Automatic Access Point Deployment for Indoor Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for positioning and monitoring devices within indoor environments using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth access points are inefficient due to imprecise signal coverage and high costs associated with deploying a large number of access points.
Innovation Solution
An automatic access point deployment method and device that optimizes the placement of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth access points within an indoor environment by building a coordinate map, calculating fitness values for deployment plans, and adjusting positions to achieve maximum signal coverage and accuracy, even with a limited number of access points.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If Wi-Fi access points are randomly deployed within the indoor environment, then the deployment process is simple, but the positioning accuracy and monitoring performance are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by building a coordinate map of the indoor environment and pre-calculating optimal deployment positions for access points before actual deployment. This allows the system to determine the best locations in advance, ensuring both deployment simplicity and positioning accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual trial-and-error deployment methods with an automated computational system that uses coordinate mapping and algorithmic optimization to determine access point positions, substituting mechanical deployment processes with intelligent software-based solutions.
2Measurement precision
If a large number of Bluetooth access points are deployed to improve positioning accuracy, then the positioning precision improves, but the deployment cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the parameter of access point types by combining Wi-Fi access points (which provide broad coverage) with a limited number of Bluetooth access points (which provide precise positioning). This parameter change allows the system to achieve high positioning accuracy without deploying a large number of expensive Bluetooth access points throughout the environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a hybrid dimensional approach by combining the coverage dimension of Wi-Fi with the precision dimension of Bluetooth, creating a multi-layered positioning system that leverages the strengths of both technologies to reduce the total number of access points required.
3Reliability
If the signal strength and coverage are increased to improve monitoring performance, then the monitoring capability improves, but the number of access points required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by deploying access points with optimized signal characteristics at specific locations determined by the coordinate map. Rather than uniformly increasing signal strength across all access points, the system tailors the signal properties and positions to local environmental requirements, achieving reliable monitoring with fewer devices.
Data Source
AI summary
An automatic access point (AP) deployment method executed within an indoor environment by an automatic AP deployment device includes: building a coordinate map of the indoor environment; setting a request information, while the wireless APs at least include one Wi-Fi AP and one Bluetooth AP respectively corresponding to Wi-Fi AP deployment plans and Bluetooth AP deployment plans; calculating a fitness value for each of the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth AP deployment plans; calculating an overall fitness value, and determining whether the overall fitness value is satisfied with a convergence condition; exchanging the deployment position values of at least two Wi-Fi AP deployment plans and at least two Bluetooth AP deployment plans; and changing at least one deployment position value of at least one Wi-Fi AP deployment plan and at least one Bluetooth AP deployment plan and again calculating the fitness value for each Wi-Fi and Bluetooth AP deployment plans.