Selective Offline Positioning via Cached Map Data

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing positioning technologies face challenges in controlling the number of positioning requests and managing computational and bandwidth resources, especially when a large number of devices require location determination, leading to network overload.

Innovation Solution

Implementing an offline positioning mode that allows devices to use locally stored information for location determination, with a network device providing position estimates and enabling triggers to control the number of requests and resource usage, including filtering access point models based on relevance and status.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If online positioning mode is used, then positioning accuracy is improved, but network bandwidth consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidnetwork bandwidth consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by storing positioning map data and access point models locally on computing devices before they are needed. This allows devices to perform offline positioning using pre-cached data, reducing the need for continuous online positioning requests and thereby decreasing network bandwidth consumption while maintaining positioning accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates copies of positioning-relevant data (positioning maps, access point models) and stores them locally on computing devices. These local copies enable devices to perform positioning operations offline without continuously querying the network, thus reducing network bandwidth consumption while preserving positioning accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Loss of energy

If offline positioning mode is used, then network bandwidth consumption is reduced, but positioning information may be outdated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork bandwidth consumptionVSAvoidpositioning information freshness

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements dynamic behavior by automatically managing the lifecycle of cached positioning data. It monitors the age of stored positioning maps and access point models, and automatically updates them when they become outdated or expire. This dynamic update mechanism ensures that offline positioning information remains current and reliable while still reducing network bandwidth consumption compared to continuous online positioning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs periodic actions by scheduling regular updates of positioning data at predetermined intervals. This ensures that cached positioning information is refreshed periodically to maintain its accuracy and relevance, resolving the issue of outdated information while allowing the system to operate in offline mode for extended periods between updates.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Loss of energy

If offline positioning is enabled for all devices, then network load is reduced, but device storage requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork loadVSAvoiddevice storage requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies local quality by selectively caching positioning data based on individual device characteristics, usage patterns, and location history. Instead of uniformly storing complete positioning maps for all devices, the system tailors the cached data to each device's specific needs, storing only the portions of positioning maps and access point models that are relevant to that device's operational context. This reduces overall device storage requirements while still enabling effective offline positioning and reducing network load.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Reliability

If positioning requests are increased to improve positioning accuracy, then positioning reliability is improved, but network computational resources are overwhelmed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning reliabilityVSAvoidnetwork computational resources

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements self-service by enabling computing devices to perform positioning calculations locally using cached positioning maps and access point models. Instead of requiring all positioning computations to be performed on network servers, devices independently execute positioning algorithms using their locally stored data, thereby reducing the computational burden on network resources while maintaining positioning reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS11337035B1Selective enabling of offline positioning

Publication Date: 2022.05.17 HERE GLOBAL BV

AI summary

A network device receives a positioning request associated with a computing device; determines a position estimate of the computing device responsive to the positioning request and based at least in part on at least a portion of a positioning map; and determines whether an offline positioning enablement trigger has been identified. Responsive to determining that the offline positioning enablement trigger has been identified, the network device generates a positioning response that comprises the position estimate and information enabling offline positioning of the computing device at least at a location of the position estimate and provides the positioning response such that the computing device receives the positioning response.