User Equipment Positioning Scheme Transition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing position determination schemes for mobile devices struggle to seamlessly transition between indoor and outdoor environments, leading to inefficient battery usage as they often need to maintain multiple positioning systems active simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
A method where user equipment (UE) tracks its location using a first positioning scheme inside or outside an enclosed environment, maintains transition region information, and switches to a second positioning scheme when entering or exiting the environment, turning off the first scheme once the second scheme's quality meets a threshold.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If both GPS and WiFi position determination schemes are kept on at all times to ensure availability during transitions, then position determination availability is improved, but battery life deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic switching between positioning schemes based on environmental context. The system transitions from static configuration (both schemes always on) to dynamic adaptation (selectively activating schemes based on whether the device is detected to be indoors or outdoors), resolving the contradiction between availability and energy consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (environmental detection system using sensors and context analysis) that mediates between the positioning schemes and battery power. This intermediary detects transition regions and triggers appropriate scheme selection, enabling the system to maintain availability only when needed rather than continuously
2Use of energy by moving object
If the system switches positioning schemes during transitions, then battery life is improved, but position determination accuracy may deteriorate during the transition period
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary detection of transition regions using environmental sensors before the actual positioning scheme switch occurs. By anticipating the transition and preparing in advance, the system avoids gaps in positioning accuracy that would occur with reactive switching, thus maintaining precision while enabling energy-efficient transitions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent ensures continuous position determination during transitions by overlapping the operation of both positioning schemes in transition regions. This continuity approach prevents interruptions or accuracy losses during scheme switching, resolving the contradiction between energy savings and measurement precision
Data Source
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AI summary
In an embodiment, a user equipment (UE) tracks its location using a first positioning scheme (PS) (e.g., an indoor PS or outdoor PS) while operating inside or outside of an enclosed environment, whereby the UE maintains transition region information related to the enclosed environment that characterizes one or more outdoor-to-indoor (OI) and/or indoor-to-outdoor (IO) transition regions of the enclosed environment. If the UE determines it has entered a transition region of the enclosed environment based on its location tracking using the first PS, the UE begins to track its location using a second PS. When the quality of the second PS rises above a threshold (e.g., such as the UE moves further inside or outside of the enclosed environment), the UE can switch to the second PS and turn off the first PS.