Charging Case Antenna Positioning for Precise Indoor Location
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing positioning techniques for wireless Bluetooth earphones are limited by their reliance on GPS coordinates, which restricts their precision and functionality to outdoor environments, making it difficult to accurately locate charging cases indoors.
Innovation Solution
A charging device paired with an electronic device, equipped with multiple antennas and a processor, receives a radio frequency signal from the device to determine the arrival angle and distance, enabling precise positioning within an indoor environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS coordinates are used for positioning, then the positioning system can work in outdoor environments, but the positioning precision is limited to only a couple of meters and cannot work indoors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces WiFi signals as an intermediary medium for positioning. Instead of directly using GPS satellites which don't work indoors, the system uses WiFi access points as intermediate reference points that can be detected both indoors and outdoors, enabling continuous positioning across different environments with higher precision through signal strength measurement and triangulation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the GPS satellite-based electromagnetic positioning system with a WiFi-based electromagnetic positioning system. This substitution allows the system to achieve higher precision indoor positioning by using locally available WiFi infrastructure instead of relying on satellite signals that penetrate poorly through building structures
2Measurement precision
If multiple antennas are added to the charging device, then the positioning precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the positioning function into separate modular components: multiple antennas for signal reception, a processor for calculating arrival angles and distances, and communication modules for data exchange. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high precision positioning while maintaining ease of manufacture and repair by making each component independent and replaceable
Solution Approach 2:
The multiple antennas in the charging device serve dual purposes: they are used for both wireless communication (data transmission between charging case and electronic device) and positioning (receiving WiFi signals for triangulation). This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated positioning hardware, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while still achieving high precision positioning
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method provides high-precision indoor positioning of charging cases, enhancing user experience by allowing successful location of the charging device relative to the electronic device, surpassing the limitations of GPS-based systems.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the antennas is controlled to receive a first radio frequency signal broadcast by the electronic device, and an arrival angle of the first radio frequency signal and a distance between the electronic device and the charging device are determined based on the first radio frequency signal received by each of the antennas
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure provides a charging device and a method for positioning an electronic device. The method includes: in response to determining that a positioning request signal from an electronic device is received, enabling multiple antennas; controlling each antenna to receive a first radio frequency signal broadcast by the electronic device, and determining an arrival angle of the first radio frequency signal and a distance between the electronic device and the charging device based on the first radio frequency signal received by each antenna; and determining a relative position between the charging device and the electronic device based on the arrival angle and distance.