WiFi Access Point Occupancy Detection via RF Channel State Information
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing occupancy detection systems require intrusive access to user-carried devices and additional hardware, limiting their effectiveness and scalability in leveraging metadata and RF channel variations for presence detection and people counting in physical environments.
Innovation Solution
A system that passively observes wireless signals using existing infrastructure, such as WiFi access points, to extract metadata and channel state information, processing it with machine learning algorithms to determine occupancy without the need for additional hardware or direct device access, utilizing existing wireless infrastructure to detect human presence and count individuals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If fixed receivers are placed in the building to detect human presence, then occupancy detection capability is improved, but device complexity and installation complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repurposes existing WiFi access points to perform both their original function of providing wireless network coverage and the additional function of occupancy detection. The access points analyze metadata from wireless communications and RF channel variations to detect human presence, thereby eliminating the need for separate dedicated receivers and reducing installation complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The existing WiFi infrastructure serves itself by utilizing its own transmitted signals and the metadata already being collected for network operations. The system leverages the RF communications that would occur anyway, analyzing channel state information and signal variations without requiring additional active transmission or dedicated sensing hardware.
2Measurement precision
If custom modification to physical space is required for occupancy detection, then detection accuracy is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system makes existing WiFi access points multi-functional by enabling them to perform occupancy detection without any physical modifications to the building infrastructure. The access points utilize their existing antennas and transmission capabilities to analyze RF channel variations and detect human presence, thereby maintaining detection accuracy while dramatically improving ease of deployment.
3Measurement precision
If additional sensing hardware is added to perform occupancy detection, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables existing WiFi access points to perform dual functions: providing wireless network coverage and conducting occupancy detection. The system analyzes metadata and RF channel state information from the access points' existing transmissions, eliminating the need for separate dedicated sensing hardware while maintaining effective occupancy detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The WiFi infrastructure performs occupancy detection using its own transmitted signals and the metadata already being collected for network operations. The system leverages the RF communications that would occur anyway, analyzing channel variations without requiring additional active transmission or dedicated sensing hardware.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of detecting and quantifying human objects in a given environment by passively observing wireless signals in an interesting environment. Information pertaining to observed wireless signals, such as wireless physical layer data and metadata, encrypted or unencrypted data and metadata in the wireless media-access control layer, and channel state information are extracted from the observed wireless signals and used to detect and quantify human objects in a location. The signals that are observed can originate from a wireless object used by a target of interest, such as cellular phone or workstations, or from infrastructure devices, such as wireless access points, IoT devices, or other transceivers. The signals can also originate from other recognizable signal sources, such as electromagnetic interference introduced by equipment such as elevator motors or microwave ovens.