IP Library Granted Patent US 10,674,474
Granted Patent B2
US 10,674,474 · App. 16/325,783 · Granted Jun 2, 2020

System and method to discover device context and location using cellular signal information

Inventors: Nithyananthan Poosamani (Raleigh, NC); Injong Rhee (Raleigh, NC)
Assignee: North Carolina State University
H04W64/003G01S5/02G01S5/0252G01S5/0278H04B17/318H04B17/327H04B17/336H04W4/029H04W4/20H04W4/33H04W8/22H04W24/00H04W52/245H04W64/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,674,474
App. No.
16/325,783
Granted
Jun 2, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

System and method for receiving a plurality of cellular signals, determining a plurality of context data including at least one of an action data and a location data, mapping the plurality of cellular signals to the plurality of context data, generating a plurality of context signatures based on the mapping of the plurality of cellular signals to the plurality of context data, storing the plurality of context signatures, and determining a context profile associated with the communication device at an instance using a probability distribution of the stored plurality of context signatures.

Claims (38)

1. A method of determining a context profile associated with a portable communication device, the method comprising:

receiving, via a communication interface in the portable communication device, a plurality of cellular signals;

determining a plurality of context data in the communication device, the context data including at least one of an action data and a location data;

mapping the plurality of cellular signals to the plurality of context data;

generating a plurality of context signatures based on the mapping of the plurality of cellular signals to the plurality of context data;

storing the plurality of context signatures; and

determining a context profile associated with the communication device at an instance using a probability distribution of the stored plurality of context signatures.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the plurality of context signature includes determining a probability distribution of signal strength from one or more observable base stations at a location.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving via the communication interface in the communication device, a plurality of cellular signals includes using at least one of a back channel parameter.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the back channel parameter is selected from the group consisting of a Received Signal Code Power (RSCP), a Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), and a Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ).

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cellular signals is received from one or more cellular networks selected from a group consisting of a GSM network, a UMTS network, and an LTE network.

6. A portable communication device, the portable communication device comprising:

an electronic processor configured to

receive, via a communication interface, a plurality of cellular signals;

determine a plurality of context data in the communication device, the context data including at least one of an action data and a location data;

map the plurality of cellular signals to the plurality of context data;

generate a plurality of context signatures based on the mapping of the plurality of cellular signals to the plurality of context data;

store the plurality of context signatures; and

determine a context profile associated with the communication device at an instance using a probability distribution of the stored plurality of context signatures.

7. The portable communication device of claim 6 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to

determine a probability distribution of signal strength from one or more observable base stations at a location.

8. The portable communication device of claim 6 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to

receive, via the communication interface, a plurality of cellular signals includes using at least one of a back channel parameter.

9. The portable communication device of claim 8 , the back channel parameter is selected from the group consisting of Received Signal Code Power (RSCP), Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), and Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ).

10. The portable communication device of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of cellular signals is received from one or more cellular networks selected from a group consisting of a GSM network, a UMTS network, and an LTE network.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions that when executed by one or more processors in a portable communication device cause the one or more processors to:

receive, via a communication interface in the portable communication device, a plurality of cellular signals;

determine a plurality of context data in the communication device, the context data including at least one of an action data and a location data;

map the plurality of cellular signals to the plurality of context data;

generate a plurality of context signatures based on the mapping of the plurality of cellular signals to the plurality of context data;

store the plurality of context signatures; and

determine a context profile associated with the communication device at an instance using a probability distribution of the stored plurality of context signatures.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , further comprising instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to

determine a probability distribution of signal strength from one or more observable base stations at a location.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , further comprising instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to

receive, via the communication interface, a plurality of cellular signals includes using at least one of a back channel parameter.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the back channel parameter is selected from the group consisting of Received Signal Code Power (RSCP), Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), and Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ).

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of cellular signals is received from one or more cellular networks selected from a group consisting of a GSM network, a UMTS network, and an LTE network.

Assignments (2)
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded May 3, 2022
From: NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY RALEIGH
To: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Reel/Frame 059846/0979 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 18, 2019
From: POOSAMANI, NITHYANANTHAN; RHEE, INJONG
To: NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
Reel/Frame 048362/0685 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62376234 · Aug 17, 2016
Related Publication 20190215796A1 · Jul 11, 2019