Indoor Positioning via Wireless Beacon Database and Trilateration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is ineffective for determining the position of devices within buildings due to weak signal propagation, creating a need for precise positioning systems within enclosed spaces.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses wireless beacons to transmit radio signals, with a beacon location database created using Building Information Modeling (BIM) tools to compute the physical location of beacons and client devices, enabling accurate position determination through trilateration based on beacon coordinates and signal strength measurements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If GPS is used for positioning, then positioning can be achieved anywhere on the planet, but GPS signals do not propagate into buildings making indoor positioning impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces wireless beacons as intermediary devices deployed throughout the building interior. These beacons act as mediators between the client device and the positioning system, transmitting reference signals that enable trilateration-based positioning indoors, thus resolving the signal propagation problem while maintaining positioning coverage
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the satellite-based GPS electromagnetic positioning system with a local wireless signal-based positioning system using beacons and trilateration. This substitution enables positioning functionality to work indoors by using locally-generated radio signals instead of satellite signals that cannot penetrate buildings
2Measurement precision
If wireless beacons are deployed for indoor positioning, then indoor positioning accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases due to beacon database construction and maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-construction of the beacon location database using Building Information Modeling (BIM) tools before the actual positioning operation. The database is built in advance with all beacon positions and coordinates, so that during runtime, the system only needs to query pre-computed data, significantly reducing operational complexity while maintaining high positioning accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses BIM technology to create a digital copy or virtual model of the building space that includes all beacon locations and spatial relationships. This virtual model serves as a reference framework that simplifies the positioning computation by providing pre-processed spatial data, reducing the complexity of real-time positioning calculations
Data Source
AI summary
A computer readable storage medium includes executable instructions to associate wireless beacon positions within a building with physical position coordinates. Client device positions within the building are computed based upon the physical position coordinates. The client device positions are aggregated to form a client position database.