Wireless client position estimating system and method

摘要

The present invention comprises a system and method for determining an estimated position of a wireless mobile client device operating in a communications environment covered by a wireless local area network. The received signal strength of the wireless mobile client device is measured by one or more access points serving devices in the communications environment. In a preferred embodiment, the error between the received signal strength measured by the access points and the expected received signal strength at a plurality of locations in the communications environment is calculated. The location of the device is determined from the error.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
identifying a plurality of locations in a communications environment having a plurality of structural features; assigning an attenuation loss factor to each of the plurality of structural features according to an ability by the structural feature to absorb communications signals; determining a plurality of locations at which a plurality of access points are deployed throughout the communications environment by:
determining, for each of the plurality of access points, an estimated signal strength of a wireless signal originating at a location among the plurality of locations;normalizing the estimated signal strength based on an attenuation factor determined from a manufacturer and a model of the particular access point, and antenna characteristics of the particular access point; and determining for each of the plurality of access points, a path loss of the wireless signal communicated from the location among the plurality of locations, based upon:
the assigned attenuation loss factors of the structural features positioned between the particular access point and the location among the plurality of locations; andthe determined estimated signal strength of the particular access point.