Indoor Tracking System with Room Intervention Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing indoor tracking systems face challenges in accurately tracking locations within buildings with multiple rooms and floors due to limitations in range, accuracy, and data transmission delays, especially when using Bluetooth beacons which are expensive and have limited range and accuracy.
Innovation Solution
An indoor tracking system comprising an initiator, multiple anchors, and Room Intervention Devices (RIDs) with unique IDs, where at least three anchors per room ensure seamless tracking, and RIDs manage channel switching at room and floor levels to accurately monitor tag positions and transmit data to a base station.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If Bluetooth beacons are used for indoor tracking, then the system cost is reduced, but the tracking accuracy and range are limited to 30 meters with 1 meter accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the tracking area into multiple zones with anchors strategically positioned throughout the space. Each anchor independently tracks tags in its coverage area, and the base station aggregates data from all anchors to provide continuous building-wide tracking, overcoming the 30-meter range limitation of individual beacons
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs multiple anchors at different locations (including ceiling and wall positions) to create overlapping coverage zones. This ensures that every point in the building is within range of at least three anchors, maintaining tracking accuracy throughout the entire space rather than being limited to a single 30-meter radius
2Device complexity
If simple beacon systems are deployed, then the device complexity is reduced, but the system cannot perform accurate tracking in buildings with multiple rooms and floors
Solution Approach 1:
The system adds vertical dimension to tracking by positioning anchors on ceilings and walls in addition to floor level. This three-dimensional anchor distribution enables the system to track tags across multiple floors and through different room levels, overcoming the limitation of simple two-dimensional beacon systems
Solution Approach 2:
The base station acts as an intermediary that collects data from multiple anchors, processes the triangulation information, and determines accurate tag positions. This centralized processing enables complex multi-room and multi-floor tracking while keeping individual anchor devices simple
3Area of stationary object
If anchors are positioned at each corner of rooms, then tracking coverage is improved, but the number of anchors and system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each anchor is designed to perform multiple functions: tracking tags in its immediate area, contributing to building-wide coverage, and providing redundant measurement data. This multi-functionality allows the system to achieve comprehensive coverage with fewer anchors than would be needed if each anchor performed only a single localized function
Data Source
AI summary
An indoor tracking system to track a location of a tag in a room. The system comprises of an initiator to initiate the tag, anchors placed at the corners of the room to track the location of the tag and to communicate data to a base station and a room intervention device provided to change a room identification (ID) and a floor identification (ID).