Installation of Magnetic Signal Sources for Positioning

• US 20120232838A1
• Filed: 11/24/2009
• Published: 09/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Kemppi, Paul Mikael, Mutanen, Risto Petteri, Rautiainen, Terhi
• Application Number:
  US13/511,362
• Publication Number:
  US 20120232838A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/150
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 17/28 Electromagnetic compasses with north seeking magnetic elements and having electric pick-offs G01C17/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/08 involving use of the magnetic field of the earth
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/00 Beacons or beacon systems transmitting signals having a characteristic or characteristics capable of being detected by non-directional receivers and defining directions, positions, or position lines fixed relatively to the beacon transmitters; Receivers co-operating therewith position fixing by co-ordinating a plurality of determinations of direction or position lines G01S5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/70 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2201/02 Indoor positioning, e.g. in covered car-parks, mining facilities, warehouses
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

It is inter alia disclosed to use, in a positioning process, positioning process information that is at least one of information on a detected magnetic signal, information determined based on said detected magnetic signal and information determined based on data measured to detect said detected magnetic signal. The magnetic signal stems from a magnetic signal source installed in an environment. The positioning process is for positioning the device in said environment.

Claims

1-88. -88. (canceled)

89. A method comprising:

using, in a positioning process, positioning process information that is at least one of information on a detected magnetic signal, information determined based on said detected magnetic signal and identity information determined based on data measured to detect said detected magnetic signal, said magnetic signal produced by a magnetic signal source installed in an environment and detected at a device, wherein said positioning process is for positioning said device in said environment.

90. The method according to claim 89, further comprising detecting said magnetic signal at said device.

91. The method according to claim 89, wherein said magnetic signal is detected at said device by analyzing measurement data, which is obtained by measuring a magnetic characteristic over a period of time.

92. The method according to claim 89, wherein said data measured to detect said detected magnetic signal is measurement data obtained by measuring a magnetic characteristic over a period of time to detect said magnetic signal, and wherein said information determined based on said data measured to detect said detected magnetic signal is a movement direction of said device that is determined based on a comparison of said measurement data and reference data related to said magnetic signal source.

93. The method according to claim 91, further comprising determining said movement direction of said device.

94. The method according to claim 91, further comprising determining said identification.

95. The method according to claim 92, wherein said reference data comprises a set of data representing a magnetic signal received when moving with respect to said magnetic signal source.

96. The method according to claim 92, wherein said magnetic signal comprises a direction of a magnetic flux density or of a magnetic field strength produced by said magnetic signal source, wherein said detected magnetic signal comprises a detected direction of said magnetic flux density or of said magnetic field strength, and wherein said positioning process information is a movement direction of said device in said environment determined based on an estimated movement direction of said device in a sensor coordinate system relative to said detected direction in said sensor coordinate system and on knowledge on an absolute direction of said magnetic flux density or said magnetic field strength in said environment.

97. The method according to claim 92, further comprising determining said movement direction of said device in said environment.

98. The method according to claim 92, wherein said positioning process information is used in said positioning process to associate said detected magnetic signal with a position of said magnetic signal source that produced said detected magnetic signal, so that a position of said device is determinable at least partially based on said position of said magnetic signal source.

99. The method according to claim 92, wherein at least two magnetic signal sources are installed in said environment, wherein said at least two magnetic signal sources are configured to produce different magnetic signals, respectively, and wherein said positioning process is capable of differentiating between said different magnetic signals when associating said detected magnetic signal with said position of said magnetic signal source that produced said detected magnetic signal.

100. The method according to claim 96, wherein said positioning process comprises at least two different positioning modes, and wherein said positioning process information is used in said positioning process to trigger a switching between said at least two different positioning modes.

101. The method according to claim 96, wherein said magnetic signal source comprises a pair of Helmholtz coils.

102. An apparatus configured to perform the method of claim 92.

103. An apparatus comprising:

means for using, in a positioning process, positioning process information that is at least one of information on a detected magnetic signal, identity information determined based on said detected magnetic signal and information determined based on data measured to detect said detected magnetic signal, said magnetic signal produced by a magnetic signal source installed in an environment and detected at a device, wherein said positioning process is for positioning said device in said environment.

104. A computer program comprising:

program code for performing the method according to claim 103, when said computer program is executed on a processor.

105. A tangible computer-readable medium having a computer program according to claim 103 stored thereon.

106. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, said at least one memory and said computer program code configured to, with said at least one processor, cause said apparatus at least to use, in a positioning process, positioning process information that is at least one of information on a detected magnetic signal, information determined based on said detected magnetic signal and information determined based on data measured to detect said detected magnetic signal, said magnetic signal produced by a magnetic signal source installed in an environment and detected at a device, wherein said positioning process is for positioning said device in said environment.

107. The apparatus according to claim 106, wherein said production of said magnetic signal by said signal source is triggered by said device or a user of said device approaching or passing said magnetic signal source.

108. The apparatus according to claim 106, wherein said at least one memory and said computer program code are configured to, with said at least one processor, cause said apparatus further to detect said magnetic signal at said device.

109. The apparatus according to claim 106, wherein said magnetic signal is detected at said device by analyzing measurement data, which is obtained by measuring a magnetic characteristic over a period of time.

110. The apparatus according to claim 106, wherein said data measured to detect said detected magnetic signal is measurement data obtained by measuring a magnetic characteristic over a period of time to detect said magnetic signal, and wherein said information determined based on said data measured to detect said detected magnetic signal is a movement direction of said device that is determined based on a comparison of said measurement data and reference data related to said magnetic signal source.

111. The apparatus according to claim 110, wherein said at least one memory and said computer program code are configured to, with said at least one processor, cause said apparatus further to determine said movement direction of said device.

112. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, said at least one memory and said computer program code configured to, with said at least one processor, cause said apparatus at least to produce, at a magnetic signal source that is installable in an environment, a magnetic signal that is detectable by a device, wherein positioning process information that is at least one of identity information on a detected magnetic signal, information determined based on said detected magnetic signal and information determined based on data measured to detect said detected magnetic signal is useable in a positioning process that is for positioning said device in said environment.

113. The apparatus according to claim 112, wherein production of said magnetic signal is triggered by said device or a user of said device approaching or passing said magnetic signal source.

114. A system comprising:

at least one magnetic signal source installed in an environment and comprising means for producing a magnetic signal; and

at least one apparatus comprising means for using, in a positioning process, positioning process information that is at least one of identity information on a detected magnetic signal detected at a device, information determined based on said detected magnetic signal and information determined based on data measured to detect said detected magnetic signal, wherein said positioning process is for positioning said device in said environment.