Indoor Positioning via Signal-Location Mapping
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing location tracking systems, such as those using GPS, are ineffective in environments where GPS signals are inaccessible, such as indoors or underground, necessitating alternative methods for determining and tracking the position of mobile devices within bounded areas.
Innovation Solution
The use of a mobile device that samples signals from fixed-location signal sources, such as Wi-Fi routers or BLUETOOTH Low Energy devices, to create a signal-location mapping by traversing a bounded area and interpolating signal strength values, allowing for accurate location identification even without pre-defined maps or GPS signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If GPS-based location tracking is used, then location tracking is effective in outdoor environments, but it becomes ineffective in indoor or underground environments where GPS signals are inaccessible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces fixed-location signal sources (such as Wi-Fi routers or Bluetooth devices) as intermediary elements within the bounded area. These signal sources act as mediators between the mobile device and the location tracking system, enabling indirect location determination through signal strength measurement when direct GPS signaling is unavailable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the GPS satellite-based electromagnetic positioning system with a local wireless signal-based positioning system. Instead of relying on satellite signals, the system uses locally deployed fixed signal sources and measures signal strength (RSSI) to determine position, substituting one electromagnetic positioning mechanism with another that works in the specific environmental context.
2Measurement precision
If signal sampling is performed at multiple fixed locations to create a signal-location mapping, then location identification accuracy improves, but the system complexity and data processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary signal sampling at multiple fixed locations during an initial phase to create a signal-location mapping database. This pre-collected data is stored and later used for rapid location identification without requiring real-time complex calculations, thus reducing operational system complexity while maintaining high accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified representation (copy) of the physical space through the signal-location mapping database. Instead of directly analyzing complex real-time signal environments, the system uses pre-recorded signal strength patterns at known locations to identify current position, replacing complex real-time analysis with database lookup and comparison.
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 precise location identification of mobile devices within bounded areas by creating a signal-location mapping, improving accuracy and applicability in environments where traditional GPS methods fail, and allowing for real-time updates and refinement through crowdsourced data.
Implementation Method 1
The mobile device may sample signals from the signal sources in order to map the detectable signals and the signal strength (e.g., relative received signal strength indication (RSSI)) values of those signals at different locations on the area map.
Data Source
AI summary
Particular embodiments of a mobile device periodically detect signals transmitted by multiple fixed-location signal sources within a bounded area. A signal-location mapping is created based on the detected signals and their signal strength levels at the relative positions of the mobile computing device within the bounded area. The signal-location mapping may be created by generating a spatial distribution of signal strengths throughout the bounded area. Once the signal-location mapping has been created, particular embodiments may identify a relative position of a second mobile computing device with respect to the environment using the map of spatial distribution of signal strengths in accordance with a detected second spatial distribution of signal strengths.