Adaptive Mobile Device Positioning via Signal Strength Filtering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobile device positioning technologies face challenges in indoor environments due to interference from indoor structures, which limits the effectiveness of signal-based positioning systems like GPS, and require efficient methods to select and utilize a subset of available wireless transceivers for accurate and power-efficient location determination.
Innovation Solution
Implementing adaptive passive scanning and active probing techniques that allow mobile devices to acquire signals from multiple wireless transceivers, identify the strongest signals, and adjust transmission power based on received signal strength measurements to select a subset of transceivers for active probing, thereby reducing power consumption and improving positioning accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If signal-based positioning systems like GPS are used in indoor environments, then positioning capability is provided, but positioning accuracy deteriorates due to interference from indoor structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces wireless transceivers as intermediary devices deployed throughout the indoor environment. These transceivers act as mediators between the mobile device and the positioning system, providing localized reference points that enable accurate positioning without relying on external satellite signals that are blocked by indoor structures. The transceivers create a local positioning infrastructure that overcomes the interference from building materials.
2Measurement precision
If all available wireless transceivers are used for positioning, then positioning accuracy is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile device performs self-service by autonomously evaluating signal strengths from multiple wireless transceivers and selecting only those that meet a predetermined threshold for inclusion in the subset. This self-selection process eliminates the need for external coordination or manual configuration, allowing the device to independently optimize its positioning operations by using only the necessary transceivers while conserving power.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using all available wireless transceivers, the patent employs a partial action approach by selecting only a subset of transceivers whose signal strengths exceed a predetermined threshold. This partial usage of available resources achieves sufficient positioning accuracy while significantly reducing the computational burden and power consumption associated with processing signals from every possible transceiver in the environment.
3Use of energy by moving object
If a subset of wireless transceivers is selected based on signal strength, then power consumption is reduced, but positioning accuracy may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of transceiver selection from using all available transceivers to using only those whose signal strength parameters exceed a predetermined threshold. This parameter-based filtering ensures that only transceivers providing sufficient signal quality are included in the positioning calculation, maintaining accuracy while reducing the number of computations required. The threshold parameter acts as a quality gate that preserves positioning precision even when using a subset of transceivers.
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AI summary
Various methods, apparatuses and/or articles of manufacture are provided which may be implemented to support mobile device positioning through the use of adaptive passive scanning and/or adaptive active probing techniques. For example, a mobile device may acquire signals from wireless transceivers, identify wireless transceivers based, at least in part, on the acquired signal(s), determine a received signal strength measurement for each of the wireless transceivers based, at least in part, on the acquired signal(s), and determine a transmission power of a probe signal to be transmitted to at least one of the wireless transceivers based, at least in part, on at least one of the received signal strength measurements.