Patent ID: 8634853
Filing Date: 2014-01-21
Classification: G01S

Abstract:
1. A method for locating a first device by a processing device, the method comprising: providing a positional relationship estimate between each of a population of neighboring mobile devices and the first device; wherein the positional relationship estimate is derived from data acquired by either the first device or the respective neighboring device; wherein the positional relationship estimate includes an inference of a position of first device in relation to the respective neighboring device; wherein a population includes one or more neighboring mobile devices; providing location estimates for each of the population of neighboring mobile devices using location determinations that do not rely on use of positional relationship estimates between each of a population of neighboring mobile devices and the first device; assigning a precision factor to at least one of the provided neighboring mobile devices' location estimates or the provided positional relationship estimates; assigning a weight to at least one of the provided neighboring mobile devices' location estimates or the provided positional relationship estimates based on the respective precision factor; and deriving, by the processing device, a location estimate for the first device, through multilateration using the provided neighboring mobile devices' location estimates and the provided positional relationship estimates; wherein the location estimate derivation weighs the location estimate of at least one neighboring mobile device or at least one positional relationship estimate by the assigned weight.