IP Library Granted Patent US 12707370
Granted Patent B1
US 12707370 · App. 17/951,704 · Granted Aug 11, 2026

Systems and methods for generating device maps of wireless mesh networks

Inventors: Arun Vijayakumari Mahasenan (Fremont, CA); Eran Avidor (Tel-Aviv, IL); Rafi Vitory (Herzliya, IL); Ron Eyal (Herzliya, IL); Venkateswara Rao Manepalli (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
H04W40/248H04W40/244
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12707370
App. No.
17/951,704
Granted
Aug 11, 2026
Kind
B1
Abstract

The present disclosure relates to techniques for localizing devices connected to wireless networks, such as wireless mesh networks. In particular, a device connected to a wireless mesh network may maintain and share information, such as location data and identifiers, regarding the device and other devices connected to the device. The device itself or a computing system to which the device connects may determine locations for the devices in the wireless mesh network and generate a device map that indicates the locations of the devices.

Claims (54)

1 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions, that when executed by processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to:

receive, from a first portion of a plurality of electronic devices, data regarding the first portion of the plurality of electronic devices and a second portion of the plurality of electronic devices communicatively coupled to the first portion of the plurality of electronic devices using a wireless mesh network;

determine a device type of a plurality of device types for each of the plurality of electronic devices based on the data, wherein the plurality of device types comprises a static device, a semi-static device, and a mobile device;

determine a location of each of the plurality of electronic devices based on the data;

generate a map indicative of the location of each of the plurality of electronic devices and the device type of each of the plurality of electronic devices; and

generate, for display on an electronic device, the map of the plurality of electronic devices.

2 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the wireless mesh network comprises an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Standard 802.15.4 network.

3 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2 , wherein the wireless mesh network comprises a Thread network.

4 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 3 , wherein:

the first portion of the plurality of electronic devices comprises one or more routers of the Thread network; and

the second portion of the plurality of electronic devices comprises one or more electronic devices connected to the Thread network using the one or more routers.

5 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processing circuitry to determine the location of a subset of the plurality of electronic devices based on receiving a user input comprising a user selection of the location of each electronic device of the subset of the plurality of electronic devices.

6 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5 , wherein:

the user input is indicative of the device type of each electronic device of the subset of the plurality of electronic devices; and

the instructions, when executed, cause the processing circuitry to determine the location of each electronic device of the subset of the plurality of electronic devices based on the device type.

7 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processing circuitry to:

receive a second map of a physical setting in which the wireless mesh network is located; or

generate the second map.

8 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the physical setting is a residence or a building.

9 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processing circuitry to:

receive data generated by a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor regarding the physical setting; and

generate the second map based on the data generated by the LiDAR sensor.

10 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the electronic device comprises the non-transitory computer-readable medium, the processing circuitry, and the LiDAR sensor.

11 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the processing circuitry is included in one or more computing devices located outside of the electronic device and the physical setting.

12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device comprises the non-transitory computer-readable medium and the processing circuitry.

13 . An electronic device comprising:

a display;

transceiver circuitry configured to communicatively couple to a wireless mesh network;

processing circuitry operatively coupled to the display and the transceiver circuitry, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:

receive, from a first portion of a plurality of electronic devices of the wireless mesh network, data regarding the first portion of the plurality of electronic devices and a second portion of the plurality of electronic devices communicatively coupled to the first portion of the plurality of electronic devices using the wireless mesh network;

determine, based on the data, a device type of a plurality of device types for each of the plurality of electronic devices, wherein the plurality of device types comprises a static device, a semi-static device, and a mobile device;

determine, based on the data, a location of each electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices;

generate a first map indicative of the location of each electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices;

generate or receive a second map indicative of a physical environment in which the plurality of electronic devices is present;

generate a device map based on the first map, the second map, and the device type of each of the plurality of electronic devices, wherein the device map is indicative of the physical environment, the location of each electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices, and the device type of each of the plurality of electronic devices; and

display the device map using the display.

14 . The electronic device of claim 13 , comprising a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor configured to collect LiDAR data, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to generate the device map by:

generating the second map based on the LiDAR data; and

combining the first map and the second map.

15 . A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, using processing circuitry and from an electronic device of a plurality of electronic devices connected to a wireless mesh network, data regarding the plurality of electronic devices, wherein the data comprises location data, device identifiers, device types, or a combination thereof;

determining, using the processing circuitry and based on the data, a device type of a plurality of device types for each of the plurality of electronic devices, wherein the plurality of device types comprises a static device, a semi-static device, and a mobile device;

determining, using the processing circuitry and based on the data, a location of each electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices;

generating, using the processing circuitry, a first map indicative of the location of each electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices;

generating, using the processing circuitry, a second map indicative of a physical environment in which the plurality of electronic devices is present;

generating, using the processing circuitry, a device map based on the first map, the second map, and the device type of each of the plurality of electronic devices, wherein the device map indicates the physical environment, the location of each electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices, and the device type of each of the plurality of electronic devices; and

causing transmission of, using the processing circuitry and to the electronic device, the device map of the plurality of electronic devices.

16 . The computer-implemented method of claim 15 , comprising:

requesting and receiving, using the processing circuitry, user input regarding the location of each electronic device of a subset of the plurality of electronic devices; and

determining, using the processing circuitry, the location of each electronic device of the subset of the plurality of electronic devices based at least in part on the user input.

17 . The computer-implemented method of claim 15 , wherein the processing circuitry is included in one or more computing devices located outside of the plurality of electronic devices and in a different physical location than the plurality of electronic devices.

18 . The computer-implemented method of claim 15 , wherein the first map does not correspond to the physical environment in which the plurality of electronic devices is present.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processing circuitry to determine the location of each of the plurality of electronic devices based on a user input indicating an area or room where each of the plurality of electronic devices is located.

20 . The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine, based on the data, that the location of each electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices meets an accuracy threshold based on the device type for each of the plurality of electronic devices.