Indoor Positioning via Swept Radiation Stripe Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current indoor positioning technologies face challenges such as inadequate accuracy, reliance on additional hardware, high deployment costs, and complexity in scalability due to the need for extensive radio-surveying and support for multiple technologies, especially when using signals like WLAN and Bluetooth, which are not designed for fine-grained signal strength measurements.
Innovation Solution
A method using a positioning support device that emits a striped band of radiation, allowing mobile devices to determine their position based on radiation signal data received from sensors like cameras or ambient light sensors, without requiring additional hardware, and combining this with radio signal data for improved accuracy, using a system that can be scaled and integrated with existing infrastructure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If WLAN or Bluetooth signals are used for indoor positioning, then existing hardware can be utilized and setup is easier, but positioning accuracy deteriorates due to coarse signal strength measurements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary optical measurement system (camera or light sensor detecting laser stripe position) between the positioning infrastructure and the mobile device. This intermediary enables fine-grained position measurement (millimeter to sub-millimeter precision) without requiring the mobile device's wireless adapter to provide accurate signal strength measurements, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of setup and positioning accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If manual exhaustive radio-surveying is performed to improve positioning accuracy, then positioning accuracy improves, but deployment cost and time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical process of manual exhaustive radio-surveying with an automated optical measurement system. The laser stripe projection and camera/light sensor detection automatically capture position information without requiring manual intervention at each location, thus achieving high positioning accuracy while dramatically reducing deployment time and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service positioning where the mobile device autonomously captures position information using its built-in camera or light sensor to detect the laser stripe pattern. The device independently determines its position without requiring external surveying teams to manually measure and map each location, thus eliminating the time-consuming manual radio-surveying process.
3Measurement precision
If multiple positioning technologies are integrated to improve accuracy, then positioning accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the mobile device's existing camera or light sensor multi-functional by using it for both its original purpose (photography or ambient light detection) and for positioning by detecting the laser stripe pattern. This universal usage eliminates the need for additional dedicated positioning hardware, thus achieving high positioning accuracy without increasing device complexity.
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 provides high accuracy in determining positions with minimal environmental disruption, supports scalability, and enhances the up-to-dateness of positioning data, offering a cost-effective and globally applicable indoor positioning solution.
Implementation Method 1
obtaining radiation signal data comprising results of measurements on radiation signals received at a mobile device and emitted by a positioning support device
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates inter alia to a method performed by at least one apparatus, said method comprising: obtaining radiation signal data comprising results of measurements on radiation signals received at a mobile device and emitted by a positioning support device covering one or more signal areas by sweeping a striped band of radiation across said one or more signal areas; and determining a position of said mobile device within a signal area of said one or more signal areas at least based on said radiation signal data. The invention also relates to a positioning support device for supporting determining of positions of mobile devices in one or more signal areas, comprising: a radiation source covering said one or more signal areas by sweeping a striped band of radiation across said one or more signal areas.