Abstract: Apparatuses, methods, systems and computer-readable media for using visibility maps of identified points of interest (POIs) to determine a user's location are presented. Users may determine their locations without relying on a global positioning technique, such as GPS or A-GPS. A user may instead rely on POIs identifiable from the user's visual field of view, and determine position based on the common area visible to each identified POI.

Abstract: An example method for updating a wireless signal model includes: measuring a distance from a mobile station to each wireless access point, of multiple wireless access points, based upon a wireless signal model; calculating a position of the mobile station based upon the measured distance; determining a computed distance to each wireless access point based upon the calculated position of the mobile station; updating the wireless signal model based upon the measured and computed distances to each wireless access point; and determining whether the wireless signal model has converged.

Abstract: Apparatuses, methods, systems and computer-readable media for determining a hallway edge and/or room entrance of a map are presented. Embodiments may identify a point of interest (POI) on the map indicative of the room entrance. Embodiments may determine a first edge of the map close to the POI and representative of at least a first wall on the map, and may determine a second edge of the map close to the POI and representative of at least a second wall on the map. Embodiments may then perform a rank analysis of the first edge and second edge based on at least one characteristic of the first edge and one characteristic of the second edge, and may determine the orientation of the room entrance and/or the determine the hallway edge of the POI based at least in part on the rank analysis.

Abstract: A mobile device can receive OCR library information associated with a coarse position. The coarse position can be determined by the mobile device, or by a network server configured to communicate with the mobile device. A camera on the mobile device can obtain images of human-readable information in an area near the coarse position. The view finder image can be processed with an OCR engine that is utilizing the OCR library information to determine one or more location string values. A location database can be searched based on the location string values. The position of the mobile device can be estimated and displayed. The position estimated can be adjusted based on the proximity of the mobile device to other features in the image.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, systems, and computer-readable media for integrating sensation functionalities into social networking services and/or applications are presented. According to one or more aspects, a computing device may receive a status update associated with a social networking service, and the status update may include haptic data. Subsequently, the computing device may cause haptic feedback to be provided to at least one user of the social networking service, based at least in part on the haptic data and the at least one user's relationship with a sender of the status update within the social networking service. In at least one arrangement, first haptic feedback is provided to the user if the user is within a first group of users, and second haptic feedback different from the first haptic feedback is provided to the user if the user is within a second group of users different from the first group of users.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, systems, and computer-readable media for providing sensation enhanced messaging are presented. According to one or more aspects, a computing device may receive an electronic message, and the electronic message may include sender-specified haptic data that identifies at least one non-vibratory haptic sensation to be provided to a recipient of the electronic message. Subsequently, the computing device may cause haptic feedback to be provided to a user based on the sender-specified haptic data. In at least one arrangement, the at least one non-vibratory haptic sensation may include one or more pressure characteristics, texture characteristics, wetness characteristics, adhesion characteristics, thermal characteristics, and/or movement characteristics.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, systems, and computer-readable media for integrating sensation functionalities into a mobile device using a haptic sleeve are presented. According to one or more aspects of the disclosure, a computing device may receive, via a haptic sleeve, sensation input captured by one or more haptic components of the haptic sleeve. Subsequently, the computing device may store haptic data corresponding to the received sensation input. For example, in storing such haptic data, the computing device may store information describing one or more electrical signals received via the one or more haptic components of the haptic sleeve during a period of time corresponding to a particular event, and this stored information may reflect various characteristics of the sensation input received by the computing device in connection with the particular event, such as the magnitude(s), position(s), duration, and/or type(s) of sensation(s) captured during the period of time.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, systems, and computer-readable media for using haptic technologies to provide enhanced media experiences are presented. According to one or more aspects of the disclosure, a computing device, such as a smart phone, tablet computer, or portable media player, may establish a connection with a local content receiver. Subsequently, the computing device may receive, from the local content receiver, a sensation data signal that specifies one or more haptic effects to be provided at a particular time relative to playback of a media content item received by the local content receiver. Thereafter, the computing device may provide the one or more haptic effects.

Abstract: Systems and methods for managing and utilizing visual signature (VS) databases are described herein. A method for managing a VS database as described herein includes obtaining a plurality of images of objects represented by a VS; obtaining context information associated with the plurality of images; grouping the plurality of images into one or more context classifications according to the context information associated with the plurality of images; for respective ones of the one or more context classifications, selecting an image representative of the VS according to one or more criteria; and adding the selected images for the respective ones of the one or more context classifications to entries of the VS database corresponding to the VS.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for automatic service discovery and connectivity include acts of or components for retrieving service metadata associated with one or more service devices from a connectivity entity, wherein the service metadata comprises connectivity parameters, and configuring one or more links with at least one of the one or more service devices based on the service metadata. Further, the apparatus and methods may include acts of or components for using a service available from the one or more service devices through the one or more links.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for merging peer-to-peer overlay networks. A method includes receiving an advertisement from a second overlay network, determining a size of the second overlay network, performing a self search on the second overlay network based on a persistent node identifier, if the size of the second overlay network is greater than the size of a first overlay network, and joining the second overlay network if the persistent node identifier is not part of the second overlay network. An apparatus includes a transceiver to receive an advertisement from a second overlay network, and a processor coupled to the transceiver to determine a size of the second overlay network, perform a self search on the second overlay network based on a persistent node identifier, and join the second overlay network if the persistent node identifier is not part of the second overlay network.

Abstract: A system for the collection, aggregation and analysis of location based crowdsourcing data includes a server that server that controls the distribution of crowdsourcing requests and workloads to a plurality of external mobile platforms. The server receives crowdsourcing queries from multiple parties and provides measurement requests to the mobile platforms, e.g., based on the location of the mobile platforms. Upon receipt of the measured contextual data from the mobile platforms, the server may distribute information, such as the raw measured contextual data or an analysis of the measured contextual data, to the appropriate requesting parties in a secure manner. The mobile platform may receive a plurality of measurement requests from a remote server, wherein the plurality of measurement requests are based on crowdsourcing queries from a plurality of parties. The mobile platform may measure and provide to the remote server contextual data in response to the plurality of measurement requests.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided which may be implemented in various devices having one or more computing platforms to obtain signaling characteristics for one or more transmitting devices. The signaling characteristics may, for example, be based, at least in part, on one or more signals received by a receiving device from the transmitting device(s), and may comprise at least a received signal strength measurement and a propagation time measurement. Such methods and apparatuses may further be implemented to determine whether a mobile station is to use or not use positioning data for one or more transmitting device(s) in a positioning function based, at least in part, on the received signal strength measurement and the propagation time measurement.

Abstract: The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a system and method for receiving, by a first mobile station, a signal transmitted from a second mobile station and addressed to a communication device (e.g., a communication device having a known location). The signal comprises a location estimate for the second mobile station. A range from the first mobile station to the second mobile station is estimated based at least in part on a measured signal strength of the received signal.

Abstract: An embodiment relates to characterizing a signaling environment by gathering a plurality of measurements, generated during a period of time, in response to a determination that a mobile device is within an area of location uncertainty. Such an example mobile device may generate a position fix, e.g., at or subsequent to an end of the period of time, based, at least in part, on one or more signals received at the mobile device within an area of location certainty; and in response to a determination that it is to report a travel history for at least a portion of the area of location uncertainty, generate a travel log based, at least in part, on the plurality of measurements and the position fix, and transmit at least a portion of the travel log to one or more external devices.

Abstract: Techniques are provided which may be implemented in various methods and/or apparatuses that support information dissemination for and/or within location based systems to control information dissemination.

Abstract: The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a method, apparatus, and/or system for obtaining one or more images captured at a mobile device and determining a location context identifier (LCI) identifying an area including a location of the mobile device based, at least in part, on the one or more captured images. The LCI may be selected from among a plurality of LCIs.

Abstract: A system for the collection, aggregation and analysis of location based crowdsourcing data includes a server that server that controls the distribution of crowdsourcing requests and workloads to a plurality of external mobile platforms. The server receives crowdsourcing queries from multiple parties and provides measurement requests to the mobile platforms, e.g., based on the location of the mobile platforms. Upon receipt of the measured contextual data from the mobile platforms, the server may distribute information, such as the raw measured contextual data or an analysis of the measured contextual data, to the appropriate requesting parties in a secure manner. The mobile platform may receive a plurality of measurement requests from a remote server, wherein the plurality of measurement requests are based on crowdsourcing queries from a plurality of parties. The mobile platform may measure and provide to the remote server contextual data in response to the plurality of measurement requests.

Abstract: Techniques disclosed herein provide for assisted context determination through the use of one or more servers remote to a mobile device. The one or more servers can receive location and/or other information from the mobile device and select, from a list of possible activities, a smaller list of activities a mobile device user is likely engaged in. The one or more servers can return the smaller list to the mobile device, which can use the smaller list to make a faster context determination. In creating the smaller list, the one or more servers can utilize information regarding a region in which the mobile device is located, which can be updated and modified using information received from mobile devices. Furthermore, the one or more servers can gather and share information from nearby mobile devices, enabling a mobile device to use information from nearby mobile devices to facilitate a context determination.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided that may be implemented in a mobile device to determine two or more variations between a baseline probability distribution and two or more probability distributions for signals received from two or more sets of transmitters assigned to two or more regions of a structure. The methods and apparatuses may be further implemented to determine whether the mobile device is located in at least one of the two or more regions based, at least in part, on a comparison of the two or more determined variations.