Indoor Optimized Offline Radio Map for Positioning

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current offline radio maps optimized for outdoor use result in poor positioning performance indoors due to limited data connectivity and interference from building structures, where satellite signals like GPS are ineffective for indoor positioning.

Innovation Solution

The method involves determining a second radio map based on an existing indoor radio map, optimizing it for indoor positioning by selecting a group of radio devices that provide a higher density of observable signals within the indoor environment, allowing for accurate position estimation without the need for manual user input or extensive data transfer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If offline radio maps are optimized for outdoor use, then positioning performance in remote outdoor regions is improved, but positioning performance indoors deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning performanceVSAvoidenvironmental adaptability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating environment-specific radio maps: outdoor-optimized radio maps for outdoor regions and indoor-optimized radio maps for indoor environments. The system selectively applies different radio maps based on the detected environment type, ensuring that each radio map contains radio coverage models optimized for its specific environment's characteristics (e.g., signal propagation patterns, interfering objects), thereby resolving the contradiction between outdoor optimization and indoor performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Measurement precision

If satellite signals are used for positioning, then outdoor positioning accuracy is improved, but indoor positioning becomes unavailable

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidenvironmental coverage
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates environment-specific radio maps: outdoor-optimized radio maps for outdoor regions and indoor-optimized radio maps for indoor environments. The system selectively applies different radio maps based on the detected environment type, ensuring that each radio map contains radio coverage models optimized for its specific environment's characteristics (e.g., signal propagation patterns, interfering objects), thereby resolving the contradiction between outdoor optimization and indoor performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of operation

If online radio maps are used, then positioning can be performed without downloading radio map data, but a data connection is required during positioning

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning operationVSAvoidpositioning availability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by enabling mobile devices to download and store radio map data (including both outdoor-optimized and indoor-optimized radio maps) before positioning is needed. The radio maps are provided in a downloadable format that can be cached locally on the device. This allows positioning to proceed offline when data connections are unavailable, while still maintaining the ability to use online maps when connections are available, thus resolving the contradiction between operational ease and positioning availability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3764058B1Indoor optimized offline radio map
Publication Date: 2023.08.16 HERE GLOBAL BV
  • EP3764058B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3764058B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3764058B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

It is inter-alia disclosed a method performed by an apparatus (2), said method comprising: - obtaining or holding available (401) first radio map information representing a first radio map for a first environment (101); - determining (402), at least partially based on said first radio map information, second radio map information representing a second radio map for a second environment (102), wherein said second radio map contains or represents a respective radio coverage model for each radio device of a group of radio devices (103-1, 103-2, 103-3, 103-4, 103-5, 103-7, 103-11), wherein a portion (102-1) of said second environment (102) at least partially covers said first environment (101), and wherein a density of radio coverage models contained in or represented by said second radio map in said portion (102-1) of said second environment (102) at least partially covering said first environment (101) is higher than a density of radio coverage models contained in or represented by said second radio map in a remaining portion (102-2) of said second environment (102).