Magnetic Parameter Localization for Indoor Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Indoor navigation systems face challenges in achieving accurate and seamless positioning within enclosed spaces due to limitations in satellite-based navigation, where magnetic field data offers sensitivity but requires efficient matching with reference signals, and existing solutions struggle with real-time processing and memory constraints.
Innovation Solution
A method and system utilizing magnetic parameter measurements for mobile device localization, where real-time measurements are compared to a subset of reference segments using a 'best first' searching approach, reducing the complexity of matching by iteratively extending the best alternatives and employing efficient data structures for querying magnetic properties, and leveraging secondary signals like RSS and GPS for trajectory initialization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If magnetic field data is used for indoor localization, then positioning sensitivity is improved, but the complexity of matching magnetic signals with reference segments increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the indoor environment into discrete path segments, each associated with reference magnetic field measurements. The mobile device traverses these segmented paths and compares current magnetic measurements against the reference data for each segment, enabling precise localization while managing computational complexity through structured segmentation of the navigation space.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-measuring and storing reference magnetic field data at known locations along path segments before the actual navigation occurs. This pre-computed reference database allows rapid comparison during real-time navigation, reducing the computational burden of matching magnetic signals without sacrificing positioning precision.
2Measurement precision
If real-time magnetic signal matching is performed, then localization accuracy is improved, but processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-computes and stores reference magnetic field measurements at known locations along path segments before navigation occurs. During real-time navigation, the system only needs to compare current measurements against this pre-stored reference data, significantly reducing processing time while maintaining high localization accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by focusing the magnetic field comparison on specific local path segments rather than performing global matching across the entire environment. By narrowing the search scope to relevant local segments based on device trajectory and reference data, the system achieves accurate localization with reduced computational overhead.
3Reliability
If comprehensive magnetic data is processed, then positioning reliability is improved, but memory requirements and data handling complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the navigation environment into discrete path segments with associated reference magnetic data. This segmentation allows the system to process and store only the magnetic data relevant to specific segments rather than the entire environment, reducing overall data volume while maintaining positioning reliability through comprehensive coverage of individual segments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by processing and storing magnetic reference data only for specific local path segments rather than the complete environment. This selective data collection approach reduces memory requirements and data handling complexity while maintaining sufficient reliability for accurate positioning within each segment.
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 meter-level positioning and efficient real-time localization within indoor areas by reducing the number of comparisons needed, effectively addressing the challenges of matching magnetic signals with reference segments while adhering to processing and memory constraints.
Implementation Method 1
Magnetic field data, among other techniques based on wireless communication signal data, ambient barometric data, and mobile device inertial data can be applied in localizing a mobile device along a route traversed within indoor infrastructure
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system of magnetic parameter based mobile device localization. The method comprises receiving, from a mobile device under traversal along an indoor path within an indoor area, a series of magnetic parameter measurements at each of a plurality of path segments; identifying, based on accessing reference magnetic data associated with the indoor path, an initial match for respective ones of a subset of path segments in accordance with the magnetic parameter measurements; initializing a set of alternative trajectories of the mobile device in accordance with the initial match; and determining, from the set of alternative trajectories, a current trajectory of the mobile device based at least in part on a best fit with a number of path segments associated with set of alternative trajectories.