Indoor-Outdoor Positioning State Transition Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Satellite-based navigation systems, like GPS, are unreliable for indoor positioning due to limited accuracy and non-line of sight issues in enclosed or partially enclosed urban areas, making seamless and accurate indoor navigation challenging.
Innovation Solution
A mobile device system that determines a set of probabilistic weightings for signal strength, signal connectivity, magnetic, and barometric data in conjunction with GPS data to detect transitions between indoor and outdoor locations, using a weighted sum value to determine state transitions and adjust sensor usage and display maps accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If satellite-based navigation systems (GPS) are used for indoor positioning, then outdoor positioning capability is maintained, but positioning accuracy deteriorates due to non-line of sight issues and signal unavailability in enclosed areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines GPS data with multiple indoor positioning data sources (Wi-Fi signal strength, Bluetooth beacon data, inertial sensor data, barometric pressure data) into a unified probabilistic positioning system. This merging allows the system to maintain outdoor GPS capability while seamlessly integrating indoor positioning methods, resolving the contradiction between maintaining outdoor reliability and achieving indoor accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning system is designed to perform multiple functions: GPS-based outdoor positioning, Wi-Fi fingerprinting for indoor positioning, Bluetooth beacon tracking, and inertial navigation. This multi-functional approach allows a single system to handle both outdoor and indoor environments effectively, addressing the contradiction by making the positioning system universally applicable across different environments.
2Reliability
If multiple data types and sensors are used to improve indoor positioning accuracy, then positioning reliability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs probabilistic weightings that dynamically change based on environmental conditions and data quality. The system adjusts the reliability parameters of different data sources in real-time, assigning higher weights to more reliable sources in specific contexts. This parameter-based approach manages complexity by providing a systematic framework for integrating multiple sensors without requiring complex manual configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback mechanisms to continuously evaluate the quality and reliability of data from multiple sensors, adjusting probabilistic weightings based on observed performance. This feedback loop allows the system to automatically optimize its use of multiple data sources, managing complexity through adaptive control rather than static complex architecture.
3Device complexity
If GPS data alone is used for positioning state detection, then system complexity is reduced, but positioning accuracy deteriorates in transition zones between indoor and outdoor locations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by selectively using GPS data combined with supplemental indoor data sources only when needed for state transition detection. The system doesn't continuously use all sensors at full capacity but activates additional sensing and processing only during transition zones where GPS alone is insufficient, thereby managing complexity while improving accuracy where necessary.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for detecting a transition in positioning state of a mobile device relative to an indoor facility. The method, executed in a processor of the mobile device, comprises monitoring, based at least in part on global positioning system (GPS) data, for a positioning state of the mobile device as one of an indoor and an outside location relative to an indoor facility, determining a set of probabilistic weightings for respective ones of ambient data and the GPS data, the ambient data including one or more of received signal strength data, signal connectivity data, magnetic data, ambient lighting data and barometric data, and detecting a transition in positioning state of the mobile device from one of the indoor and the outside locations to another of the indoor and the outside locations when a weighted sum value based at least in part on the set of probabilistic weightings is one of above and below a predetermined state transition value.