Floor Level Detection Using Barometric Pressure and Location Databases
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems that determine the location of wireless mobile communication devices often focus only on horizontal location, leading to uncertainties and ambiguities when the device is in a multi-floor building, as they do not accurately account for vertical location within the building.
Innovation Solution
A floor-reporting computer system that receives device location information from wireless mobile communication devices, using a combination of databases such as building location, atmospheric air pressure, ground elevation, and building floor height databases to determine the specific floor by querying these databases based on the device's horizontal and vertical location information, which can be obtained through GPS, signal triangulation, WiFi geo-location, RF fingerprinting, or RFID feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If only horizontal location is used to determine device position, then the system complexity is reduced, but the location precision becomes insufficient in multi-floor buildings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional horizontal location tracking to three-dimensional positioning by incorporating vertical floor level information. This is achieved by integrating barometric pressure sensors that measure atmospheric pressure variations with altitude, allowing the system to determine which floor of a multi-floor building the device is on, thereby resolving location ambiguities in vertical spaces.
2Measurement precision
If multiple databases and sensing methods are integrated to determine floor location, then the location precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple location determination methods including GPS horizontal positioning, barometric pressure sensing for vertical positioning, WiFi geo-location, RF fingerprinting, and RFID feedback into a unified location determination system. These diverse sensing modalities and databases are merged to comprehensively determine both horizontal and vertical device locations, achieving high precision floor-level location accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The location determination system is designed to perform multiple functions using a single integrated framework. It can determine horizontal location via GPS or triangulation, vertical elevation via barometric pressure, and floor level by combining both. The system universally handles various positioning scenarios (outdoor, indoor, multi-floor) through a multi-functional architecture that selects and integrates appropriate sensing methods based on availability and accuracy requirements.
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
Accurately determines the floor location of wireless mobile communication devices within multi-floor buildings, enhancing the precision of location-based services and emergency response systems by considering both horizontal and vertical positioning.
Implementation Method 1
The device location information which is indicative of the vertical location of the wireless mobile communication device may include atmospheric air pressure information indicative of the atmospheric air pressure at the location of the wireless mobile communication device
Data Source
AI summary
A floor-reporting computer system may determine the specific floor in a building on which a wireless mobile communication device is located. A network interface may receive device location information from a network communication system which originated from the wireless mobile communication device and which is indicative of the horizontal and vertical location of the wireless mobile communication device. A computer processing system may receive the device location information from the network interface and determine floor location information indicative of the specific floor in the building on which the wireless mobile communication device is located based on the device location information. The computer processing system may consult one or more databases when determining the floor location information, such as a building location database, a ground elevation database, a building floor height database, and/or an atmospheric air pressure database.