Implicit Feedback for Indoor Positioning Accuracy

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing indoor positioning systems face challenges in obtaining reliable location feedback, especially when actual location data is not available, as they often require explicit user input or known landmarks, limiting their ability to improve location estimation accuracy.

Innovation Solution

An application server with a feedback module that infers the quality of location estimates based on user interaction with location-based services, allowing implicit feedback from observing user behavior, such as repeated attempts to control functionality or anomalous movements, to be sent to the positioning algorithm, enabling dynamic adaptation of the positioning model without requiring explicit location data.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If explicit user input or known landmarks are required for location feedback, then the positioning system can obtain reliable location data, but the system complexity and user burden increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocation feedback reliabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically infers location feedback quality from user interaction patterns without requiring explicit user input. The feedback module analyzes behavioral data such as repeated attempts to control functionality or anomalous movements to determine location accuracy, allowing the system to self-evaluate and improve positioning without user burden

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a feedback module that continuously monitors user interactions with location-based services and sends inferred quality information back to the positioning algorithm. This creates a closed-loop system where location estimation is continuously refined based on implicit behavioral feedback, improving reliability without adding system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If explicit user input is required for location feedback, then accurate location data can be obtained, but the ease of operation decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocation estimation accuracyVSAvoiduser operation ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically infers location feedback quality from user interaction patterns without requiring explicit user input. The feedback module analyzes behavioral data such as repeated attempts to control functionality or anomalous movements to determine location accuracy, allowing the system to self-evaluate and improve positioning without user burden

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a feedback module that continuously monitors user interactions with location-based services and sends inferred quality information back to the positioning algorithm. This creates a closed-loop system where location estimation is continuously refined based on implicit behavioral feedback, improving reliability without adding system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Adaptability or versatility

If the positioning model is static, then the system is simpler to implement, but the adaptability to improve location accuracy decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning model adaptabilityVSAvoidmodel complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms the static positioning model into a dynamic one by implementing continuous learning through feedback. The positioning model adapts over time by incorporating inferred quality information from user interactions, allowing it to evolve and improve accuracy without requiring complex manual reconfiguration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a feedback module that continuously monitors user interactions with location-based services and sends inferred quality information back to the positioning algorithm. This creates a closed-loop system where location estimation is continuously refined based on implicit behavioral feedback, improving reliability without adding system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3092830B2Feedback in a positioning system
Publication Date: 2020.02.19 SIGNIFY HOLDING BV
  • EP3092830B2 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3092830B2 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3092830B2 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The disclosure relates to an application server which provides a user of a mobile device with a location based service controlling functionality of an environment external to the mobile device, where the control of the functionality is conditional on an estimated location of the mobile device as estimated by a positioning algorithm. A feedback module is configured to infer a quality of the estimation from the behavior of the user, based on a manner in which the user interacts or attempts to interact with the functionality of the location based service. The feedback module then sends feedback of the inferred quality to the positioning algorithm.