Indoor location mapping and wayfinding system
View Patent ↗An Indoor location mapping and wayfinding system for mapping waypoints on an interactive mapping system that can function both indoors and outdoors based on user selections and location. It can include a shopping system that allows users to pre-select items for purchase, maps the items on an indoor map of the store, and provides a route to the user for the collection of the selected items.
1. A method for indoor navigation, the method comprising:
receiving a list of identified items from a user device, wherein said list contains at least one identified item, wherein said at least one identified item has an associated item location and item physical characteristics, wherein said item location specifies a location of said identified item within a structure, and wherein said item physical characteristics include at least one of a size, weight, or temperature requirement;
reordering said list based on the item location and the item physical characteristics;
determining an origin location reference;
determining a user location;
planning a route for display on said user device, wherein said route begins at said origin location reference and passes through every item location;
receiving user location updates in response to a detection that said user location has changed, wherein said location updates include an updated user location;
presenting a follow-along display including said map, said route, and an icon representing said user location;
updating said follow-along display to reflect the updated user location upon reception of said user location updates; and
altering said follow-along display in response to the reception of user commands.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said planning said route further comprises modifying said route based on advertising considerations, wherein said advertising considerations comprise agreements between an operator of said structure and at least one vendor advertiser.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said user commands include commands to remove at least one said identified item from said list.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining said user location is performed using latency values associated with a plurality of wireless transceivers located at predetermined locations within said structure using said user device, wherein said wireless transceivers are at least one of a group consisting of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth transceivers.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining said user location is performed using signal strength values associated with a plurality of wireless transceivers located at predetermined locations within said structure using said user device.
6. The method of claim 2 , wherein said advertising considerations include preexisting agreements between an entity associated with said structure and a third-party advertiser, wherein said route is modified such that at least a portion of said route passes by a particular location specified by said third-party advertiser.
7. A system for indoor navigation comprising:
an application configured to run on a wireless device, wherein said application is further configured to display a user interface to a user of said wireless device, wherein said application further comprises an item selection module configured to allow said user to select at least one item using said user interface;
a structure map database containing at least one structure map of at least one structure;
an item database containing item information, wherein said item information comprises item locations and physical characteristics, wherein said item physical characteristics include item size, weight, and temperature requirements;
a route planning module configured to determine a route through at least one identified structure, wherein said route is determined at least in part based on said item physical characteristics of said selected item, and wherein said route passes through every item location of every item selected by said user;
a route tracking module operable to track said user's position on said route; and
a plurality of WiFi or Bluetooth transceivers located within said structures.
8. The system according to claim 7 , wherein said route tracking module is configured to utilize said plurality of WiFi transceivers located within said structures to determine a current position of said user within said identified structure, and wherein said user interface is further configured to display said current position of said user.
9. The system according to claim 7 , wherein said route tracking module is configured to utilize one of signal strength or latency values received by one of said wireless device or plurality of WiFi transceivers to determine a current position of said user within said identified structure.
10. The system according to claim 7 , wherein said route planning module determines said route based on said item locations stored in said item database, a current position of said user, and a termination reference associated with said identified structure, wherein said termination reference is one of a check-out location or an exit of said identified structure.
11. The system according to claim 7 , wherein said item selection module is configured to receive user input of a plurality of items located in at least two structures, and wherein said route planning module is further configured to generate a route comprising a street route from a first identified structure to a second identified structure.