Device association-based locating system and method
A device locating method includes broadcasting by a first mobile device a signal comprising an identifier associated with the first mobile device. A second mobile device receives and measures the signal broadcast by the first mobile device to produce one or more signal measurements. The second mobile device transmits the identifier associated with the first mobile device and the one or more signal measurements to a computing system. The computing system receives the identifier associated with the first mobile device and the one or more signal measurements from the second mobile device. The computing system estimates a location of the first mobile device based on the one or more signal measurements, and the location is transmitted to a user associated with the first mobile device. A traffic flow determination method, product ordering method and associated systems are also provided.
1. A product ordering method comprising:
placing an order by a user with a particular product supplier for a physical product;
receiving by a receiving device of the user from a mobile device a signal comprising an identifier, the signal corresponding to a first signal protocol;
measuring the signal to produce at least one signal measurement;
estimating a location of the mobile device based on the at least one signal measurement;
transmitting the identifier via a second signal protocol;
determining by a processor that the identifier corresponds to the particular product supplier;
providing to the user the location of the mobile device and an indication that the identifier corresponds to the particular product supplier; and
receiving by the user the physical product from a delivery person corresponding to the particular product supplier after the determining that the identifier corresponds to the particular product supplier.
2. The product ordering method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the identifier corresponds to the particular product supplier comprises:
transmitting by the receiving device the identifier to a computing system via a network; and
authenticating the identifier by the computing system using the processor.
3. The product ordering method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the identifier corresponds to the particular product supplier comprises:
receiving data from a computing system corresponding to the identifier; and
authenticating the identifier based on the data from the computing system.
4. The product ordering method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving data for authenticating the identifier from a computing system by the receiving device via a network; and
determining that the identifier corresponds to the particular product supplier via the receiving device based on the data from the computing system, the processor being part of the receiving device.
5. The product ordering method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting the identifier by the receiving device via a network to a computing system; and
determining that the identifier corresponds to the particular product supplier by the computing system.
6. The product ordering method of claim 1 , wherein it is determined that the identifier corresponds to the particular product supplier based on authenticating data transmitted via the second signal protocol.
7. The product ordering method of claim 6 , wherein the first signal protocol corresponds to at least one wireless protocol.
8. The product ordering method of claim 6 , wherein the second signal protocol corresponds to a greater range than the first signal protocol.
9. The product ordering method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting a push message to the mobile device that the location of the mobile device has been received by the receiving device.
10. A computing network comprising:
a first mobile device configured for broadcasting a signal comprising an identifier associated with the first mobile device, the broadcasted signal corresponding to a first signal protocol;
a second mobile device configured for:
placing a product order to a particular product supplier;
receiving the signal broadcast by the first mobile device;
measuring the signal broadcast by the first mobile device to produce at least one signal measurement;
estimating a location of the first mobile device based on the at least one signal measurement;
providing a user associated with the second mobile device the location of the first mobile device; and
transmitting the identifier via a second signal protocol; and
a computing system configured for:
receiving the identifier from the second mobile device via the second signal protocol;
authenticating by a processor the identifier to determine that the identifier corresponds to the particular product supplier; and
providing the user associated with the second mobile device an indication that the identifier corresponds to the particular product supplier.
11. The computing network of claim 10 , the second mobile device further configured for transmitting a push message to the first mobile device that the location of the first mobile device has been received by the second mobile device.