Indoor Path Generation Using Vector Merging and Heatmaps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing occupant tracking systems in indoor environments, such as Bluetooth, WiFi, and GPS, suffer from poor location accuracy, leading to measurement errors of several feet or yards, which is particularly problematic in indoor settings where spaces are close and layouts frequently change.
Innovation Solution
A method is implemented to generate indoor paths within a building space using occupant location data, converting it into a heatmap and generating vectors to create continuous paths that can adjust for non-structural obstacles and changing layouts, without the need for a pre-defined floor plan, thereby improving accuracy and adaptability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional wireless tracking systems (Bluetooth, WiFi, GPS) are used to track occupants, then the system can provide basic location information, but the measurement accuracy deteriorates with errors of two to three meters
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing system that receives raw location data from traditional tracking systems and refines it through multiple operations: converting coordinates to grid locations, generating heatmaps of occupant density, creating vectors representing movement patterns, and merging overlapping vectors. This intermediary processing layer transforms inaccurate raw measurements into precise path information, effectively mediating between the imperfect tracking system and the navigation application.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified copy or representation of the physical space through grid locations and heatmaps. Instead of working directly with imprecise coordinate data, the system generates a discrete grid model where each cell represents a location, and heatmaps provide a simplified view of occupant density. This copied representation allows for more accurate path generation while maintaining the essential spatial relationships.
2Adaptability or versatility
If pre-defined floor plans are used for navigation, then the system structure is simple, but the system cannot adapt to changing layouts and non-structural obstacles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic system where path vectors are continuously generated and updated based on current occupant movement patterns rather than relying on static floor plans. The system adapts to changing layouts by observing actual occupant behavior and adjusting path recommendations in real-time. Non-structural obstacles are automatically accounted for as the system learns from observed movement patterns, making the navigation system dynamic and adaptive without requiring manual updates.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-updating by automatically generating new path vectors based on observed occupant movements. Instead of requiring manual floor plan updates when layouts change, the system observes actual traffic patterns and self-adjusts its path recommendations. The vector merging process automatically adapts to new spatial configurations as occupants naturally navigate around obstacles or through new pathways.
3Measurement precision
If detailed path analysis is performed to improve accuracy, then location precision improves, but computational complexity and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the continuous space into discrete grid locations, making computational processing more efficient. By dividing the building space into a grid where each cell represents a manageable unit, the system can process path information in discrete steps rather than dealing with continuous coordinates. This segmentation enables the complex task of path analysis to be broken into manageable operations: grid conversion, heatmap generation, vector creation, and vector merging.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges overlapping or adjacent vectors to reduce computational complexity. When multiple vectors represent similar or redundant path segments, the system combines them into single representative vectors. This merging operation reduces the total number of vectors that need to be processed and stored, significantly decreasing computational complexity while preserving the essential path information needed for accurate navigation.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for generating paths in a building space, the method including retrieving, by a processing circuit, a heatmap for the building space, generating, by the processing circuit, a plurality of vectors, the vectors defined by a first grid location and a second grid location of a plurality of grid locations, determining, by the processing circuit, a subset of vectors from the plurality of vectors based on a proximity of the plurality of vectors to a selected vector in the plurality of vectors, and combining, by the processing circuit, the subset of vectors to generate a merge location, wherein the merge location is used to adjust at least one of the first grid location or second grid location of at least one vector in the subset of vectors.