Indoor Mobile Station Positioning via Terrestrial Signal Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing GPS and satellite positioning systems are ineffective in indoor environments due to unreliable satellite signal reception, necessitating alternative methods for mobile stations to determine their location and navigate within buildings.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for a mobile station to receive preliminary positioning assistance data, using signal characteristic measurements to determine its location within indoor regions, and obtain positioning assistance data including encoded metadata and access point locators to provide navigation and location-based services.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If satellite positioning systems are used for outdoor navigation, then position location capabilities are provided, but the system becomes ineffective in indoor environments due to unreliable satellite signal reception
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning system is segmented into two distinct modes: outdoor satellite-based positioning and indoor terrestrial-based positioning. The system separates the positioning functions by environment type, using GPS for outdoor and Wi-Fi/terrestrial transmitters for indoor, thereby ensuring reliability in each specific environment while achieving overall environmental versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
Terrestrial transmitters (Wi-Fi access points, beacons, cell towers) serve as intermediary elements that enable positioning in indoor environments where satellite signals cannot penetrate. These intermediaries relay positioning information from the outdoor satellite system to indoor receivers, bridging the gap between outdoor GPS capability and indoor positioning needs.
2Ease of operation
If comprehensive mapped features and digital electronic maps are provided to mobile stations, then user context and navigation capability are enhanced, but data transmission and storage requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides mapped features and electronic maps selectively based on local needs. Rather than distributing complete global map data to all mobile stations, the server delivers only the specific map features and points of interest relevant to the user's current location and navigation requirements, reducing data volume while maintaining navigation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The server pre-processes and stores comprehensive map data, encoded metadata, and feature information in a centralized database. This preliminary action allows the mobile station to receive only the necessary subsets of data for current navigation tasks, rather than storing and processing all possible map information locally.
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
Enables accurate determination of indoor location and navigation within buildings by leveraging terrestrial signal measurements and data processing, enhancing user context and reducing data transmission and storage needs.
Implementation Method 1
measuring ranges to three or more terrestrial transmitters by obtaining range measurements to the transmitters by measuring one or more characteristics of signals received from such transmitters such as, for example, signal strength, a round trip delay time
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatuses are provided which may be implemented in various devices for to determine or assist in determining that a mobile station is at one or more particular indoor regions and to provide positioning assistance data and/or the like to the mobile station with regard to at least the one or more particular indoor regions.