Cable Length Detection for Indoor Mobile Device Positioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current systems face challenges in accurately determining the location of mobile communication devices indoors, particularly for emergency positioning, as satellite positioning is unreliable indoors and cell ID positioning may not meet stringent accuracy requirements.

Innovation Solution

The system determines the cable length connecting a radio head to a base station, using cable loss values to improve location accuracy, and forms fingerprints from cable length and radio property values to associate with location information, enabling more precise positioning and reducing inaccuracy compared to cell ID methods.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If cell ID positioning is used to determine MCD location, then the positioning system is simple to implement, but the positioning accuracy does not meet emergency positioning requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidpositioning system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the positioning measurement process into multiple components: cable loss measurement, radio property measurement, and fingerprint matching. Each component contributes to the overall positioning accuracy, allowing the system to achieve high precision without requiring a completely complex new architecture

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary measurements of cable loss and radio properties during normal network operation, storing these as fingerprints before positioning is needed. When positioning is required, the system simply matches the stored fingerprints with current measurements, avoiding complex real-time calculations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If radio heads are installed indoors to improve signal quality, then the MCD receives better signal, but the system complexity increases due to additional infrastructure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal qualityVSAvoidnetwork infrastructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The radio heads automatically perform cable loss measurements and generate their own fingerprints using standard network protocols. The system uses existing network infrastructure and protocols to enable positioning, rather than requiring separate dedicated positioning infrastructure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The radio heads serve dual purposes: providing signal coverage for normal communication operations and enabling positioning through fingerprint measurements. The same infrastructure used for communication also supports positioning, eliminating the need for separate positioning-specific hardware

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3262875B1Positioning system and method for determining the location of a mobile communication device
Publication Date: 2019.06.19 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
  • EP3262875B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3262875B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3262875B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A localization approach based on cable length detection. In one aspect, a method performed by a positioning system for determining the location of a mobile communication device (MCD) is provided. In some embodiments, the method includes the positioning system determining a cable length value representative of the length of the cable connecting a base station to a radio head serving the MCD. The positioning system then determines a location of the MCD based on the determined cable length.