WLAN Access Point Relocation Probability Estimation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wi-Fi positioning systems face challenges in accurately determining the location of mobile devices due to the relocation of Wi-Fi access points, leading to location errors and conflicts in stored location information.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that estimate the likelihood of a Wi-Fi device's location within an estimated geographical area by considering the last-known position, time information, and movement patterns of Wi-Fi access points, using a reference database to correct location information and quantify the probability of access point relocation, thereby mitigating location errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If access point locations are stored in a reference database for positioning, then location determination can be performed, but location errors occur when access points are relocated
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates and stores probability of movement values for access points based on historical data before positioning is needed. When a mobile device requests location, these pre-computed probabilities are immediately available to weight the observed access point locations, avoiding the need for real-time analysis of access point stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of location determination from a binary correct/incorrect assessment to a probabilistic assessment by introducing movement probability as a weighting factor. This allows the system to account for access point relocation by adjusting the influence of each observed access point based on its likelihood of having moved.
2Measurement precision
If the system accounts for access point relocation probability, then location accuracy improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs the complex analysis of access point movement patterns and probability calculations in advance, storing results in the reference database. This preliminary action simplifies the real-time positioning operation, as the mobile device only needs to retrieve pre-computed probabilities and apply them to current observations, rather than performing complex analysis on-the-fly.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary component that maintains the reference database with pre-computed access point movement probabilities. This intermediary layer handles the complexity of analyzing access point relocation patterns, historical data, and environmental factors, shielding the mobile positioning operation from this complexity while providing simplified probabilistic weights.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods of and systems for estimating the probability of movement of access points in a WLAN-based positioning system are provided. Disclosed are methods to quantify the probability that a particular location estimate of a mobile device made by a Wi-Fi based positioning system is correct to within an arbitrary accuracy. Implementations use observed access point cluster size, age information for access point location determination, and/or the probability that one or more access points detected by the mobile device have relocated based on historic information about the movement of a collection of access points to make the probability determinations.