Partial Radio Map Update Mechanism for WLAN Positioning
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current radio map updating methods are inefficient due to large file sizes and frequent changes in wireless local area network (WLAN) access points, leading to excessive server resource consumption, network bandwidth usage, and high data charges, while also requiring frequent updates that may not significantly improve accuracy or availability.
Innovation Solution
A system that compares new and previous partial radio maps to determine if significant changes have occurred, allowing only significant updates to be published for download by user terminals, thereby reducing the need for frequent downloads and maintaining acceptable accuracy and availability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If radio maps are frequently updated to reflect changes in WLAN access points, then the accuracy and availability of positioning information is improved, but server resource consumption and network bandwidth usage increase excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the significant changes from the radio map data rather than transmitting complete updated maps. The server identifies and transmits only the differential updates containing changed access points, their positions, and signal characteristics, thereby reducing server resource consumption and network bandwidth usage while maintaining positioning accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The radio map update process is segmented into identification of changes, selection of significant updates, and targeted transmission. Instead of treating the entire radio map as a single update unit, the system divides it into individual access point changes and transmits only those that meet significance thresholds, reducing overall data transmission and processing load.
2Loss of information
If complete radio maps are transmitted for download, then all positioning information is available to user terminals, but network bandwidth usage and data charges increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and transmits only the essential change information needed to update the radio map at user terminals. This includes only the identifiers, positions, and signal characteristics of access points that have changed, rather than transmitting complete radio map datasets, thereby maintaining information availability while reducing network bandwidth consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by transmitting a subset of the complete radio map information - specifically, only the portions that have changed and are significant for positioning accuracy. This avoids the excessive transmission of redundant or unchanged data while ensuring that all necessary positioning information remains available to user terminals.
3Adaptability or versatility
If radio maps are updated frequently, then the positioning system adapts to changes in the wireless environment, but user device battery consumption increases due to frequent downloads
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and transmits only the minimal necessary update information that enables user devices to adapt to environmental changes. By transmitting only changed access point data rather than complete radio maps, the patent reduces the processing and storage operations required at user devices, thereby reducing battery consumption while maintaining adaptability to the wireless environment.
4Reliability
If all radio map updates are published for download, then the most current positioning information is always available, but server resources and network bandwidth are consumed excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The server extracts and publishes only the significant changes in radio map data rather than all updates. This differential update approach maintains the currency of positioning information by ensuring that important environmental changes are captured and transmitted, while significantly improving server efficiency by reducing the computational and storage resources required for update management.
Solution Approach 2:
The update publication process is segmented into change detection, significance evaluation, and selective publishing. The system divides the update workflow into discrete steps that identify and publish only meaningful changes, improving server productivity by avoiding the processing and publication of redundant or insignificant updates while maintaining information currency.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus comprises a first receiver configured to receive a first partial radio map and a second partial radio map, a processor configured to compare the first partial radio map and the second partial radio map, and the processor further configured to determine to replace the first partial radio map with the second partial radio map based at least in part on a result of the comparison.