IoT Asset Location Reporting Across Mixed Indoor-Outdoor Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing IoT devices face challenges in providing continuous location tracking of assets across mixed indoor-outdoor environments due to the need for redundant hardware and software complexity, which reduces operational battery life and increases costs.
Innovation Solution
An IoT platform provides an integrated location service using common hardware, such as BLE tags, with automated management to coordinate multiple location technologies, optimizing resource usage and extending battery life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple location technologies are integrated using redundant hardware, then location tracking reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a unified location service platform that coordinates multiple location technologies (GPS, cellular, Wi-Fi, BLE) using shared hardware resources. The system dynamically selects and switches between different location sources based on availability and accuracy requirements, allowing a single device to perform multiple location tracking functions without requiring separate dedicated hardware for each technology.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple location technology interfaces and processing logic into a single integrated location service module. This consolidation merges the functionality of separate location systems into one unified architecture, reducing hardware redundancy and simplifying the overall system structure while maintaining the ability to utilize multiple location sources.
2Measurement precision
If multiple location technologies are used simultaneously, then location tracking accuracy is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic location technology selection where the system continuously monitors the availability, accuracy, and energy consumption characteristics of different location sources. Based on real-time conditions, the system dynamically switches between location technologies (e.g., using GPS when available and accurate, transitioning to cellular or Wi-Fi based location when more energy-efficient), optimizing the balance between location accuracy and power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters by adjusting which location technologies are active based on environmental conditions, movement detection, and accuracy requirements. When the device is stationary or in environments where high-accuracy location is less critical, the system reduces the frequency and precision of location updates, thereby conserving battery life while maintaining acceptable tracking accuracy.
3Reliability
If continuous location reporting is implemented, then location tracking completeness is improved, but data processing load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements selective location reporting where not all location data is continuously collected and transmitted. Instead, the system filters and prioritizes location updates based on significance thresholds, such as reporting only when the device moves beyond a certain distance threshold or when entering/exiting predefined geofences. This partial reporting approach maintains tracking completeness for critical events while reducing the overall data processing load.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts and separates critical location events from routine location data. By identifying and extracting only the most significant location changes (such as geofence crossings or substantial movements), the system processes and reports only essential location information, reducing data processing requirements while maintaining the completeness of important tracking information.
Data Source
AI summary
In some implementations, a network device may receive an indication of a first device location at a first time instance and based on a first location source, wherein the first device location is a first location of a device associated with a target asset. The network device may receive, in response to a movement of the device, an indication of a second device location at a second time instance based on a second location source, wherein the second device location is a second location of the device. The network device may generate a time series location history for the device based on the first device location and the second device location. The network device may perform a verification of the target asset based on the time series location history.