Beacon Positioning via Gateway Signal Scanning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing indoor positioning systems are ineffective for low-capability beacon devices due to their limited connectivity, energy, and processing resources, which restricts their ability to actively communicate or derive their position using radio maps.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a gateway device that scans signals from beacon devices, determines their identifiers, and outputs report information including the device's position, allowing for the determination of the beacon devices' positions without requiring active communication or processing power from the beacons.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If beacon devices use active communication methods (radio maps, two-way communication), then positioning accuracy is improved, but device complexity and energy consumption increase beyond what low-capability devices can support
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of having the beacon device actively determine its own position through communication or processing, the system inverts the approach by having other devices scan the beacon's signals and determine the beacon's position based on the scanner's known position and signal characteristics. This allows high-precision positioning to be achieved without requiring the beacon device itself to have complex capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary scanning device that acts as a mediator between the low-capability beacon and the positioning system. The scanner receives signals from the beacon, processes the information, and determines position, thereby enabling accurate positioning without requiring the beacon to have processing power or communication capabilities beyond simple signal broadcasting.
2Reliability
If beacon devices actively communicate or process position data, then positioning functionality is achieved, but energy consumption exceeds the limited power resources of low-capability devices
Solution Approach 1:
The beacon device performs only the minimal function of broadcasting its identifier signal, which consumes minimal energy. The complex tasks of signal processing, position calculation, and data management are performed by the scanning device using its own resources. This self-service approach allows the beacon to maintain positioning functionality while consuming minimal energy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the energy-intensive processing and communication functions from the beacon device and relocates them to the scanning device. The beacon is left with only the essential signal broadcasting function, while the scanner handles all complex operations including signal analysis, position determination, and report generation, thereby dramatically reducing the beacon's energy requirements.
3Ease of manufacture
If beacon devices have limited connectivity and processing resources, then device simplicity and low cost are maintained, but ability to determine position using conventional methods is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system shifts the positioning determination from the beacon device dimension to the scanning device dimension. Instead of the beacon determining its own position through complex processing, the scanner determines the beacon's position by analyzing signals received from the beacon, effectively moving the computational burden to a different dimension of the system where resources are abundant.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is disclosed comprising: scanning for one or more signals sent by one or more beacon devices, wherein each signal of the one or more signals comprises an identifier of the beacon device, which has sent the signal of the one or more signals, wherein one or more identifiers of the one or more beacon devices are determined based on the one or more signals of the one or more beacon devices; obtaining a position information representing the position of the at least one first apparatus; and outputting a report information comprising the determined one or more identifiers of the one or more beacon devices and the position information of the at least one first apparatus to allow usage of the outputted report information to determine the position of at least one of the one or more beacon devices. A corresponding apparatus, computer program and system are also provided.