Partial Radio Map Access Point Classification

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing radio map systems face challenges in reducing the number of access points (APs) in partial radio maps for offline positioning, leading to large file sizes and increased server resource consumption, while maintaining accuracy and availability, especially in high AP density areas.

Innovation Solution

The system identifies and includes only significant APs in partial radio maps, which are determined by their frequency of appearance in positioning requests or fingerprints, to reduce the number of APs while ensuring high accuracy and availability of offline positioning.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If all access points are included in partial radio maps for offline positioning, then positioning accuracy is maintained, but file size becomes large and server resources are consumed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidfile size
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the significant access points from the complete radio map data, identifying and retaining only those APs that contribute meaningfully to positioning accuracy. This selective extraction removes redundant APs while maintaining essential positioning functionality, directly resolving the contradiction between accuracy and file size.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating between significant and non-significant access points based on their individual contributions to positioning. Each AP is evaluated and treated differently - significant APs are retained with full detail while non-significant ones are removed, creating a non-uniform but optimized data structure that balances accuracy and size.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If all access points are included in partial radio maps, then positioning availability is maintained, but server load and data transfer costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning availabilityVSAvoidserver load
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts and removes non-significant access points from the radio map data before distribution to user equipment. This reduction decreases the amount of data that needs to be transferred and stored, directly reducing server load and data transfer costs while maintaining positioning availability through careful selection of significant APs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Quantity of substance

If the number of access points is reduced in partial radio maps, then file size decreases, but positioning accuracy may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of access pointsVSAvoidpositioning accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameter of AP selection from including all APs to including only significant APs based on specific criteria (signal strength, detection frequency, geometric distribution). This parameter change optimizes the subset of APs retained, ensuring that fewer APs can achieve comparable positioning accuracy through intelligent selection rather than brute-force inclusion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Quantity of substance

If significant APs are selectively included in partial radio maps, then file size is reduced, but system complexity increases due to AP significance determination

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefile sizeVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary analysis to determine AP significance during the radio map generation phase, before distribution to user equipment. By pre-calculating which APs are significant based on historical data and positioning requests, the system avoids the need for complex real-time analysis during actual positioning operations, shifting complexity to an offline preprocessing stage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3022576B1Method and apparatus for classifying access points in a radio map
Publication Date: 2018.08.29 HERE GLOBAL BV
  • EP3022576B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3022576B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3022576B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus comprises a receiver configured to receive a first plurality of lists of access points, at least one processor configured to determine a first access point which is comprised in a highest number of lists in the plurality of access points, the at least one processor further configured to determine a second access point which is comprised in a highest number of lists in a second plurality of lists, wherein the second plurality of lists is comprised of lists of access points from the first plurality of lists which do not comprise the first access point, and the at least one processor further configured to set a significance flag for the first access point and the second access point.