IP Library › Granted Patent US 12681131
Granted Patent B2
US 12681131 · App. 18/601,469 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Estimating user risk based on wireless location determination

Inventors: Neal Dante Castagnoli (Morgan Hill, CA); Mohammad Zohoorian (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP
G01S5/0289G01S5/0278G01S5/14G08B21/02G16H50/30G16H50/80G16H70/60H04W4/023
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12681131
App. No.
18/601,469
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed are embodiments for estimating risk associated with a user of a wireless device. In some embodiments, the risk relates to a risk of infection by a contagious disease. For example, in some embodiments, the contagious disease is Coronavirus 2019. In some embodiments, locations of multiple wireless devices are estimated based on signal strengths of signals associated with the devices. Neighboring devices are identified based on highest probability regions of the devices that are determined based on associated signals. A measure of proximity to other devices is then determined based on probabilities that each device is located in neighboring regions. The risk is then based on the measure of proximity. In some embodiments, a risk of a first user associated with a first wireless device is based, in part, on a risk of a second user within a proximity of the first user.

Claims (51)

1 . A method, comprising:

determining, by hardware processing circuitry, based on one or more wireless signals received by a first wireless device from a first set of one or more access points (APs), a first location probability surface of the first wireless device that indicates probabilities that the first wireless device is located in each of a first plurality of regions;

determining, by the hardware processing circuitry, based on one or more wireless signals received by a second wireless device from a second set of one or more APs, a second location probability surface of the second wireless device that indicates probabilities that the second wireless device is located in each of a second plurality of regions;

determining, by the hardware processing circuitry, a measure of proximity between the first wireless device and the second wireless device based on the first location probability surface of the first wireless device and the second location probability surface of the second wireless device;

determining, by the hardware processing circuitry and based on the measure of proximity, a risk associated with a first user of the first wireless device being in proximity to a second user of the second wireless device; and

outputting, by the hardware processing circuitry and based on determining the risk associated with the first user of the first wireless device being in proximity to the second user of the second wireless device, an alert to a device indicating the risk associated with the first user of the first wireless device being in proximity to the second user of the second wireless device.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the first location probability surface of the first wireless device is based on signal strength measurements of the one or more wireless signals received by the first wireless device from the first set of one or more APs.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein determining the first location probability surface of the first wireless device comprises determining the first location probability surface based on an expected signal strength of the signal strength measurements and a measured signal strength of the signal strength measurements.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the first location probability surface of the first wireless device comprises:

determining a motion estimate based on motion information of the first wireless device; and

predicting, based on the motion estimate, the first geographic location of the first wireless device.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the motion information of the first wireless device comprises one of a speed of the first wireless device, acceleration of the first wireless device, or a direction of the first wireless device.

6 . The method of claim 1 ,

wherein determining the risk comprises determining a risk of infection associated with the first user being in proximity to the second user.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating, by the hardware processing circuitry and based on determining the risk associated with the first user of the first wireless device being in proximity to the second user of the second wireless device, the alert indicating the risk associated with the first user of the first wireless device being in proximity to the second user of the second wireless device.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating, by the hardware processing circuitry and based on determining that the first wireless device associated with the first user is in proximity to the second wireless device associated with the second user, an alert indicating the first user is in proximity to the second user.

9 . A system, comprising:

memory; and

one or more processors in communication with the memory and configured to:

determine based on one or more wireless signals received by a first wireless device from a first set of one or more access points (APs), a first location probability surface of the first wireless device that indicates probabilities that the first wireless device is located in each of a first plurality of regions;

determine based on one or more wireless signals received by a second wireless device from a second set of one or more APs, a second location probability surface of the second wireless device that indicates probabilities that the second wireless device is located in each of a second plurality of regions;

determine a measure of proximity between the first wireless device and the second wireless device based on the first location probability surface of the first wireless device and the second location probability surface of the second wireless device;

determine, based on the measure of proximity, a risk associated with a first user of the first wireless device being in proximity to a second user of the second wireless device; and

output, based on determining the risk associated with the first user of the first wireless device being in proximity to the second user of the second wireless device, an alert to a device indicating the risk associated with the first user of the first wireless device being in proximity to the second user of the second wireless device.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein to determine the first location probability surface of the first wireless device, the one or more processors are configured to determine the first location probability surface of the first wireless device based on signal strength measurements of the one or more wireless signals received by the first wireless device from the first set of one or more APs.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein to determine the first location probability surface of the first wireless device, the one or more processors are configured to determine the first location probability surface based on an expected signal strength of the signal strength measurements and a measured signal strength of the signal strength measurements.

12 . The system of claim 9 , wherein to determine the first location probability surface of the first wireless device, the one or more processors are configured to:

determine a motion estimate based on motion information of the first wireless device; and

predict, based on the motion estimate, the first geographic location of the first wireless device.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the motion information of the first wireless device comprises one of a speed of the first wireless device, acceleration of the first wireless device, or a direction of the first wireless device.

14 . The system of claim 9 , wherein to determine the risk, the one or more processors are further configured to:

determine a risk of infection associated with the first user being in proximity to the second user.

15 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

generate, based on determining the risk associated with the first user of the first wireless device being in proximity to the second user of the second wireless device, the alert indicating the risk associated with the first user of the first wireless device being in proximity to the second user of the second wireless device.

16 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

generate, based on determining that the first wireless device associated with the first user is in proximity to the second wireless device associated with the second user, an alert indicating the first user is in proximity to the second user.

17 . Non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions that when executed cause processing circuitry to:

determine based on one or more wireless signals received by a first wireless device from a first set of one or more access points (APs), a first location probability surface of the first wireless device that indicates probabilities that the first wireless device is located in each of a first plurality of regions;

determine based on one or more wireless signals received by a second wireless device from a second set of one or more APs, a second location probability surface of the second wireless device that indicates probabilities that the second wireless device is located in each of a second plurality of regions;

determine a measure of proximity between the first wireless device and the second wireless device based on the first location probability surface of the first wireless devices and the second location probability surface of the second wireless device;

determine, based on the measure of proximity, a risk associated with a first user of the first wireless device being in proximity to a second user of the second wireless device; and

output, based on determining the risk associated with the first user of the first wireless device being in proximity to the second user of the second wireless device, an alert to a device indicating the risk associated with the first user of the first wireless device being in proximity to the second user of the second wireless device.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17 , wherein to determine the first location probability surface of the first wireless device, the instructions cause the processing circuitry to:

determine a motion estimate based on motion information of the first wireless device; and

predict, based on the motion estimate, the first geographic location of the first wireless device.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17 , wherein to determine the risk, the instructions further cause the processing circuitry to:

determine a risk of infection associated with the first user being in proximity to the second user.

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17 , wherein the instructions further cause the processing circuitry to:

generate, based on determining the risk associated with the first user of the first wireless device being in proximity to the second user of the second wireless device, the alert indicating the risk associated with the first user of the first wireless device being in proximity to the second user of the second wireless device.