Indoor Navigation Sensor Fusion with Map Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional GPS systems are inadequate for providing accurate location information indoors, and WIFI-based systems lack the precision needed for effective navigation within facilities.
Innovation Solution
A system that combines interior mapping, absolute location determination, and sensor data to estimate and modify the location of a mobile device within a facility, using active and passive localization methods, including beacons and barcode scanning, to provide accurate navigation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS systems are used for navigation, then location information can be provided for driving instructions, but GPS systems do not provide sufficient accuracy for walking navigation indoors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple positioning systems (GPS, WIFI, and sensor systems including accelerometers, gyroscopes, and magnetometers) into a unified indoor navigation system. This fusion allows the system to leverage the strengths of each component: GPS for outdoor positioning, WIFI for indoor area localization, and sensors for precise step-by-step movement tracking, thereby achieving both high accuracy and indoor adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The navigation system is designed to function across multiple environments (outdoor and indoor) by integrating diverse positioning methods. The system automatically switches between GPS-based outdoor navigation and sensor-based indoor navigation, providing universal navigation capability that adapts to the user's location context while maintaining high precision in both settings
2Adaptability or versatility
If WIFI-based location systems are used indoors, then location information can be received, but the accuracy is only tens to hundreds of meters which is insufficient for facility navigation
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the positioning task into multiple stages: WIFI signals are used to determine the general area or floor within a facility, while sensor systems (accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers) are used to track precise movement steps and calculate exact position within that area. This segmentation allows WIFI to provide broad indoor coverage while sensors deliver fine-grained positional accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor system acts as an intermediary between WIFI-based area localization and final precise position determination. The sensors track movement steps, direction, and orientation to calculate displacement from the WIFI-determined starting point, thereby bridging the gap between coarse WIFI location data and fine-grained navigation requirements
3Speed
If sensor systems are used to estimate location, then movement can be tracked, but the estimated location requires modification through comparison with interior maps
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by continuously comparing sensor-estimated positions with predetermined interior map data. When discrepancies are detected (such as estimated position falling in an impossible location or deviating from expected navigation paths), the system adjusts the position estimates to align with the map constraints, thereby maintaining accuracy while preserving the high-speed tracking capability of sensors
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for determining the location of a mobile device is provided. Such a method includes receiving an interior map, determining a first location to be an absolute location of a mobile communication device, locating the absolute location at a first position on the interior map, relocating the mobile communication device to a second location, estimating the second location of the mobile communication device based on an output of one or more sensors and modifying, using a computer-based system, the estimated second location based on a comparison of the estimated second location to the interior map.