Patent ID: 8805352

Claim:
A method for determining proximity of two or more mobile units within a defined locale, the locale having a plurality of wireless devices disposed therein, each having the capability of broadcasting unique information over a broadcast channel, comprising the steps of: each of the two or more mobile units operable to: scan at least a portion of the locale associated with the scanning one of the two or more mobile units, detect the presence of the ones of the plurality of wireless devices within the associated at least portion of the locale, the step of detecting receiving and accumulating the unique information from the detected ones of the plurality of wireless devices, assemble the received unique information into a wireless fingerprint, and transmit the wireless fingerprint to a server; at the server, the server having a database of stored wireless fingerprints: receive wireless fingerprints from mobile units, compare received fingerprints with the stored wireless fingerprints, determine stored wireless fingerprints that are within the locale; determine the relative position of the mobile devices associated with stored wireless fingerprints determined to be within the local, and transmit the relative positions of the other of the two or more mobile units relative to the scanning one thereof.