Wireless Fingerprinting for Mobile Automation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for automating actions on mobile devices based on location or time of day are limited in their ability to accurately determine and respond to specific environments without requiring direct connection to wireless networks, and lack flexibility in managing interactions with multiple wireless signals.
Innovation Solution
A method that involves a mobile unit scanning for wireless signals, determining identifying information, creating a wireless fingerprint from this data, and matching it to stored fingerprints to initiate specific actions, allowing for location-based automation without direct network connection and enabling interaction with multiple wireless devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If GPS-based geofencing is used to determine location, then location-based actions can be automated, but the system requires direct connection to wireless networks and lacks flexibility in managing multiple wireless signals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses wireless fingerprints as an intermediary to identify locations and environments without requiring direct network connection. The mobile device scans for wireless signals from surrounding devices (WiFi access points, Bluetooth devices, cellular towers) and creates a fingerprint profile that serves as a mediator between the device and the network environment, enabling location-based actions through signal pattern recognition rather than direct connectivity
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables the mobile device to perform multiple functions by scanning and processing various types of wireless signals simultaneously (WiFi, Bluetooth, cellular). The wireless fingerprinting mechanism provides a universal method for environment recognition that works across different wireless technologies and network conditions, making the system adaptable to diverse scenarios without requiring specific network connections
2Reliability
If time-based automation rules are implemented, then call routing can be automated, but the system cannot respond to specific environmental contexts or locations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/time-based automation system with an environmental recognition system using wireless fingerprinting. Instead of relying on predefined time schedules or GPS coordinates, the system uses pattern recognition of wireless signals to automatically identify environments. This substitution enables more reliable environmental determination because wireless signal patterns provide unique fingerprints for different locations and contexts, allowing the system to respond accurately to specific environments rather than relying on less precise time or location data
3Measurement precision
If wireless fingerprinting is implemented to identify environments, then precise location-based automation is enabled, but the system must scan and process multiple wireless signals simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-storing wireless fingerprint profiles for known environments and locations. When the mobile device needs to identify its current environment, it compares the scanned wireless signals against these pre-stored fingerprints. This preliminary preparation of reference data reduces the complexity of real-time processing, as the device only needs to match signals against existing profiles rather than creating and analyzing environments from scratch, thereby maintaining high precision while managing processing complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A method for discovering the presence of hidden neighbor mobile devices in a common environment is disclosed. A given mobile unit is moved into a common environment with the given mobile device having a unique identifier associated therewith. The common environment is scanned within a scan range associated with the given mobile device. The presence of broadcasting devices scanned by the given mobile device is detected and identification information received therefrom. The received identification information is transmitted to a central location in addition to the unique identifier. The given mobile device receives from the central location information about a hidden mobile unit that is not scannable by the given mobile device, but can scan other broadcast devices in the common environment, which information provides an indication that the hidden mobile unit had previously scanned at least one of the broadcast devices scanned by the given mobile device.