METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING THE LOCATION OF A WIRELESS ACCESS POINT USING SINGLE DEVICE BASED POWER MEASUREMENTS
A mobile device measures power from different locations for an encountered wireless access point, a WiFi or Bluetooth access point, and communicates the power measurements to a remote location. The remote location server collects power measurements for the encountered wireless access point from a plurality of communication devices. The remote location server determines the location of the encountered wireless access point utilizing corresponding power measurements from a single communication device. The power measurements are performed at different locations and over a period of time. The power measurements are time stamped and transmitted to the remote location server. The single communication device is selected based on quality and/or availability of corresponding power measurements for the encountered wireless access point. The determined location of the encountered wireless access point is stored into a reference database so as to be shared among the plurality of communication devices.
1 . A method for communication, the method comprising:
performing by one or more processors and/or circuits in a mobile device:
measuring power from different locations for an encountered wireless access point; and
communicating said power measurements to a remote location server, wherein said remote location server collects power measurements for said encountered wireless access point from a plurality of communication devices, and said location server determines a location of said encountered wireless access point using power measurements provided by a single communication device of said plurality of communication devices.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said wireless access point is a WiFi access point or a Bluetooth access point.
3 . The method according to claim 1 , comprising measuring said power on said encountered access point at different locations over a period of time.
4 . The method according to claim 3 , comprising time stamping said power measurements.
5 . The method according to claim 4 , comprising transmitting said time stamped power measurements to said remote location server.
6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said remote location server selects said single communication device from said plurality of communication devices based on quality and/or availability of corresponding power measurements collected on said encountered wireless access point.
7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein said remote location server receives a plurality of power measurements at different locations over a time period on said encountered wireless access point from said selected single communication device.
8 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein said remote location server determines said location of said encountered wireless access point utilizing said received plurality of power measurements from said selected single communication device.
9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein said remote location server stores said determined location of said wireless access point into a reference database that is internally or externally coupled to said remote location server.
10 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein said reference database shares said stored location of said wireless access point among said plurality of communication devices.
11 . A system for communication, the system comprising:
one or more processors and/or circuits in a mobile device:
measure power from different locations for an encountered wireless access point; and
communicate said power measurements to a remote location server, wherein said remote location server collects power measurements for said encountered wireless access point from a plurality of communication devices, and said location server determines a location of said encountered wireless access point using power measurements provided by a single communication device of said plurality of communication devices.
12 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein said wireless access point is a WiFi access point or a Bluetooth access point.
13 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to measure said power for said encountered access point at different locations over a period of time.
14 . The system according to claim 13 , wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to time stamp said power measurements.
15 . The system according to claim 14 , wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to transmit said time stamped power measurements to said remote location server.
16 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein said remote location server selects said single communication device from said plurality of communication devices based on quality and/or availability of corresponding power measurements collected on said encountered wireless access point.
17 . The system according to claim 16 , wherein said remote location server receives a plurality of power measurements at different locations over a time period on said encountered wireless access point from said selected single communication device.
18 . The system according to claim 17 , wherein said remote location server determines said location of said encountered wireless access point utilizing said received plurality of power measurements from said selected single communication device.
19 . The system according to claim 18 , wherein said remote location server stores said determined location of said wireless access point into a reference database that is internally or externally coupled to said remote location server.
20 . The system according to claim 19 , wherein said reference database shares said stored location of said wireless access point among said plurality of communication devices.