International Business Machines Corporation

William R Smart

Edward G Jellard

Gavin Peter Willingham

Timothy J Fletcher

Anton Stefanek

Ahamed S Anver

The present invention provides for reducing power consumption of a positioning system having wireless beacons. A wireless transmitter static beacon is provided, which has a known position, signal strength, and range. A mobile device is positioned within the range of the static beacon and its position is determined based on a signal from the static beacon. Foreign wireless transmitter devices and their locations are detected. The immobility of the foreign devices is evaluated by periodically determining their positions and calculating the frequency with which their positions change, and by determining the devices' types. A subset of the foreign devices that are immobile are selected and amalgamated into the positioning system based on device type and position-changing frequency. The signal strength of the static beacon is reduced, which in turn reduces the range of the static beacon. The mobile device is no longer positioned in the static beacon's range, but it is positioned within the range of the new subset of foreign devices. The mobile device's position is determined with increased accuracy based on a signal from the subset of new foreign devices.

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Limpsfield, United Kingdom

William R Smart