Method and apparatus for positioning based on Wi-Fi communication

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a method and a device for positioning based on Wi-Fi communication. The method may include performing a signal recognition operation so as to guide a user of the mobile device to move based on a result of the signal recognition operation; in the moving process of the user, the signal identification operation is repeatedly executed so as to continue to guide the user to move based on the result of the signal identification operation until the vehicle-mounted Wi-Fi signal from the vehicle-mounted Wi-Fi equipment of the target vehicle is received, the signal identification operation comprises the identification of the target Wi-Fi signal, and the identification of the target Wi-Fi signal comprises the identification of the target Wi-Fi signal; the target Wi-Fi signal is at least used for indicating the distance between the target Wi-Fi equipment sending the target Wi-Fi signal and the vehicle-mounted Wi-Fi equipment; and determining the position of the vehicle-mounted Wi-Fi equipment as the parking position of the target vehicle based on the vehicle-mounted Wi-Fi signal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of this disclosure relate to positioning technology, and more specifically, to methods for positioning based on Wi-Fi communication, methods for Wi-Fi communication, and corresponding apparatus, computer-readable media, and computer program products. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, with the increasing number of vehicles in cities, the demand for parking lots has also grown. Currently, to provide more parking spaces, various large indoor or underground spaces have been developed as parking facilities. However, these spaces are often structurally complex and excessively large, which can make it difficult for users to find a parking spot.

[0003] While satellite positioning systems (such as GPS and BeiDou) can provide accurate positioning outdoors, their signals often have difficulty penetrating indoor or underground spaces, rendering them ineffective in such environments. Therefore, how to achieve positioning in spaces or environments lacking GPS signals or where GPS signals are difficult to penetrate has become a problem that needs to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the need for improvements to the prior art, embodiments of this disclosure provide a method for positioning based on Wi-Fi communication, a method for Wi-Fi communication, and corresponding apparatus, computer-readable media, and computer program products.

[0005] On one hand, embodiments of this disclosure provide a method for location based on Wi-Fi communication, the method being executed at a mobile device, the method comprising: performing a signal identification operation to guide a user of the mobile device to move based on the result of the signal identification operation; and repeating the signal identification operation during the user's movement to continue guiding the user to move based on the result of the signal identification operation until a vehicle Wi-Fi signal from a vehicle Wi-Fi device of a target vehicle is received, wherein: the signal identification operation includes identifying a target Wi-Fi signal, wherein the target Wi-Fi signal is at least used to indicate the distance between a target Wi-Fi device sending the target Wi-Fi signal and the vehicle Wi-Fi device; the target Wi-Fi signal identified by a subsequent signal identification operation indicates a closer distance than a target Wi-Fi signal identified by a previously performed signal identification operation; and determining the location of the vehicle Wi-Fi device as the parking location of the target vehicle based on the vehicle Wi-Fi signal.

[0006] On the other hand, embodiments of this disclosure provide a method for Wi-Fi communication, the method being executed at a first Wi-Fi device, the method comprising: receiving a neighboring Wi-Fi signal, wherein the neighboring Wi-Fi signal is at least used to indicate that the neighboring Wi-Fi signal originates from a neighboring Wi-Fi device; generating a first Wi-Fi signal based on the neighboring Wi-Fi signal, wherein the first Wi-Fi signal is at least used to indicate that the first Wi-Fi signal originates from the first Wi-Fi device and the distance between the first Wi-Fi device and the neighboring Wi-Fi device; and transmitting the first Wi-Fi signal.

[0007] On the other hand, embodiments of this disclosure provide an apparatus for positioning based on Wi-Fi communication, comprising: at least one processor; and a memory communicating with the at least one processor, thereon storing executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the method described above with respect to a mobile device.

[0008] On the other hand, embodiments of this disclosure provide an apparatus for Wi-Fi communication, comprising: at least one processor; and a memory communicating with the at least one processor, having stored executable instructions thereon, which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the method described above with respect to a Wi-Fi device.

[0009] On the other hand, embodiments of this disclosure provide a computer-readable storage medium storing executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement the above-described method.

[0010] On the other hand, embodiments of this disclosure provide a computer program product including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the above-described method. Attached Figure Description

[0011] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the embodiments of this disclosure will become more apparent from the more detailed description of the embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals generally represent the same elements.

[0012] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary Wi-Fi communication scenario associated with a vehicle, according to some embodiments.

[0013] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating examples of partial fields of a Wi-Fi beacon frame according to some embodiments.

[0014] Figure 3 An example of a Wi-Fi communication scenario according to some embodiments is shown.

[0015] Figure 4A An example of a scenario for location based on Wi-Fi communication, according to some embodiments, is shown.

[0016] Figure 4B Another example of a scenario for location based on Wi-Fi communication, according to some embodiments, is shown.

[0017] Figure 5 This is a schematic flowchart of a method for location based on Wi-Fi communication according to some embodiments.

[0018] Figure 6 This is a schematic flowchart of a method for Wi-Fi communication according to some embodiments.

[0019] Figure 7 This is a schematic block diagram of an apparatus for positioning based on Wi-Fi communication, according to some embodiments.

[0020] Figure 8 This is a schematic block diagram of an apparatus for Wi-Fi communication according to some embodiments.

[0021] Figure 9 This is a schematic block diagram of an apparatus for positioning based on Wi-Fi communication, according to some embodiments.

[0022] Figure 10 This is a schematic block diagram of an apparatus for Wi-Fi communication according to some embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The subject matter described herein will now be discussed with reference to various embodiments. It should be understood that these embodiments are discussed only to enable those skilled in the art to better understand and implement the subject matter described herein, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or examples set forth in the claims.

[0024] In some indoor or underground spaces or environments (e.g., indoor or underground parking lots), GPS signals are lacking or difficult to penetrate, making it impossible to accurately locate parked vehicles. This can make it difficult for users to find their vehicles in such spaces.

[0025] Therefore, embodiments of this disclosure provide a technical solution for positioning based on Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) communication, thereby enabling efficient and accurate determination of vehicle parking locations in spaces lacking GPS signals. Accordingly, embodiments of this disclosure also provide a technical solution for Wi-Fi communication. These will be described below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary Wi-Fi communication scenario associated with a vehicle, according to some embodiments.

[0027] exist Figure 1 The example illustrates various devices that support Wi-Fi communication, such as in-vehicle Wi-Fi device 112 and Wi-Fi device 130 installed on vehicle 110, mobile device 120 of a user of vehicle 110, and in-vehicle Wi-Fi device 142 installed on vehicle 140. Wi-Fi device 130 may be a fixed Wi-Fi device installed in a space or environment.

[0028] The in-vehicle Wi-Fi device 112 can support Wi-Fi communication with various devices capable of Wi-Fi communication. For example, the in-vehicle Wi-Fi device 112 can communicate with a fixed Wi-Fi device 130 (if both are within each other's Wi-Fi coverage area), such as exchanging Wi-Fi signals. Similarly, the in-vehicle Wi-Fi device 112 can communicate with a mobile device 120 (if both are within each other's Wi-Fi coverage area), such as exchanging Wi-Fi signals. Furthermore, the in-vehicle Wi-Fi device 112 can communicate with an in-vehicle Wi-Fi device 142 (if both are within each other's Wi-Fi coverage area). Likewise, the mobile device 120 can also communicate with various devices capable of Wi-Fi communication. For example, in addition to the in-vehicle Wi-Fi device 112, the mobile device 120 can also communicate with Wi-Fi device 130 or in-vehicle Wi-Fi device 142 (if within each other's Wi-Fi coverage area).

[0029] It should be understood that Figure 1 The devices shown are for illustrative purposes only. In real-world scenarios, there may be other types of devices that support Wi-Fi communication, or none at all. Figure 1 This refers to one or more device types. For example, in some scenarios, there may be no fixed Wi-Fi devices; in other scenarios, there may be one or more fixed Wi-Fi devices. Furthermore, Figure 1The number of devices shown is for illustrative purposes only, and this article does not limit the number of devices.

[0030] The following will use vehicle Wi-Fi device 112 as an example to further illustrate some of the functions of vehicle Wi-Fi devices. The same applies to vehicle Wi-Fi device 142, so it will not be described in detail again.

[0031] The in-vehicle Wi-Fi device 112 can assist in realizing some functions of the vehicle 110. For example, the in-vehicle Wi-Fi device 112 can be a Wi-Fi device in the smart cockpit of the vehicle 110, which can communicate with the smart cockpit entertainment system of the vehicle 110 via Wi-Fi, thereby assisting in realizing the vehicle's entertainment functions. As another example, the in-vehicle Wi-Fi device 112 can be a Wi-Fi device in the vehicle's connected vehicle system, which can assist in realizing functions such as real-time uploading of vehicle information and remote control. In the embodiments of this disclosure, the in-vehicle Wi-Fi device 112 can also assist in realizing the indoor positioning of the vehicle 110.

[0032] Mobile device 120 may include any user device with Wi-Fi communication capabilities, such as smartphones, tablets, wearable devices, portable computers, etc.

[0033] In embodiments of this disclosure, location can be achieved using Wi-Fi signals. To achieve such location efficiently and simply, a Wi-Fi signal type capable of being received between Wi-Fi devices without establishing a Wi-Fi connection can be considered. Furthermore, for location purposes, it is desirable for the Wi-Fi signal to include location-related information in addition to what is specified in existing Wi-Fi protocols. Therefore, a Wi-Fi signal type with custom fields that can be modified in existing Wi-Fi protocols can be considered. In some cases, such a Wi-Fi signal can be periodic, ensuring timely location.

[0034] Based on existing Wi-Fi protocols, management frames can typically be received without establishing a Wi-Fi connection. Furthermore, some types of management frames can have custom fields. Therefore, in embodiments of this disclosure, management frames can be considered for location tracking. For example, beacon frames can be used. Beacon frames are typically sent periodically (e.g., at 100-millisecond intervals) by Wi-Fi devices to announce their presence. Beacon frames can be received without establishing a Wi-Fi connection. Therefore, using beacon frames allows for efficient location tracking.

[0035] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating examples of partial fields of a Wi-Fi beacon frame according to some embodiments. It should be understood that... Figure 2 Only a few fields of the beacon frame are shown to highlight information relevant to embodiments of this disclosure. However, in different implementations, the beacon frame may include other fields, as specified in the specific provisions of the Wi-Fi protocol, and are not limited thereto.

[0036] like Figure 2 As shown, beacon frame 200 may include an element ID field 202, a length field 204, etc. Additionally, beacon frame 200 may include a custom field 206. For example, custom field 206 may be a vendor-specific field, which can be flexibly defined and has a variable length. In embodiments of this disclosure, field 206 may be defined to include location-related information. For example, field 206 may indicate the distance between the Wi-Fi device sending beacon frame 200 and other Wi-Fi devices known to that Wi-Fi device. Thus, based on this distance indication, other Wi-Fi devices can be located from that Wi-Fi device. In some implementations, field 206 may include an identifier of the Wi-Fi device sending beacon frame 200, identifiers of other Wi-Fi devices, and the distance between the Wi-Fi device and the other Wi-Fi devices.

[0037] In embodiments of this disclosure, the identifier of the Wi-Fi device mentioned can be a unique identifier for the Wi-Fi device, in order to uniquely identify the Wi-Fi device. For example, the identifier may include a MAC address. Of course, the identifier can also be other similar unique identifiers, and this document does not limit it.

[0038] The distance between a Wi-Fi device and other Wi-Fi devices can be represented in various suitable ways. For example, the distance between a Wi-Fi device and other Wi-Fi devices can be represented by the hop count (e.g., the hop count can be an indicator of the number of routers a data packet needs to pass through from a source device to a destination device in a network connection). Typically, the hop count between a Wi-Fi device and its neighboring Wi-Fi devices can be considered to be 1. Based on this, the hop count between a Wi-Fi device and non-neighboring Wi-Fi devices can be easily inferred. Specific examples will be provided below for further explanation.

[0039] Figure 3 An example of a Wi-Fi communication scenario according to some embodiments is shown.

[0040] exist Figure 3The example illustrates three Wi-Fi devices 302, 304, and 306. Each of these devices can be an in-vehicle Wi-Fi device installed in a vehicle or a fixed Wi-Fi device located in the environment. Assume that Wi-Fi devices 302 and 304 are within each other's coverage area, and Wi-Fi devices 304 and 306 are within each other's coverage area, but Wi-Fi devices 302 and 306 are not within each other's coverage area. Therefore, Wi-Fi devices 302 and 304 can communicate via Wi-Fi, and Wi-Fi devices 304 and 306 can communicate via Wi-Fi, but Wi-Fi devices 302 and 306 cannot directly communicate via Wi-Fi.

[0041] Wi-Fi device 302 can generate and transmit (e.g., broadcast) a Wi-Fi signal 352. Suppose that when Wi-Fi device 302 generates Wi-Fi signal 352, it has not yet received Wi-Fi signals from other Wi-Fi devices; that is, Wi-Fi device 302 has not yet detected other Wi-Fi devices. In this case, Wi-Fi signal 352 can at least indicate that it originates from Wi-Fi device 302. For example, Wi-Fi signal 352 may include an identifier of Wi-Fi device 302 itself. For instance, Wi-Fi signal 352 may have characteristics such as... Figure 2 The format of the beacon frame 200 shown may include the identifier of the Wi-Fi device 302 itself in field 206.

[0042] Wi-Fi device 304 can receive and parse Wi-Fi signal 352. After parsing Wi-Fi signal 352, Wi-Fi device 304 can know that a neighboring Wi-Fi device 302 exists. Furthermore, Wi-Fi device 304 can generate and transmit (e.g., broadcast) Wi-Fi signal 354. In this case, since Wi-Fi device 304 already knows that a neighboring Wi-Fi device 302 exists, Wi-Fi signal 354 can at least indicate that Wi-Fi signal 354 originates from Wi-Fi device 304 and the distance between Wi-Fi device 304 and Wi-Fi device 302. For example, Wi-Fi signal 354 may include an identifier of Wi-Fi device 304, an identifier of Wi-Fi device 302, and the distance between Wi-Fi device 304 and Wi-Fi device 302. For example, Wi-Fi signal 354 may have the following characteristics: Figure 2 The format of the beacon frame 200 shown above, including the aforementioned identifiers and distances (e.g., hop count), can be included in field 206.

[0043] As mentioned earlier, in some implementations, the distance between Wi-Fi devices can be represented by the hop count. Therefore, Wi-Fi signal 354 can include the identifier of Wi-Fi device 304, the identifier of Wi-Fi device 302, and the hop count between Wi-Fi device 304 and Wi-Fi device 302. When two Wi-Fi devices are neighbors, their hop count can be considered to be 1. Thus, the hop count between Wi-Fi device 304 and Wi-Fi device 302 is 1.

[0044] Wi-Fi device 306 can receive Wi-Fi signal 354. However, since Wi-Fi devices 302 and 306 are not within each other's coverage area, Wi-Fi device 306 cannot receive Wi-Fi signal 352. Wi-Fi device 306 can analyze Wi-Fi signal 354. After analysis, Wi-Fi device 306 can determine the presence of neighboring Wi-Fi device 304 and non-neighboring Wi-Fi device 302.

[0045] Similarly, Wi-Fi device 306 can generate and transmit (e.g., broadcast) Wi-Fi signal 356. In this case, Wi-Fi signal 356 can at least indicate that the Wi-Fi signal 356 originates from Wi-Fi device 306 and the distances between Wi-Fi device 306 and Wi-Fi devices 304 and 302, respectively. For example, Wi-Fi signal 356 may include an identifier for Wi-Fi device 306, an identifier for Wi-Fi device 304, an identifier for Wi-Fi device 302, the number of hops between Wi-Fi device 306 and Wi-Fi device 304, and the number of hops between Wi-Fi device 306 and Wi-Fi device 302. For example, Wi-Fi signal 356 may have the following characteristics: Figure 2 The format of the beacon frame 200 shown above, including the aforementioned identifiers and distances (e.g., hop count), can be included in field 206.

[0046] As mentioned earlier, Wi-Fi devices 306 and 304 are neighbors, therefore the hop count between them can be 1. Since the hop count between Wi-Fi devices 304 and 302 is 1, and the hop count between Wi-Fi devices 306 and 304 is also 1, the hop count between Wi-Fi devices 306 and 302 will be 2. In other words, the hop count between Wi-Fi devices 304 and 302 included in the Wi-Fi signal 354 can be incremented by 1 to obtain the hop count between Wi-Fi devices 306 and 302.

[0047] Therefore, for any Wi-Fi device, after receiving a Wi-Fi signal from a neighboring Wi-Fi device, it can determine that the hop count between it and the neighboring Wi-Fi device is 1. Alternatively, the hop count between it and other non-neighboring Wi-Fi devices can be obtained by incrementing the hop count corresponding to other non-neighboring Wi-Fi devices in the neighboring Wi-Fi device's Wi-Fi signal by 1.

[0048] It should be understood that, in Figure 3 In the example, for ease of explanation, only three Wi-Fi devices are shown, and the description focuses solely on unidirectional Wi-Fi signals between them. For instance, the description above illustrates Wi-Fi device 304 receiving Wi-Fi signal 352 from Wi-Fi device 302, and Wi-Fi device 306 receiving Wi-Fi signal 354 from Wi-Fi device 304. In reality, Wi-Fi device 302 can also receive Wi-Fi signal 354 from Wi-Fi device 304, and Wi-Fi device 304 can also receive Wi-Fi signal 356 from Wi-Fi device 306. The processing of the Wi-Fi signals is similar and will not be explained in detail. Furthermore, Wi-Fi signals 352, 354, and 356 can be transmitted periodically, so the operations performed by each Wi-Fi device can be dynamically and cyclically executed.

[0049] Furthermore, in real-world scenarios, there may be a large number of Wi-Fi devices, and each device may receive multiple Wi-Fi signals. For example, if a first Wi-Fi device simultaneously (simultaneously can mean at the same time or within a certain time error) receives multiple Wi-Fi signals from other Wi-Fi devices, and these multiple Wi-Fi signals all include distances relative to a second Wi-Fi device, then when determining the distance between the first and second Wi-Fi devices, the first Wi-Fi device can choose the shortest distance relative to the second Wi-Fi device among the multiple Wi-Fi signals as the basis for calculation. For instance, the first Wi-Fi device can increment the minimum hop count relative to the second Wi-Fi device among the multiple Wi-Fi signals by 1 to obtain the hop count between the first and second Wi-Fi devices.

[0050] It can be seen that by combining Figure 3In the manner described, a Wi-Fi signal transmitted by any Wi-Fi device can indicate the distance (e.g., hop count) between that Wi-Fi device and other Wi-Fi devices (including neighboring Wi-Fi devices and / or non-neighboring Wi-Fi devices). Based on such a Wi-Fi signal, any Wi-Fi device involved in the Wi-Fi signal can be easily located.

[0051] Figure 4A An example of a scenario for location based on Wi-Fi communication, according to some embodiments, is shown.

[0052] To simplify the description, we will still combine... Figure 3 The scene is described using diagrams, therefore the same reference numerals still refer to the same elements. Figure 3 In comparison, Figure 4A The mobile device 420 is further illustrated in the scenario. The mobile device 420 can be similar to... Figure 1 The mobile device 120 shown in the image.

[0053] Assumption Figure 4A The scenario corresponds to an indoor or underground space (e.g., an indoor or underground parking lot). Additionally, assuming that Wi-Fi device 302 is the in-vehicle Wi-Fi device of the user's target vehicle, Wi-Fi devices 304 or 306 can be in-vehicle Wi-Fi devices on other vehicles or fixed Wi-Fi devices arranged in the space.

[0054] Suppose the target vehicle is currently parked in this indoor or underground space, and the user needs to locate its parking position. When the user enters the indoor or underground space with mobile device 420, mobile device 420 can scan for nearby Wi-Fi signals. For example, mobile device 420 can automatically or based on user input enable Wi-Fi and periodically scan for nearby Wi-Fi signals.

[0055] exist Figure 4AIn the example, assuming mobile device 420 is currently within the coverage area of ​​Wi-Fi device 306, mobile device 420 can receive Wi-Fi signal 356 from Wi-Fi device 306. As previously described, Wi-Fi signal 356 can at least indicate that the Wi-Fi signal 356 originates from Wi-Fi device 306 and the distances between Wi-Fi device 306 and Wi-Fi devices 304 and 302, respectively. For example, Wi-Fi signal 356 may include an identifier for Wi-Fi device 306, an identifier for Wi-Fi device 304, an identifier for Wi-Fi device 302, the distance between Wi-Fi device 306 and Wi-Fi device 304 (e.g., hop count of 1), and the distance between Wi-Fi device 306 and Wi-Fi device 302 (e.g., hop count of 2).

[0056] Mobile device 420 can analyze Wi-Fi signal 356 to determine that Wi-Fi signal 356 indicates the distance between Wi-Fi device 306 and vehicle-mounted Wi-Fi device 302, thereby identifying Wi-Fi signal 356 as the target Wi-Fi signal to be processed. This process can also be referred to as signal identification operation below, i.e., identifying the target Wi-Fi signal used to indicate the distance to the vehicle-mounted Wi-Fi device. Next, mobile device 420 can determine the path to Wi-Fi device 306 based on Wi-Fi signal 356, thereby guiding the user, carrying mobile device 420, to move along the path towards Wi-Fi device 306, so that the user gradually approaches the vehicle-mounted Wi-Fi device, i.e., the target vehicle.

[0057] In some implementations, to ensure the user is moving in the correct direction, the mobile device 420 can monitor changes in the Wi-Fi signal 356 as the user moves towards the Wi-Fi device 306. If this change indicates the user is getting closer to the Wi-Fi device 306, then the user is moving in the correct direction, and the determined path can be maintained. However, if this change indicates the user is moving further away from the Wi-Fi device 306, then the user is deviating from the path. In this case, the previously determined path can be adjusted to guide the user along the adjusted path towards the target Wi-Fi device.

[0058] Changes in the Wi-Fi signal 356 can be determined by changes in the parameters of the Wi-Fi signal 356. For example, the mobile device 420 can monitor the round-trip time (RTT) or strength of the Wi-Fi signal 356. For example, if the RTT becomes shorter or the strength becomes stronger, it indicates that the user is getting closer to the Wi-Fi device 306. Conversely, if the RTT becomes longer or the strength becomes weaker, it indicates that the user is getting farther away from the Wi-Fi device 306.

[0059] As a user carrying mobile device 420 approaches or arrives at Wi-Fi device 306, mobile device 420 can receive Wi-Fi signal 354 from Wi-Fi device 304. (As in combination) Figure 3 As described, Wi-Fi signal 354 can at least indicate that Wi-Fi signal 354 originates from Wi-Fi device 304 and the distance between Wi-Fi device 304 and vehicle-mounted Wi-Fi device 302 (e.g., hop count of 1). Mobile device 420 can resolve Wi-Fi signal 354 so that mobile device 420 knows that Wi-Fi signal 354 also indicates the distance to vehicle-mounted Wi-Fi device 302, and that the distance indicated by Wi-Fi signal 354 is shorter than that indicated by Wi-Fi signal 356. Therefore, mobile device 420 can identify Wi-Fi signal 354 as the target Wi-Fi signal to be processed next.

[0060] Similar to Wi-Fi signal 356, mobile device 420 can determine the path to Wi-Fi device 304 based on Wi-Fi signal 354, so as to guide the user to continue moving towards Wi-Fi device 304 while carrying mobile device 420, thereby allowing the user to get closer to vehicle-mounted Wi-Fi device 302 (i.e., the target vehicle).

[0061] Similarly, as a user carrying mobile device 420 approaches or arrives at Wi-Fi device 304, mobile device 420 can receive Wi-Fi signal 352 (also referred to herein as vehicle Wi-Fi signal) from vehicle Wi-Fi device 302. In this way, mobile device 420 can determine the location of vehicle Wi-Fi device 302 based on Wi-Fi signal 352, that is, the parking location of the target vehicle.

[0062] As can be seen, this method can efficiently locate a vehicle even when it is parked in an area lacking GPS signals. Therefore, this method effectively extends the positioning distance. In other words, even if the vehicle is parked far from the user and the mobile device cannot directly receive the in-vehicle Wi-Fi signal, the mobile device can still gradually locate the in-vehicle Wi-Fi device by using Wi-Fi signals from other Wi-Fi devices.

[0063] In some implementations, to facilitate intuitive viewing for the user, the mobile device 420 can also display the Wi-Fi signal scanning results on its screen. For example, the mobile device 420 can display information related to the scanned Wi-Fi signal on the screen, such as the Wi-Fi device sending the signal, the location of the Wi-Fi device, and the strength of the Wi-Fi signal. Furthermore, the mobile device 420 can also display the path to the corresponding Wi-Fi device on the screen, thereby guiding the user along the path.

[0064] exist Figure 4A The process of determining the parking location of a target vehicle is described in a relatively simple case. In some cases, the mobile device 420 may simultaneously receive multiple Wi-Fi signals, each of which indicates the distance (e.g., hop count) between the corresponding Wi-Fi device and the vehicle's Wi-Fi device. For ease of description, these multiple Wi-Fi signals may be referred to hereinafter as multiple candidate Wi-Fi signals. In this case, the mobile device 420 can identify the Wi-Fi signal indicating the shortest distance among the multiple candidate Wi-Fi signals. For ease of description, this identified Wi-Fi signal will also be referred to hereinafter as the target Wi-Fi signal. The mobile device 420 can then perform a combination based on the target Wi-Fi signal. Figure 4A The process of description, such as determining the path, etc., allows for the selection of the shortest path for rapid location.

[0065] In some cases, at least two of the multiple candidate Wi-Fi signals may indicate the shortest distance. The mobile device 420 can then further determine the RTT or strength of these at least two candidate Wi-Fi signals. The mobile device 420 can then select the candidate Wi-Fi signal with the shortest RTT or the strongest strength as the target Wi-Fi signal. This further ensures that the selected path is the shortest.

[0066] To facilitate understanding, the following will be combined with... Figure 4B Let's illustrate this situation with an example. Figure 4BAnother example of a scenario for location based on Wi-Fi communication, according to some embodiments, is shown.

[0067] exist Figure 4B In this scenario, we'll use three Wi-Fi devices as an example to illustrate the above situation. For clarity, in... Figure 4B The in-vehicle Wi-Fi device and other associated Wi-Fi devices are not shown. Figure 4B Each Wi-Fi device shown (306, 308, or 310) can be an in-vehicle Wi-Fi device on another vehicle or a fixed Wi-Fi device arranged in space.

[0068] Suppose that mobile device 420 simultaneously receives three candidate Wi-Fi signals 356, 358, and 360. All three candidate Wi-Fi signals 356, 358, and 360 indicate the distance to the vehicle's Wi-Fi device. For example, candidate Wi-Fi signal 356 could indicate the distance between Wi-Fi device 306 and the vehicle's Wi-Fi device, candidate Wi-Fi signal 358 could indicate the distance between Wi-Fi device 308 and the vehicle's Wi-Fi device, and candidate Wi-Fi signal 360 could indicate the distance between Wi-Fi device 310 and the vehicle's Wi-Fi device.

[0069] In this scenario, mobile device 420 can select the candidate Wi-Fi signal indicating the shortest distance from the three candidate Wi-Fi signals 356, 358, and 360 as the target Wi-Fi signal. For example, assuming candidate Wi-Fi signal 356 indicates a hop count of 3 between Wi-Fi device 306 and the vehicle Wi-Fi device, candidate Wi-Fi signal 358 indicates a hop count of 4 between Wi-Fi device 308 and the vehicle Wi-Fi device, and candidate Wi-Fi signal 360 indicates a hop count of 6 between Wi-Fi device 310 and the vehicle Wi-Fi device, then mobile device 420 can select candidate Wi-Fi signal 356 as the target Wi-Fi signal and perform subsequent operations based on Wi-Fi signal 356, such as determining the path to Wi-Fi device 306.

[0070] For example, suppose candidate Wi-Fi signal 356 indicates a hop count of 3 between Wi-Fi device 306 and the vehicle Wi-Fi device, candidate Wi-Fi signal 358 indicates a hop count of 3 between Wi-Fi device 308 and the vehicle Wi-Fi device, and candidate Wi-Fi signal 360 indicates a hop count of 6 between Wi-Fi device 310 and the vehicle Wi-Fi device. Since both candidate Wi-Fi signals 356 and 358 indicate the minimum hop count, mobile device 420 can further determine the RTT or strength of candidate Wi-Fi signals 356 and 358. If the RTT of candidate Wi-Fi signal 356 is shorter than that of candidate Wi-Fi signal 358, or if the strength of candidate Wi-Fi signal 356 is higher than that of candidate Wi-Fi signal 358, then mobile device 420 can select Wi-Fi signal 356 as the target Wi-Fi signal and perform subsequent operations based on Wi-Fi signal 356, such as determining the path to Wi-Fi device 306, etc.

[0071] As can be seen from the above, vehicle location is actually a dynamic process. Specifically, the mobile device performs a signal recognition operation, and then guides the user to move based on the result of the signal recognition operation. During the user's movement, the signal recognition operation is repeated to continue guiding the user closer to the in-vehicle Wi-Fi device. This entire process is repeated until the mobile device receives the in-vehicle Wi-Fi signal, which means the user has approached or arrived at the location of the in-vehicle Wi-Fi device (i.e., the vehicle).

[0072] Figure 5 This is a schematic flowchart of a method for location based on Wi-Fi communication according to some embodiments. Figure 5 The method can be executed on mobile devices, for example Figure 1 Mobile devices 120 Figure 4A or Figure 4B Mobile device 420.

[0073] At step 520, the mobile device may perform a signal recognition operation in order to guide the user of the mobile device to move based on the result of the signal recognition operation.

[0074] In step 540, while the user is moving, the mobile device may repeatedly perform the signal recognition operation to continue guiding the user's movement based on the result of the signal recognition operation until it receives the in-vehicle Wi-Fi signal from the in-vehicle Wi-Fi device of the target vehicle.

[0075] The signal identification operation may include: identifying a target Wi-Fi signal, wherein the target Wi-Fi signal may indicate the distance between the target Wi-Fi device sending the target Wi-Fi signal and the vehicle-mounted Wi-Fi device.

[0076] Compared to a target Wi-Fi signal identified through a signal identification operation performed earlier, a target Wi-Fi signal identified through a signal identification operation performed later can indicate a closer distance, allowing the user to get closer and closer to the in-vehicle Wi-Fi device (i.e., the target vehicle).

[0077] At step 560, the mobile device can determine the location of the in-vehicle Wi-Fi device as the parking location of the target vehicle based on the in-vehicle Wi-Fi signal.

[0078] In some embodiments, the target Wi-Fi signal may include at least the identifier of the target Wi-Fi device, the identifier of the vehicle Wi-Fi device, and the hop count between the target Wi-Fi device and the vehicle Wi-Fi device.

[0079] In some embodiments, the target Wi-Fi signal can be received by the mobile device without needing to establish a Wi-Fi connection with the target Wi-Fi device.

[0080] In some embodiments, the target Wi-Fi signal may be a periodic Wi-Fi signal. For example, the target Wi-Fi signal may be a Wi-Fi beacon frame.

[0081] In some embodiments, the vehicle Wi-Fi signal can be received by other Wi-Fi devices without needing to establish a Wi-Fi connection with the vehicle Wi-Fi device.

[0082] In some embodiments, the in-vehicle Wi-Fi signal can be a periodic Wi-Fi signal. For example, the in-vehicle Wi-Fi signal can be a Wi-Fi beacon frame.

[0083] In some embodiments, the target Wi-Fi device may be an in-vehicle Wi-Fi device installed in a vehicle other than the target vehicle, or a fixed Wi-Fi device installed in the environment where the target vehicle is parked.

[0084] In some embodiments, if a mobile device receives multiple candidate Wi-Fi signals simultaneously, wherein each candidate Wi-Fi signal is used to indicate the distance between the candidate Wi-Fi device that sent the candidate Wi-Fi signal and the vehicle Wi-Fi device, then the mobile device can select the candidate Wi-Fi signal indicating the shortest distance from the multiple candidate Wi-Fi signals as the target Wi-Fi signal.

[0085] In some embodiments, if at least two candidate Wi-Fi signals indicate the shortest distance, the mobile device can further determine the RTT or strength of the at least two candidate Wi-Fi signals. The mobile device can select the candidate Wi-Fi signal with the shortest RTT or the strongest strength from the at least two candidate Wi-Fi signals as the target Wi-Fi signal.

[0086] In some embodiments, the mobile device may determine a path to the target Wi-Fi device based on the target Wi-Fi signal, so as to guide the user to move along the path toward the target Wi-Fi device.

[0087] In some embodiments, as a user moves along a path toward a target Wi-Fi device, the mobile device can monitor changes in the target Wi-Fi signal. If the change in the target Wi-Fi signal indicates that the user is moving closer to the target Wi-Fi device, the mobile device can maintain the current path. If the change in the target Wi-Fi signal indicates that the user is moving further away from the target Wi-Fi device, the mobile device can adjust the path to guide the user along the adjusted path toward the target Wi-Fi device.

[0088] In some embodiments, the mobile device can monitor changes in the RTT or strength of the target Wi-Fi signal.

[0089] Figure 6 This is a schematic flowchart of a method for Wi-Fi communication according to some embodiments. Figure 6 This method can be executed on Wi-Fi devices, such as the various Wi-Fi devices mentioned above, for example... Figure 1 Wi-Fi device 110 Figure 3 and Figure 4A Wi-Fi devices 302, 304, 306, or Figure 4B Wi-Fi devices 308 and 310. In Figure 6 In the description, for ease of description, the execution will be... Figure 6 The Wi-Fi device using this method is called the first Wi-Fi device.

[0090] At step 620, the first Wi-Fi device can receive the neighbor's Wi-Fi signal. The neighbor's Wi-Fi signal can at least indicate that the neighbor's Wi-Fi signal comes from the neighbor's Wi-Fi device.

[0091] At step 640, the first Wi-Fi device may generate a first Wi-Fi signal based on the neighbor's Wi-Fi signal. The first Wi-Fi signal may at least indicate that the first Wi-Fi signal originates from the first Wi-Fi device and the distance between the first Wi-Fi device and the neighbor's Wi-Fi device.

[0092] At step 660, the first Wi-Fi device may send a first Wi-Fi signal.

[0093] In some embodiments, the neighbor's Wi-Fi signal can also indicate the distance between the neighbor's Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device. In this case, the first Wi-Fi device can determine the distance between itself and the second Wi-Fi device based on the distance between the neighbor's Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device. The first Wi-Fi device can generate a first Wi-Fi signal, wherein the first Wi-Fi signal can also indicate the distance between itself and the second Wi-Fi device.

[0094] In some embodiments, the neighbor's Wi-Fi signal may include the identifier of the neighbor's Wi-Fi device, the identifier of the second Wi-Fi device, and the hop count between the neighbor's Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device. Then, the first Wi-Fi device can increment the hop count between the neighbor's Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device by 1 to obtain the hop count between the first Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device, which can be used as the distance between the first Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device. In this case, the first Wi-Fi signal may include the identifier of the first Wi-Fi device, the identifier of the neighbor's Wi-Fi device, the identifier of the second Wi-Fi device, the hop count between the first Wi-Fi device and the neighbor's Wi-Fi device, and the hop count between the first Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device. The hop count between the first Wi-Fi device and the neighbor's Wi-Fi device can be 1.

[0095] In some embodiments, simultaneously with the neighboring Wi-Fi signal, the first Wi-Fi device may also receive at least one other neighboring Wi-Fi signal from at least one other neighboring Wi-Fi device, and each other neighboring Wi-Fi signal indicates the distance between the corresponding other neighboring Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device; that is, each other neighboring Wi-Fi signal indicates the distance for the same Wi-Fi device. In this case, the first Wi-Fi device can determine the minimum distance among: the distance between the neighboring Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device, and the distance between the at least one other neighboring Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device. The first Wi-Fi device can determine the distance between itself and the second Wi-Fi device based on the minimum distance.

[0096] In some embodiments, a neighbor Wi-Fi signal may include an identifier of a neighbor Wi-Fi device, an identifier of a second Wi-Fi device, and the number of hops between the neighbor Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device. Each other neighbor Wi-Fi signal may include an identifier of a corresponding other neighbor Wi-Fi device, an identifier of a second Wi-Fi device, and the number of hops between that corresponding other neighbor Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device.

[0097] The first Wi-Fi device can determine the minimum hop count among the following: the hop count between a neighboring Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device, and the hop count between at least one other neighboring Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device. The first Wi-Fi device can increment the determined minimum hop count by 1 to obtain the hop count between the first Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device.

[0098] In this scenario, the first Wi-Fi signal may include: an identifier for a first Wi-Fi device, an identifier for the neighboring Wi-Fi device, an identifier for a second Wi-Fi device, an identifier for the at least one other neighboring Wi-Fi device, and the hop count between the first Wi-Fi device and each of the neighboring Wi-Fi device, the second Wi-Fi device, and the at least one other neighboring Wi-Fi device. The hop count between the first Wi-Fi device and each of the neighboring Wi-Fi device and the at least one other neighboring Wi-Fi device is 1.

[0099] In some embodiments, the first Wi-Fi device may be an in-vehicle Wi-Fi device or a fixed Wi-Fi device.

[0100] In some embodiments, the first Wi-Fi signal and the neighbor's Wi-Fi signal can be received without establishing a Wi-Fi connection.

[0101] In some embodiments, both the first Wi-Fi signal and the neighbor's Wi-Fi signal can be periodic Wi-Fi signals.

[0102] In some embodiments, both the first Wi-Fi signal and the neighboring Wi-Fi signal can be Wi-Fi beacon frames.

[0103] Figure 7 This is a schematic block diagram of an apparatus for location based on Wi-Fi communication, according to some embodiments. The apparatus 700 may be a mobile device or be disposed on a mobile device.

[0104] like Figure 7As shown, device 700 may include processor 702, memory 704, input interface 706, and output interface 708, and these modules can be coupled together via bus 710. However, it should be understood that... Figure 7 This is merely an example and is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. For example, in different application scenarios, device 700 may include more or fewer modules, which is not limited herein.

[0105] The memory 704 can be used to store various information related to the function or operation of the device 700 (such as the distance indicated by the target Wi-Fi signal), executable instructions, or code. For example, the memory 704 may include, but is not limited to, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), registers, hard disks, etc.

[0106] Processor 702 can be used to perform or implement various functions or operations of device 700. For example, processor 702 can execute executable instructions or code stored in memory 704 to implement the various processes described above with respect to mobile devices. Processor 702 may include various suitable processors, such as general-purpose processors (e.g., central processing unit (CPU)) and special-purpose processors (e.g., digital signal processors, application-specific integrated circuits, etc.).

[0107] The input interface 706 can receive various forms of signals, such as the target Wi-Fi signal mentioned above. In some implementations, the input interface 706 can perform corresponding communication based on various applicable communication standards (e.g., Wi-Fi communication standards).

[0108] Output interface 708 can output various forms of signals. For example, output interface 708 can output the location and path of the vehicle Wi-Fi device.

[0109] Figure 8 This is a schematic block diagram of an apparatus for Wi-Fi communication according to some embodiments. Apparatus 800 may be a Wi-Fi device, or may be located at a Wi-Fi device.

[0110] like Figure 8 As shown, device 800 may include processor 802, memory 804, input interface 806, and output interface 808, and these modules can be coupled together via bus 810. However, it should be understood that... Figure 8This is merely an example and is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. For example, in different application scenarios, device 800 may include more or fewer modules, which is not limited herein.

[0111] The memory 804 can be used to store various information related to the function or operation of the device 800 (such as the distance indicated by the neighbor's Wi-Fi signal), executable instructions, or code. For example, the memory 804 can include, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, flash memory, PROM, EPROM, registers, hard disks, etc.

[0112] Processor 802 can be used to perform or implement various functions or operations of device 800. For example, processor 802 can execute executable instructions or code stored in memory 804 to implement the various processes described above regarding the Wi-Fi device. Processor 802 may include various suitable processors, such as general-purpose processors (e.g., CPUs), special-purpose processors (e.g., digital signal processors, application-specific integrated circuits, etc.).

[0113] The input interface 806 can receive various forms of signals, such as the aforementioned neighbor's Wi-Fi signal. In some implementations, the input interface 806 can communicate based on various applicable communication standards (e.g., Wi-Fi communication standards).

[0114] Output interface 808 can output various forms of signals. For example, output interface 708 can output Wi-Fi signals, etc.

[0115] Figure 9 This is a schematic block diagram of an apparatus for location based on Wi-Fi communication, according to some embodiments. The apparatus 900 may be a mobile device or be disposed on a mobile device.

[0116] like Figure 9 As shown, the device 900 may include a signal recognition unit 920 and a position determination unit 940.

[0117] The signal recognition unit 920 can perform a signal recognition operation to guide the user of the mobile device to move based on the result of the signal recognition operation. During the user's movement, the signal recognition unit 920 can repeatedly perform the signal recognition operation to continue guiding the user's movement based on the result of the signal recognition operation until a vehicle-mounted Wi-Fi signal from a target vehicle's Wi-Fi device is received. The signal recognition operation may include: identifying a target Wi-Fi signal, wherein the target Wi-Fi signal indicates the distance between the target Wi-Fi device sending the target Wi-Fi signal and the vehicle-mounted Wi-Fi device. The distance indicated by a target Wi-Fi signal identified through a subsequent signal recognition operation can be closer than that indicated by a target Wi-Fi signal identified through a previously performed signal recognition operation.

[0118] The location determination unit 940 can determine the location of the vehicle Wi-Fi device as the parking location of the target vehicle based on the vehicle Wi-Fi signal.

[0119] Each unit of device 900 can execute the specific processes described above regarding the mobile device; therefore, for the sake of brevity, the specific operations and functions of each unit of device 900 will not be repeated here. In some implementations, the signal identification unit 920 and the position determination unit 940 can be... Figure 7 It is implemented using the 702 processor.

[0120] Figure 10 This is a schematic block diagram of an apparatus for Wi-Fi communication according to some embodiments. Apparatus 1000 may be a Wi-Fi device or be disposed at a Wi-Fi device.

[0121] like Figure 10 As shown, the device 1000 may include a receiving unit 1020, a generating unit 1040, and a transmitting unit 1060.

[0122] The receiving unit 1020 can receive neighbor Wi-Fi signals. The neighbor Wi-Fi signal at least indicates that the neighbor Wi-Fi signal comes from a neighbor Wi-Fi device.

[0123] The generating unit 1040 can generate a first Wi-Fi signal based on neighboring Wi-Fi signals. The first Wi-Fi signal can at least indicate that the first Wi-Fi signal originates from a first Wi-Fi device and the distance between the first Wi-Fi device and neighboring Wi-Fi devices. The transmitting unit 1060 can transmit the first Wi-Fi signal.

[0124] Each unit of device 1000 can execute the specific processes described above regarding Wi-Fi devices. Therefore, for the sake of brevity, the specific operations and functions of each unit of device 1000 will not be repeated here. In some implementations, the receiving unit 1020, generating unit 1040, and transmitting unit 1060 can be... Figure 8 It is implemented using the 802 processor.

[0125] Embodiments of this disclosure also provide a computer-readable storage medium. The computer-readable storage medium may store executable instructions that, when executed, perform the specific processes described above with respect to a mobile device or Wi-Fi device. For example, the computer-readable storage medium may include, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), static random access memory (SRAM), hard disk, flash memory, etc.

[0126] Embodiments of this disclosure also provide a computer program product. The computer program product may include a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the specific processes described above regarding a mobile device or Wi-Fi device.

[0127] The foregoing has described specific embodiments of this disclosure. Other embodiments are within the scope of the appended claims. In some cases, the actions or steps recited in the claims may be performed in a different order than that shown in the embodiments and may still achieve the desired result. Furthermore, the processes depicted in the drawings do not necessarily require the specific or sequential order shown to achieve the desired result. In some embodiments, multitasking and parallel processing are also possible or may be advantageous.

[0128] Not all steps and units in the above process and system structure diagrams are necessary; some steps or units can be omitted according to actual needs. The device structure described in the above embodiments can be a physical structure or a logical structure. That is, some units may be implemented by the same physical entity, some units may be implemented by multiple physical entities, or they may be jointly implemented by certain components in multiple independent devices.

[0129] The optional embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the specific details in the above embodiments. Within the scope of the technical concept of the embodiments of the present disclosure, various modifications can be made to the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure, and these modifications all fall within the protection scope of the embodiments of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A method for positioning based on Wi-Fi communication, the method being performed on a mobile device, the method comprising: Perform a signal recognition operation so as to guide the user of the mobile device to move based on the result of the signal recognition operation; During the user's movement, the signal recognition operation is repeated to continue guiding the user's movement based on the result of the signal recognition operation, until an in-vehicle Wi-Fi signal is received from the target vehicle's in-vehicle Wi-Fi device, wherein: The signal identification operation includes: identifying a target Wi-Fi signal, wherein the target Wi-Fi signal is at least used to indicate the distance between the target Wi-Fi device that sends the target Wi-Fi signal and the vehicle-mounted Wi-Fi device; Compared to a target Wi-Fi signal identified through a signal identification operation performed earlier, a target Wi-Fi signal identified through a signal identification operation performed later indicates a closer distance; Based on the vehicle-mounted Wi-Fi signal, the location of the vehicle-mounted Wi-Fi device is determined as the parking location of the target vehicle.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The target Wi-Fi signal includes at least the identifier of the target Wi-Fi device, the identifier of the vehicle Wi-Fi device, and the hop count between the target Wi-Fi device and the vehicle Wi-Fi device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein, Identify the target Wi-Fi signal, including: If multiple candidate Wi-Fi signals are received simultaneously, where each candidate Wi-Fi signal indicates the distance between the candidate Wi-Fi device sending the signal and the vehicle-mounted Wi-Fi device, then: The candidate Wi-Fi signal indicating the shortest distance is selected from the plurality of candidate Wi-Fi signals as the target Wi-Fi signal.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein, Selecting the candidate Wi-Fi signal indicating the shortest distance from the plurality of candidate Wi-Fi signals as the target Wi-Fi signal includes: If at least two candidate Wi-Fi signals indicate the shortest distance, then the round-trip time or strength of the at least two candidate Wi-Fi signals is further determined; The candidate Wi-Fi signal with the shortest round-trip time or the strongest intensity is selected from the at least two candidate Wi-Fi signals as the target Wi-Fi signal.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, Guiding the user of the mobile device to move based on the result of the signal recognition operation includes: Based on the target Wi-Fi signal, a path to the target Wi-Fi device is determined so as to guide the user to move along the path toward the target Wi-Fi device.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising: As the user moves along the path toward the target Wi-Fi device, changes in the target Wi-Fi signal are monitored. If the change in the target Wi-Fi signal indicates that the user has moved closer to the target Wi-Fi device, then the path remains unchanged; If a change in the target Wi-Fi signal indicates that the user has moved further away from the target Wi-Fi device, the path is adjusted to guide the user to move toward the target Wi-Fi device along the adjusted path.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein, Monitoring changes in the target Wi-Fi signal includes: Monitor changes in the round-trip time or strength of the target Wi-Fi signal.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The target Wi-Fi signal and the vehicle-mounted Wi-Fi signal can be received without establishing a Wi-Fi connection.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein, The target Wi-Fi signal and the vehicle-mounted Wi-Fi signal are periodic Wi-Fi signals.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein, The target Wi-Fi signal and the vehicle-mounted Wi-Fi signal are Wi-Fi beacon frames.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The target Wi-Fi device is either an in-vehicle Wi-Fi device installed in a vehicle other than the target vehicle, or a fixed Wi-Fi device installed in the environment where the target vehicle is parked.

12. A method for Wi-Fi communication, the method being performed at a first Wi-Fi device, the method comprising: Receive a neighbor's Wi-Fi signal, wherein the neighbor's Wi-Fi signal is at least used to indicate that the neighbor's Wi-Fi signal originates from a neighbor's Wi-Fi device; Based on the neighbor's Wi-Fi signal, a first Wi-Fi signal is generated, wherein the first Wi-Fi signal is at least used to indicate that the first Wi-Fi signal originates from the first Wi-Fi device and the distance between the first Wi-Fi device and the neighbor's Wi-Fi device; Send the first Wi-Fi signal.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein, The neighbor's Wi-Fi signal is also used to indicate the distance between the neighbor's Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device; Generating the first Wi-Fi signal includes: The distance between the first Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device is determined based on the distance between the neighboring Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device; The first Wi-Fi signal is generated, wherein the first Wi-Fi signal is further used to indicate the distance between the first Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein, The neighbor Wi-Fi signal includes the identifier of the neighbor Wi-Fi device, the identifier of the second Wi-Fi device, and the hop count between the neighbor Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device; Determining the distance between the first Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device includes: Increment the hop count between the neighboring Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device by 1 to obtain the hop count between the first Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device. The first Wi-Fi signal includes: the identifier of the first Wi-Fi device, the identifier of the neighboring Wi-Fi device, the identifier of the second Wi-Fi device, and the hop count between the first Wi-Fi device and the neighboring Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device, respectively, wherein the hop count between the Wi-Fi device and the neighboring Wi-Fi device is 1.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein, Determining the distance between the first Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device includes: If, simultaneously with the aforementioned neighbor Wi-Fi signal, at least one other neighbor Wi-Fi signal is received from at least one other neighbor Wi-Fi device, wherein each other neighbor Wi-Fi signal is used to indicate the distance between the corresponding other neighbor Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device, then: Determine the minimum distance among the following: the distance between the neighboring Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device, and the distance between the at least one other neighboring Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device; Based on the minimum distance, the distance between the first Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device is determined.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein, The neighbor Wi-Fi signal includes the identifier of the neighbor Wi-Fi device, the identifier of the second Wi-Fi device, and the hop count between the neighbor Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device. Each other neighbor Wi-Fi signal includes the identifier of the corresponding other neighbor Wi-Fi device, the identifier of the second Wi-Fi device, and the number of hops between the corresponding other neighbor Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device; Determining the minimum distance includes: Determine the minimum hop count among the following: the hop count between the neighboring Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device, and the hop count between the at least one other neighboring Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device; Determining the distance between the first Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device includes: Incrementing the minimum hop count by 1 yields the hop count between the first Wi-Fi device and the second Wi-Fi device. The first Wi-Fi signal includes: the identifier of the first Wi-Fi device, the identifier of the neighboring Wi-Fi device, the identifier of the second Wi-Fi device, the identifier of the at least one other neighboring Wi-Fi device, and the hop count between the first Wi-Fi device and the neighboring Wi-Fi device, the second Wi-Fi device, and the at least one other neighboring Wi-Fi device, wherein the hop count between the first Wi-Fi device and the neighboring Wi-Fi device and the at least one other neighboring Wi-Fi device is 1.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein, The first Wi-Fi device is either an in-vehicle Wi-Fi device or a fixed Wi-Fi device.

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein, The first Wi-Fi signal and the neighbor's Wi-Fi signal can be received without establishing a Wi-Fi connection.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein, Both the first Wi-Fi signal and the neighbor's Wi-Fi signal are periodic Wi-Fi signals.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein, Both the first Wi-Fi signal and the neighbor's Wi-Fi signal are Wi-Fi beacon frames.

21. An apparatus for positioning based on Wi-Fi communication, comprising: At least one processor; A memory that communicates with the at least one processor, having stored executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

22. An apparatus for Wi-Fi communication, comprising: At least one processor; A memory that communicates with the at least one processor, having stored executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the method according to any one of claims 12 to 20.

23. A computer-readable storage medium storing executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement the method according to any one of claims 1 to 20.

24. A computer program product comprising a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the method according to any one of claims 1 to 20.

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