Positioning Support Device Offline Mobile Location
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional systems that enable mobile devices to determine their own position based on location-dependent characteristics of radio signals require an Internet connection to download data from a backend service provider, which can be unreliable and inefficient, especially for devices with limited memory or no cellular/WLAN capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A self-contained positioning system where positioning support devices transmit data defining the association of observable radio signal characteristics with different locations, allowing mobile devices to determine their position without an Internet connection by receiving and matching measured signal characteristics with pre-stored data from nearby positioning support devices, such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mobile devices use conventional positioning systems that download data from backend service providers via Internet connection, then positioning data can be obtained, but the system becomes unreliable and inefficient especially for devices with limited memory or no cellular/WLAN capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile device performs positioning independently by using its own processor to match measured radio signal characteristics with pre-stored reference data locally. The device serves itself for positioning without requiring external backend services or Internet connectivity, thereby improving reliability while reducing system complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If mobile devices store complete positioning data locally to determine position without Internet connection, then positioning can be performed independently, but memory requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning data is segmented and distributed across multiple positioning support devices rather than stored completely in one mobile device. Each support device stores a portion of the reference data corresponding to its location, allowing mobile devices to query only local segments rather than requiring complete positioning databases, thus reducing memory requirements while maintaining positioning independence.
Solution Approach 2:
Positioning support devices act as intermediaries that store reference data locally and provide it to mobile devices upon request. This intermediary layer eliminates the need for mobile devices to store complete positioning databases, as the support devices serve as local data sources that can be queried without Internet connectivity.
3Ease of manufacture
If positioning data is stored in a centralized backend server, then data management is simplified, but Internet connectivity is required which reduces reliability for offline operation
Solution Approach 1:
Positioning support devices are deployed at specific physical locations with reference data tailored to their local environment. Each device stores positioning data relevant to its specific location, enabling mobile devices to perform accurate positioning offline by querying local support devices. This distributed local storage approach maintains ease of data management while eliminating dependency on centralized backend servers and Internet connectivity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A positioning support device holds available stored data which enables a determination of characteristics of radio signals transmitted by the positioning support device, wherein the characteristics of radio signals are expected to be observable at different locations. The positioning support device automatically and repeatedly transmits the stored data. Mobile devices may receive the data to estimate their position based on the data and based on measurements on radio signals received at their current location. The positioning support device may be caused by some other apparatus to store the data that is transmitted by the positioning support device. The data may be obtained based on characteristics of radio signals observed by at least one mobile device at each of a plurality of measurement locations.