Dynamic Mobile Beacon Network for Indoor Location Estimation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing indoor location determination methods face challenges in accuracy and coverage, particularly in indoor environments, as they rely on strategically placed stationary beacons, which can have gaps in coverage and require user participation.
Innovation Solution
A dynamic network of location-aware mobile devices detects RF devices and reports their locations and lists of detected RF devices to a backend system, which estimates the location of these devices and determines when they are proximate to a stationary presentation device, allowing for personalized content delivery without user registration or participation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If stationary beacons are used for indoor location determination, then location estimation can be provided, but coverage gaps occur and accuracy is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static beacon system into a dynamic one by using mobile devices as moving beacons. Mobile devices continuously report their locations and detected RF devices, creating a living network that adapts to user movement and provides continuous coverage wherever users are present, eliminating the fixed coverage gaps of stationary beacons.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes mobile devices serve multiple functions: they act as both the user's computing platform and as location beacons for the system. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate stationary beacon infrastructure and allows the system to leverage the ubiquitous presence of mobile devices for comprehensive coverage.
2Loss of information
If stationary beacons require user registration and participation, then location data can be collected, but user engagement is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs location estimation and content delivery automatically in the background without requiring users to actively participate, register, or install applications. Mobile devices autonomously report their locations and detected RF devices, and the system automatically processes this information to deliver personalized content, making the service transparent and effortless for users.
3Measurement precision
If a dynamic network of mobile devices is used, then coverage and accuracy are enhanced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a backend system as an intermediary that handles the complex tasks of receiving location data, estimating RF device locations, and delivering personalized content. This intermediary abstracts the complexity from the mobile devices, allowing them to simply report observations while the backend system performs the computational heavy lifting to maintain accuracy and manage network coordination.
Data Source
AI summary
Personalized content delivery using a dynamic network may include, using a processor, continually receiving, from each of a plurality of mobile devices, a location of the mobile device and a list specifying at least one RF device detected by the mobile device while at the location; and, estimating, using the processor, location information for the RF devices according to the locations and the lists. Using the processor, a determination may be made that a first RF device from the lists is proximate to a stationary presentation device. Responsive to the determining and using the processor, content may be provided to the stationary presentation device. The content may be selected, at least in part, according to the location information of the first RF device.