Indoor Wireless Positioning Using Payment Transaction Signal Correlation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Satellite-based GPS systems perform poorly in indoor venues due to interference from building structures, making it difficult to accurately determine user location within such areas.
Innovation Solution
A wireless positioning system that collects and correlates wireless signal strength data from access points with payment card transaction data to approximate user location, using historical samples to determine the location of users within indoor venues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS is used for location determination, then global positioning capability is provided, but location accuracy deteriorates in indoor venues due to building structure interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces wireless access points as intermediary objects to determine location. Instead of directly using GPS signals that are blocked by buildings, the system uses wireless signal strengths from access points as mediators to infer location. The access points serve as intermediate reference points that can be detected indoors, allowing location determination without direct satellite signal access.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the GPS satellite-based electromagnetic system with a local wireless networking system for indoor location determination. By substituting the GPS receiver functionality with wireless signal detection and comparison against a database of access point locations and signal characteristics, the system achieves location accuracy indoors without relying on the mechanical GPS infrastructure that fails in building environments.
2Reliability
If GPS signal is used, then location can be determined globally, but measurement precision deteriorates to 15-25 meters or worse in indoor environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the measurement parameters from GPS satellite signal characteristics to local wireless signal strength parameters. By measuring and comparing wireless signal strengths from multiple access points against a pre-established database, the system achieves more reliable and precise location determination indoors. This parameter change from global satellite signals to local wireless signals fundamentally improves both reliability and precision in indoor venues.
3Measurement precision
If wireless signal sampling is performed throughout the venue, then location accuracy improves, but system complexity increases due to database requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-collecting and storing wireless signal strength data from multiple access points at various locations within the venue before actual location determination is needed. This offline database creation process allows the system to quickly and accurately determine locations in real-time by simply comparing current signal readings against the pre-established database, reducing on-the-fly computational complexity while maintaining high accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method for determining device location of a user device within a venue using a wireless positioning system is provided. The method includes identifying a plurality of signal sample sets, wherein each signal sample set includes a sample location within the venue and one or more wireless signal strengths of associated wireless access points positioned at the venue, wherein the sample location is determined based on location data associated with a corresponding payment card transaction within the venue. The method also includes receiving a subject wireless signal strength sample of the wireless access points captured by the user device at an unidentified location within the venue. The method further includes determining a subject location of the user device based on the plurality of signal sample sets and the one or more subject wireless signal strength samples, and providing the subject location of the user device within the venue.