Wireless Positioning Grouping Signal Sources
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless technology-based positioning systems face accuracy issues due to non-uniform distribution of electromagnetic signal sources, leading to systematic errors and increased computational and storage burdens.
Innovation Solution
A method that groups electromagnetic signal sources and processes group position data to generate position estimates for user devices, reducing computational intensity and storage requirements by using either pre-determined or dynamically generated group locations, and providing a quality index for accuracy assessment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If signal sources are used in non-uniform distribution (clustered in buildings/floors), then coverage is achieved, but position estimation accuracy deteriorates due to systematic errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the set of detected signal sources into multiple groups based on their spatial distribution characteristics. Each group represents a cluster of signal sources with similar attenuation properties, allowing the system to handle non-uniform distribution by processing groups separately rather than treating all sources uniformly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent assigns different weights to different groups of signal sources based on their local characteristics. Groups with more uniform distribution contribute more to position estimation, while clusters with high attenuation are down-weighted, creating a locally optimized estimation that accounts for non-uniform signal source distribution.
2Measurement precision
If all detected signal sources are processed individually, then position estimation completeness is improved, but computational burden and storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple signal sources into groups based on their spatial and attenuation characteristics. By processing groups rather than individual sources, the system reduces computational complexity while maintaining estimation completeness, as each group is processed as a unified entity with representative parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent processes a representative subset of signal sources through grouping, rather than exhaustively processing every individual source. This partial action approach achieves sufficient position estimation accuracy without the excessive computational burden of complete individual processing.
Data Source
AI summary
There is disclosed a method of estimating the position of a user device (902), the method comprising: receiving signal data from a plurality of electromagnetic signal sources (W) having known locations; dividing the plurality of electromagnetic signal sources (W) into a plurality of groups (G1, G2, G3, G4, G5) of the signal sources; processing the received signal data to generate group position data representing the position of at least one group location (910, 912, 914, 916, 918), each group location being characteristic of the location of a respective group of the signal sources; and processing the group position data to generate position data representing an estimate of the position of the user device (902); and outputting the position data.