Patent ID: 8880092

Claim:
A computer implemented method for determining a current physical location of a mobile computing device, the method comprising the steps of: receiving from a plurality of programmable utility meters, by at least one computer, strengths of signals generated by specific fixed position wireless devices, the strengths of the signals being measured by specific ones of the plurality of programmable utility meters; wherein each specific one of the plurality of programmable utility meters is located at a specific physical location; correlating, by at least one computer, the received strengths of the signals generated by the specific fixed position wireless devices with the physical locations of the specific ones of the plurality of programmable utility meters that measured the strengths of the signals; receiving, from a mobile computing device, by at least one computer, at least one strength of at least one signal generated by at least one fixed position wireless device, the strength of the at least one signal being measured by the mobile computing device at a current physical location; and comparing, by at least one computer, 1) the at least one strength of the at least one signal generated by the at least one fixed position wireless device received from the mobile computing device and 2) strengths of signals of the same at least one fixed position wireless device, as measured by multiple programmable utility meters at specific physical locations, so as to perform triangulation and determine the current physical location of the mobile computing device.