Mobile Device Self-Locating Framework Using Signal Correlation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobile communication devices face challenges in determining their precise location, especially when inside buildings, due to GPS signal blockage and the computational intensity of trilateration techniques, which can be inaccurate and require user approval or data transmission to centralized servers.
Innovation Solution
A self-locating framework on the device, utilizing a self-locating application that monitors cellular radio signal strength and WiFi SSIDs to infer location by associating signal changes with GPS coordinates, allowing the device to determine its location independently and update this information for launching applications or notifications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS is used to determine location, then location accuracy is improved, but GPS signal is blocked when inside buildings making it inoperative
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses cellular radio signal strength and WiFi SSID as intermediary indicators to infer location when GPS is unavailable. The self-locating application monitors these alternative signals and correlates them with stored GPS data to determine device location inside buildings where direct GPS signals are blocked.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a copy of location information by storing associations between cellular radio signal strengths, WiFi SSIDs, and GPS coordinates in a database. When GPS is unavailable, the application queries this database using current signal characteristics to retrieve the corresponding location, effectively copying location data from similar signal conditions.
2Reliability
If trilateration techniques are used to determine location, then location can be determined without GPS, but the computational intensity and inaccuracy increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-storing associations between cellular radio signal strengths, WiFi SSIDs, and GPS coordinates in a database during periods when GPS is available. This pre-computed reference data eliminates the need for complex real-time calculations when GPS is unavailable, providing both speed and accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/computational trilateration system with a database lookup system. Instead of performing complex distance calculations based on signal strength, the application simply queries the database for matching signal characteristics and retrieves the associated GPS coordinates, dramatically reducing computational intensity while maintaining accuracy.
3Measurement precision
If centralized servers are used to process location data, then location determination can be performed, but data transmission requirements and user approval needs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service by performing location determination entirely on the mobile device itself. The self-locating application uses the device's own cellular radio and WiFi components to monitor signals, queries the local database for matching conditions, and determines location without needing to transmit data to or receive processing from centralized servers. This eliminates data transmission requirements and user approval needs for server communication.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the location determination function from centralized servers and places it directly on the mobile device. By storing the reference database locally and performing all signal monitoring and location calculation operations on-device, the system removes the dependency on external server infrastructure, simplifying the overall system architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile communication device. The device comprises a cellular radio transceiver, a GPS receiver, a processor, a memory, and a self-locating application stored in the memory. When executed by the processor the application monitors a received signal strength of the radio transceiver, in response to detecting a rate of cellular radio signal strength increase above a first threshold, obtains GPS coordinates of the device from the GPS receiver and an identity of a serving cell site, stores the GPS coordinates with the identity of the serving cell site in the memory, and in response to detecting a rate of cellular radio signal strength decrease below a second predefined threshold and determining that the cellular radio transceiver is served by the serving cell site associated with the GPS coordinates stored in the memory, determines that the device is at the location associated with the GPS coordinates stored in the memory.