Indoor Positioning via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Signal Collection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods, such as GPS, are ineffective for determining the geographical position of equipment installed in enclosed indoor spaces, and there is a need for a reliable solution to track the final destination of equipment for maintenance and fleet management purposes.
Innovation Solution
A device attached to the equipment uses a combination of motion detection, WIFI/Bluetooth signal collection, and LPWAN communication to determine and store geographical position data, which is transmitted when a stable connection is available, allowing for accurate location determination even in indoor environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If GPS positioning device is used, then location determination is simple and direct, but it cannot be used in enclosed indoor spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses intermediary objects (WIFI access points, Bluetooth devices, NFC tags) deployed in the indoor environment as mediators for positioning. Instead of relying on GPS satellites that cannot penetrate buildings, the system uses local wireless infrastructure and beacons as intermediate reference points to determine location, thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining positioning capability and adapting to indoor environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the GPS satellite-based electromagnetic positioning system with a local wireless network-based positioning system. By substituting the mechanical/satellite infrastructure with deployable wireless intermediaries (WIFI, Bluetooth, NFC), the system achieves indoor positioning capability while maintaining the essence of wireless location determination.
2Measurement precision
If motion detection and signal collection are performed continuously, then location accuracy is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic sampling of motion data and wireless signals rather than continuous monitoring. The device collects accelerometer data and scans for WIFI/Bluetooth/NFC signals at defined intervals, updating location estimates periodically when changes are detected. This periodic approach maintains sufficient location accuracy while dramatically reducing energy consumption compared to continuous operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by selectively collecting data only when necessary - using motion thresholds to trigger location updates only when movement is detected, and scanning for wireless signals only when needed rather than continuously. This partial monitoring strategy achieves acceptable location accuracy while minimizing energy expenditure by avoiding excessive data collection.
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for determining the geographical position of at least one piece of equipment (E) using a device (1) attached to and moving from said equipment, said method comprising: - a step of determining, by the device (1), when it is fixed and has not been moved for a determined period, network data including the identifiers (B1_Id-Bn_Id) of the communication network terminals placed in the environment of the device (1) and the received power (B1_RSSI-Bn_RSSI) of the signals emitted by each terminal, - a step of transmitting by said device (1) said network data to a data processing unit (CU) through a communication network if the latter communication network is available, - the determination step and the transmission step being implemented again after each movement of the device (1) to a new position.