Adaptive Radio Fingerprint Collection for Indoor Positioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current indoor positioning technologies face challenges in achieving seamless and accurate navigation due to limitations in satellite and cellular signal penetration, requiring new infrastructure and complex integration, and crowd-sourcing methods produce redundant data, wasting resources.

Innovation Solution

A method that determines if a mobile device is following a routine or deviating from it to adjust the scope of radio fingerprint collection, reducing data collection when in a routine and increasing coverage over time, using existing smartphone capabilities like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signals.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If crowd-sourcing methods are used to collect radio fingerprints continuously, then spatial coverage is improved, but resource consumption and redundant data increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespatial coverageVSAvoidresource consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic adjustment of data collection scope based on device routine detection. The system transitions between different collection modes (full scope vs. reduced scope) depending on whether the device is following its routine path, making the collection process adaptive rather than static. This resolves the contradiction by collecting comprehensive data when needed (expanding coverage) while minimizing collection during routine repetitions (reducing resource consumption).

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of collection scope based on routine detection results. When a device is identified as following its routine, the system modifies the collection parameter from full scope to reduced scope, selectively collecting fingerprints only for segments not yet covered. This parameter adjustment directly addresses the contradiction by optimizing the balance between coverage and resource usage based on real-time conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If radio fingerprints are collected for all segments of a routine, then complete coverage is achieved, but redundant data collection increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoverage completenessVSAvoidredundant data
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the routine path into multiple discrete segments and implements selective collection based on which segments have already been covered. Instead of treating the routine as a single unit, the system segments it and collects fingerprints only for the uncovered portions across multiple occurrences. This ensures complete coverage over time while eliminating redundancy within each occurrence.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by collecting fingerprints for only a subset of segments during each routine occurrence, rather than all segments. The collection is partial in each instance but cumulative across multiple instances, achieving complete coverage without the excessive redundancy of collecting all segments every time. This resolves the contradiction between completeness and redundancy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Use of energy by moving object

If data collection scope is reduced for routines, then resource consumption decreases, but detection of radio environment changes may be missed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource consumptionVSAvoiddetection reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms where collected data is analyzed to detect changes in radio environment characteristics. The system monitors the collected fingerprints for anomalies or changes that indicate environmental modifications, ensuring that even with reduced collection scope, significant changes are detected. This feedback loop maintains detection reliability while allowing resource-efficient operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary detection of routine patterns and establishes baseline radio environment characteristics before reducing collection scope. By having preliminary knowledge of the expected environment, the system can reliably detect deviations and changes even with reduced ongoing collection, maintaining detection reliability while conserving resources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3598165B1Obtaining of radio fingerprints with reduced collecting scope
Publication Date: 2023.05.03 HERE GLOBAL BV
  • EP3598165B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3598165B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4a
  • EP3598165B1 patent drawingFigure 4b~4c

AI summary

The invention inter alia relates to a method, performed by at least one apparatus, the method comprising: - collecting radio fingerprints, each fingerprint comprising a radio signal measurement of a radio environment of a mobile device and a respective location estimate; - determining whether the location of the mobile device is part of a routine or deviates from a routine; - in case the location of the mobile device is part of a routine, at least partially performing the collecting of radio fingerprints with a reduced collecting scope compared to a collecting scope used in case the location of the mobile device deviates from a routine; - wherein the collecting of radio fingerprints, when the location of the mobile device is part of a routine, is configured such that, after collecting radio fingerprints for multiple occurrences of the respective routine, a coverage of the respective routine by the collected radio fingerprints is increased.