Positioning System Controller Proactive Data Transmission for Offline Regions
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing positioning systems for user devices, such as mobile phones and tablets, fail to accurately determine their location in areas where satellite signals are unavailable or unreliable, like tunnels and shopping centers, due to the reliance on data communication networks which may also be compromised.
Innovation Solution
A method where a positioning system controller transmits local positioning data to a user device before it enters an offline region, allowing the device to estimate its position by measuring electromagnetic signal data from sources within the region, using pre-transmitted data that includes signal strength variations along paths, enabling accurate positioning even without direct satellite or network communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If satellite positioning systems are used to determine user device position, then positioning accuracy is improved, but the system becomes inoperable when line of sight to satellites is unavailable
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by transmitting positioning data from the server to the user device before the device enters an offline region. The server identifies when a device is approaching an offline region and proactively sends relevant positioning data (such as electromagnetic signal source information and path data) in advance, ensuring the device has necessary data stored locally before network connectivity is lost.
2Device complexity
If a central server stores and processes all positioning data, then computation at the user device is reduced, but data communication must be continuously available
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments positioning data by geographic regions and transmits only the specific segment relevant to the user device's current or upcoming location. When a device approaches an offline region, the server identifies and transmits only the positioning data for that specific region (such as signal source data and path data for tunnels or shopping centers), rather than transmitting all possible positioning data globally.
3Reliability
If complete positioning maps are stored on the user device, then positioning can be performed offline, but memory requirements become prohibitively large
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by providing different levels of positioning data to different user devices based on their specific needs and locations. Each device receives customized positioning data for its current or upcoming offline region rather than a complete global positioning map. The data includes electromagnetic signal source information, path data, and expected signal characteristics specific to the local region.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of estimating the position of a user device is provided. The user device is initially in electronic communication with a positioning system controller through a communication network. The method comprises determining that a user device meets one or more proximity criteria with respect to an offline region where electronic communication between the user device and the positioning system controller, through the communication network, is expected to meet one or more failure criteria. Responsive thereto and in advance of the user device entering the said offline region, the positioning system controller transmitting local positioning data to the user device, the local positioning data comprising data concerning electromagnetic signal sources in the said offline region. The user device subsequently estimates its position while it is within the offline region by measuring signal data from a plurality of electromagnetic signal sources and processing the measured signal data and the local positioning data. The method may be used by, for example, a smartphone to estimate its position.