Indoor Positioning via Existing Wireless Access Points
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current positioning techniques face challenges in achieving accurate indoor location determination due to signal degradation and low accuracy in congested areas, especially with GNSS and cellular-based methods, and require dedicated infrastructure installation, which is costly and impractical for wide-area coverage.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize existing wireless communication infrastructure to collect and measure infrastructure information based on an indoor map, allowing terminals to determine their location using identification and signal measurement information from nearby wireless access points without the need for additional dedicated infrastructure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If dedicated infrastructure is installed within each indoor building to achieve high positioning accuracy, then location accuracy is improved to 1m-3m level, but installation period is increased and much cost is incurred
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by enabling existing wireless access points to serve dual purposes: their original wireless communication function and a new positioning reference function. By collecting identification information and location information from these existing infrastructure elements, the system achieves accurate indoor positioning without requiring dedicated positioning infrastructure installation in each building.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies self-service by allowing terminals to autonomously collect positioning information from existing wireless access points without manual intervention. The terminal automatically receives radio signals, extracts identification information, and determines its location based on pre-stored location information of access points, eliminating the need for manual infrastructure installation and configuration.
2Measurement precision
If dedicated infrastructure is installed within each indoor building to achieve high positioning accuracy, then location accuracy is improved to 1m-3m level, but service coverage area is limited and cannot provide wide area service
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables existing wireless communication infrastructure to serve positioning purposes across multiple buildings and wide areas. By utilizing identification information and location information from wireless access points that are already deployed for communication purposes, the system achieves both high accuracy and wide area coverage simultaneously without requiring separate dedicated infrastructure in each location.
3Ease of manufacture
If GPS coordinates are used to calculate AP location through outdoor road collection, then positioning can be implemented, but error increases according to distance between collecting device and AP, preventing precise determination within a few meters
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-storing accurate location information of wireless access points in a database before the positioning operation. Instead of calculating AP locations during the positioning process (which introduces distance-related errors), the system pre-collects and stores identification information and location information of access points, allowing terminals to directly use this pre-prepared data for accurate positioning without distance-dependent errors.
4Measurement precision
If manual determination of AP locations is performed to build positioning database, then accurate positioning can be achieved, but time consumption and labor cost are significantly increased
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies self-service by enabling terminals to automatically collect positioning information from wireless access points without manual intervention. The terminal autonomously receives radio signals, extracts identification information, and determines locations based on pre-stored data, eliminating the need for manual measurement and database construction while maintaining positioning accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical measurement processes with automated electronic information collection. Instead of physically measuring and recording AP locations manually, the system uses terminals to electronically receive radio signals, automatically extract identification information, and digitally store location data, significantly reducing time and labor requirements while maintaining precision.
Data Source
AI summary
An infrastructure information collecting device collects measurement information including location information regarding a plurality of wireless access devices disposed in an indoor space based on an indoor map, and a positioning system generates information regarding a wireless communication infrastructure of the corresponding indoor space based on the thusly collected measurement information. The positioning system then provides the generated wireless communication infrastructure information to a terminal of which location is desired to be measured, and then the terminal measures its location based on the wireless communication infrastructure information and signals received from nearby wireless access devices.