TERMINAL AND METHOD FOR MEASURING LOCATION THEREOF

• US 20170074965A1
• Filed: 09/13/2016
• Published: 03/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: LEE, Yonggwon, KIM, Youngkyu, AHN, Taewon, KONG, Dongkeon, KIM, Kyungjae, KIM, Junhyung, BAEK, Dusan
• Granted Patent: US 10,145,934 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02521 using a radio-map
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0268 by deriving positions from different combinations of signals or of estimated positions in a single positioning system
• 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 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A user terminal measures a location thereof. In a method for measuring a terminal location, the terminal measures received signal strength indicator (RSSI) values of signals received from a plurality of electronic devices deployed in a space. Then the terminal extracts a preliminary location of the terminal with respect to each of a plurality of predetermined algorithms by applying the plurality of algorithms to the measured RSSI values, identifies a first estimated location of the terminal by applying a predetermined weight to each preliminary location, identifies a second estimated location of the terminal using an output of at least one sensor, and determines a final location of the terminal, based on the first and second estimated locations.

Claims

1. A method for measuring a location of a user terminal, the method comprising:

measuring received signal strength indicator (RSSI) values of signals received from a plurality of electronic devices deployed in a space;

extracting a preliminary location of the terminal with respect to each of a plurality of predetermined algorithms by applying the plurality of algorithms to the measured RSSI values;

identifying a first estimated location of the terminal by applying a predetermined weight to each preliminary location;

identifying a second estimated location of the terminal using an output of at least one sensor; and

determining a final location of the terminal, based on the first and second estimated locations.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of algorithms are configured to obtain location information of the terminal, based on distance information obtained from the RSSI values.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of algorithms includes:

a first algorithm configured to determine a terminal location using a model indicating a path loss and distance between the terminal and each electronic device with respect to three or more electronic devices;

a second algorithm configured to apply the predetermined weight to the first algorithm based on the measured RSSI value;

a third algorithm configured to estimate the RSSI value between each electronic device and each place in the space using a model indicating a path loss and distance between each electronic device and each place and a place at which a Euclidean error between the estimated RSSI value and the RSSI value measured at each electronic device is minimized as a terminal location; and

a fourth algorithm configured to determine each distance using a model indicating a path loss and distance between the terminal and each of four or more electronic devices and to determine a terminal location from four or more equations including ratios of the determined distances.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined weights are determined based on error rates of received signals from the electronic devices at predetermined time intervals, measuring the RSSI values, applying the algorithms to the measured RSSI values, and identifying the error rates caused by output values of the applied algorithms and actual values of the terminal location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the final location of the terminal includes combining the first and second estimated locations using a filter.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the filter is at least one of a Kalman filter and a particle filter.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the final location of the terminal includes performing a path compensation with respect to the identified location of the terminal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the path compensation includes storing a map of the space and, if the identified location of the terminal overlaps with an object existing in the space or is placed out of the space, compensating a path of the terminal based on the stored map.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined weights are determined in response to an input or depending on a variation of wireless environments.

10. A user terminal comprising:

a transceiver; and

a controller configured to measure received signal strength indicator (RSSI) values of signals received through the transceiver from a plurality of electronic devices deployed in a space, to extract a preliminary location of the terminal with respect to each of a plurality of predetermined algorithms by applying the plurality of algorithms to the measured RSSI values, to identify a first estimated location of the terminal by applying a predetermined weight to each preliminary location, to identify a second estimated location of the terminal using an output of at least one sensor, and to determine a final location of the terminal, based on the first and second estimated locations.

11. The terminal of claim 10, wherein the plurality of algorithms are configured to determine location information of the terminal, based on distance information obtained from the RSSI values.

12. The terminal of claim 10, wherein the plurality of algorithms includes:

a first algorithm configured to determine a terminal location using a model indicating a path loss and distance between the terminal and each electronic device with respect to three or more electronic devices;

a second algorithm configured to apply the predetermined weight to the first algorithm based on the measured RSSI value;

a third algorithm configured to estimate the RSSI value between each electronic device and each place in the space using a model indicating a path loss and distance between each electronic device and each place and a place at which a Euclidean error between the estimated RSSI value and the RSSI value measured at each electronic device is minimized as a terminal location; and

a fourth algorithm configured to determine each distance using a model indicating a path loss and distance between the terminal and each of four or more electronic devices and to determine a terminal location from four or more equations including ratios of the determined distances.

13. The terminal of claim 10, wherein the predetermined weights are determined based on error rates of received signals from the electronic devices at predetermined time intervals, measuring the RSSI values, applying the algorithms to the measured RSSI values, and identifying the error rates caused by output values of the applied algorithms and actual values of the terminal location.

14. The terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to determine the final location of the terminal by combining the first and second estimated locations using a filter.

15. The terminal of claim 14, wherein the filter is at least one of a Kalman filter and a particle filter.

16. The terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to determine the final location of the terminal by performing a path compensation with respect to the identified location of the terminal.

17. The terminal of claim 16, further comprising:

a memory,

wherein the controller is further configured to store a map of the space in the memory and, if the identified location of the terminal overlaps with an object existing in the space or is placed out of the space, to compensate a path of the terminal based on the stored map.

18. The terminal of claim 10, wherein the predetermined weights are determined in response to an input or depending on a variation of wireless environments.