POSITIONING APPARATUS, POSITIONING METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT THEREOF

• US 20120220309A1
• Filed: 06/06/2011
• Published: 08/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Institute For Information Industry
• Original Assignee: Institute For Information Industry
• Inventors: YEH, Sheng-Cheng, SIE, Jhe-Sian, HONG, Cheng-En
• Application Number:
  US13/154,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20120220309A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/06 using intensity measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A positioning apparatus, a positioning method, and a computer program product thereof are provided. The positioning apparatus is used to calculate a self-position. The positioning apparatus can communicate with a reference apparatus and comprises a transceiving unit, a storage unit and a processing unit. The transceiving unit is configured to receive a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) from the reference apparatus. The storage unit is configured to store attenuating factor data. The processing unit is configured to retrieve an attenuating factor corresponding to the RSSI from the attenuating factor data and calculate the self-position according to the RSSI and the attenuating factor.

Claims

1. A positioning apparatus being used to compute a self-position, the positioning apparatus being able to communicate with a reference apparatus, comprising:

a transceiving unit, being configured to receive a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) from the reference apparatus;

a storage unit, being configured to store attenuating factor data; and

a processing unit electrically connected to the transceiving unit and the storage unit respectively, being configured to retrieve an attenuating factor corresponding to the RSSI from the attenuating factor data and compute the self-position according to the RSSI and the attenuating factor.

2. The positioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the attenuating factor data is established according to a distance and a measured RSSI.

3. The positioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transceiving unit is further configured to transmit a request position signal to the reference apparatus so that the reference apparatus transmits the RSSI to the positioning apparatus in response to the request position signal.

4. The positioning apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the RSSI is generated by the reference apparatus according to the request position signal.

5. The positioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transceiving unit is further configured to receive a piece of position information of the reference apparatus from the reference apparatus, the processing unit computes a relative distance between the positioning apparatus and the reference apparatus according to the RSSI and the attenuating factor and computes the self-position by a positioning algorithm according to the position information and the relative distance.

6. A positioning method for a positioning apparatus, the positioning apparatus being used to compute a self-position, being able to communicate with a reference apparatus, and comprising a transceiving unit, a storage unit and a processing unit, the storage unit being configured to store attenuating factor data, the processing unit being electrically connected to the transceiving unit and the storage unit respectively, the positioning method comprising the steps of:

(a) enabling the transceiving unit to receive a RSSI from the reference apparatus;

(b) enabling the processing unit to retrieve an attenuating factor corresponding to the RSSI from the attenuating factor data; and

(c) enabling the processing unit to compute the self-position according to the RSSI and the attenuating factor.

7. The positioning method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the attenuating factor data is established according to a distance and a measured RSSI.

8. The positioning method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising the step of:

(d) enabling the transceiving unit to transmit a request position signal to the reference apparatus so that the reference apparatus transmits the RSSI to the positioning apparatus in response to the request position signal.

9. The positioning method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the RSSI is generated by the reference apparatus according to the request position signal.

10. The positioning method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

(e) enabling the transceiving unit to receive a piece of position information of the reference apparatus from the reference apparatus;

(f) enabling the processing unit to compute a relative distance between the positioning apparatus and the reference apparatus according to the RSSI and the attenuating factor; and

(g) enabling the processing unit to compute the self-position by a positioning algorithm according to the position information and the relative distance.

11. A computer program product, storing a program of a positioning method for a positioning apparatus, the positioning apparatus being used to compute a self-position, being able to communicate with a reference apparatus, and comprising a transceiving unit, a storage unit and a processing unit, the storage unit being configured to store attenuating factor data, the processing unit being electrically connected to the transceiving unit and the storage unit respectively, the program comprising:

a code A for enabling the transceiving unit to receive a RSSI from the reference apparatus;

a code B for enabling the processing unit to retrieve an attenuating factor corresponding to the RSSI from the attenuating factor data; and

a code C for enabling the processing unit to compute the self-position according to the RSSI and the attenuating factor.

12. The computer program product as claimed in claim 11, wherein the attenuating factor data is established according to a distance and a measured RSSI.

13. The computer program product as claimed in claim 11, wherein the program further comprises:

a code D for enabling the transceiving unit to transmit a request position signal to the reference apparatus so that the reference apparatus transmits the RSSI to the positioning apparatus in response to the request position signal.

14. The computer program product as claimed in claim 13, wherein the RSSI is generated by the reference apparatus according to the request position signal.

15. The computer program product as claimed in claim 11, wherein the program further comprises:

a code E for enabling the transceiving unit to receive a piece of position information of the reference apparatus from the reference apparatus;

a code F for enabling the processing unit to compute a relative distance between the positioning apparatus and the reference apparatus according to the RSSI and the attenuating factor; and

a code G for enabling the processing unit to compute the self-position by a positioning algorithm according to the position information and the relative distance.