Visible Light Source Array Positioning Without Optical Receiver

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing visible light communication systems require an optical receiver to forward signals from the visible light source to the mobile terminal, making the positioning process complex and inefficient.

Innovation Solution

A visible light source positioning method using a visible light source array and a controller that acquires geographical position attribute information, determines a corresponding pattern, controls the luminance state of each light source, and updates the pattern to allow the mobile terminal to directly determine its position without an optical receiver.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If an optical receiver is used to forward signals from the visible light source to the mobile terminal, then the positioning process can be implemented, but the positioning process becomes complex and inefficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning capabilityVSAvoidpositioning process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the optical receiver from the positioning system. The mobile terminal directly receives visible light signals from the visible light source array without requiring an intermediate optical receiver device, thereby simplifying the positioning process while maintaining positioning capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent removes the intermediary optical receiver component from the signal transmission path. The mobile terminal establishes direct communication with the visible light source, eliminating the need for signal forwarding through an intermediate device and reducing overall system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If the mobile terminal directly determines position without an optical receiver, then the positioning process is simplified, but the mobile terminal must directly acquire luminance state information from multiple visible light sources

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning process complexityVSAvoidluminance state detection difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the positioning information into distinct luminance state components from multiple visible light sources. Each light source provides independent luminance information that the mobile terminal can separately detect and process, making the direct detection process more manageable and less difficult

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The mobile terminal's camera or sensor serves multiple functions: it both captures visible light for illumination purposes and simultaneously detects luminance states for positioning. This multi-functionality reduces the need for specialized detection hardware, simplifying the overall system while enabling direct position determination

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 method simplifies the positioning process by allowing the mobile terminal to directly acquire the luminance state of each visible light source, reducing complexity and enabling accurate determination of geographical position attribute information without relying on optical receiver signals.

Implementation Method 1

A communication function is integrated with illumination of a light source, so that the light source can not only implement an illumination function, but can also implement a communication function

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight emission: Light

Implementation Method 2

a mobile terminal can directly acquire a luminance state presented by each visible light source

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhotoelectric detection: Photoelectric Effect

Data Source

PatentEP3048747B1Positioning method based on visible light source, mobile terminal and controller
Publication Date: 2019.04.17 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3048747B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2A
  • EP3048747B1 patent drawingFigure 2B~2D
  • EP3048747B1 patent drawingFigure 2E~2F

AI summary

The present invention relates to the field of communication processing technologies, and in particular, to a positioning method based on a visible light source, a mobile terminal, and a controller. Specifically, the method includes: acquiring, by a visible light source controller, geographical position attribute information of a position at which a visible light source array is located; determining, by the visible light source controller according to a preset correspondence between geographical position attribute information of a position at which a visible light source array is located and a visible light source array pattern, a visible light source array pattern corresponding to the acquired geographical position attribute information, where the visible light source array pattern refers to coding information formed by identification information that is separately used to identify a luminance state corresponding to each visible light source included in the visible light source array; and controlling, by the visible light source controller according to the determined visible light source array pattern, the luminance state of each visible light source included in the visible light source array. In this way, complexity of a positioning process is reduced, and a problem that a positioning method is relatively onefold is resolved.