Patents by Inventor Mika VIITALA

Mika VIITALA has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240196201
    Abstract: Inter-alia, methods are disclosed for decoding an optimized message format utilizable for positioning. The methods may include obtaining at least one encoded sample measurement comprising: at a maximum two full identifier information of respective radio nodes; at a maximum three partial identifier information of respective radio nodes, wherein a part of a respective full identifier information of the respective radio nodes is comprised; and at least one signal strength information of the respective radio nodes; and resolving a respective partial identifier information of the maximum of three partial identifier information of respective radio nodes to determine their respective full identifier information. Corresponding apparatus(es), computer program(s) and system(s) are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2022
    Publication date: June 13, 2024
    Inventors: Lauri Aarne Johannes WIROLA, Mika VIITALA
  • Publication number: 20240192303
    Abstract: Inter-alia, a method is disclosed comprising: gathering at least one sample measurement comprising at least one of an identifier information or signal strength information of a plurality of radio nodes, wherein one or more signals sent by the respective radio nodes are observable at a location where the apparatus performs the gather of the at least one sample measurement; encoding the at least one sample measurement based on the following conditions: allowing the encoded at least one sample measurement to comprise at a maximum two full identifier information of the respective radio nodes; allowing the encoded at least one sample measurement to comprise at a maximum three partial identifier information, wherein a part of a respective full identifier information of the respective radio nodes is allowed to be comprised; and allowing the encoded at least one sample measurement to comprise at least one signal strength information of the respective radio nodes; and providing the encoded at least one sample measurem
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2022
    Publication date: June 13, 2024
    Inventors: Lauri Aarne Johannes WIROLA, Mika VIITALA
  • Patent number: 11714160
    Abstract: A method is disclosed that includes associating an identifying information indicative of an item to be tracked from a first device to a second device. The method also includes assigning a master/slave information indicative of a responsibility that the first device and/or the second device is in charge of tracking the item from the first device to the second device. The method further includes determining a position estimate indicative of a position of the item to be tracked based at least partially on the identifying information and the master/slave information. The first device is directly related to the item to be tracked, and the second device is not directly to the item to be tracked. An apparatus, a tangible computer-readable medium and a system are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: HERE GLOBAL B.V.
    Inventors: Marko Luomi, Mika Viitala
  • Patent number: 11662420
    Abstract: A method includes obtaining or holding available first radio map information representing a first radio map for a first environment. The method also includes determining, at least partially based on said first radio map information, second radio map information representing a second radio map for a second environment. The second radio map contains or represents a respective radio coverage model for each radio device of a group of radio devices. A portion of the second environment at least partially covers the first environment. A density of radio coverage models contained in or represented by said second radio map in the portion of said second environment and at least partially covering the first environment is higher than a density of radio coverage models contained in or represented by the second radio map in a remaining portion of the second environment. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: HERE GLOBAL B.V.
    Inventors: Mika Viitala, Marko Luomi
  • Patent number: 11653172
    Abstract: It is inter-alia disclosed a method comprises: obtaining or holding available at least one training set of radio signal observation results, wherein a respective training set of radio signal observation results is held available in association with identification information of a corresponding area of interest on a site, wherein a respective training set of radio signal observation results is captured at a corresponding observation position within a corresponding area of interest on said site; obtaining or holding available area of interest information indicating whether at least one tracking device has been determined to have entered and/or to have been located within a corresponding area of interest on the site; obtaining or holding available current radio signal observation data of a current tracking device representing one or more current sets of radio signal observation results captured by a radio interface of the current tracking device when present on said site, wherein a respective current set of r
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventors: Minja Volotinen, Mika Viitala, Simon Madine
  • Publication number: 20220312147
    Abstract: Inter-alia, a method is disclosed comprising: generating a proximity geofence at least partially based on at least one stored radio map, wherein the proximity geofence is indicative of an area, wherein a limited memory capacity device is enabled to determine whether or not it is located within the area, wherein a geofence borders the area, wherein the proximity geofence is limited to comprising identifying information of one or more radio nodes which one or more respective coverage areas, in which radio signals sent by a respective radio node of the one or more radio nodes are observable, at least partially overlap with the coverage of the area of the proximity geofence, and wherein the at least one stored radio map is indicative of information identifying one or more radio nodes located in a geographical area that comprises the area of the proximity geofence; and providing the proximity geofence. It is further disclosed an according apparatus, computer program and system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventors: Marko LUOMI, Mika VIITALA
  • Patent number: 11399256
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for deciding, for at least one set of geofence related data related to a respective geofence, based at least in part on a storage size of the at least one set of geofence related data, whether or not the at least one set of geofence related data shall be provided to a mobile device to which the respective geofence shall apply. The method and apparatus also provide or cause provision of the at least one set of geofence related data to the mobile device, if it is decided that the at least one set of geofence related data shall be provided to the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventors: Marko Luomi, Lauri Aarne Johannes Wirola, Petri Rauhala, Mika Viitala
  • Patent number: 11385319
    Abstract: Disclosed is an approach for improving positioning quality via a feedback loop between a radio-based positioning system and a client device, such as a tracking system. In particular, the tracking system or other client device may request and then receive a position estimate from the positioning system. The tracking system could then make a determination that the position estimate is incorrect, such as by determining that it is an outlier relative to a location trace, for instance. Responsive to this determination, the tracking system may transmit, to the position system, an indication of radio node(s) associated with the incorrect position estimate. Based on this indication, the positioning system could then exclude one or more of those radio node(s) from a radio map, thereby improving quality of the radio map and in turn quality of future position estimates, among other advantages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: HERE GLOBAL B.V.
    Inventors: Mika Viitala, Marko Luomi
  • Publication number: 20220167116
    Abstract: It is inter-alia disclosed a method comprises: obtaining or holding available at least one training set of radio signal observation results, wherein a respective training set of radio signal observation results is held available in association with identification information of a corresponding area of interest on a site, wherein a respective training set of radio signal observation results is captured at a corresponding observation position within a corresponding area of interest on said site; obtaining or holding available area of interest information indicating whether at least one tracking device has been determined to have entered and/or to have been located within a corresponding area of interest on the site; obtaining or holding available current radio signal observation data of a current tracking device representing one or more current sets of radio signal observation results captured by a radio interface of the current tracking device when present on said site, wherein a respective current set of r
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Inventors: Minja VOLOTINEN, Mika VIITALA, Simon MADINE
  • Publication number: 20220167115
    Abstract: It is inter-alia disclosed a method comprises: obtaining or holding available radio signal observation data of a tracking device representing one or more sets of radio signal observation results captured by a radio interface of the tracking device when present on a site, wherein a respective set of radio signal observation results is captured at a corresponding observation position on said site; obtaining or holding available setting information; associating at least one training set of radio signal observation results with identification information of an area of interest on said site, if at least one of the one or more sets of radio signal observation results is indicated as the at least one training set of radio signal observation results by the setting information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Inventors: Minja VOLOTINEN, Mika VIITALA, Simon MADINE
  • Publication number: 20210263130
    Abstract: Disclosed is an approach for improving positioning quality via a feedback loop between a radio-based positioning system and a client device, such as a tracking system. In particular, the tracking system or other client device may request and then receive a position estimate from the positioning system. The tracking system could then make a determination that the position estimate is incorrect, such as by determining that it is an outlier relative to a location trace, for instance. Responsive to this determination, the tracking system may transmit, to the position system, an indication of radio node(s) associated with the incorrect position estimate. Based on this indication, the positioning system could then exclude one or more of those radio node(s) from a radio map, thereby improving quality of the radio map and in turn quality of future position estimates, among other advantages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Inventors: MIKA VIITALA, MARKO LUOMI
  • Publication number: 20210150470
    Abstract: Inter alia, a method is disclosed comprising: obtaining one or more position estimates each indicative of a position of a physical tracking device, wherein the one or more position estimates are obtained based, at least in part, on an identification information of a transportable asset; and generating an aggregate trace information based, at least in part, on the obtained one or more position estimates, or updating the aggregate trace information based, at least in part, on the obtained one or more position estimates and one or more further position estimates of one or more further physical tracking devices provided that aggregate trace information is available prior to the obtaining of the one or more position estimates, wherein the aggregate trace information is associated with the transportable asset and indicates at least one position of the transportable asset. It is further disclosed an according apparatus, computer program and system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Mika VIITALA, Simon MADINE
  • Publication number: 20210127225
    Abstract: It is inter-alia disclosed a method performed by an apparatus, said method comprising receiving a representation of a geofence for each geofence of one or more geofences from a server via a network, wherein the representation of a geofence comprises a set of sub-geofences, and wherein the sub-geofences of a set of sub-geofences represent splitted components of the geofence associated with the set of sub-geofences.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2018
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Applicant: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventors: Mika VIITALA, Marko LUOMI
  • Publication number: 20210041526
    Abstract: A method is disclosed that includes associating an identifying information indicative of an item to be tracked from a first device to a second device. The method also includes assigning a master/slave information indicative of a responsibility that the first device and/or the second device is in charge of tracking the item from the first device to the second device. The method further includes determining a position estimate indicative of a position of the item to be tracked based at least partially on the identifying information and the master/slave information. The first device is directly related to the item to be tracked, and the second device is not directly to the item to be tracked. An apparatus, a tangible computer-readable medium and a system are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Applicant: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventors: Marko LUOMI, Mika VIITALA
  • Publication number: 20210011113
    Abstract: A method includes obtaining or holding available first radio map information representing a first radio map for a first environment. The method also includes determining, at least partially based on said first radio map information, second radio map information representing a second radio map for a second environment. The second radio map contains or represents a respective radio coverage model for each radio device of a group of radio devices. A portion of the second environment at least partially covers the first environment. A density of radio coverage models contained in or represented by said second radio map in the portion of said second environment and at least partially covering the first environment is higher than a density of radio coverage models contained in or represented by the second radio map in a remaining portion of the second environment. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Applicant: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventors: Mika Viitala, Marko Luomi
  • Publication number: 20200359162
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for deciding, for at least one set of geofence related data related to a respective geofence, based at least in part on a storage size of the at least one set of geofence related data, whether or not the at least one set of geofence related data shall be provided to a mobile device to which the respective geofence shall apply. The method and apparatus also provide or cause provision of the at least one set of geofence related data to the mobile device, if it is decided that the at least one set of geofence related data shall be provided to the mobile device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Applicant: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventors: Marko LUOMI, Lauri Aarne Johannes WIROLA, Petri RAUHALA, Mika VIITALA