Hybrid Wi-Fi and Electromagnetic Fingerprinting for Indoor Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing indoor tracking systems face accuracy issues due to external interference, such as signal overlap and signal strength alterations caused by materials like iron and walls, which affect the reliability of RF-based tracking methods.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid approach combining Wi-Fi fingerprinting and electromagnetic fingerprinting, utilizing a gateway receiver device with both Wi-Fi and electromagnetic capabilities to create a mapping table for a monitored region, which measures and stores fingerprints to determine the location of Wi-Fi transmitter devices within the region, thereby mitigating interference and signal loss issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If RF signals are used for indoor tracking, then tracking functionality is achieved, but tracking accuracy deteriorates due to external interference from iron materials, walls, and signal overlap
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines Wi-Fi fingerprinting and electromagnetic fingerprinting into a hybrid tracking system. The gateway receiver device collects both Wi-Fi signal data and electromagnetic field data, creating a composite fingerprint database that leverages the strengths of both methods to overcome the weaknesses of individual approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a composite tracking approach by integrating two different fingerprinting methodologies. The hybrid fingerprint consists of both Wi-Fi characteristics and electromagnetic field characteristics, providing more robust tracking accuracy that is less susceptible to interference from any single source.
2Measurement precision
If electromagnetic fingerprinting is added to complement Wi-Fi fingerprinting, then tracking accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases due to the need for both Wi-Fi and electromagnetic capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway receiver device is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a Wi-Fi receiver and an electromagnetic field sensor. This single device performs multiple tracking functions using different physical principles, reducing the need for separate specialized devices and simplifying the overall system architecture.
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 hybrid method enhances tracking accuracy by using electromagnetic fields to complement Wi-Fi signals, reducing interference and improving location determination within indoor environments, supporting applications like IoT device control and location-based services.
Implementation Method 1
measure and map a plurality of Wi-Fi fingerprints associated with the monitored region
Implementation Method 2
measure and map a plurality of electromagnetic fingerprints associated with the monitored region
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for indoor tracking via Wi-Fi fingerprinting and electromagnetic fingerprinting are provided and can include a gateway receiver device measuring a RSSI value of a signal transmitted by a Wi-Fi transmitter device, the gateway receiver device measuring an EMF value of an interference in an electromagnetic field created by the gateway receiver device that is caused by the Wi-Fi transmitter device, the gateway receiver device determining whether the RSSI value matches any of a plurality of Wi-Fi fingerprints associated with a monitored region and whether the EMF value matches any of a plurality of electromagnetic fingerprints associated with the monitored region, and responsive thereto, the gateway receiver device identifying that a location of the Wi-Fi transmitter device is within the monitored region.