Commissioning of an indoor positioning system using a secondary positioning system

• US 10,470,155 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2017
• Issued: 11/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Abou-Rizk, Mitri J., Grant, Jesse, Green, Kelby Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Wyche, Myron
• Application Number:
  US15/826,993
• Publication Number:
  US 20190166574A1
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/0426 Collocated with electrical equipment other than beacons
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/01 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/02 Indoor
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0242 Determining the position of transmitters to be subsequently used in positioning G01S5/0289 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0249 Determining position using measurements made by a non-stationary device other than the device whose position is being determined
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/27 for locating or positioning the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/3913 Predictive models, e.g. based on neural network models
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/00 Network planning, e.g. coverage or traffic planning tools; Network deployment, e.g. resource partitioning or cells structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A system includes radio frequency (RF) communication devices, for example, in luminaires, located in a service area offering a location determination service, and a portable device used in commissioning the communication devices. The communication devices transmit a primary location determination system'"'"'s RF signals for receipt by the portable device. The portable device determines its location using a secondary system. The RF communication devices'"'"' transmitted RF signals include an identifier. A received signal strength indication (RSSI) of each signal received by the portable device is measured, and stored with an estimate of the portable device'"'"'s corresponding location. The portable device is moved to another location to measure RSSI of RF signals. When the number of measurements or number of locations is sufficient, the locations of each of the respective luminaires or communication devices may be determined using the RSSI values and the portable device'"'"'s estimated indiscriminate location.

Claims

1. A method for commissioning one of a plurality of RF communication devices, comprising:

repeating for a number of iterations at indiscriminate locations within a service area, an iteration of the number of iterations, comprising;

moving a portable processor-controlled, radio frequency (RF) receiver-equipped device to an indiscriminate location within the service area for the iteration;

estimating the indiscriminate location of the portable device within the service area using a secondary location estimating system supported by the portable device, wherein each iteration produces a different estimated indiscriminate location at a different location within the service area;

storing the estimated indiscriminate location for the iteration in a memory as a ground truth position of the portable device;

collecting, by the RF receiver of the portable device, an RF communication device identifying signal transmitted by one RF communication device from among the plurality of RF communication devices in the service area, wherein the one RF communication device is being commissioned in a primary system network including the plurality of RF communication devices;

obtaining from the collected RF communication device identifying signal an RF communication device identifier of the one RF communication device; and

determining a received signal strength indication (RSSI) value of the collected, RF communication device identifying signal for the iteration; and

storing the RF communication device identifier, in the memory, in association with the respective RSSI value and the estimated indiscriminate location for the iteration; and

after the number of iterations, the commissioning comprises;

calculating, by a primary location determination service, a location in the service area of the one RF communication device being commissioned in the primary system network based on, from each of the number of iterations, the determined RSSI values and the estimated indiscriminate location of the portable device, using the secondary location estimation system, for the respective iteration stored in the memory in association with the RF communication device identifier of the one RF communication device being commissioned in the primary system network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

during each of the number of iterations;

collecting, by the RF receiver of the portable device, an RF communication device identifying signal transmitted by another RF communication device from among the plurality of RF communication devices, wherein the other RF communication device is being commissioned in the primary system network including the plurality of RF communication devices;

obtaining, from the collected RF communication device identifying signal transmitted by the other RF communication device, an RF communication device identifier of the other RF communication device;

determining an RSSI value of the collected RF communication device identifying signal transmitted by the other RF communication device for the iteration; and

storing the RF communication device identifier of the other RF communication device, in the memory, in association with the RSSI value, the estimated indiscriminate location at which the RF communication device identifying signal transmitted by the other RF communication device is collected; and

after the number of iterations, the commissioning comprises;

calculating, by the primary location determination service, a location in the service area of the other RF communication device based on, from each of the number of iterations, the RSSI value of the collected RF communication device identifying signal transmitted by the other RF communication device and the estimated indiscriminate location of the portable device for the respective iteration stored in the memory in association with the RF communication device identifier of the other RF communication device to be commissioned in the primary system network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the RSSI value of the collected, respective RF communication device identifying signals, comprises:

measuring, by the RF receiver, the received signal strength indication value of the collected RF communication device identifying signal.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by the RF communication device, the RF communication device identifying signal as Bluetooth specification compliant signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating, by the primary location determination service, a location in the service area of each respective one of the RF communication devices to be commissioned in the network, comprises:

computing, by a location server, the location in the service area of each respective one of the RF communication devices using trilateration.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating, by the primary location determination service, a location in the service area of the one RF communication device to be commissioned in the network, comprises:

obtaining the respective RSSI values corresponding to the one RF communication device using the one RF communication device'"'"'s stored identifier; and

determining, by a processor of a location server, a location of the one RF communication device based on the obtained respective RSSI values corresponding to the one RF communication device and the respective estimated indiscriminate locations at which the obtained respective RSSI values were measured.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining the location of the one RF communication device, further comprises:

applying a two-dimensional Gaussian fit algorithm to the obtained respective RSSI values corresponding to the one RF communication device and the respective estimated indiscriminate locations at which the obtained respective RSSI values were measured.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein estimating an indiscriminate location of the portable device within the service area using a secondary location estimating system, comprises:

receiving by the portable device when at the indiscriminate location, at least three different secondary system radio frequency signals, wherein each of the at least three different secondary system radio frequency signals are transmitted from at least three respective secondary system transmitters, and the secondary system radio frequency signals are of a radio frequency different from the RF communication device identifying signals transmitted by the primary system;

determining a received signal strength of each of the at least three different secondary system radio frequency signals;

calculating a location of the portable device using the determined received signal strength of each of the at least three different secondary system radio frequency signals and a known location of each of the at least three different secondary system transmitters that transmitted a respective one of the at least three different secondary system radio frequency signals; and

using the calculated location of the portable device as the estimated indiscriminate location.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein estimating the indiscriminate location of the portable device within the service area using the secondary location estimating system, comprises:

receiving by the portable device when at the indiscriminate location an optical signal transmitted from a transmitter of the secondary system;

determining a location of the portable device based on the optical signal; and

using the determined location of the portable device as the estimated indiscriminate location.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

received secondary location estimation system signals;

obtaining measurement information related to the received secondary location estimation system signals; and

storing the obtained measurement information for use in estimating the indiscriminate location.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the secondary system signals are ultra-wideband radio frequency signals.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the secondary location estimating system signals are Bluetooth specification compliant radio frequency signals.

13. A system for commissioning one of a plurality of luminaires, comprising:

a portable device, comprising a processor, a memory, a first wireless receiver and a second wireless receiver;

a secondary location estimating system comprising a plurality of wireless transmitters configured to transmit secondary system signals receivable by the second wireless receiver of the portable device usable in an estimation of an indiscriminate location of the portable device; and

a primary location determination system including the plurality of luminaires installed within a service area, the plurality of luminaires being commissioned in the primary location determination system, wherein the primary location determination system is different from the secondary location estimating system,

each respective luminaire of the plurality of luminaires including a light source configured to provide general illumination to the service area, and a wireless transceiver configured to transmit a primary system radio frequency signal containing an identifier that uniquely identifies the respective luminaire as having transmitted the radio frequency signal;

wherein the processor of the portable device is configured to;

in each of a number of iterations;

estimate an indiscriminate location of the portable device within the service area, using the transmitted secondary system signals received via the second wireless receiver;

store the estimated indiscriminate location of the portable device in the memory;

collect, by the first wireless receiver, the primary system radio frequency signal from each respective luminaire of a number of the luminaires;

obtain from the collected, respective collected primary system radio frequency signals respective identifiers of the number luminaires; and

determine a respective received signal strength indication (RSSI) value of each of the collected, respective primary system radio frequency signals; and

store each respective obtained luminaire identifier, in the memory, in association with the respective RSSI value of the collected, respective primary system radio frequency signal from which the respective luminaire identifier was obtained, and the estimated indiscriminate location; and

a primary location determination service, configured to, after repeating for the number of iterations, the commissioning comprises;

calculating a location in the service area of each respective one of the luminaries being commissioned in the primary location determination system based on, respective RSSI values and estimated indiscriminate locations of the portable device stored in the memory in association with the respective luminaire identifiers of the each plurality of luminaires being commissioned in the primary location determination system.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the secondary system signals are ultra-wideband radio frequency signals.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the secondary system signals are Bluetooth specification compliant radio frequency signals.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the secondary system signals are optical signals.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the portable device processor is further configured to:

estimate additional indiscriminate locations of the portable device as the portable device moves within the service area, wherein the estimate uses secondary system signals received via the second wireless receiver;

collect primary system radio frequency signals via the first wireless receiver from each respective luminaire of the plurality of luminaires when the portable device is at each of the additional indiscriminate locations; and

determine additional location determinations of each of the luminaires in the plurality of luminaires by using the primary system radio frequency signals collected at each of the additional indiscriminate locations and the estimated location of each of the additional indiscriminate locations.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein, when determining the additional location determinations of each of the luminaires in the plurality of luminaires the processor is further configured to:

utilize a two-dimensional Gaussian fit algorithm that is applied to data representing the primary system radio frequency signals collected at each of the additional indiscriminate locations and the estimated location of each of the additional indiscriminate locations.

19. A system for commissioning one of a plurality of radio frequency communication devices, comprising:

a portable device, comprising a processor, a memory, a first wireless receiver and a second wireless receiver;

a secondary location estimating system comprising a plurality of wireless transmitters configured to transmit secondary system signals receivable by the second wireless receiver of the portable device usable in an estimation of an indiscriminate location of the portable device; and

a primary location determination system including the plurality of radio frequency communication devices installed within a service area, the plurality of radio frequency communication devices being commissioned in the primary location determination system, wherein the primary location determination system is different from the secondary location estimating system,

each respective radio frequency communication device of the plurality of radio frequency communication devices including a wireless transceiver configured to transmit a primary system radio frequency signal containing an identifier that uniquely identifies the respective radio frequency communication device as having transmitted the radio frequency signal;

wherein, for a number of iterations at indiscriminate locations within a service area, the processor of the portable device for an iteration of the number of iterations, is configured to;

estimate the indiscriminate location of the portable device within the service area using the secondary location estimating system supported by the portable device, wherein each iteration produces a different estimated indiscriminate location at a different location within the service area;

store the estimated indiscriminate location of the portable device for the iteration in a memory as a ground truth position;

collect, by the RF receiver of the portable device, an RF communication device identifying signal transmitted by one RF communication device from among a plurality of RF communication devices, wherein the one RF communication device is being commissioned in a primary system network including the plurality of RF communication devices;

obtain from the collected RF communication device identifying signal an RF communication device identifier of the one RF communication device; and

determine a received signal strength indication (RSSI) value of the collected, RF communication device identifying signal for the iteration; and

store the RF communication device identifier, in the memory, in association with the respective RSSI value and the estimated indiscriminate location for the iteration; and

after the number of iterations, the commissioning comprises;

calculating, by a primary location determination service, a location in the service area of the one RF communication device being commissioned in the primary location determination system based on, from each of the number of iterations, the determined RSSI values and the estimated indiscriminate location of the portable device for the respective iteration stored in the memory in association with the RF communication device identifier of the one RF communication device being commissioned in the primary location determination system.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor of the portable device is further configured to:

during each of the number of iterations;

collect, by the RF receiver of the portable device, an RF communication device identifying signal transmitted by another RF communication device from among the plurality of RF communication devices, wherein the other RF communication device is to be commissioned in the primary system network including the plurality of RF communication devices;

obtain, from the collected RF communication device identifying signal transmitted by the other RF communication device, an RF communication device identifier of the other RF communication device;

determine an RSSI value of the collected RF communication device identifying signal transmitted by the other RF communication device for the iteration; and

store the RF communication device identifier of the other RF communication device, in the memory, in association with the RSSI value, the estimated indiscriminate location at which the RF communication device identifying signal transmitted by the other RF communication device is collected; and

after the number of iterations, the commissioning comprises;

calculating, by the primary location determination service, a location in the service area of the other RF communication device based on, from each of the number of iterations, the RSSI value of the collected RF communication device identifying signal transmitted by the other RF communication device and the estimated indiscriminate location of the portable device for the respective iteration stored in the memory in association with the RF communication device identifier of the other RF communication device to be commissioned in the primary system network.