Mobile Tag Location Using Portable Receiver and Sparse Anchors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for accurately locating mobile radio-enabled tags in environments with sparse anchor distribution or high radio signal reflections are costly and impractical due to the need for extensive installation of fixed transceivers, leading to inaccuracies and high installation costs.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that utilize a first radio protocol for identifying the vicinity of a mobile tag using fixed transceivers, followed by a second radio protocol, such as Bluetooth, to accurately locate the tag's position using a portable receiver, minimizing the need for dense anchor deployment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a sufficient number of anchors are installed within the environment to achieve required location accuracy, then location accuracy is improved, but installation cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the location determination process into two distinct phases: a first radio protocol for identifying the vicinity of the tag using fixed transceivers, and a second radio protocol for precisely locating the tag's position within that vicinity using a portable receiver. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high location accuracy without requiring dense deployment of fixed transceivers throughout the entire environment, thereby reducing installation costs while maintaining measurement precision.
2Reliability
If a greater number of line-of-sight ranges are required to improve location accuracy, then location reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a portable receiver as an intermediary device that the operator carries to locate the tag. This portable receiver acts as a mobile reference point that can be positioned to establish line-of-sight ranges with the tag, improving location reliability without requiring additional fixed transceivers to be installed throughout the environment. The intermediary device simplifies the system architecture compared to deploying a dense network of fixed anchors.
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
This approach reduces installation costs and improves location accuracy by leveraging existing portable devices for precise tag positioning, even in environments with sparse anchor distribution or significant signal reflections.
Implementation Method 1
a method of assessing distances between a first transceiver and a second transceiver by measuring a round trip time of flight of a transmitted radio signal
Implementation Method 2
generating output data at the mobile device indicating the position of the tag with reference to the strength of the broadcasted signals
Data Source
AI summary
The locating of a mobile radio-enabled tag, in which a radio network has fixed radio transceivers configured to operate under a first radio protocol (602) to identify the vicinity of a tag. In addition, a portable radio receiver is configured to locate the position of the tag in the identified vicinity using a second radio protocol (603).