiving, by the server system, an indication that a mobile device is moving toward the area of the building; and sending, by the server system, an alert to the mobile device, the alert indicating that entry into the area of the building is not safe based on the indication of suspended micro-droplets of spittle.

Abstract: A method of authentication in ride hailing situations may include transmitting, to a server by a first device of a passenger, a request for a ride to a destination, receiving an indication that a second device of a driver accepted the ride, and communicating first location data of each respective device to the other respective device. The method may also include determining a first distance between the first and second device based on the first location data of the first and second device. Responsive to determining that the first distance satisfies a threshold condition, the method may also include communicating, via a first point-to-point communication between the first and second device, second location data of each respective device to the other respective device. Further, the method may include presenting, based on the second location data, directions for the first and second device to reach each other.

Abstract: A method of authentication in ride hailing situations may include transmitting, to a server by a first device of a passenger, a request for a ride to a destination, receiving an indication that a second device of a driver accepted the ride, and communicating first location data of each respective device to the other respective device. The method may also include determining a first distance between the first and second device based on the first location data of the first and second device. Responsive to determining that the first distance satisfies a threshold condition, the method may also include communicating, via a first point-to-point communication between the first and second device, second location data of each respective device to the other respective device. Further, the method may include presenting, based on the second location data, directions for the first and second device to reach each other.

Abstract: A method of authentication in ride hailing situations may include transmitting, to a server by a first device of a passenger, a request for a ride to a destination, receiving an indication that a second device of a driver accepted the ride, and communicating first location data of each respective device to the other respective device. The method may also include determining a first distance between the first and second device based on the first location data of the first and second device. Responsive to determining that the first distance satisfies a threshold condition, the method may also include communicating, via a first point-to-point communication between the first and second device, second location data of each respective device to the other respective device. Further, the method may include presenting, based on the second location data, directions for the first and second device to reach each other.

Abstract: Direction estimation in indoor and outdoor locations. At least some of the example embodiments are computer-implemented methods including: determining, by a processor of a mobile device, that the mobile device is approaching a portal between a first navigation domain and a second navigation domain; displaying, on a display device of the mobile device, a merged map concatenating a map of the first navigation domain with a map of the second navigation domain; showing location of the mobile device on the map of the first navigation domain prior to the mobile device transiting through the portal; and then showing location of the mobile device on the map of the second navigation domain.

Abstract: Estimating initial heading at start-up of navigation. At least some of the example embodiments are computer-implemented methods including: spawning a plurality of clone processes, each clone process given an identical location and speed, and each clone process given a unique direction; calculating, by each clone process, a respective position at the end of a frame period; terminating clone processes whose position at the end of the frame period is outside a predetermined threshold, the terminating results in remaining clone processes; and determining the heading of the mobile device from the remaining clone processes.

Abstract: Determining a vertical location of a hand-held computing device. At least some of the example embodiments are computer-implemented methods including: generating an estimate of expected vertical location based on items of beacon data received from beacons by a radio receiver of the hand-held computing device, generating an error covariance of the estimate of expected vertical location based on the items of beacon data, calculating a level normalized change based on measurements of barometric pressure by a pressure sensor of the hand-held computing device, calculating the vertical location of the hand-held computing device based on the level normalized change, the error covariance of the estimate of expected vertical location, and the estimate of expected vertical location, and activating a relevant map for a level comprising the vertical location and displaying the vertical location on a display device of the hand-held computing device.

Abstract: A method of authentication in ride hailing situations may include directing, by a first computing device of a passenger, the passenger to point a camera of the first computing device toward a location of a second computing device of a driver located in a vehicle, receiving data from the camera, wherein the data comprises streaming image frames including vehicle information pertaining to a vehicle included in the streaming image frames, analyzing the data to obtain the vehicle information, and determining whether the vehicle in the streaming image frames corresponds to an expected vehicle for the driver, the determination based on the vehicle information and expected vehicle information.

Abstract: A method of authentication in ride hailing situations may include transmitting, to a server by a first device of a passenger, a request for a ride to a destination, receiving an indication that a second device of a driver accepted the ride, and communicating first location data of each respective device to the other respective device. The method may also include determining a first distance between the first and second device based on the first location data of the first and second device. Responsive to determining that the first distance satisfies a threshold condition, the method may also include communicating, via a first point-to-point communication between the first and second device, second location data of each respective device to the other respective device. Further, the method may include presenting, based on the second location data, directions for the first and second device to reach each other.

Abstract: A method of authentication in ride hailing situations may include transmitting, to a server by a first device of a passenger, a request for a ride to a destination, receiving an indication that a second device of a driver accepted the ride, and communicating first location data of each respective device to the other respective device. The method may also include determining a first distance between the first and second device based on the first location data of the first and second device. Responsive to determining that the first distance satisfies a threshold condition, the method may also include communicating, via a first point-to-point communication between the first and second device, second location data of each respective device to the other respective device. Further, the method may include presenting, based on the second location data, directions for the first and second device to reach each other.

Abstract: A mobile device positioning system includes a receiver to receive data on a plurality of signals received by a mobile device, each of the signals being from a transmitter in an area, the positioning system including a processor configured to execute computer program code for determining, in dependence on the data, a relative distance of the mobile device with respect to each transmitter associated with the respective signals and for determining a position of the mobile device in between the transmitters of the received signals in dependence on the determined relative distance.

Abstract: Determining a vertical location of a hand-held computing device. At least some of the example embodiments are computer-implemented methods including: generating an estimate of expected vertical location based on items of beacon data received from beacons by a radio receiver of the hand-held computing device, generating an error covariance of the estimate of expected vertical location based on the items of beacon data, calculating a level normalized change based on measurements of barometric pressure by a pressure sensor of the hand-held computing device, calculating the vertical location of the hand-held computing device based on the level normalized change, the error covariance of the estimate of expected vertical location, and the estimate of expected vertical location, and activating a relevant map for a level comprising the vertical location and displaying the vertical location on a display device of the hand-held computing device.

Abstract: Direction estimation in indoor and outdoor locations. At least some of the example embodiments are computer-implemented methods including: determining, by a processor of a mobile device, that the mobile device is approaching a portal between a first navigation domain and a second navigation domain; displaying, on a display device of the mobile device, a merged map concatenating a map of the first navigation domain with a map of the second navigation domain; showing location of the mobile device on the map of the first navigation domain prior to the mobile device transiting through the portal; and then showing location of the mobile device on the map of the second navigation domain.

Abstract: Estimating initial heading at start-up of navigation. At least some of the example embodiments are computer-implemented methods including: spawning a plurality of clone processes, each clone process given an identical location and speed, and each clone process given a unique direction; calculating, by each clone process, a respective position at the end of a frame period; terminating clone processes whose position at the end of the frame period is outside a predetermined threshold, the terminating results in remaining clone processes; and determining the heading of the mobile device from the remaining clone processes.

Abstract: A method of authentication in ride hailing situations may include transmitting, to a server by a first device of a passenger, a request for a ride to a destination, receiving an indication that a second device of a driver accepted the ride, and communicating first location data of each respective device to the other respective device. The method may also include determining a first distance between the first and second device based on the first location data of the first and second device. Responsive to determining that the first distance satisfies a threshold condition, the method may also include communicating, via a first point-to-point communication between the first and second device, second location data of each respective device to the other respective device. Further, the method may include presenting, based on the second location data, directions for the first and second device to reach each other.

Abstract: Determining a vertical location of a hand-held computing device. At least some of the example embodiments are computer-implemented methods including: generating an estimate of expected vertical location based on items of beacon data received from beacons by a radio receiver of the hand-held computing device, generating an error covariance of the estimate of expected vertical location based on the items of beacon data, calculating a level normalized change based on measurements of barometric pressure by a pressure sensor of the hand-held computing device, calculating the vertical location of the hand-held computing device based on the level normalized change, the error covariance of the estimate of expected vertical location, and the estimate of expected vertical location, and activating a relevant map for a level comprising the vertical location and displaying the vertical location on a display device of the hand-held computing device.

Abstract: Estimating initial heading at start-up of navigation. At least some of the example embodiments are computer-implemented methods including: spawning a plurality of clone processes, each clone process given an identical location and speed, and each clone process given a unique direction; calculating, by each clone process, a respective position at the end of a frame period; terminating clone processes whose position at the end of the frame period is outside a predetermined threshold, the terminating results in remaining clone processes; and determining the heading of the mobile device from the remaining clone processes.

Abstract: A mobile device positioning system includes a receiver to receive data on a plurality of signals received by a mobile device, each of the signals being from a transmitter in an area, the positioning system including a processor configured to execute computer program code for determining, in dependence on the data, a relative distance of the mobile device with respect to each transmitter associated with the respective signals and for determining a position of the mobile device in between the transmitters of the received signals in dependence on the determined relative distance.