Seamless Outdoor to Indoor Navigation Transition

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional navigation systems fail to accurately guide users to indoor destinations due to the loss of GPS signals, often leading users to outdoor GPS coordinates associated with a location, resulting in frustration and wasted time when trying to find specific indoor locations such as stores or parking spots within buildings or structures.

Innovation Solution

The system seamlessly transitions from outdoor to indoor mapping by detecting the user's location change and using stationary transmitters to provide detailed indoor maps and navigation assistance, filtering and directing users to specific parking spots or indoor destinations based on criteria such as availability and size, and offering real-time updates and routing information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If GPS coordinates are used to designate destinations, then the navigation system can provide routing information, but the system fails to accurately guide users to indoor destinations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocation accuracyVSAvoidindoor navigation capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces indoor mapping data as an intermediary between outdoor GPS coordinates and indoor destinations. When a user approaches an indoor destination, the system transitions from using GPS coordinates to using indoor mapping data stored in a database, which contains detailed information about indoor layouts, parking spots, and destinations. This intermediary layer enables accurate indoor navigation without requiring direct GPS signals inside buildings.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-storing indoor mapping data in a database before the user needs it. The mapping data is prepared and stored in advance, allowing the navigation system to quickly switch from outdoor to indoor mode when the user approaches the boundary of an indoor area, without requiring real-time data collection or processing inside the building.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If outdoor GPS mapping is used, then the system can provide navigation to outdoor destinations, but it leads users to outdoor GPS coordinates associated with a location rather than indoor locations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenavigation simplicityVSAvoidtime to find indoor destination

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors the user's location and provides feedback about the transition from outdoor to indoor environment. When the user approaches an indoor destination, the system detects this transition and automatically switches the mapping source from GPS to indoor mapping data. This feedback mechanism ensures that the navigation system adapts to the user's changing environment and provides appropriate guidance without requiring manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-storing indoor mapping data in a database before the user needs it. The mapping data is prepared and stored in advance, allowing the navigation system to quickly switch from outdoor to indoor mode when the user approaches the boundary of an indoor area, without requiring real-time data collection or processing inside the building.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If the system provides detailed indoor mapping data, then it can guide users to specific indoor locations, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveindoor location accuracyVSAvoidmapping system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the mapping system into two distinct parts: outdoor GPS mapping for general navigation and indoor mapping data for precise indoor guidance. The indoor mapping data is stored in a separate database, allowing the system to maintain simple outdoor navigation while adding detailed indoor capabilities only when needed. This segmentation avoids the complexity of maintaining a single complex mapping system that works for both outdoor and indoor environments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-storing indoor mapping data in a database before the user needs it. The mapping data is prepared and stored in advance, allowing the navigation system to quickly switch from outdoor to indoor mode when the user approaches the boundary of an indoor area, without requiring real-time data collection or processing inside the building.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9976860B2Seamless transition from outdoor to indoor mapping

Publication Date: 2018.05.22 APPLE INC

AI summary

Techniques are described for seamlessly transitioning from a map that displays out-of-doors elements to a map that displays indoor elements, in response to detecting a transition event. The transition event may be, for example, that a navigation system that is generating the out-of-doors map has moved to an indoors location. Techniques are also provided for navigating to a parking spot in a parking structure. Specifically, users may search for parking spots that satisfy specific criteria. The search for a parking spot that satisfies the criteria may be initiated at the time a trip begins, or may be automatically triggered by some event. For example, a search for available parking spots near a designated destination may be automatically initiated as a user comes within a predetermined distance of the designated destination.