FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of telecommunications, more specifically to wireless communication networks. The invention relates in particular to network-based mobile phone tracking or positioning.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Mobile phone tracking is the ascertaining of the position or location of a mobile phone, whether stationary or moving. There are a number of different techniques for determining the location of mobile phones including, amongst others, trilateration, triangulation, multilateration etc.

In a Wi-Fi network, Wi-Fi data can also be used to identify a handset's location. In one such location determining technique, computational algorithms are used to estimate the location of the handset based upon signal strengths received by different wireless access points (WAPs) arranged at known locations in the Wi-Fi network. Despite the fact that an increased number of access points distributed throughout a wireless network increases the accuracy of location data, data generated using the above techniques is sometimes still inadequate or unsuitable for the desired application, e.g. for data analytics in facilities such as shopping malls. It is an object of the invention to provide a method and system which address, at least to some extent, the above drawback.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of enhancing location determination of at least one device in a wireless network using a computing device, the method including: positioning at least one radio beacon at a predetermined location within the wireless network; estimating, using network infrastructure devices and/or the computing device, a location of the radio beacon; and calculating, using the computing device, a location correction factor by comparing the estimated location of the radio beacon with its predetermined location.

The method may include communicating the predetermined location of the radio beacon to the computing device. The method may include applying, using the computing device, the location correction factor to location data of the at least one device in the wireless network in order to enhance the accuracy of the location data.

The location correction factor may be applied to location data of a plurality of devices in the wireless network. The plurality of devices may be roaming wireless communication devices.

The method may further include: intermittently estimating, using the network infrastructure devices and/or the computing device, a location of the radio beacon; recalculating, using the computing device, a location correction factor by comparing the estimated location of the radio beacon with its predetermined location; and reapplying, using the computing device, the location correction factor to location data of the devices in the wireless network in order to enhance the accuracy of the location data.

The method may also include applying the correction factor in real-time or near real-time. The method may further include positioning a plurality of radio beacons at spaced apart, predetermined locations within the wireless network.

Accordingly, the method may include: estimating, using the network infrastructure devices and/or the computing device, a location of each radio beacon; calculating, using the computing device, a location correction factor associated with each radio beacon by comparing the estimated location of the radio beacon with its predetermined location; and applying, using the computing device, the location correction factor associated with each radio beacon to location data of devices within a predetermined range of the radio beacon in question in order to enhance the accuracy of the location data.

The method may include monitoring an area around the radio beacon by capturing video and/or audio footage using a camera.

The method may also include: intermittently conducting a network speed test using the radio beacon; checking, using the radio beacon, that the network is authenticating devices properly, i.e. the ability of devices to connect to the network; and intermittently uploading speed and connectivity logs kept by the radio beacon to the computing device.

The method may further include sending intermittent pulses or signals across the network to network nodes to indicate that the radio beacon is operative.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of improving the accuracy of estimated location data of wireless communication devices in a wireless network, the method including: positioning at least one wireless communication device at a predetermined location within the network; estimating, using a computing device, the location of the wireless communication device; calculating, using the computing device, a correction factor by comparing the estimated location of the wireless communication device with the predetermined location of the device; and applying, using the computing device, the correction factor to estimated location data of at least one other communication device in the wireless network in order to improve the accuracy of the location data.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for enhancing location determination of at least one device in a wireless network, the wireless network including a plurality of nodes, the system including: at least one radio beacon which is positioned at a predetermined location within the wireless network, the radio beacon being configured to communicate across the wireless network; at least one wireless communication device roaming or stationary in the wireless network; and a computing device which is configured to estimate a location of the wireless communication device, wherein the system is configured to: estimate, using the nodes and/or the computing device, a location of the radio beacon; calculate, using the computing device, a location correction factor by comparing the estimated location of the radio beacon with its predetermined location; and apply, using the computing device, the location correction factor to location data associated with the at least one wireless communication device in the wireless network in order to enhance the accuracy of the location data.

The system may include a plurality of radio beacons arranged at spaced apart, predetermined locations and a plurality of wireless communication devices, the system being configured to: estimate, using the computing device, a location of each radio beacon; calculate, using the computing device, a location correction factor associated with each radio beacon by comparing the estimated location of the radio beacon with its predetermined location; and apply, using the computing device, the location correction factor associated with each radio beacon to location data of wireless communication devices within a predetermined range of the radio beacon in question in order to enhance the accuracy of the location data.

The radio beacon may include a processor, memory module, GPS, wireless communication module and a camera, the radio beacon being configured for Ethernet and/or USB connectivity, wherein the wireless communication module includes any one or more of a GSM module, a Wi-Fi module and a Bluetooth module. In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a set of instructions, which, when executed by a computing device, enable the device to perform any one of the method steps described above.

The devices may be stationary. The devices may be wireless communication devices. The wireless communication devices may include mobile devices. In other words, the mobile devices may include smartphones. The wireless network may be a wireless local area network (WLAN). The wireless network may be a Wi-Fi network. The wireless network may include network infrastructure devices or nodes. The computing device may be directly or indirectly connected to a plurality of network infrastructure devices or nodes. At least some of the nodes may be access points (AP). At least some of the access points may be wireless access points (WAP).

Applying the correction factor may be by way of post-correction. Alternatively, applying the correction factor may be done in real-time or near real-time.

Location determination may be performed using any one of a number of location estimation algorithms including, but not limited to, trilateration, triangulation and multilateration amongst others. The method of enhancing location determination may be network-based. The computing device may be a server. The computing device may be localised. Alternatively the computing device may be distributed. Accordingly, the computing device may comprise a number of interconnected computing devices distributed across a network.

The radio beacon may be wireless communication device. To this end, the radio beacon may be a Wi-Fi beacon or Wi-Fi-enabled beacon. The radio beacon may be a computer including a processor, memory module, GPS, and Bluetooth connectivity. Furthermore, the radio beacon may be configured for Ethernet and USB connectivity. It may also include a GSM module. Accordingly, peripheral devices such as a camera may be connected to the radio beacon.

The radio beacon may be configured intermittently to conduct a network speed test. The radio beacon may be configured to check that the network is authenticating devices properly, i.e. the ability of devices to connect to the network. Speed and connectivity logs may be kept by the radio beacon and uploaded to the server intermittently. The radio beacon may be configured to send intermittent pulses or signals across the network to the network nodes to indicate that the beacon is operative.

The devices may include end-user devices, i.e. mobile phones.

In accordance with the invention there is also provided a method of calculating a deviation, if any, between an estimated location and an actual location of a wireless communication device configured to communicate across a wireless network, the method including: fixing the wireless communication device at a predetermined location, the wireless communication device being configured to communicate with one or more nodes across the wireless network; estimating, using at least one computing device, a location of the wireless communication device; and comparing, using the computing device, the estimated location of the wireless communication device with its predetermined location. The method may include calculating a location correction factor by comparing the estimated location of the communication device with the predetermined location. The method may further include, applying, using the computing device, the location correction factor to estimated location data of another wireless communication device in the network in order to enhance the accuracy thereof. The second wireless communication device may be an end- user device such as a smartphone. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a system, in accordance with the invention, for enhancing location determination of at least one device in a wireless network; Figure 2 shows an exemplary trigonometric function of how a location correction factor is calculated;

Figure 3 shows a flow diagram of a method of enhancing location determination of at least one device in a wireless network; and

Figure 4 shows a functional block diagram of a radio beacon which forms part of the system of Figure 1 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE DRAWINGS

The following description of the invention is provided as an enabling teaching of the invention. Those skilled in the relevant art will recognise that many changes can be made to the embodiments described, while still attaining the beneficial results of the present invention. It will also be apparent that some of the desired benefits of the present invention can be attained by selecting some of the features of the present invention without utilising other features. Accordingly, those skilled in the art will recognise that modifications and adaptations to the present invention are possible and can even be desirable in certain circumstances, and are a part of the present invention. Thus, the following description is provided as illustrative of the principles of the present invention and not a limitation thereof.

In figure 1 , numeral 10 refers generally to a system for enhancing location determination of at least one wireless communication device 12 in a wireless local area network. In this example embodiment, the wireless communication device is an end-user device, i.e. a mobile phone or smartphone 12 of a user roaming in an area covered by the wireless network. The wireless network is a Wi-Fi network although the scope of the invention also extends to other wireless communication standards or protocols. Although only one smartphone 12 has been illustrated, the system 10 is configured to track multiple mobile devices roaming in range of the network. The system 10 includes a plurality of network infrastructure devices or nodes in the form of Wi-Fi access points (APs) 13 disposed at different fixed locations. The access points (APs) 13 allow end-user devices 12 roaming in the coverage area of the Wi-Fi network to connect to a backend or backbone of the network, which has not been illustrated in the figures. In the backend, the system 10 includes at least one computing device (not shown) which may be a localised or distributed server. The server is configured to execute conventional computational algorithms in order to estimate the location of smartphones roaming in the network coverage area. These computational algorithms may include, but are not limited to, triangulation, trilateration and multilateration amongst others.

The system 10 further includes at least one wireless communication device in the form of a radio beacon 14 or electronic location anchor. In this instance, two radio beacons 14 have been illustrated in Figure 1 . Each radio beacon 14 is arranged or positioned at a predetermined location in the wireless network. The exact location of each radio beacon 14 is noted, stored or otherwise communicated to the server. The exact location of each radio beacon 14 may be manually recorded and communicated to the server. Preferably however, the exact location of each radio beacon 14 is automatically determined and communicated to the server. For example, each radio beacon 14 may include a Global Positioning System (GPS) configured to communicate the location of the radio beacon 14 to the server. Whilst the system 10 is operating and the method is being executed, the radio beacons 14 remain fixed.

According to what is known in the art, the system 10 uses Wi-Fi data to estimate a position or location of a smartphone 12, whether stationary or moving. This estimated position shall be referred to as location data. Location data is useful in many respects for the purposes of performing data analytics. However, if the location data is inaccurate, the data analytics does not yield the desired results or the veracity thereof is doubtful. Referring now to figure 3, where a method of enhancing location determination of the smartphone 12 in the wireless network, in accordance with the invention, is indicated by numeral 20. At block 21 , the radio beacons 14 are positioned at their respective fixed and predetermined positions or locations as described above. The system 10 then estimates, at 22, using the Wi-Fi APs 13 and the computing device or server, a location associated with each of the radio beacons 14 through execution of any one of the known location determination techniques or algorithms. Once estimated, the system 10 compares, using the server, the estimated locations 18 of the respective radio beacons 14 with their predetermined locations 19 (see figure 2) and calculates, at 23, in accordance with the trigonometric calculations illustrated in figure 2, a location correction factor or parameter which is associated with each radio beacon 14. Each location correction factor or parameter is therefore indicative of a location estimation error. By applying, at block 24, using the computing device, the location correction factor or parameter to the location data by inputting the parameter to a correction function, the accuracy of the location data is enhanced and the error corrected. The corrected location data can then be used to perform data analytics at block 25. The location correction factor of a radio beacon 14 closest to the smartphone 12 will be used to correct the estimated location data associated with the smartphone 12. Accordingly, a correction factor will only be applied to location data within a predetermined range of the radio beacon 14 in question. Post-correction of the location data may be performed. Preferably, near realtime correction of the location data may be performed. In order to improve the accuracy of the location data, the system 10 may be configured intermittently to recalculate the location correction factor associated with a particular radio beacon 14 by re-estimating a location of the radio beacon 14 and then recalculating the location correction factor. Accordingly, the method 20 includes reapplying the location correction factor to location data within a predetermined range of the radio beacon 14 in question.

Referring now to figure 4, each radio beacon 14 may be a Wi-Fi beacon or a Wi-Fi-enabled beacon. Accordingly, each radio beacon 14 is a computer including a processor 30, memory module 31 , GPS 32, and a wireless communication module 33. The wireless communication module 33 may include a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) module 34. The wireless communication module may include a Bluetooth module 35. Furthermore, the wireless communication module 33 may include a Wi-Fi module 36. Accordingly, the wireless communication module 33 may include any one or more of the modules 34, 35, 36 or any other suitable wireless communication module. Also, the radio beacon 14 is configured for Ethernet and USB connectivity 37. Each beacon 14 is powered via a standard USB cable coupled to an AP. Accordingly, peripheral devices such as a camera 38 can be connected to the radio beacon 14. Through use of the camera 38, the system 10 is configured to monitor an area around the radio beacon 14 by capturing video and/or audio footage. The radio beacon 14 may therefore perform a surveillance function.

Furthermore, each radio beacon 14 is configured intermittently to conduct a network speed test. The radio beacon 14 is also configured to keep logs of speed tests conducted on the memory module 31 . Also, the radio beacon 14 is configured to check that the wireless network is authenticating devices properly, i.e. the ability of devices 12 to connect to the wireless network. Speed and connectivity logs are kept by the radio beacon 14 and uploaded to the server intermittently. The radio beacon 14 is configured to send intermittent pulses or signals across the wireless network to the network nodes 13 to indicate that the radio beacon 14 is operative. The signal includes a time stamp and an identifier such as a MAC address of the radio beacon 14.

The Applicant believes that the system 10 and method 20 in accordance with the invention will enhance the accuracy of location data of mobile devices roaming in Wi-Fi or other wireless networks thereby improving the veracity, usability and saleability of analytics performed on the location data.