Vehicle RF Phase Localization for Roadside Target Side Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge of locating a target, such as a rider or delivery, in urban areas using GPS signals is hindered by signal blocking from buildings, crowded environments, weather, and night conditions, leading to wasted time, increased CO2 emissions, and a poor user experience.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle-based Wi-Fi system using multiple antennae and a data-driven model, such as LSTM, processes Wi-Fi packets to determine the side of the target by analyzing CSI amplitude and phase differences, without requiring rider privacy-invasive methods, and works in both line of sight and non-line of sight conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If GPS signals are used to locate the target, then the location can be determined globally, but the signal is blocked by buildings, attenuated in crowded environments, and fails at night or in bad weather
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces Wi-Fi signals as an intermediary mechanism to locate the target when GPS fails. The vehicle's Wi-Fi transceiver captures Wi-Fi packets from the target device, and the processor analyzes channel state information (CSI) from these packets to determine the target's location and side relative to the vehicle, bypassing the need for GPS signals that are blocked by buildings or weather conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the GPS satellite-based electromagnetic signal system with a local Wi-Fi based radio frequency signal system. By substituting the mechanical/satellite-based GPS system with a ground-based Wi-Fi system, the solution eliminates dependency on signals that are vulnerable to atmospheric and environmental interference, achieving reliable operation in urban canyons and adverse weather
2Measurement precision
If the vehicle waits for the target to be located accurately, then the location precision is improved, but time is wasted and CO2 emissions increase due to idle vehicle operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary location assessment by analyzing Wi-Fi signal characteristics (CSI amplitude and phase) as the vehicle approaches the target area. The processor continuously monitors the target's side determination using Wi-Fi packets, enabling the vehicle to proactively adjust its navigation and positioning before arriving at the final pickup point, thereby reducing idle waiting time while maintaining location precision
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements real-time feedback by continuously analyzing Wi-Fi channel state information from the target device. The processor provides ongoing updates about the target's side (left or right) relative to the vehicle's direction of travel, allowing the driver to make immediate steering adjustments and reach the target efficiently without unnecessary waiting or circling
3Measurement precision
If multiple antenna RF transceiver and complex signal processing are used, then the target side determination accuracy is improved to 95.44%, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves high target side determination accuracy by analyzing specific parameters of Wi-Fi signals, namely channel state information including amplitude and phase characteristics. The processor extracts and compares these signal parameters from packets received by multiple antenna transceivers, using the parameter variations to accurately determine whether the target is on the left or right side of the vehicle with 95.44% accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses multiple antenna transceivers to capture Wi-Fi signals from different spatial dimensions and angles. By receiving and processing signals from multiple antennas simultaneously, the processor can triangulate and determine the target's side relative to the vehicle's direction of travel, adding a spatial dimension to the location determination process
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
The system achieves 95.44% accuracy in determining the target's side, reducing user frustration and CO2 emissions by enabling precise navigation to the target, and can be implemented on embedded GPUs in real-time.
Implementation Method 1
receive RF packets, via a second wireless connection, from a target at the location
Implementation Method 2
unwrap phase from the CSI of the received signals to obtain subcarrier phase data
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a system for a vehicle includes a radio frequency (RF) transceiver having an identification (ID), and a processor coupled with the RF transceiver. The processor is configured to receive a request, via a first wireless connection, for the vehicle to travel to a location, in response to the vehicle being less than a predetermined distance from the location, receive RF packets, via a second wireless connection, from a target at the location, identify packets based on the ID of the RF transceiver, extract received signal strength indicator (RSSI) data from received signals associated with the identified packets, filter the RSSI data to obtain a maximum RSSI signal within a window of time, and in response to the maximum RSSI signal exceeding a threshold, output a signal indictive of the target being less than a predetermined distance from the vehicle.