Indoor Positioning via Luminaire Layout Variation
Solution Overview
Problem
Indoor positioning systems face challenges in determining the position of computing devices within environments where luminaires have a repeating layout and do not transmit light-based communication signals, making it difficult to uniquely identify subsets of luminaires.
Innovation Solution
Configuring luminaires to produce non-repeating layouts by varying brightness, color, or adding physical markings, or replacing some luminaires with LCom-enabled ones to transmit unique identifiers, allowing computing devices to determine their position through image capture and database matching.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If luminaires are arranged in a repeating layout for ease of installation and maintenance, then installation efficiency is improved, but the ability to uniquely identify luminaire subsets for positioning is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying specific properties (brightness, color, markings) of individual luminaires or subsets within the repeating layout. This allows most luminaires to maintain the standard repeating pattern for easy installation, while specific local variations provide unique identification signatures for positioning without requiring complete redesign of the entire luminaire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes color changes as a method to create unique identifiers among luminaires in a repeating layout. By varying color temperature, hue, or intensity of specific luminaires, the system maintains the physical repeating pattern for installation efficiency while adding optical differentiation that enables unique subset identification for accurate positioning.
2Measurement precision
If all luminaires are replaced with LCom-enabled luminaires to transmit unique identifiers, then positioning accuracy is improved, but system cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by implementing LCom capability in only a subset of luminaires rather than all luminaires. This allows the system to achieve sufficient positioning accuracy using a combination of LCom-transmitting luminaires and optically-marked luminaires, reducing overall system complexity and cost while maintaining adequate measurement precision for the application.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces visual markings (color, brightness, physical markers) as an intermediary method between full LCom implementation and no identification system. These optical markers serve as a fallback or complementary identification mechanism that reduces dependence on LCom technology, thereby lowering system complexity while preserving positioning accuracy through multiple identification pathways.
3Loss of information
If visual markings are added to luminaires for identification, then unique subset identification is improved, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by adding visual markings only to specific luminaires or subsets that require differentiation, rather than marking all luminaires uniformly. This selective approach provides the necessary unique identification capability for positioning while minimizing the impact on manufacturing processes, as only a portion of the total luminaire population requires modified manufacturing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate indoor positioning without the need for retrofitting all luminaires, reduces costs, and is robust against external disturbances like daylight, while minimizing device capabilities and avoiding issues with LCom-enabled luminaire complexities.
Implementation Method 1
The luminaires may transmit light-based communication (LCom) signals encoded with information that may be used to determine the position of the computing device
Implementation Method 2
The computing device may capture an image of a subset of luminaires, in which the position and orientation of the luminaires in the subset are unique from any other subset of luminaires in the indoor environment
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A
AI summary
Various embodiments disclosed herein include a method for determining the position of a computing device. The method may include obtaining, by the computing device, an image of a subset of luminaries from a plurality of luminaires located in an indoor environment, in which each subset grouping of luminaires in the plurality of luminaires is uniquely identifiable. The computing device may then compare the subset of luminaires to a database storing each uniquely identifiable subset grouping of luminaires in the plurality of luminaires, in which the database includes position information for each luminaire in the plurality of luminaires, and determine the position of the computing device based on the comparison of the subset of luminaries to the database.