Smart Meter Triangulation for Indoor Location Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current location determination methods for mobile computing devices, such as GPS, WiFi triangulation, and cell tower triangulation, face issues with accuracy, privacy concerns, and data reliability, especially in urban areas and indoors, where GPS signals are weak or unavailable.
Innovation Solution
A location determining system utilizing programmable utility meters (smart meters) to scan for wireless signals, measure their strengths, and correlate device identifiers with physical locations, allowing for accurate triangulation of mobile device positions by comparing signal strengths from multiple smart meters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS receivers are used to provide fine location data, then location accuracy is improved, but signal availability deteriorates in urban areas and indoors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces smart meters as intermediary devices that collect WiFi signal strength data from multiple locations. These smart meters act as mediators between the mobile device and the location determination system, providing pre-collected reference data that enables accurate triangulation without requiring direct GPS signals in urban canyons or indoor environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by having smart meters proactively scan and collect WiFi signal strength data from numerous fixed positions before a location query is made. This pre-collected reference data is stored and ready for comparison, allowing the mobile device to quickly determine its location through triangulation without needing to perform extensive real-time scanning or rely on unavailable GPS signals.
2Reliability
If GPS data is used to track and store exact locations over time, then location tracking capability is improved, but user privacy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Smart meters serve as intermediaries that handle the collection and processing of location-related data. Instead of the mobile device directly collecting and storing its own GPS trajectory, the system uses smart meters' pre-collected WiFi reference data to determine location. This intermediary approach reduces the mobile device's direct involvement in sensitive location data collection and storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a copy of the physical environment's WiFi signal landscape through smart meter measurements and stores this reference data. Rather than directly tracking and storing the user's exact GPS coordinates over time, the system compares the mobile device's current WiFi signal strengths against this copied environmental reference, thereby determining location indirectly and reducing direct privacy intrusion.
3Speed
If WiFi triangulation using vehicle-recorded data is used to provide location data, then data acquisition speed is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes a large number of inexpensive, fixed-position smart meters distributed throughout the service area. These smart meters are deployed at dense intervals (e.g., every few hundred feet) compared to expensive survey vehicles. Their low cost allows for dense spatial distribution, which compensates for the simpler measurement methodology and achieves high location accuracy through triangulation without requiring expensive mobile data collection infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The location determination function is segmented between two types of devices: smart meters that collect and store reference WiFi signal data from fixed positions, and mobile devices that perform location determination by comparing their current measurements against the stored reference data. This segmentation allows the heavy data collection burden to be distributed across many fixed smart meters, enabling accurate triangulation without requiring a single mobile device to perform exhaustive scanning.
4Quantity of substance
If third parties collect WiFi data to supplement vehicle-gathered data, then data completeness is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to coordination complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The smart meter is designed as a universal device that performs multiple functions: traditional utility metering and WiFi signal strength measurement for location determination. By making the smart meter multi-functional, the system eliminates the need for separate dedicated WiFi scanning devices or third-party data collection systems, thereby reducing coordination complexity while maintaining data completeness through the smart meter's widespread deployment.
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 approach significantly improves location accuracy from 60+ meters to about 15 meters in urban areas, addressing privacy concerns and providing reliable location data without relying on GPS signals, while ensuring data freshness and reducing third-party data collection concerns.
Implementation Method 1
The smart meter agents measure strengths of the detected signals, and glean device identifiers of the specific fixed position wireless devices that generated the detected signals
Implementation Method 2
The location determining system compares 1) the at least one strength of the at least one signal generated by the at least one fixed position wireless device received from the mobile computing device and 2) strengths of signals of the same at least one fixed position wireless device, as measured by multiple programmable utility meters at specific physical locations, so as to perform triangulation and determine the current physical location of the mobile computing device
Data Source
AI summary
Multiple smart meters periodically measure strengths of detected signals generated by fixed position wireless devices. A centrally located location determining system receives this data, and correlates received strengths of the signals generated by the specific fixed position wireless devices with the physical locations of the measuring smart meters. Periodically, updated signal strengths are received, and stored correlations are replaced with updated correlations. Strengths of signals generated by fixed position wireless devices are received from a mobile computing device, as measured by the mobile device. The location determining system compares the signal strengths received from the mobile computing device to the most current strengths of signals of the same fixed position wireless devices, as measured by multiple smart meters, so as to perform triangulation and determine the physical location of the mobile device.