Abstract: An approach for the reliable detection of smartphones within vehicles. The cloud instructs two smartphones, which both detect an in-vehicle detection system, to report signals that reflect major sensor events, together with the timing using their respective clocks. By sending local clock timing and time-sensitive beacon content information to the cloud, the offset between the two smartphone clocks may be determined, thereby enhancing the reliability of the in-vehicle detection of the smartphones.

Abstract: An approach for product localization is described that includes detecting one or more movement activities of a user in an indoor environment, and determining a respective position for each of the one or more movement activities using a sensor associated with the user. The approach further includes identifying one or more stoppage locations from the detected one or more movement activities, and receiving a list of one or more purchased items purchased by the user in the indoor environment. Finally, the approach further includes correlating at least one of the more purchased items with at least one of the one or more stoppage locations, and predicting the location of the one or more purchased items based on the correlating.

Abstract: A system is provided for determining the position of a mobile receiver unit (7) in an environment (1). The system comprises a plurality of transmitter units (2, 3, 4, 5) which transmit a respective phase-modulated transmitter-unit identifier, a mobile receiver unit (7), arranged to receive a signal from a transmitter unit (2, 3, 4, 5), and a processing subsystem (205; 9).

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an acoustic position determination system that includes a mobile communication device and at least one base transmitter unit. The mobile communication device is configured to transmit and receive acoustic signals. Due to relative movements between the mobile communication device and the base transmitter unit, frequencies of the received signals shift due to Doppler effect. The mobile communication device is configured to compensate Doppler frequency shifts in the received acoustic signals prior to performing a deconvolution decoding process. The mobile communication device is further configured to compensate Doppler frequency shifts and perform deconvolution decoding process on acoustic signals received from multiple signal transmission paths.

Abstract: Systems and methods of determining a location of a mobile computing device associated with a real-time locating system are provided. For instance, a mobile computing device can determine a first location of the mobile computing device. The mobile computing device can then receive acoustic-contextual data that is correlated with the first location of the mobile computing device. The acoustic-contextual data can include data associated with one or more transmitting devices, and data associated with an environment proximate the one or more transmitting devices. The mobile computing device can receive one or more signals from at least one of the one or more transmitting devices, and can determine a more accurate second location of the mobile computing device based at least in part on the acoustic-contextual data and the one or more received signals.

Abstract: A network has wireless access points, each configured for bi-directional communication, using a first radio protocol, with a communication device that has been associated with the access point by an association data exchange. Each access point is also configured to receive, at a first data rate using the first radio protocol, a multicast radio message and to forward the multicast message onto the network. A radio transmitter is configured to send data at a second data rate, using a second radio protocol different from the first radio protocol. A wireless communication unit transmits a multicast radio message at the first data rate using the first radio protocol. It also receives data from the radio transmitter at the second data rate using the second radio protocol and decodes the data.

Abstract: An acoustic model determination approach for a real-time locating system is disclosed. The system includes one or more transmitting devices and one or more mobile devices. The acoustic model may be determined by deriving an acoustic representation of sub-structures within the building, and then forming the acoustic model based on the acoustic representation and the location and orientation of the static acoustic transmitting device. In another embodiment, an acoustic signal is transmitted from a static acoustic transmitting device, with the reflected signals received by the same static acoustic transmitting device in a receiving mode. Based on these received acoustic signals, the acoustic model is formed based on the reflected signals and the location and orientation of the static acoustic transmitting device.

Abstract: A network has wireless access points, each configured for bi-directional communication, using a first radio protocol, with a communication device that has been associated with the access point by an association data exchange. Each access point is also configured to receive, at a first data rate using the first radio protocol, a multicast radio message and to forward the multicast message onto the network. A radio transmitter is configured to send data at a second data rate, using a second radio protocol different from the first radio protocol. A wireless communication unit transmits a multicast radio message at the first data rate using the first radio protocol. It also receives data from the radio transmitter at the second data rate using the second radio protocol and decodes the data.

Abstract: A monitoring system is provided that includes a three dimensional position determination system for determining the three dimensional coordinates of one or more mobile units. The system includes at least one zone in which the system is arranged to raise an alarm when the rate of change of a vertical coordinate of a mobile unit is less than a predetermined value.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a location determination system that includes acoustic transmitting devices, location tags, and a wireless mesh network, where the wireless mesh network uses battery-powered devices. A location tag receives acoustic signals (e.g., ultrasound signals) from an acoustic transmitting device. Clocks from members of the wireless mesh network are synchronized by observation of clock pairings, each clock pair formed by respective clocks in a transmitting device that transmits a message and a receiving device that receives the message. By analyzing the observed clock pairings, a best fit between the clock pairings may be determined. After selecting a reference clock, an acoustic transmission schedule may be propagated to the respective acoustic transmitting device.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an acoustic position determination system that includes a mobile communication device and at least one base transmitter unit. The mobile communication device is configured to transmit and receive acoustic signals. Due to relative movements between the mobile communication device and the base transmitter unit, frequencies of the received signals shift due to Doppler effect. The mobile communication device is configured to compensate Doppler frequency shifts in the received acoustic signals prior to performing a deconvolution decoding process. The mobile communication device is further configured to compensate Doppler frequency shifts and perform deconvolution decoding process on acoustic signals received from multiple signal transmission paths.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a location determination system that includes acoustic transmitting devices, location tags, and a wireless mesh network, where the wireless mesh network uses battery-powered devices. A location tag receives acoustic signals (e.g., ultrasound signals) from an acoustic transmitting device. Clocks from members of the wireless mesh network are synchronized by observation of clock pairings, each clock pair formed by respective clocks in a transmitting device that transmits a message and a receiving device that receives the message. By analyzing the observed clock pairings, a best fit between the clock pairings may be determined. After selecting a reference clock, an acoustic transmission schedule may be propagated to the respective acoustic transmitting device.

Abstract: Systems and methods of estimating a location of a mobile computing device are provided. For instance, acoustic signals can be received from one or more transmitting devices associated with a real-time locating system. A set of peaks can be selected from the received acoustic signals. A first set of transmitter locations can be assigned to the selected set of peaks. The first set of transmitter locations can be specified by an acoustic model specifying a plurality of transmitter locations within an acoustic environment in which the one or more transmitting devices are located. A first model path trace associated with the first set of transmitter locations can be compared to the received acoustic signals. A location of the mobile computing device can be estimated based at least in part on the comparison.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an acoustic position determination system that includes a mobile communication device and at least one base transmitter unit. The mobile communication device is configured to identify a peak in the received signal, and to de-convolve the signal with all codes that are relevant to the area in which the signal is received. A joint likelihood that a potential code is correct is formed by determining a likelihood based on a signal parameter such as signal-to-noise ratio and a likelihood based on time-of arrival information.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a location determination system that includes acoustic transmitting devices and mobile devices. A mobile device receives acoustic signals (e.g., ultrasound signals) from an acoustic transmitting device. The mobile device must be able to identify the acoustic transmitting device with particularity when receiving the acoustic signals. It is more efficient to use a short identifier, for example 6 bits, for this purpose because it requires less power to transmit and decode. By utilizing the rotating identifier system described herein, more acoustic transmitting devices can be distinguished than using a time-invariant identifier would otherwise provide, and the transmissions are more secure and therefore less vulnerable to free-riders.

Abstract: Systems and methods of determining a location of a mobile computing device associated with a real-time locating system are provided. For instance, a mobile computing device can determine a first location of the mobile computing device. The mobile computing device can then receive acoustic-contextual data that is correlated with the first location of the mobile computing device. The acoustic-contextual data can include data associated with one or more transmitting devices, and data associated with an environment proximate the one or more transmitting devices. The mobile computing device can receive one or more signals from at least one of the one or more transmitting devices, and can determine a more accurate second location of the mobile computing device based at least in part on the acoustic-contextual data and the one or more received signals.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transmitter apparatus is configured to transmit an ultrasonic signal that communicates a binary identifier. The apparatus includes an ultrasound transmission system and is configured to transmit an ultrasonic signal that communicates the binary identifier according to an encoding in which each bit position in the binary identifier is associated with a respective pair of frequencies and with respective first and second time positions in the ultrasonic signal. The value of the bit position in the binary identifier determines which frequency of the pair of frequencies is transmitted at the first respective time position in the ultrasonic signal, with the other frequency of the pair of frequencies being transmitted at the second respective time position in the ultrasonic signal.

Abstract: An acoustic location determination system is disclosed. The system includes one or more transmitting devices and one or more mobile devices. The transmitting device includes a first transducer configured to transmit first acoustic signals having a first frequency, and a second transducer configured to transmit second acoustic signals having a second frequency. The transmitting device further includes a beacon device configured to transmit beacon data via a short-range wireless communication technique. The transmitting device further includes one or more control devices configured to select the first or second acoustic signals based at least in part on one or more operating capabilities of one or more mobile units associated with the real-time locating system. The one or more control devices are further configured to cause transmission of the selected acoustic signals and the beacon data.

Abstract: A transmitter device transmits an ultrasonic signal encoding a binary identifier. Each bit position in the identifier is associated with a pair of frequencies and with first and second time positions in the signal. The bit value determines which of the pair of frequencies is transmitted at the first time position, with the other being transmitted at the second time position. A receiver device receives the signal. Each bit position of the identifier is decoded based on the strength of the received signal at (a) the first frequency and first time position associated with the particular bit position, (b) the associated first frequency and second time position, (c) the associated second frequency and first time position, and (d) the associated second frequency and second time position. The decoded identifier is used to determine information relating to the position of a mobile one of the devices.

Abstract: A network has wireless access points, each configured for bi-directional communication, using a first radio protocol, with a communication device that has been associated with the access point by an association data exchange. Each access point is also configured to receive, at a first data rate using the first radio protocol, a multicast radio message and to forward the multicast message onto the network. A radio transmitter is configured to send data at a second data rate, using a second radio protocol different from the first radio protocol. A wireless communication unit transmits a multicast radio message at the first data rate using the first radio protocol. It also receives data from the radio transmitter at the second data rate using the second radio protocol and decodes the data.