Indoor Locationing Using Radio Frequency Tags
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing indoor location techniques, such as RSSI and TDOA, suffer from low accuracy and interference from metal surfaces, making it difficult to accurately locate devices within indoor environments to within a few feet.
Innovation Solution
Deployment of radio frequency-based tags at mapped locations within an indoor environment, using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, which transmit unique messages at limited power levels to avoid overlap, allowing mobile devices to determine their location by associating with nearby tags and reporting this information to a central server for precise positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional location techniques (RSSI, TDOA) are used, then the system can locate devices indoors, but the accuracy is only 60-100 feet which is insufficient for indoor environments
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the indoor environment into discrete zones, each associated with specific access points. Instead of treating location as a continuous coordinate problem, the patent segments the space into manageable regions that can be independently identified and tracked, improving location precision to 3-4 feet accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces access points as intermediary elements between the wireless devices and the location tracking system. These access points act as mediators that receive signals from devices and provide location information to the server, enabling accurate indoor positioning without requiring complex direct device-to-device calculations.
2Reliability
If traditional location techniques are used, then location can be determined, but interference from metal surfaces and multipath effects reduces reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses excessive action by deploying multiple access points throughout the environment, each capable of independently tracking devices. This redundancy ensures that even if some signals are blocked or interfered with by metal surfaces, other access points can still provide reliable location data, maintaining high reliability in challenging indoor environments.
3Measurement precision
If access points are deployed throughout the environment, then location accuracy improves to 3-4 feet, but the quantity of infrastructure required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The access points in the system are multi-functional, serving both as wireless communication infrastructure and as location tracking sensors. Each access point simultaneously provides network connectivity and collects location data from devices, eliminating the need for separate dedicated tracking infrastructure and reducing the overall quantity of equipment required.
Solution Approach 2:
The access points automatically perform location tracking functions without requiring additional dedicated tracking devices. The existing wireless infrastructure serves itself by utilizing the same access points for both communication and location determination, reducing infrastructure requirements while maintaining high accuracy.
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
This method provides location accuracy within three to fifteen feet, significantly improving indoor positioning accuracy and reducing interference, enabling precise tracking of devices within indoor environments like stores.
Implementation Method 1
distributing a plurality of radio frequency based tags at mapped locations within an indoor environment
Data Source
AI summary
Indoor locationing using radio frequency based tags includes distributing a plurality of radio frequency based tags at mapped locations within the indoor environment. The radio frequency based tags periodically transmit their identity information in a message. A mobile device in proximity to at least one of the radio frequency based tags receives the message. A location of the mobile device is associating to the mapped location of the radio frequency based tag identified in the received message.