The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 11, 2014
Filed:
May. 12, 2011
Kimmo Heikki Juhana Kalliola, Helsinki, FI;
Lauri Wirola, Tampere, FI;
Karl Townsend, Los Altos, CA (US);
Kimmo Heikki Juhana Kalliola, Helsinki, FI;
Lauri Wirola, Tampere, FI;
Karl Townsend, Los Altos, CA (US);
Nokia Corporation, Espoo, FI;
Abstract
A system for providing positioning functionality in an apparatus without having to implement dedicated hardware. An apparatus that desires to receive directional information may receive a message from another apparatus (e.g., access point or AP). The AP may operate in various modes that, for example, may provide directional information to other apparatuses as part of a general broadcast (e.g., a wireless local area network, or WLAN, beacon signal) or in response to messages requesting directional information that are received from other apparatuses. After receiving the message from the AP, the apparatus may determine if the message comprises directional information. If the message is determined to comprise directional information, directional information from the received message may be utilized to determine apparatus location. Otherwise, the apparatus may then send a message requesting directional information to the AP, which may prompt the AP to provide directional information.