Radio Positioning Performance Mapping Through Local Device Density

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Solution Overview

Problem

Satellite-based positioning systems fail to provide seamless and accurate navigation indoors due to insufficient signal penetration through walls and roofs, necessitating the development of non-GNSS based radio positioning systems for indoor use.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus for evaluating the radio positioning performance of a radio positioning system by analyzing radio positioning support device densities and coverage areas using a radio positioning support map, which includes determining observed and expected densities and performance levels in subareas, and adjusting data collection based on these evaluations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If satellite-based positioning systems are used for indoor positioning, then outdoor navigation performance is maintained, but signal penetration through walls and roofs is insufficient for adequate indoor signal reception

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning performanceVSAvoidsignal penetration
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces radio positioning support devices (pseudolites, BLE beacons, WLAN access points, cellular base stations) as intermediary elements that relay positioning information indoors. These devices receive satellite signals outdoors and retransmit processed positioning data indoors, acting as mediators that bridge the gap between satellite-based outdoor positioning and indoor positioning requirements where direct satellite signal penetration is insufficient

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Quantity of substance

If crowd-sourcing is used for continuous background data collection, then training data coverage is improved, but resource consumption and user burden increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetraining data coverageVSAvoidresource consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements adaptive crowd-sourcing that performs partial data collection actions only when necessary. The system evaluates positioning performance in different areas and triggers data collection only in regions where performance is insufficient, rather than continuously collecting data everywhere. This partial action approach maintains adequate training data coverage while significantly reducing resource consumption compared to exhaustive continuous collection

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent establishes a feedback loop where positioning performance is continuously evaluated based on observed vs. expected radio positioning support device densities. This feedback mechanism informs whether additional crowd-sourced data collection is needed in specific areas, allowing the system to adaptively adjust data collection efforts based on actual performance requirements rather than following a fixed continuous collection schedule

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Measurement precision

If radio positioning support devices are densely deployed to improve indoor positioning accuracy, then positioning precision is enhanced, but system complexity and deployment cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the service area into multiple subareas and evaluates positioning performance independently in each subarea based on expected radio positioning support device densities. This segmentation allows the system to identify specific regions where additional devices are needed rather than uniformly increasing device density across the entire area, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining positioning accuracy in critical regions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by determining expected radio positioning support device densities specific to each subarea based on its characteristics and positioning performance requirements. Different subareas may have different expected density thresholds, allowing the system to optimize device deployment locally rather than applying a uniform density standard everywhere, thus achieving necessary positioning accuracy without unnecessary system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3757595B1Evaluating a radio positioning performance of a radio positioning system
Publication Date: 2025.10.08 HERE GLOBAL BV
  • EP3757595B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3757595B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3757595B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

It is inter-alia disclosed a method, wherein the method comprises: - obtaining or holding available radio positioning support map information representing a radio positioning support map of a radio positioning system and geographic map information representing a geographic map, wherein an overlapping geographic area is covered by the radio positioning support map and the geographic map, wherein the overlapping geographic area is dividable into a plurality of subareas of the overlapping geographic area; - determining, for each subarea of the plurality of subareas, a respective observed radio positioning support device density at least partially based on the radio positioning support map; - determining, for each subarea of the plurality of subareas, a respective expected radio positioning support device density at least partially based on the geographic map; - evaluating, for each subarea of the plurality of subareas, a respective radio positioning performance of the radio positioning system in the respective subarea of the plurality of subareas at least partially based on the respective observed radio positioning support device density and the respective expected radio positioning support device density.