Dedicated Wireless Device for Indoor GPS Location Tracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional GPS receivers are limited to outdoor use and require user interaction and wireless Internet connectivity to provide indoor locations, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs in remote GPS location tracking, especially when trying to cover both indoor and outdoor areas simultaneously.

Innovation Solution

A dedicated device that automatically attaches to a packet data wireless modem and a high sensitivity indoor-capable GPS receiver, using control intelligence to access the wireless Internet network, retrieve A-GPS information, and transmit GPS locations in UDP format to a remote server, maintaining continuous connectivity and reducing network traffic.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional GPS receivers are used, then outdoor location tracking is achieved, but indoor location capability is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveindoor-outdoor location capabilityVSAvoidlocation determination reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines a conventional GPS receiver with a dedicated device that includes a wireless data modem and control intelligence. This merged system allows the GPS receiver to function both outdoors (using satellite signals) and indoors (using A-GPS information retrieved through the wireless modem), thereby achieving universal location capability while maintaining reliability in both environments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The dedicated device acts as an intermediary between the GPS receiver and the wireless network. It retrieves A-GPS information from external servers via wireless data transmission and provides this information to the GPS receiver, enabling indoor location determination without requiring the GPS receiver itself to have wireless capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If general-purpose mobile devices are used with A-GPS capability, then indoor and outdoor locations can be obtained, but user interaction and setup complexity are required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveindoor-outdoor location capabilityVSAvoiduser interaction requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The dedicated device performs self-service by automatically retrieving A-GPS information from external servers through wireless data transmission without requiring user initiation or interaction. The control intelligence within the dedicated device autonomously manages the entire process of obtaining and providing A-GPS information to the GPS receiver, eliminating the need for user setup or operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If SMS or paging services are used for GPS location transmission, then remote location tracking is achieved, but time delays and high costs are incurred

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocation tracking capabilityVSAvoiddata transmission delay

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the traditional SMS or paging service mechanism with a dedicated wireless data transmission system. The dedicated device uses a wireless data modem to transmit GPS location information directly to remote servers through data networks, eliminating the delays and costs associated with voice-based or message-based transmission systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Reliability

If TCP/IP with reliability protocols is used for GPS data transmission, then data accuracy is improved, but network traffic and air link usage increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata transmission reliabilityVSAvoidair link traffic consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The dedicated device applies partial action by selectively implementing only the essential reliability features needed for GPS data transmission. It uses TCP/IP protocols with appropriate reliability mechanisms for critical location data while avoiding excessive error recovery and flow control schemes that would unnecessarily consume air link resources, achieving a balance between data reliability and energy efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS7496082B2Dedicated device for automatically accessing wireless internet network and supplying wireless packet data-based indoor-capable GPS locations

Publication Date: 2009.02.24 MEDIATEK INC

AI summary

A dedicated device and method for connecting between a packet-data-capable wireless modem and a high sensitivity indoor-capable Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, and is able to access a commercially available cellular or PCS band wireless Internet network for supplying indoor and outdoor GPS locations to a designated remote Internet server, in an independent, periodic, and automatic manner. Implemented with TCP/IP UDP PPP protocol stacks, the device automatically accesses and retries for always connecting to the wireless Internet network in packet data mode. The device also automatically retrieves the aiding/assisted-GPS (A-GPS) information from either a wireless base station or a specified separate A-GPS server. The device periodically supplies the A-GPS information and receives the indoor-capable GPS locations, to and from the GPS receiver. The indoor-capable GPS locations are packed into Internet User Datagram Protocol (UDP) packet data format and periodically sent to a designated remote server through the wireless Internet network.