Smartphone Altitude Detection Without GPS
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current GPS systems are ineffective in determining the location of smartphones indoors due to weak signal penetration through building materials, leading to inaccurate location readings and inefficient battery usage.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing sensors in smartphones to estimate altitude and determine if the device is indoors, allowing for the suspension of precise location services to conserve battery life and enabling more accurate indoor coverage by deploying cell sites closer to high-density indoor areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS location services are used to determine smartphone location, then location accuracy is improved, but battery life is consumed and indoor reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts location service behavior based on indoor/outdoor detection. When indoors, precise location services are suspended to conserve battery, while still providing sufficient location information for network deployment decisions through alternative sensor-based methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of location services based on environment. GPS-based precise location is activated only when needed (outdoors), while a different parameter set (sensor-based estimation) is used indoors, optimizing the balance between accuracy and energy consumption.
2Measurement precision
If GPS location services are used to determine smartphone location, then location accuracy is improved, but indoor reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary detection mechanism (using sensors to detect indoor conditions) that mediates between the unreliable GPS signals and the need for accurate location information. This intermediary allows the system to switch to alternative reliable methods when GPS fails indoors.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces the electromagnetic GPS-based location mechanism with a sensor-based detection mechanism for indoor environments. This substitution uses different physical principles (sensor detection rather than satellite signal triangulation) to achieve reliable location information indoors.
3Reliability
If cell sites are deployed uniformly across all areas, then coverage is provided, but deployment efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by analyzing location data to identify specific areas with high indoor density and deploying cell sites accordingly. Rather than uniform deployment, the system concentrates resources in areas where indoor users are most dense, optimizing both coverage and deployment efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from location data collection to inform future cell site deployment decisions. By analyzing where smartphones are located and how they behave, the system adjusts deployment strategies to target high-value areas, improving the efficiency of network expansion.
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 effectively conserves battery life by suspending precise location services when indoors and improves wireless coverage by strategically deploying cell sites based on indoor location data.
Implementation Method 1
an air pressure sensor configured to sense a current air pressure
Implementation Method 2
an accelerometer configured to sense an acceleration
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for determining that the device is not reporting precise location information, based on output from one or more sensors determining that the device is located indoors and determining the altitude of the device. Based on the determination that the device is located indoors, suspending precise location services until it is determined that the device is back outdoors.