Smartphone Positioning via Roadside Device Fallback

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing portable electronic devices, such as smartphones, face challenges in efficiently and accurately determining user location and safety status, particularly in areas with limited GPS coverage or high power consumption, and in notifying guardians of unusual or dangerous situations.

Innovation Solution

A control system comprising a smartphone and roadside devices that communicate via various wireless standards, allowing the smartphone to acquire and store position information from roadside devices, determine unusual or dangerous locations, and transmit this information to designated recipients, thereby reducing power consumption and enhancing location accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If GPS receiver is used to determine location, then location accuracy is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocation accuracyVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the location determination function into two segments: GPS receiver for high-accuracy location and roadside device identifier detection for position identification. The controller selectively uses GPS location information when available and falls back to roadside device-based position identification when GPS is unavailable or to reduce power consumption, thus resolving the contradiction between location accuracy and power consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Measurement precision

If GPS receiver is used to determine location continuously, then location accuracy is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocation accuracyVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The controller periodically determines whether location information is available from the GPS receiver and selectively activates it based on predetermined conditions (such as movement detection, geofence boundaries, or scheduled checks). This periodic assessment allows the system to maintain location accuracy when needed while minimizing GPS usage and power consumption during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

3Use of energy by moving object

If roadside device information is used, then power consumption is suppressed, but location accuracy may be reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidlocation accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces roadside devices as intermediary elements that relay position information to the portable electronic device. Instead of directly using GPS for all position determinations, the system uses roadside devices as intermediaries to provide location data in areas where GPS coverage is limited or to reduce power consumption. The controller integrates this intermediary-provided position information with GPS data when available, maintaining acceptable location accuracy while suppressing power consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Reliability

If movement state is monitored continuously, then safety monitoring is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafety monitoringVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The controller dynamically adjusts the monitoring frequency and intensity based on detected movement states. When movement is detected or when approaching geofence boundaries, the system intensifies monitoring by activating GPS and checking location more frequently. When the user is stationary or in safe zones, the system reduces monitoring intensity to conserve power, thus maintaining safety monitoring reliability while managing power consumption dynamically.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3444567B1Portable electronic device, method for controlling portable electronic device, and control program for portable electronic device
Publication Date: 2020.11.04 KYOCERA CORP
  • EP3444567B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3444567B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3444567B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

Provided is a portable electronic device including an information acquisition unit configured to acquire information from a roadside device, a storage, and a controller configured to acquire position information of the roadside device based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit, and cause the storage to store the acquired position information as position information of the portable electronic device at a time of acquiring the information.