Mashup of AP location and map information for WiFi based indoor positioning
An apparatus and method for merging a disjoint pair of maps comprising a digital building map that includes a floor plan and an access point (AP) map that includes identifiers for a plurality of access points is presented. In some embodiments, a first trajectory plot, of a mobile device, relative to the AP map, is received and a plurality of hypotheses is set, where each hypothesis defines a unique translation between the AP map and the building map. A plurality of costs may be computed for the first trajectory, where each cost of the first trajectory corresponds to a distinct hypothesis in the plurality of hypotheses. The hypothesis where the first trajectory has the lowest cost relative to the other hypotheses may be selected.
1. A processor implemented method for merging disjoint maps, the method comprising:
receiving a digital file comprising a pathway map;
receiving a transmitter map comprising identifiers for a plurality of transmitters;
receiving a first trajectory plot, of a mobile device, relative to the transmitter map;
setting a plurality of hypotheses each defining a unique translation between the transmitter map and the pathway map;
computing, in the processor, a plurality of costs, wherein each cost of the plurality of costs comprises a cost of the first trajectory plot through the pathway map based on a respective one of the plurality of hypotheses; and
selecting one hypothesis from the plurality of hypotheses, based on a minimum of the plurality of costs.
2. The processor implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the pathway map comprises a building map comprising a floor plan.
3. The processor implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitter map comprises an access point (AP) map, and wherein the plurality of transmitters comprises identifiers for a plurality of access points.
4. The processor implemented method of claim 1 , wherein a source of the transmitter map is independent from a source of the pathway map.
5. The processor implemented method of claim 1 , wherein a source of the pathway map comprises a source related to a venue operator.
6. The processor implemented method of claim 1 , wherein a source of the pathway map comprises a source without knowledge of locations of the plurality of transmitters.
7. The processor implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the pathway map further comprises a geo-location anchoring at least one point of the pathway map to the geo-location.
8. The processor implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising quantizing the pathway map to a set of discrete nodes.
9. The processor implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitter map comprises an RSSI (received signal strength indication) map.
10. The processor implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitter map comprises an RTT (round-trip time) map.
11. The processor implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitter map further comprises a geo-location anchoring at least one of the plurality of transmitters to the geo-location.
12. The processor implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitter map comprises a SLAP (self-locating access points) set of devices.
13. The processor implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of transmitters comprises at least part of a managed network.
14. The processor implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the unique translation between the transmitter map and the pathway map comprises a relative rotation between the transmitter map and the pathway map.
15. The processor implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the unique translation between the transmitter map and the pathway map comprises a relative scaling between the transmitter map and the pathway map.
16. The processor implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a plurality of trajectory plots relative to the transmitter map.
17. The processor implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the cost of the first trajectory plot through the pathway map based on the respective one of the plurality of hypotheses comprises a cost of the first of trajectory plots through a set of discrete nodes based on the respective one of the plurality of hypotheses.
18. The processor implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising applying the one hypothesis selected as a best fit of the first trajectory plot and the pathway map to form a merged map.
19. The processor implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising producing a merged map based on the one hypothesis selected, the transmitter map and the pathway map.
20. The processor implemented method of claim 19 , wherein
the pathway map further comprises a first geo-location anchoring at least one point of the pathway map to the first geo-location, wherein the first geo-location has a first uncertainty;
the transmitter map further comprises a second geo-location anchoring at least one of a plurality of access points to the second geo-location, wherein the second geo-location has a second uncertainty; and
the merged map comprises a third uncertainty less than the first uncertainty plus the second uncertainty.
21. The processor implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the method is implemented on at least one of:
a computing device; or
a mobile device; or
an access point; or
an intelligent access point.
22. A mobile device for merging disjointed maps, the mobile device comprising:
means for receiving a digital file comprising a route map;
means for receiving a transmitter map comprising identifiers for a plurality of transmitters;
means for receiving a first trajectory plot, of the mobile device, relative to the transmitter map;
means for setting a plurality of hypotheses each defining a unique translation between the transmitter map and the route map;
means for computing a plurality of costs, wherein each cost of the plurality of costs comprises a cost of the first trajectory plot through the route map based on a respective one of the plurality of hypotheses; and
means for selecting one hypothesis from the plurality of hypotheses, based on a minimum of the plurality of costs.
23. The mobile device of claim 22 , wherein a source of the transmitter map is independent from a source of the route map.
24. The mobile device of claim 22 , further comprising quantizing the route map to a set of discrete nodes.
25. The mobile device of claim 22 , wherein the transmitter map comprises an RSSI (received signal strength indication) map.
26. The mobile device of claim 22 , wherein the transmitter map comprises an RTT (round-trip time) map.
27. The mobile device of claim 22 , wherein the unique translation between the transmitter map and the route map comprises a relative rotation between the transmitter map and the route map.
28. The mobile device of claim 22 , wherein the unique translation between the transmitter map and the route map comprises a relative scaling between the transmitter map and the route map.
29. The mobile device of claim 22 , further comprising means for receiving a plurality of trajectory plots relative to the transmitter map.
30. The mobile device of claim 22 , further comprising means for applying the one hypothesis selected as a best fit of the first trajectory plot and the route map to form a merged map.
31. The mobile device of claim 22 , further comprising means for producing a merged map based on the one hypothesis selected, the transmitter map and the route map.
32. A mobile device comprising a processor and a memory for merging disjointed maps, wherein the memory includes software instructions for:
receiving a digital file comprising a route map;
receiving transmitter map comprising identifiers for a plurality of transmitters;
receiving a first trajectory plot, of a mobile device, relative to the transmitter map;
setting a plurality of hypotheses each defining a unique translation between the transmitter map and the route map;
computing a plurality of costs, wherein each cost of the plurality of costs comprises a cost of the first trajectory plot through the route map based on a respective one of the plurality of hypotheses; and
selecting one hypothesis from the plurality of hypotheses, based on a minimum of the plurality of costs.
33. The device of claim 32 , further comprising applying the one hypothesis selected as a best fit of the first trajectory plot and the route map to form a merged map.
34. The device of claim 32 , further comprising producing a merged map based on the one hypothesis selected, the transmitter map and the route map.
35. The device of claim 32 , wherein the device is at least one of:
a computing device; or
a mobile device; or
an access point; or
an intelligent access point.
36. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including program code stored thereon, comprising program code for:
receiving a digital file comprising a route map;
receiving a transmitter map comprising identifiers for a plurality of transmitters;
receiving a first trajectory plot, of a mobile device, relative to the transmitter map;
setting a plurality of hypotheses each defining a unique translation between the transmitter map and the route map;
computing, in a processor, a plurality of costs, wherein each cost of the plurality of costs comprises a cost of the first trajectory plot through the route map based on a respective one of the plurality of hypotheses; and
selecting one hypothesis from the plurality of hypotheses, based on a minimum of the plurality of costs.