Operations based on characteristics of the physical environment

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to operations based on characteristics of a physical environment. The present invention discloses an apparatus configured to: generate a request to initiate a ranging operation for transmission to a wireless communication device; process a response indicating that the apparatus will locate a second wireless communication device based on one or more signals received from the wireless communication device; determine information corresponding to a physical environment condition of the apparatus or the wireless communication device; and select one or more location finding techniques based at least on the information corresponding to the physical environment condition of the apparatus or the wireless communication device for generating a graphic to be displayed on a display device, the graphic indicating a direction of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus.

Description

[0001] Priority / Incorporated by Reference

[0002] This patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 63 / 586,659, filed on September 29, 2023, entitled “People Finding Based on Characteristics of a Physical Environment,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Background Art

[0003] There are various mechanisms that allow wireless communication devices to locate each other. Some mechanisms can use these features to dynamically generate directions that enable a user of one device to locate another device. For example, a first wireless communication device can determine the location of a second wireless communication device relative to the first wireless communication device. The first wireless communication device can then generate directions that enable a user of the first wireless communication to find the precise location of the second wireless communication device.

[0004] The physical environment of a wireless communication device may have an impact on the accuracy of directions. Inaccurate directions lead to a confusing and poor user experience. Therefore, it has been recognized that a mechanism is needed to take into account the characteristics of the physical environment of a wireless communication device when generating directions that enable a user of one device to locate another device. Summary of the invention

[0005] Some exemplary embodiments relate to an apparatus having processing circuitry configured to: generate a request to initiate a ranging operation for transmission to a wireless communication device; process a response indicating that the apparatus will locate a second wireless communication device based on one or more signals received from the wireless communication device; determine information corresponding to physical environmental conditions of the apparatus or the wireless communication device; and select one or more location finding techniques based at least on the information corresponding to these physical environmental conditions of the apparatus or the wireless communication device for generating a graphic to be displayed on a display device, the graphic indicating a direction of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus.

[0006] Other exemplary embodiments relate to a method performed by an apparatus, the method comprising: generating a request to initiate a ranging operation for transmission to a wireless communication device; processing a response indicating that the apparatus will locate a second wireless communication device based on one or more signals received from the wireless communication device; determining information corresponding to physical environmental conditions of the apparatus or the wireless communication device; and selecting one or more location finding techniques based at least on the information corresponding to these physical environmental conditions of the apparatus or the wireless communication device for generating a graphic to be displayed on a display device, the graphic indicating the direction of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Figure 1 Exemplary arrangements according to various exemplary embodiments are shown.

[0008] Figure 2 An exemplary wireless communication device is shown in accordance with various exemplary embodiments.

[0009] Figure 3 Methods for performing a find location operation between a first wireless communication device and a second wireless communication device are shown according to various exemplary embodiments.

[0010] Figure 4 Exemplary architectures for seekers and seekees are shown according to various exemplary embodiments.

[0011] Figure 5 Examples of arrows directing a seeker toward a seekee are shown according to various exemplary embodiments.

[0012] Figure 6 Methods for arrow generation according to various exemplary embodiments are shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] The example embodiments may be further understood with reference to the following description and associated drawings, wherein like elements have the same reference numerals.The example embodiments are directed to mechanisms that enable a user of one wireless communication device to locate another wireless communication device and / or its user.

[0014] The exemplary embodiments are described with respect to a wireless communication device. As will be described in greater detail below, a wireless communication device may include any electronic components configured with hardware, software, and / or firmware to establish a short-range wireless connection to another wireless communication device and communicate with a network.

[0015] Some exemplary embodiments include the use of a short-range communication connection. In some examples, the short-range communication connection may be a Bluetooth connection, such as classic Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy (BLE), etc. This is merely an example, and the principles described herein for the exemplary embodiments may be applicable to other types of short-range communication connections. Therefore, any reference to terms such as "Bluetooth," "Bluetooth connection," "short-range communication protocol," "short-range connection," or "short-range communication link" is provided for illustrative purposes and is not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments to any particular type of wireless communication protocol.

[0016] Some exemplary embodiments include using an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication connection. Other exemplary embodiments include using a cellular network connection or another wireless network connection, such as a wireless local area network (WLAN) or a wide area network (WAN).

[0017] The exemplary embodiments are described with respect to a finder and a findee. In this context, a "findee" may generally refer to a wireless communication device and / or its user that shares its location with other users. A "finder" may generally refer to a wireless communication device and / or its user that receives location information from another user. To provide a non-limiting example, a finder may receive information from a findee to determine the direction of the findee relative to the finder.

[0018] The finder can dynamically output directions that enable its users to navigate to the precise location of the found party. In some examples, the directions may include graphics, such as arrows displayed on the user interface (UI) of the application. The arrows may point to the direction of the found party relative to the position and / or posture of the finder. This may allow the user to move through a crowded environment and locate the found party. However, arrows are only examples of indication types that may be used to convey directions to the user, and the principles described herein for exemplary embodiments may be applicable to other types of indications that may be used to guide the finder to the found party.

[0019] The finder may generate directions to the found party based on information collected from any of a variety of different sources. To provide some non-limiting examples, the finder may use information collected by cameras and sensors, global positioning system (GPS) location information, information received directly from the finder, information received indirectly from the finder via a network, ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging, and / or information derived based on communications with the found party.

[0020] The exemplary embodiments are described with respect to the physical environment (e.g., one or more environmental conditions) of the searcher and / or the searched party. The physical environment of a wireless communication device (e.g., the searcher) may affect its ability to generate precise and / or accurate directions for finding another wireless communication device (e.g., the searched party). In addition, the physical environment of the wireless communication device (e.g., the searched party) being searched may affect the ability of the wireless communication device (e.g., the searcher) being searched. For example, in an indoor environment, if GPS information is used to locate the searched party, the GPS information may be inaccurate, which may result in insufficient directions toward the searched party. For another example, the camera or sensor of the searcher may not be able to collect enough information about the crowded environment outside a specific distance, which may result in insufficient directions when the searcher and the searched party are outside a specific range. Inaccurate, imprecise and / or insufficient directions may cause a confusing and poor user experience.

[0021] In order to limit the occurrence of imprecise, inaccurate and / or insufficient directions, under certain conditions, the finder may not provide clear directions to the found party. For example, in a crowded indoor environment, the finder may not display an arrow pointing to the found party until the finder is within (X) meters of the found party. In an outdoor environment, the finder may not display an arrow pointing to the found party until the finder is within (Y) meters of the found party. Range thresholds can be used to ensure that in the case of displaying directions to the user, the directions are reliable and accurate and can be within the accuracy threshold.

[0022] According to some aspects, exemplary embodiments use different techniques to generate directions toward the party being found according to the characteristics of the physical environment of the finder, the party being found, or both, or parameters associated therewith. Continuing the example provided above, in a crowded indoor environment, the finder may not use GPS information because GPS information may be inaccurate when used indoors. In an outdoor environment, the finder may use GPS information because it is more reliable outdoors. When the finder uses different techniques in different physical environments, range thresholds (e.g., X and Y) may vary.

[0023] From the perspective of user experience, it is beneficial to have different range thresholds in different physical environments rather than having a static range threshold that is applicable to all environments. For example, in outdoor environments with few pedestrians (e.g., beaches, parks, fields, etc.), it may be helpful to have a wider positioning capability, and therefore, it may be beneficial to use GPS information to increase the range in which the search party can generate sufficient directions. However, GPS information may be unreliable in indoor environments, and a longer range may be unnecessary for indoor use. Therefore, using GPS information indoors may be unnecessary and may be harmful. The above examples are provided for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments in any way. Specific exemplary embodiments are described in detail below. The exemplary embodiments introduced herein can be used independently of each other, in combination with other currently implemented personnel search / device search mechanisms, in combination with future implemented personnel search / device search mechanisms, or independently of other personnel search / device search mechanisms.

[0024] Figure 1 An exemplary arrangement 100 is shown according to various exemplary embodiments. The exemplary arrangement 100 includes a first wireless communication device 110 and a second wireless communication device 120. Figure 2 Examples of these wireless communication devices 110 and 120 are described in more detail. Figure 1 In the example of FIG. 5 , the first wireless communication device 110 and the second wireless communication device 120 may not currently have a direct connection to each other.

[0025] In this example, the user of the first wireless communication device 110 may wish to locate the user of the second wireless communication device 120. As will be described in more detail below, the users of the first wireless communication device 110 and the second wireless communication device 120 may form a relationship that allows the first wireless communication device 110 and the second wireless communication device 120 to find each other. In the example where the user of the first wireless communication device 110 wishes to locate the user of the second wireless communication device 120, the second wireless communication device 120 and / or its user may be considered a "found party" (e.g., sharing its location with other users), and the first wireless communication device 110 and / or its user may be considered a "finder" (e.g., receiving location information from another user).

[0026] In a non-limiting example, the searcher 110 may move toward the searched party 120; in other scenarios, the searcher 110 and the searched party 120 may both be moving. In some examples, the searcher 110 may be located above or below the searched party 120. For example, in a building with multiple heights or floors, or at different heights in an outdoor environment. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that numerous combinations of wireless communication devices 110 and 120 may be used in exemplary search scenarios (phone / phone, watch / phone, phone / tablet, phone / headset, etc.).

[0027] Figure 2 An exemplary wireless communication device 200 is shown in accordance with various exemplary embodiments. Figure 2 The wireless communication device 200 may represent Figure 1 The wireless communication device 110 or the wireless communication device 120 described herein. The wireless communication device 200 may be any type of electronic component configured to wirelessly connect to another wireless communication device. The wireless connection may be a short-range communication connection. Non-limiting examples include mobile phones, smart phones, tablet computers, desktop computers, wearable devices, embedded devices, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, etc.

[0028] The wireless communication device 200 may include a processor 205, a memory arrangement 210, a display device 215, an input / output (I / O) device 220, a transceiver 225, and other components 230. The other components 230 may include, for example, an audio input device, an audio output device, a data acquisition device, a camera, a sensor for visual inertial odometry (VIO), an inertial measurement unit (IMU), a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor, a port for electrical connection to other electronic devices, a sensor for detecting device conditions, and the like.

[0029] The processor 205 may be configured to execute multiple engines of the wireless communication device 200. For example, the engine may perform operations related to locating another wireless communication device, such as, but not limited to, deriving location and motion data of a seeker, deriving location and motion data of a seekee, deriving information about the physical environment of a seeker and / or seekee, generating directions that enable a user of the wireless communication device 200 to locate another device, and a selected technique for generating directions toward a seekee based on characteristics of the physical environment. Examples of these operations will be described in more detail below.

[0030] The above-mentioned engine as an application (e.g., program) executed by the processor 205 is merely an example. The functions associated with the engine may also be represented as an independent combined component of the wireless communication device 200, or may be a modular component coupled to the wireless communication device 200, for example, an integrated circuit with or without firmware. For example, an integrated circuit may include an input circuit for receiving a signal and a processing circuit for processing a signal and other information. The engine may also be embodied as an application or an independent application. In addition, in some wireless communication devices, the functionality described for the processor 205 is split between two or more processors (such as a baseband processor and an application processor). The exemplary embodiments may be implemented in any of these or other configurations of the wireless communication device.

[0031] The memory arrangement 210 may be a hardware component configured to store data related to operations performed by the wireless communication device 200. The display device 215 may be a hardware component configured to display data to a user (e.g., display a user interface (UI), a pointing arrow, a text message, etc.). The I / O device 220 may be a hardware component that enables a user to enter input (e.g., locate another person, allow the use of a location-finding service, etc.). The display device 215 and the I / O device 220 may be separate components or may be integrated together (such as a touch screen).

[0032] The transceiver 225 may be a hardware component configured to establish a wireless connection with one or more networks or with one or more other wireless communication devices. The transceiver 225 may be configured to use more than one radio access technology (e.g., cellular, wireless local area network (WLAN), etc.). Therefore, the transceiver 225 can operate on various frequencies or channels (e.g., a set of continuous frequencies) to communicate with the network and / or other wireless communication devices. The transceiver 225 may also be configured to use a short-range communication protocol, such as Bluetooth. The transceiver 225 may also be configured to receive GPS signals from one or more satellites. The transceiver 225 may include a separate transceiver circuit for each of the corresponding types of wireless connections, radio access technologies, and / or operating frequency ranges. The transceiver 225 may include a transceiver circuit configured to operate using Bluetooth communication. The transceiver 225 includes a circuit configured to transmit and / or receive signals (e.g., control signals, data signals). Such signals may be encoded with information that implements any of the methods described herein. The processor 205 may be operably coupled to the transceiver 225 and configured to receive signals from and / or transmit signals to the transceiver 225. The processor 205 may be configured to encode and / or decode signals for implementing any of the methods described herein.

[0033] Figure 3 A method 300 for performing a find location operation between a first wireless communication device 110 and a second wireless communication device 120 according to an exemplary embodiment is shown. In this example, the first wireless communication device 110 may be a finder and the second wireless communication device 120 may be a findee.

[0034] In 310, the first wireless communication device 110 initiates a find location operation to locate the second wireless communication device 120. As will be described in more detail below, the find location operation may be used by the first wireless communication device 110 to generate directions that enable a user of the first wireless communication device 110 to navigate to the precise location of the second wireless communication device 120. The directions may include displaying an arrow on a user interface (UI) of an application running on the first wireless communication device 110, the arrow pointing in the direction of the second wireless communication device 120. The arrow may automatically update its orientation based on the location of the first wireless communication device 110 relative to the second wireless communication device 120.

[0035] Before the first wireless communication device 110 initiates a search location operation for the second wireless communication device 120, the devices 110-120 and / or their users may have communicated their intention to form a friendship relationship. Throughout this specification, a friendship relationship refers to a configuration in which one wireless communication device is allowed to use a search operation to find another wireless communication device. For example, the first wireless communication device 110 may be allowed to locate the second wireless communication device 120. The second wireless communication device 120 may be allowed to locate the first wireless communication device 110. The friendship relationship between the first wireless communication device 110 and the second wireless communication device 120 may include the following states: i) only the first wireless communication device 110 is allowed to be used as a finder and only the second wireless communication device 110 is allowed to be used as a finder, ii) only the second wireless communication device 120 is allowed to be used as a finder and only the first wireless communication device 110 is allowed to be used as a finder, or iii) there is a role reciprocity relationship in which both the first wireless communication device 110 and the second wireless communication device 120 are allowed to be used as finders and finders. However, reference to the term "friendship relationship" is provided for illustrative purposes only. Different entities may refer to the concept by different names.

[0036] To provide a general non-limiting example, the wireless communication device may have a location finding application, and the user may input their intent to form a friendship via the UI of the application. Subsequently, the wireless communication device 120 and the first wireless communication device 110 may share one or more keys that are used to enable communication between the devices during the finding operation. The one or more keys may be exchanged between the first wireless communication device 110 and the second wireless communication device 120 directly using short-range communication or indirectly using a network connection.

[0037] In some embodiments, the key associated with the friendship relationship can be a one-to-one key, for example, the key is unique to the finder / found party friendship, and only the friendship pair will know the friendship key, and no other device can use the specific friendship key to resolve the finder or found party. The user who shared his location can revoke the permission at any time, whether offline (for example, by disabling the specific friendship key) or online (for example, by indicating to the finder that the friendship key is no longer valid). However, reference to the key mechanism is provided for illustrative purposes only. Exemplary embodiments may utilize any appropriate type of mechanism to manage settings regarding finder and found party relationships between two or more devices.

[0038] In 315, the first wireless communication device 110 transmits one or more signals including a request to initiate a ranging operation to the second wireless communication device 120. The request may include data related to finding the second wireless communication device 120. For example, the request may include data encrypted using a key known to the finder and the findee. In some examples, the request may be a Bluetooth advertisement.

[0039] After transmitting the request, the first wireless communication device 110 may receive one or more signals from the second wireless communication device 120 including a response indicating that the first wireless communication device 110 will locate the second wireless communication device 120. The first wireless communication device 110 (e.g., a processor) may decode the request based on the one or more signals transmitted by the second wireless communication device 120 over a cellular or WiFi network.

[0040] In some examples, after transmitting the Bluetooth advertisement including the request, the first wireless communication device 110 may perform a scanning operation to determine whether the second wireless communication device 120 has responded to the Bluetooth advertisement. As with the advertising operation, these operations may be performed continuously until the party being found is located or the user of the finding party stops trying to locate the party being found.

[0041] Before 310 or 315, on the side of the party being found, the second wireless communication device 120 may scan Bluetooth advertisements from other wireless communication devices that are trying to find the second wireless communication device 120. The scanning operation may be any scanning operation supported by the Bluetooth protocol performed by the party being found. The party being found may be triggered to perform a scanning operation for any of a variety of different reasons (e.g., according to a schedule, triggered by a predetermined condition, in response to user input, etc.). In addition, the scanning operation may be performed when the party being found is offline, for example, there is no connection to the wireless network and / or it is in energy saving mode. The scanning operation may be continuous before the user of the party being found turns off the capability or before the party being found has identified the finder (e.g., the first wireless communication device 110). These scanning examples are provided for illustrative purposes only, and any appropriate type of scanning operation may be used.

[0042] In 320, the first wireless communication device 110 receives a Bluetooth advertisement from the second wireless communication device 120. In this example, it may be assumed that the second wireless communication device 120 receives the Bluetooth advertisement transmitted by the first wireless communication device 110 in 315. The second wireless communication device 120 may determine, based on the advertisement and the status of its friendship relationship, that the first wireless communication device 110 is allowed to use a seek operation to locate the second wireless communication device 120. The second wireless communication device 120 may then transmit one or more Bluetooth advertisements to the first wireless communication device 110, at least one of which is received in 320. Thus, the Bluetooth advertisement in 320 may indicate that the second wireless communication device 120 received a Bluetooth advertisement for a seek operation from the first wireless communication device 110.

[0043] The exchange of Bluetooth signals in 315-320 allows the searcher and the searched party to discover each other's existence and confirm that the searcher is allowed to locate the searched party. After this exchange, a more accurate location operation can be performed. For example, an ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging operation can be used to determine a more accurate location of the searched party.

[0044] In 325, the first wireless communication device 110 determines a direction of the second wireless communication device 120 relative to the first wireless communication device 110. For example, as described above, the first wireless communication device 110 may perform a UWB ranging operation to determine the direction of the second wireless communication device 120. Alternatively, or in addition to the UWB ranging operation, the first wireless communication device 110 may use other information collected by other components of the first wireless communication device 110 or the second wireless communication device 120 to determine the direction of the second wireless communication device 120. In some examples, the information may include GPS location information of the first wireless communication device 110 and / or the second wireless communication device 120.

[0045] In 330, the first wireless communication device 110 may output directions that enable the user of the first wireless communication device 110 to navigate to the second wireless communication device 120. In some embodiments, the directions may be arrows displayed on the UI of an application that is running on the first wireless communication device 110. The directions may further include, but are not limited to, tactile feedback, audio-based directions, and text-based directions. The directions may be dynamically updated based on the movement of the searcher and / or the searched party. Therefore, the operations performed in 325-330 may be continuously performed before the searched party is located or the user of the searcher stops trying to locate the searched party.

[0046] The searcher may make a determination of the search method based on the physical environment of the searcher and / or the searched party. In one example, within the context of method 300, before 325, the first wireless communication device 110 may determine whether the first wireless communication device 110 is in an indoor or outdoor location. In 325, when the first wireless communication device 110 is in an indoor environment, the first wireless communication device 110 may rely on at least UWB ranging without considering GPS information to determine the direction of the second wireless communication device 120 relative to the first wireless communication device 110. However, in 330, the output of the direction may be limited to when the first wireless communication device 110 is within (X) meters. When the first wireless communication device 110 is in an outdoor environment, the first wireless communication device 110 may rely on at least UWB ranging and GPS information to determine the direction of the second wireless communication device 120 relative to the first wireless communication device 110. However, in 330, the output of the direction may be limited to when the first wireless communication device 110 is within (Y) meters. The (Y) distance threshold may be greater than the (X) distance threshold because, in this environment, the use of GPS information allows accurate location operation at greater distances than UWB without GPS information. Figure 6 These exemplary techniques are discussed in greater detail in method 600 .

[0047] exist Figure 3 In some exemplary embodiments, the ranging operation (e.g., UWB ranging) can be triggered by a discovery mechanism using Bluetooth (including using Bluetooth advertisements). In other exemplary embodiments, the discovery mechanism can be deployed over the Internet. The Internet-based discovery mechanism may be referred to as an Internet Discovery Service (IDS) in this article. In these exemplary embodiments, a request can be sent from a finder device to a target device (or a found device), and if the finder device receives a response from the target device, UWB ranging is triggered at the target device.

[0048] In yet other exemplary embodiments, the discovery mechanism may be deployed via a cellular connection. In these exemplary embodiments, a cellular connection may be used to send a request from a finder device to a target device (or a finder device), and if the finder device receives a response from the target device, UWB ranging is triggered at the target device. In addition, other types of network connections may also be used to send / receive discovery messages to trigger ranging operations.

[0049] In some exemplary embodiments, different types of discovery mechanisms (e.g., Bluetooth, IDS, cellular, etc.) may be used in combination. For example, two or more discovery mechanisms may be initiated in parallel, and if any of them succeeds, UWB ranging is triggered.

[0050] Figure 4An exemplary architecture 400 for a finder 410 and a findee 450 is shown in accordance with various exemplary embodiments. Figure 2 An exemplary architecture is described with reference to a wireless communication device 200 of the present invention.

[0051] Architecture 400 provides a general example of the types of components that can interact with each other to enable a finder to locate a findee. Architecture 400 includes a finder 410 and a findee 450. Both finder 410 and findee 450 may represent the components described above with respect to Figure 2 A wireless communication device 200 is described.

[0052] The finder 410 may include a finder engine 412, a motion engine 414, a LiDAR 416, a camera 418, an inertial measurement unit (IMU) 420, a global positioning system (GPS) 422, a UWB 424, a Bluetooth 426, a WIFI 428, a cellular 430, and an IDS 432. The finder engine 412 may run on a processor and manage operations related to interacting with a user (e.g., receiving and responding to user input via a UI, etc.). In addition, the finder engine 412 may manage operations related to outputting directions to the user, such as a pointing arrow pointing to the finder 450, tactile feedback that guides the user to the finder 450, text-based feedback that guides the user to the finder 450, and the like.

[0053] The motion engine 414 can run on the processor and perform various operations related to deriving location information of the finder 410 and / or the findee 450. The motion engine 414 can receive input from at least LiDAR 416, camera 418, IMU 420, GPS 422, UWB 424, Bluetooth 426, WIFI 428, cellular 430, and IDS 432.

[0054] The motion engine 414 may perform operations such as, but not limited to, performing location estimation of the seeker 410 and / or the seekee 450, performing range estimation between the seeker 410 and the seekee 450, performing time of flight measurement of signals exchanged with the seekee 450, performing motion models, performing 3D mapping, object tracking, and identifying the type of physical environment. In some examples, the motion engine 414 may use synthetic aperture technology to derive information about the physical environment and location of the seeker 410 and / or the seekee 450. In some examples, the motion engine 414 may use machine learning technology to derive information about the physical environment and location of the seeker 410 and / or the seekee 450.

[0055] WIFI 428 may represent hardware, software and / or firmware configured to communicate with an access point of a wireless local area network (WLAN). Information received from a WLAN or any other appropriate type of wireless network (e.g., cellular) may be used to determine the direction of the party being found 450. However, the finder 410 does not require a network connection and can locate the party being found 450 when offline. In some embodiments, information derived from the WLAN environment (such as, but not limited to, a WLAN or WIFI access point name (APN)) may also be used to determine the direction of the party being found 450. Other information exchanged through link 429 may include a request / response for triggering a ranging operation.

[0056] Cell 430 may represent hardware, software and / or firmware configured to communicate with a cellular network. Information received from the cellular network may be used to determine the direction of the party being found 450. However, the finder 410 does not require a cellular network connection and may locate the party being found 450 when offline. In some embodiments, information derived from the cellular environment (such as, but not limited to, a cell identity (ID)) may also be used to determine the direction of the party being found 450. Other information exchanged over link 431 may include a request / response for triggering a ranging operation.

[0057] Bluetooth 426 may represent hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to perform short-range communications with the found party 450. This may include exchanging advertisements with the found party 450 over link 427, as described above with respect to method 300.

[0058] UWB 424 may represent hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to perform ranging operations with seekee 450. This may include exchanging ranging data with seekee 450 over link 425. In some cases, ranging operations may provide a more precise location of seekee 450.

[0059] GPS 422 may represent hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to receive positioning information collected by satellites. The positioning information may correspond to the finder 410 and / or the findee 450 and may be used to determine the direction of the findee 450. Information collected by WIFI 428, cellular 430, IDS 432, Bluetooth 426, UWB 424, and GPS 422 may be provided to the motion engine 414.

[0060] LiDAR 416 may represent one or more LiDAR sensors including hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to collect information about the physical surroundings and environment of finder 410. Camera 418 may represent one or more cameras including hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to collect information about the physical surroundings and environment of finder 410. Data collected using LiDAR 416 and / or camera 418 may be used for operations such as, but not limited to, three-dimensional mapping of the physical environment, tracking physical objects, deriving motion information of finder 410, and deriving location information of finder 410.

[0061] IMU 420 may represent one or more IMU sensors including hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to collect information about the motion of seeker 410. IMU 420 may collect data such as, but not limited to, acceleration measurements of seeker 410 and angular velocity measurements of seeker 410.

[0062] The party being found 450 may include a party being found engine 452, a motion engine 454, a LiDAR 456, a camera 458, an IMU 460, a GPS 462, a UWB 464, a Bluetooth 466, a WIFI 468, a cellular 470, and an IDS 472. The party being found engine 452 may run on a processor and manage operations related to interacting with a user (e.g., receiving and responding to user input via a UI, etc.). In some embodiments, a role reciprocity relationship may exist between wireless communication devices, and each device may simultaneously serve as a finder and a found party of each other.

[0063] The motion engine 454 can run on the processor and perform various operations related to deriving location information of the finder 410 and / or the findee 450. The motion engine 454 can receive input from at least LiDAR 456, camera 458, IMU 460, GPS 462, UWB 464, Bluetooth 466, WIFI 468, cellular 470, and IDS 472.

[0064] The motion engine 454 may perform operations such as, but not limited to, performing location estimation of the seeker 410 and / or the seekee 450, performing range estimation between the seeker 410 and the seekee 450, performing time of flight measurement of signals exchanged with the seeker 410, performing motion models, performing 3D mapping, object tracking, and identifying the type of physical environment. In some examples, the motion engine 414 may use synthetic aperture technology to derive information about the physical environment and location of the seeker 410 and / or the seekee 450. In some examples, the motion engine 414 may use machine learning technology to derive information about the physical environment and location of the seeker 410 and / or the seekee 450.

[0065] WIFI 468 may represent hardware, software and / or firmware configured to communicate with an access point of a WLAN. The party being found 450 may also be able to communicate on other types of wireless networks (e.g., cellular, etc.). However, a network connection is not required, and the party being found 450 may be located offline.

[0066] Bluetooth 466 may represent hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to perform short-range communications with finder 410. This may include exchanging advertisements with finder 410 over link 427, as described above with respect to method 300.

[0067] UWB 464 may represent hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to perform ranging operations with finder 410. This may include exchanging ranging data with finder 410 over link 425. In some scenarios, ranging operations may provide a more precise location of finder 410.

[0068] GPS 462 may represent hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to receive positioning information collected by satellites. Positioning information may correspond to the finder 410 and / or the findee 450. Information collected by WIFI 468, cellular 470, IDS 472, Bluetooth 466, UWB 464, and GPS 462 may be provided to the motion engine 454. In addition, information collected by WIFI 468, cellular 470, IDS 472, Bluetooth 466, UWB 464, and GPS 462 may be provided to the motion engine 454, and may be provided to the finder 410 via a Bluetooth link 427, a UWB link 425, or in any other appropriate manner.

[0069] LiDAR 456 may represent one or more LiDAR sensors including hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to collect information about the physical surroundings and environment of the party being found 450. Camera 458 may represent one or more cameras including hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to collect information about the physical surroundings and environment of the party being found 450. Data collected using LiDAR 456 and / or camera 458 may be used for operations such as, but not limited to, three-dimensional mapping of the physical environment, tracking physical objects, deriving motion information of the party being found 450, and deriving location information of the party being found 450.

[0070] IMU 460 may represent one or more IMU sensors including hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to collect information about the motion of finder 410. IMU 460 may collect data such as, but not limited to, acceleration measurements of finder 410 and angular velocity measurements of finder 410. Information collected by LiDAR 456, camera 458, and IMU 460 may be provided to motion engine 454. In addition, information collected by LiDAR 456, camera 458, and IMU 460 may be provided to finder 410 via Bluetooth link 427, UWB link 425, or in any other suitable manner.

[0071] exist Figure 5 505 shows the example of the arrow that the finder is directed to the found party according to various exemplary embodiments. Example 505 shows the display device 215 of the communication device 200 at the first time. The communication device 200 is being used as the finder, and its display device 215 shows the graphics of arrow 510. Arrow 510 is configured to point to the direction of the found party relative to the position of the finder. This allows the user to walk towards the found party (or move towards the found party in any other way). In this example, arrow 510 is a 2D graphic. However, in actual operation scenarios, the arrow can be a three-dimensional object and / or enhanced with additional graphics, which provide additional direction information that enables the user to navigate to the found party.

[0072] Example 520 shows the display device 215 of the communication device 200 at a second time after the first time. Between the first time of example 505 and the second time of example 520, at least one of the seeker or the seekee has moved. Therefore, arrow 510 has moved so that it still points to the direction of the seekee relative to the position of the seeker. Figure 5 The examples shown are provided as general examples of the types of information that can be provided to a user to enable the user to navigate toward a sought party. Although the exemplary embodiments are described with respect to arrow generation, the exemplary techniques described herein can be used to generate any suitable type of output (e.g., tactile feedback, static graphics, dynamic graphics, audio alerts, text alerts, lights, etc.) configured to enable a seeker to locate a sought party in a physical environment.

[0073] It has been recognized that problems may occur that prevent the finder from displaying an accurate arrow (or any arrow) for any of a number of different reasons. For example, factors such as indoor environments, GPS inaccuracies, crowded environments, distance between the finder and the found party, lack of stationary objects, multipath environments, and obstructions to the camera's field of view may result in inaccurate or insufficient directions. Inaccurate and insufficient directions have a negative impact on the user experience associated with using the finder and found party functionality.

[0074] In order to limit the occurrence of inaccurate and insufficient directions, the finder may not provide clear directions to the found party until the finder is within a certain range of the found party. For example, the finder may not display an arrow pointing to the found party until the finder is within a threshold range ((x) meters) of the found party. Exemplary embodiments relate to adjusting the finder range threshold based on the physical environment.

[0075] Figure 6 A method 600 for arrow generation is shown in accordance with various exemplary embodiments. In this example, the method 600 may occur during the method 300 and is described from the perspective of the wireless communication device 110 acting as a seeker and the wireless communication device 120 acting as a seekee.

[0076] In 610, the first wireless communication device 110 determines the type of physical environment (e.g., the type of physical environment condition) in which the first wireless communication device 110, the second wireless communication device 120, or both are located. The first wireless communication device 110 may make this determination based on the generated information, as described below. In this example, the physical environment type may be characterized as indoor or outdoor. However, this example is not intended to limit the exemplary embodiment to any particular physical environment type. In other examples, the physical environment type may include indoor, outdoor, and a combination of indoor and outdoor features. In other examples, the physical environment type may be more specific, such as a beach, a park, an open space, a restaurant, a shopping center, an office building, a landmark, etc. In some examples, determining the physical environment type may include determining one or more conditions of the physical environment (e.g., a threshold value of the condition). In some examples, the physical environment type may indicate one or more conditions within the physical environment. The condition may include, for example, a density condition indicating the density of objects (e.g., people, trees, vehicles, buildings, etc.) in the environment. Other conditions may include weather conditions, lighting conditions, etc. Other types of conditions may be considered.

[0077] In some examples, the object density condition may indicate the density of the crowd. This may include determining the number of people and / or objects within a specific range or distance of the searcher, the searched party, or both the searcher and the searched party. In some embodiments, the first wireless communication device 110 may use computer vision and / or machine learning techniques to model its physical environment. The model may be a dynamic real-time model containing one or more particles. Each particle corresponds to a person or object in the physical environment and includes one or more states, including but not limited to two-dimensional coordinates in a two-dimensional coordinate system, three-dimensional coordinates in a three-dimensional coordinate system, travel speed, and travel direction. The model may enable the first wireless communication device 110 to determine the type of physical environment and one or more conditions (e.g., crowd density) in 610. In some examples, the second wireless communication device 120 may use computer vision and / or machine learning techniques to model its physical environment, and may transmit information related to its physical environment to the first wireless communication device 110.

[0078] In some examples, to determine the type of physical environment, the first wireless communication device 110 may generate information corresponding to one or more environmental conditions. The environmental conditions may be indicated by characteristics or parameters of the physical environment of the first wireless communication device 110, the second wireless communication device 120 (or both), such as, but not limited to, indoor characteristics, outdoor characteristics, single-layer, multi-layer (e.g., multiple floors, multiple platforms, stadium seats, etc.), crowd density, number of people, object type, number of objects, weather conditions, etc.

[0079] The first wireless communication device 110 may use one or more conditions or parameters of the physical environment to generate information corresponding to one or more physical environment conditions. The first wireless communication device 110 may use its camera and / or sensor (e.g., LiDAR, etc.) to generate the information. The second wireless communication device 120 may use its camera and / or sensor (e.g., LiDAR, etc.) to generate such information and may transmit such information to the first wireless communication device 110. The first wireless communication device 110 may generate information corresponding to one or more physical environment conditions at least in part by receiving and / or deriving information about its environment from a local database, the local database including descriptive information about the location of the first wireless communication device 110, the second wireless communication device 120, and / or any other suitable remote source. The first wireless communication device 110 may also generate information corresponding to one or more environmental conditions at least in part by receiving signaling from the second wireless communication device 120, the signaling including information or parameters related to the environment of the first wireless communication device 110, the second wireless communication device 120, and / or any other suitable remote source. The information may be provided as part of a Bluetooth advertisement, directly through a short-range connection, or indirectly via a network connection. In some examples, the physical environment of the first wireless communication device 110 can be separate from the physical environment of the second wireless communication device 120. For example, the first wireless communication device 110 can be located indoors, while the second wireless communication device 120 can be located outdoors. In some examples, the first wireless communication device 110 can collect, derive, or receive information corresponding to one or more physical environment conditions.

[0080] In 620 , the first wireless communication device 110 selects one or more location-finding techniques to use for arrow generation based on the determination of the type of physical environment.

[0081] The one or more finding location techniques may include the type of information that will provide the first wireless communication device 110 with a basis for determining the direction of the second wireless communication device 120. The one or more finding location techniques may also include a distance threshold relative to the found party within which the first wireless communication device 110 will use this type of information to generate an arrow. The value of the range may be predetermined and configured at the first wireless communication device 110, or the first wireless communication device 110 may determine the threshold range based on an algorithm or prior experience with these types of environmental conditions.

[0082] To provide some examples, the first communication device 110 may be configured to recognize different types of environments, including, but not limited to, a beach, a park, a stadium, an amusement park, a particular neighborhood, an office, a home, and a restaurant. The first communication device 110 may be configured to recognize different types of environmental conditions. In this example, the beach and the park may be associated with the highest range threshold (e.g., (3X) meters), the stadium, the amusement park, and the neighborhood may be associated with the second highest range threshold (e.g., (2X) meters), and the office, the home, and the restaurant may be associated with the lowest range threshold (e.g., (X) meters).

[0083] In other examples, the first communication device 110 may be configured to identify different levels of crowding. In this example, each level of crowding (e.g., low, medium, high, etc.) may be associated with a different range threshold. In this example, a low crowd density may be associated with the highest range threshold (e.g., (3Y) meters), a medium crowd density may be associated with the second highest range threshold (e.g., (2Y) meters), and a high crowd density may be associated with the minimum range threshold (e.g., (Y) meters). To determine the level of crowding, the first communication device 110 may compare the number of people with a threshold. The threshold may be the same for each physical environment type, or may vary depending on the physical environment type.

[0084] In 630, the first wireless communication device 110 transmits an arrow stream based on the selected one or more location finding technologies to its display device. The first wireless communication device 110 may display an arrow based on the selected one or more location finding technologies on its display device. The arrow may indicate the position of the first wireless communication device 110 relative to the second wireless communication device 120. The arrow may indicate the position of the party being found relative to the finder. In some embodiments, the arrow may be displayed only when the first wireless communication device 110 is within the range threshold of the selected one or more location finding technologies. The range threshold may be based on the type of physical environment, physical environment conditions, crowd density, and / or any other appropriate factors.

[0085] In some embodiments, when outside the range threshold, the first wireless communication device 110 may not provide any directions to the user. In one non-limiting example, instead of directions, the first wireless communication device 110 may output a visual or audio indication that the second wireless communication device 120 is outside the range of the first wireless communication device 110. In other embodiments, when outside the range threshold, the first wireless communication device 110 may provide general instructions rather than directions (e.g., far, near, closer, farther, etc.) intended to assist the seeker in moving within the range threshold.

[0086] Method 600 can be a continuous process that allows incremental estimation of the pose of the seeker relative to the position of the seekee, and therefore the angle or direction of the arrow. In addition, if a change in environmental conditions is detected, the first wireless communication device 110 can continuously evaluate the environmental conditions and select different one or more techniques for arrow generation.

[0087] Example

[0088] In a first embodiment, a method performed by an apparatus includes: generating a request to initiate a ranging operation for transmission to a wireless communication device; processing a response indicating that the apparatus will locate a second wireless communication device based on one or more signals received from the wireless communication device; determining information corresponding to physical environmental conditions of the apparatus or the wireless communication device; and selecting one or more location finding techniques based at least on the information corresponding to these physical environmental conditions of the apparatus or the wireless communication device for generating a graphic to be displayed on a display device, the graphic indicating a direction of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus.

[0089] In a second embodiment, according to the method of the first embodiment, the method further includes deriving information corresponding to a physical environmental condition of the device, wherein the deriving includes determining whether the device is located indoors or outdoors.

[0090] In a third embodiment, the method of the second embodiment wherein when the device is located indoors, the selected one or more location finding techniques include at least ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging without use of global positioning system (GPS) location information.

[0091] In a fourth embodiment, the method according to the second embodiment, wherein when the device is located outdoors, the one or more selected location finding techniques include at least use of ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging and global positioning system (GPS) location information.

[0092] In a fifth embodiment, a method is described according to the second embodiment, wherein deriving information corresponding to the physical environment condition of the device includes determining a physical environment type, the physical environment type including at least a first type associated with a first range threshold and a second type associated with a second range threshold, wherein the first range threshold is greater than the second range threshold.

[0093] In a sixth embodiment, the method of the fifth embodiment, wherein the first type is an outdoor location and the second type is an indoor location.

[0094] In a seventh embodiment, the method of the fifth embodiment, wherein the first type is one of a beach and a park, and the second type is one of an office, a home, or a restaurant.

[0095] In an eighth embodiment, the method of the fifth embodiment, wherein the first type is a stadium, a shopping mall, or an amusement park, and the second type is one of an office, a home, or a restaurant.

[0096] In a ninth embodiment, a method is described according to the first embodiment, wherein deriving information corresponding to the physical environmental conditions of the device includes determining a degree of congestion, the degree of congestion including at least a first degree of congestion associated with a first range threshold and a second degree of congestion associated with a second range threshold, wherein the first range threshold is greater than the second range threshold.

[0097] In a tenth embodiment, the method according to the first embodiment, wherein determining information corresponding to a physical environment condition of the wireless communication device comprises determining whether the wireless communication device is located indoors or outdoors.

[0098] In an eleventh embodiment, the method according to the tenth embodiment, wherein when the wireless communication device is located indoors, the selected one or more location finding technologies include at least ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging without the use of global positioning system (GPS) location information.

[0099] In a twelfth embodiment, according to the method of the tenth embodiment, when the wireless communication device is located outdoors, the one or more selected location finding technologies include at least the use of ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging and global positioning system (GPS) location information.

[0100] In a thirteenth embodiment, according to the method described in the first embodiment, determining information corresponding to the physical environment conditions of the wireless communication device includes determining a physical environment type, the physical environment type includes at least a first type associated with a first range threshold and a second type associated with a second range threshold, wherein the first range threshold is greater than the second range threshold.

[0101] In a fourteenth embodiment, the method of the thirteenth embodiment, wherein the first type is an outdoor location and the second type is an indoor location.

[0102] In a fifteenth embodiment, the method of the thirteenth embodiment, wherein the first type is one of a beach and a park, and the second type is one of an office, a home, or a restaurant.

[0103] In a sixteenth embodiment, the method of the thirteenth embodiment, wherein the first type is a stadium, a shopping mall, or an amusement park, and the second type is one of an office, a home, or a restaurant.

[0104] In a seventeenth embodiment, according to the method described in the first embodiment, determining information corresponding to the physical environment conditions of the wireless communication device includes determining a degree of congestion, the degree of congestion includes at least a first degree of congestion associated with a first range threshold and a second degree of congestion associated with a second range threshold, wherein the first range threshold is greater than the second range threshold.

[0105] In an eighteenth embodiment, according to the method of the first embodiment, wherein the graphic includes an arrow.

[0106] In a nineteenth embodiment, the method of the first embodiment, wherein the request is transmitted via a short range connection, a Wi-Fi connection, an Internet connection, or a cellular connection.

[0107] In a twentieth embodiment, a processor is provided, the processor being configured to execute any one of the methods described in accordance with the first to nineteenth embodiments.

[0108] In a twenty-first embodiment, a wireless communication device is provided, the wireless communication device being configured to perform any one of the methods described in accordance with the first to nineteenth embodiments.

[0109] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the exemplary embodiments described above may be implemented with any suitable software configuration or hardware configuration or combination thereof. Exemplary hardware platforms for implementing the exemplary embodiments may include, for example, Intel x86-based platforms with compatible operating systems, Windows OS, Mac platforms and MAC OS, mobile devices with operating systems such as iOS, Android, etc. The exemplary embodiments described above may be embodied as a program comprising lines of code stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, which, when compiled, may be executed on a processor or microprocessor.

[0110] Although this patent application describes various combinations of various embodiments each having different features, those skilled in the art will understand that any feature of an embodiment may be combined with features of other embodiments in any manner not publicly denied or with features that are not functionally or logically inconsistent with the operation or function of the device of the embodiments disclosed in the present invention.

[0111] As described above, one aspect of the present technology is to collect and use data obtained from specific and legitimate sources to improve the delivery of inspirational content or any other content that may be of interest to users. The present disclosure contemplates that, in some instances, the collected data may include personal information data that uniquely identifies or can be used to identify a specific person. Such personal information data may include demographic data, location-based data, online identifiers, phone numbers, email addresses, home addresses, data or records related to the user's health or fitness level (e.g., vital signs measurements, medication information, exercise information), date of birth, or any other personal information.

[0112] The present disclosure recognizes that use of such personal information data in the present technology can be used to benefit users.

[0113] The disclosure envisions that entities responsible for collecting, analyzing, disclosing, transmitting, storing or otherwise using such personal information data will comply with established privacy policies and / or privacy practices. Specifically, it is expected that such entities will implement and consistently apply privacy practices that are generally recognized as meeting or exceeding the industry or government requirements for maintaining user privacy. Such information about the use of personal data should be highlighted and easily accessible to users, and should be updated as the collection and / or use of data changes. The user's personal information should be collected only for legal use. In addition, such collection / sharing should only occur after receiving user consent or other legal basis specified in applicable law. In addition, such entities should consider taking any necessary steps to protect and safeguard access to such personal information data, and ensure that other entities with access to personal information data comply with their privacy policies and procedures. In addition, such entities can subject themselves to third-party assessments to prove that they comply with widely accepted privacy policies and practices. In addition, policies and practices should be adjusted for specific types of personal information data collected and / or accessed, and applied to applicable laws and standards, including considerations that are exclusive to jurisdictions that can be used to impose higher standards. For example, in the United States, collection or access to certain health data may be governed by federal and / or state laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA); while health data in other countries may be subject to other regulations and policies and should be handled accordingly.

[0114] Regardless of the foregoing, the present disclosure also contemplates implementation schemes in which users selectively block the use or access of personal information data. That is, the present disclosure contemplates hardware elements and / or software elements to prevent or block access to such personal information data. For example, the technology of the present invention can be configured to allow users to choose to "opt in" or "opt out" to participate in the collection of personal information data at any time during or after registration for the service. In addition to providing "opt-in" and "opt-out" options, the present disclosure also contemplates providing notifications related to access or use of personal information. For example, a user may be notified that their personal information data will be accessed when downloading an application, and then reminded again just before the personal information data is accessed by the application.

[0115] In addition, it is the intention of the present disclosure that personal information data should be managed and processed in a manner that minimizes the risk of unintentional or unauthorized access or use. Once the data is no longer needed, the risk can be minimized by limiting the collection of data and deleting the data. In addition and when applicable, including in certain health-related applications, data de-identification can be used to protect the privacy of users. De-identification can be promoted when appropriate by removing identifiers, controlling the amount or specificity of stored data (e.g., collecting location data at the city level rather than at the address level), controlling how data is stored (e.g., aggregating data among users), and / or other methods such as differential privacy.

[0116] Thus, while the present disclosure broadly covers the use of personal information data to implement one or more of the various disclosed embodiments, the present disclosure also contemplates that various embodiments may also be implemented without access to such personal information data. That is, various embodiments of the present technology will not fail to function properly due to the lack of all or a portion of such personal information data. For example, content may be selected and delivered to a user based on aggregated non-personal information data or an absolute minimum amount of personal information, such as content processed only on the user's device or other non-personal information that may be used for content delivery services.

[0117] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made to the present disclosure without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure is intended to cover modifications and variations of the present disclosure, provided that these modifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising a processing circuit, wherein the processing circuit is configured to: generating a request to initiate a ranging operation for transmission to a wireless communication device; processing, based on one or more signals received from the wireless communication device, a response indicating that the apparatus will locate a second wireless communication device; determining information corresponding to a physical environmental condition of the apparatus or the wireless communication device; as well as One or more location finding techniques are selected based at least on the information corresponding to the physical environment conditions of the apparatus or the wireless communication device for generating a graphic to be displayed on a display device, the graphic indicating a direction of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to: The information corresponding to the physical environmental condition of the device is derived, wherein the deriving includes determining whether the device is located indoors or outdoors. 3 . The device according to claim 2 , wherein when the device is located indoors, the one or more selected location finding technologies at least include ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging without using global positioning system (GPS) location information. 4 . The device according to claim 2 , wherein when the device is located outdoors, the one or more selected location finding technologies at least include ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging and using global positioning system (GPS) location information.

5. A device according to claim 2, wherein deriving information corresponding to the physical environment condition of the device includes determining a physical environment type, the physical environment type including at least a first type associated with a first range threshold and a second type associated with a second range threshold, wherein the first range threshold is greater than the second range threshold.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first type is an outdoor location and the second type is an indoor location.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first type is one of a beach and a park, and the second type is one of an office, a home, or a restaurant.

8. The device of claim 5, wherein the first type is a stadium, a shopping mall, or an amusement park, and the second type is one of an office, a home, or a restaurant.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein deriving information corresponding to the physical environment condition of the apparatus includes determining a degree of congestion, the degree of congestion comprising at least a first degree of congestion associated with a first range threshold and a second degree of congestion associated with a second range threshold, wherein the first range threshold is greater than the second range threshold.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein determining the information corresponding to the physical environmental condition of the wireless communication device comprises determining whether the wireless communication device is located indoors or outdoors.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein when the wireless communication device is located indoors, the one or more selected location finding technologies at least include ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging without using global positioning system (GPS) location information.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein when the wireless communication device is located outdoors, the one or more selected location finding technologies at least include ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging and using global positioning system (GPS) location information.

13. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein determining information corresponding to the physical environment condition of the wireless communication device includes determining a physical environment type, the physical environment type including at least a first type associated with a first range threshold and a second type associated with a second range threshold, wherein the first range threshold is greater than the second range threshold.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first type is an outdoor location and the second type is an indoor location.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first type is one of a beach and a park, and the second type is one of an office, a home, or a restaurant.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein the first type is a stadium, a shopping mall, or an amusement park, and the second type is one of an office, a home, or a restaurant.

17. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein determining information corresponding to the physical environment condition of the wireless communication device includes determining a degree of congestion, the degree of congestion including at least a first degree of congestion associated with a first range threshold and a second degree of congestion associated with a second range threshold, wherein the first range threshold is greater than the second range threshold.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the graphic comprises an arrow.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the request is transmitted via a short-range connection, a Wi-Fi connection, an Internet connection, or a cellular connection.

20. A method performed by an apparatus, comprising: generating a request to initiate a ranging operation for transmission to a wireless communication device; processing, based on one or more signals received from the wireless communication device, a response indicating that the apparatus will locate a second wireless communication device; determining information corresponding to a physical environmental condition of the apparatus or the wireless communication device; as well as One or more location finding techniques are selected based at least on the information corresponding to the physical environment conditions of the apparatus or the wireless communication device for generating a graphic to be displayed on a display device, the graphic indicating a direction of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus.

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