Christopher E Steger

US Patent:

20130217390, Aug 22, 2013

Filed:

Mar 25, 2013

Appl. No.:

13/849758

Inventors:

Christopher STEGER - Boston MA, US

Assignee:

SKYHOOK WIRELESS, INC. - Boston MA

International Classification:

H04W 4/02

US Classification:

4554352

Abstract:

A method of and system for estimating the range of a mobile device to a wireless installation is disclosed. A method of estimating the position of a mobile device includes receiving signals transmitted by fixed-position wireless communication stations in range of a mobile device. One of the wireless communication stations from which signals are received by the mobile device is designated as a serving station and location information is retrieved for said serving station and at least one other neighboring station from which signals are received. For each of the at least one other neighboring stations, a corresponding distance between the serving station and said neighboring station is determined based on the location information. A position of the mobile device is estimated based on the location information for the serving station and said neighboring stations and further based on the distances between the serving station and said neighboring stations.

US Patent:

20130252631, Sep 26, 2013

Filed:

Mar 13, 2013

Appl. No.:

13/801117

Inventors:

Nicolas BRACHET - Chestnut Hill MA, US
Andrei DANCUS - Nashua NH, US
Christopher STEGER - Boston MA, US

Assignee:

SKYHOOK WIRELESS, INC. - Boston MA

International Classification:

H04W 4/02

US Classification:

4554561

Abstract:

Method of and systems for assigning estimated positions and attributes to wireless access points in a positioning system are disclosed. A method of estimating a characteristic of a wireless beacon includes receiving a set of data points. Each data point contains information about characteristics of a wireless beacon. The method also includes dividing at least one dimension into a set of regions in which each region of the set has region boundaries that do not overlap with other regions. The method further includes associating each data point with one corresponding region based on at least one element of the information of the data point lying within the boundaries of the corresponding region and determining an aggregate characteristic for each region based on the information of the data points associated with the corresponding region. The method estimates a characteristic of the wireless beacon based on at least one aggregate characteristic.

US Patent:

20140045525, Feb 13, 2014

Filed:

Oct 11, 2013

Appl. No.:

14/052113

Inventors:

Nicolas BRACHET - Chestnut Hill MA, US
Gerald CAVANAUGH - Providence RI, US
Andrei DANCUS - Nashua NH, US
Russel K. JONES - Medfield MA, US
Christopher STEGER - Boston MA, US

Assignee:

SKYHOOK WIRELESS, INC. - Boston MA

International Classification:

H04W 24/00

US Classification:

4554561

Abstract:

Methods of and systems for measuring beacon stability of wireless access points are provided. A method of determining a measure of likelihood that a designated wireless device exhibits at least one pathological characteristic includes determining a set of reference points associated with a designated wireless device, and retrieving attributes of the reference points, attributes associated with other wireless devices related to the designated wireless device, and/or statistical information. The statistical information includes a temporal distribution of detection of signals of reference points, a spatial distribution of the reference points, and/or a cardinality of the set or a subset of the reference points. The method further includes determining a measure of likelihood that the designated wireless device exhibits at least one pathological characteristic based on attributes of the reference points, attributes associated with the reception of signals, and/or the statistical information.

US Patent:

20230009243, Jan 12, 2023

Filed:

Sep 15, 2022

Appl. No.:

17/932602

Inventors:

- San Diego CA, US
Christopher STEGER - Boston MA, US
Nicolas BRACHET - Newton MA, US
Farshid ALIZADEH-SHABDIZ - Wayland MA, US
Andrew BROADSTONE - Watertown MA, US
Joel MORRIN - North Reading MA, US

International Classification:

G01S 5/02

Abstract:

In one example embodiment, a certified location service enables a mobile device to access a location-based service when a determined location meets a location requirement and an overall confidence score for the determined location exceeds a confidence threshold. A data package is received including identifiers of beacons observed by the mobile device, and a location of the mobile device is determined based on a calculated location of one or more of the beacons. An overall confidence score for the determined location is calculated based on one or more individual confidence scores for the one or more beacons used in determining the location or composite confidence scores for types of the one or more beacons. The determined location and the overall confidence score are provided to one or more provider servers that allow the mobile device to access a location-based service based thereon.

US Patent:

20210132179, May 6, 2021

Filed:

Dec 11, 2020

Appl. No.:

17/119721

Inventors:

- Boston MA, US
Christopher Steger - Boston MA, US
Nicolas Brachet - Newton MA, US
Farshid Alizadeh-Shabdiz - Wayland MA, US
Andrew Broadstone - Watertown MA, US
Joel Morrin - Woburn MA, US

International Classification:

G01S 5/02

Abstract:

In one example embodiment, a certified location service enables a mobile device to access a location-based service when a determined location meets a location requirement and an overall confidence score for the determined location exceeds a confidence threshold. A data package is received including identifiers of beacons observed by the mobile device, and a location of the mobile device is determined based on a calculated location of one or more of the beacons. An overall confidence score for the determined location is calculated based on one or more individual confidence scores for the one or more beacons used in determining the location or composite confidence scores for types of the one or more beacons. The determined location and the overall confidence score are provided to one or more provider servers that allow the mobile device to access a location-based service based thereon.

US Patent:

20180067185, Mar 8, 2018

Filed:

Nov 13, 2017

Appl. No.:

15/810661

Inventors:

- Boston MA, US
Christopher Steger - Boston MA, US
Nicolas Brachet - Newton MA, US
Farshid Alizadeh-Shabdiz - Wayland MA, US
Andrew Broadstone - Watertown MA, US
Joel Morrin - Woburn MA, US

International Classification:

G01S 5/02

Abstract:

In one example embodiment, a certified location service enables a mobile device to access a location-based service when a determined location meets a location requirement and an overall confidence score for the determined location exceeds a confidence threshold. A data package is received including identifiers of beacons observed by the mobile device, and a location of the mobile device is determined based on a calculated location of one or more of the beacons. An overall confidence score for the determined location is calculated based on one or more individual confidence scores for the one or more beacons used in determining the location or composite confidence scores for types of the one or more beacons. The determined location and the overall confidence score are provided to one or more provider servers that allow the mobile device to access a location-based service based thereon.

US Patent:

20150241548, Aug 27, 2015

Filed:

Feb 24, 2015

Appl. No.:

14/629987

Inventors:

- Boston MA, US
Christopher Steger - Boston MA, US
Nicolas Brachet - Newton MA, US
Farshid Alizadeh-Shabdiz - Wayland MA, US
Andrew Broadstone - Watertown MA, US
Joel Morrin - Woburn MA, US

International Classification:

G01S 5/02

Abstract:

In one example embodiment, a Wi-Fi based location determination technique both determines one or more locations of a mobile device, and calculates a confidence score for each determined location. A request is received at a certified location service executing on a server for one or more locations of the mobile device and a data package. The data package may include an indication of a plurality of beacons observed by the mobile device. The certified location service determines one or more locations of the mobile device based on a calculated location of at least some of the plurality of beacons. The certified location service also determines a confidence score for each beacon used in determining each location. An overall confidence score for each determined location may be calculated based on a combination of the confidence scores for each of the beacons used in the determination of the location.

US Patent:

20140256349, Sep 11, 2014

Filed:

Mar 10, 2014

Appl. No.:

14/202072

Inventors:

- Boston MA, US
Nicolas BRACHET - Chestnut Hill MA, US
Gerald CAVANAUGH - Providence RI, US
Andrei DANCUS - Nashua NH, US
Russel K. JONES - Medfield MA, US
Christopher STEGER - Boston MA, US

Assignee:

SKYHOOK WIRELESS, INC. - Boston MA

International Classification:

H04W 64/00

US Classification:

4554561

Abstract:

Systems for and methods of determining likelihood of relocation of reference points in a positioning system are disclosed. A method of determining a measure of likelihood that an estimated geographic location of a designated wireless device is not its accurate present location includes determining a set of reference points associated with the device, which are a geographic position at which signals from the device were detected and/or other devices having a relationship with the designated device. The existence of the relationship is based on the devices being within signal reception range of a same position within a selected period of time. The method includes retrieving attributes of the reference points and/or of the relationships and determining a measure of likelihood that an estimated geographic location associated with the designated device is not its present location based on the attributes of the reference points of the set and/or of the relationships.