Pillar Location System for Mobile Devices Using Wireless Signatures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional location determination techniques for mobile devices, such as GPS and Wi-Fi signal analysis, face limitations in accuracy and reliability, especially in areas with obstructed GPS signals or fluctuating Wi-Fi signal strengths, leading to imprecise device location estimation.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a pillar location system in mobile devices, which collects motion and wireless data to identify frequently visited locations, generates precise pillar profiles without relying on conventional methods, allowing for actions like automatic unlocking and secure geofencing based on detected wireless signatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If GPS coordinates are used to determine device location, then location information can be obtained, but the location precision deteriorates in areas with obstructed GPS signals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces wireless access points as intermediary objects to determine device location. Instead of directly using GPS satellites, the system uses locally available Wi-Fi access points whose positions are known through prior surveying. The device determines its location by detecting which access points are visible and comparing this against pre-stored location data, thereby mediating between the device and the global positioning system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copied representation of physical space through wireless signal measurements. Instead of relying on direct GPS coordinates, the system builds a wireless-based map where locations are defined by patterns of visible access points. This copied spatial representation allows location determination to work in environments where direct GPS signals are blocked.
2Reliability
If Wi-Fi signal information is used to estimate device location, then location can be determined in GPS-denied areas, but the location precision remains coarse
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the continuous physical space into discrete location zones, each characterized by a specific pattern of visible wireless access points. Rather than treating location as a continuous coordinate system, the system divides space into distinct regions where the set of detectable access points remains relatively constant, enabling more precise location identification within each segment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters used for location determination from continuous GPS coordinates to discrete wireless signal presence/absence patterns. By monitoring which access points are visible and combining this with motion data, the system transforms location determination into a parameter-based identification problem that achieves higher precision than traditional Wi-Fi positioning.
3Ease of operation
If conventional location techniques are used, then device location can be estimated, but the reliability deteriorates due to signal fluctuations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional approach by not trying to measure distance or signal strength to determine location, but rather using the presence or absence of access points as a binary identifier. Instead of asking 'how strong is the signal to determine position,' the system asks 'which access points are visible to identify the location zone,' reversing the conventional signal-based positioning logic.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback through motion sensors that detect when the device has moved. This motion feedback triggers updates to the wireless scan results, allowing the system to confirm location changes and filter out false readings. The combination of motion state feedback and wireless signal detection creates a more reliable location determination system that can distinguish between actual location changes and signal fluctuations.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for pillar location for a mobile device are described, and may be implemented via a mobile device to identify frequently visited locations and to perform different tasks for the mobile device at the frequented locations. Generally, the described techniques enable a mobile device to generate precise representations of frequented locations known as “pillar locations” without relying on conventional location determination techniques. Further, specific actions can be performed when the mobile device is detected at a pillar location, such as automatically unlocking the mobile device from a locked state.