DE202018107070U1 - Device for determining the position using known locations of radio transmitters - Google Patents

Abstract

Device (1) for determining and / or tracking the position of a user by means of radio signals, the device (1) having at least a first receiving device (2) for radio signals in a predeterminable frequency range and an evaluation (5) for unambiguous identification of different radio transmitter for determination the position of reception strengths and / or locations of radio transmitters, wherein the device (1) has at least one of the following features:
a. a data memory (8) for identification data and / or positions of radio transmitters;
b. a communication module (13) for connection to an external data memory for identification data and / or positions of radio transmitters;
c. an evaluation (7) for the selection of a position determination of suitable radio transmitter from identified transmitters.

Description

The invention relates to a device for determining and tracking the position of a user based on known locations of radio transmitters.

As a "radio transmitter" are particularly preferably numerous existing WLAN devices into consideration, but also mobile stations, various Bluetooth systems or devices of other standards such as LORA or ZigBee for determining and / or tracking the position of a user (hereinafter referred to as tracking) can be used ,

A "user" is not necessarily to be understood as a natural person, but as any moving object or unit equipped with the present invention. There are different options, depending on whether the position should be available to the user and / or a central location.

Also, a calculation of the position z. B. from received radio transmitters and measured signal strengths at the user or at a central location. A distribution of tasks in the position determination is possible. In any case, data must be handled, often also sent or received over a radio link.

It is possible to determine your own location from the measured distance to known fixed points. This method, which was originally called triangulation, is all the more accurate the more fixed points and measured distances (possibly with measuring errors) are available to them. Modern techniques use this method in a modified form. When so-called GPS (Global Positioning System) z. B. Time differences of simultaneously emitted at different known satellite positions radio signals used for tracking. In mobile communications, the signal strengths received by a user are converted into distances by several transmission towers and used with known positions of the transmission towers for triangulation.

It is also possible to use the numerous existing WLAN transmitters (also called Wifi Access Stations, but also any other WLAN device works at least temporarily as a sender) to perform a tracking. It exploits the fact that according to an international standard almost every WLAN transmitter has an individual (and therefore distinctive) identification, the so-called MAC address, which it sends out again and again when sending. Large data providers collect as many positions as possible from individually marked WLAN transmitters and keep them available for interested users. There are thus extensive and accessible databases in which a user can inquire about the location of a sender with an individual identifier that he / she has received. The same applies in principle to all transmitters of other radio networks. Corresponding databases can also be created for interesting or own stations.

However, a serious problem that increases with the increasing number of radio transmitters is that a user's receiver often receives a large number of signals from different radio transmitters, an increasing number of which are not stationary but mobile. Naturally, mobile stations are not suitable for the described tracking, so that these signals have to be filtered out. Already non-mobile radio transmitters are often so numerous in cities and especially in large buildings, that only the choice for the tracking of suitable radio transmitter requires more time than is available for a quick and accurate tracking. Method in which the received radio signals from various radio transmitters z. B. sorted by received signal strength and then the positions of the strongest radio transmitter z. B. be queried and evaluated via an Internet connection, therefore quickly reach technical limits.

Object of the present invention is to remedy this situation. The goal is a device that can quickly find suitable ones even when receiving a large number of radio transmitters and their known locations and their measured signal strengths can be used for tracking.

To achieve this object is a device according to claim 1. Advantageous embodiments, to which the invention is not limited, are specified in the dependent claims.

1. a. einen Datenspeicher für Identifizierungsdaten und/oder Positionen von Funksendern;
2. b. ein Kommunikationsmodul zur Verbindungsaufnahme mit einem externen Datenspeicher für Identifizierungsdaten und/oder Positionen von Funksendern;
3. c. eine Auswertung zur Auswahl für eine Positionsbestimmung geeigneter Funksender aus identifizierten Sendern.

For this purpose, a device for determining and / or tracking the position of a user by means of radio signals, which has at least a first receiving device for radio signals in a predetermined frequency range and an evaluation for unambiguous identification of different radio transmitter to determine the position of reception strengths and / or locations of radio transmitters Has. Furthermore, this device (in addition to known means for a position determination) still has at least one of the following features:

1. a. a data memory for identification data and / or positions of radio transmitters;
2. b. a communication module for connecting to an external data memory for Identification data and / or positions of radio transmitters;
3. c. an evaluation for the selection of a position determination of suitable radio transmitter from identified transmitters.

In the simplest case, the device has a memory (with a so-called "white list") with a suitable selection of stationary radio transmitters, which are located in its environment. Each received signal can then be quickly classified as appropriate or inappropriate by comparison with that memory. The white list may contain both full MAC addresses and incomplete ones such as only manufacturer identifications by e.g. appropriate devices of certain manufacturers for the tracking to use (see structure of the MAC addresses). There are various ways to provide this memory with suitable data. On the one hand, the memory in the manufacture of the device can be covered with appropriate data, on the other hand, a subsequent periodic or episodic update of the memory is possible, in all known ways, which are used today in a so-called update, as far as the device is suitable , So you can z. B. have a connection for a data connection cable, but above all be set up by radio for a wireless update.

If the device, which will typically be the case, can connect to the Internet, it may e.g. B. even when commissioning initially all received and identifiable radio transmitter sequentially in a suitable database in the Internet on usability for tracking query and store in the internal memory only the identifications, possibly with their exact coordinates, which are suitable. Thereafter, only the radio transmitters stored in the memory need to be used for tracking, whereby the computational effort and the exchanged and / or managed data volume of the device are reduced. If the user moves and / or new radio transmitters are received, then the memory can of course be updated. Basically, in this case, the data storage does not have to be in the device as well, but can also be stored as a so-called cloud storage device externally and only accessible via radio. Also a division of the data in the sense that z. If, for example, the white list only contains suitable identifications, but the positions of suitable radio transmitters are in each case queried, this is possible and depends on the available memories and communication paths.

Everything that has been explained so far and below, of course, also applies in the event that not suitable, but unsuitable radio transmitter stored (a so-called "black list") and in the further actions are no longer taken into account. The choice of which route to choose depends on whether more usable or more inappropriate radio stations are expected. It is important that the device can quickly sort out mobile radio transmitters (except perhaps for precisely known trajectories such as those found on satellites) and ignore them in the tracking calculations.

This is also an evaluation that fulfills the function of a filter, helpful, which allows in a first step only the transmitter for further processing, which are suitable. In addition to z. B. a predefinable minimum receiving strength, this is the affiliation to a white list or non-affiliation to a black list. If many suitable radio transmitters are available, further criteria can be used in the evaluation for a reduction to a reasonable number, in particular also the affiliation to a certain predefinable subset of the stored data.

The apparatus described so far and the associated procedure make it possible to quickly select suitable ones and even to use only their radio signals, in particular their reception strength and location for position determination in a manner known per se, even in the case of a large number of receivable radio stations, many of which are unsuitable for tracking ,

In order to make the device proposed here suitable for versatile applications, it is preferable to switch between different types of radio transmitters (and thus possibly also frequency bands). For this purpose, the first receiving device is suitably suitable / prepared or there must be two or more suitable receiving devices, between which can be switched. This may be a GPS system for less developed areas, mobile stations and z. B. act on wireless / Bluetooth supported systems. The switching is triggered by hand or automatically, with an automatic switching is preferred, for example, triggered by the elimination of suitable radio stations in a running system. In the case of battery-operated devices, the switching can also be made taking into account the energy consumption of various tracking systems, in order to adapt the energy consumption to the respective situation by possible temporary use of an energy-saving technology.

An acceleration sensor or the exceeding of a predefinable tracking range can also be used to trigger the changeover. So it may happen in logistics tasks that temporarily the exact position in a building or warehouse is needed, but at other times a path in the road to be followed, which requires the detection of both states and a switch between different tracking technologies. As an example, when moving from a certain speed on road traffic can be closed and determined by GPS position and below this speed or at standstill using WiFi to determine the position. The switching can also be controlled by radio signals or other physical sensors or time.

For particularly small and / or inexpensive and / or fast such devices, it is particularly helpful if not unnecessarily many data must be transmitted and / or evaluated. In particular, data transmission to a central location when using external storage via radio should not contain unnecessary data. For this purpose, a data compression is used according to the invention, which works on the example of the WLAN-based tracking as described below.

According to an internationally agreed standard, each WLAN transmitter (and the same is often true for the transmitters of other wireless systems) provided with a unique identifier, the so-called MAC address or other serial number, UUID or the like, which he sends out regularly in his operation to enable his identification. In hexadecimal notation, a MAC address looks like this: HH: HH: HH: NN: NN: NN. The first 2 or 3 bytes are characteristic for one manufacturer, the remaining form a kind of serial number. Because of a limited range (transmission power) of such wireless radio transmitters, however, it is actually not necessary for any reception area to use the complete addresses for distinguishing and further processing the signals of received radio transmitters. According to the invention, a data compression is provided in which the MAC address is usefully shortened, for example to 1 or 2 bytes for the manufacturer and 1 to 3 bytes for the serial number. This makes ambiguous assignments in a receiving area still very unlikely. The compressed identifiers can be additionally stored in the white list of each radio transmitter and used in processing the data instead of the complete identifier.

If the calculation of the position of the user is not carried out in the device but the received radio transmitters and their signal strength are transmitted to a different location for the calculation, it is particularly important that as few data as possible are transmitted. Especially in the case of further transmission and data processing with small data packet sizes such. As the Sigfox protocol that only data packets of max. 12 bytes, data compression is very useful and preferred according to the invention. In this example, in a 12-byte Sigfox protocol not only the identifications of 2 radio transmitters without associated signal strengths can be transmitted, but that of 3 radio transmitters consisting of 4 bytes per radio transmitter, which makes a meaningful location possible, but still without simultaneous use the received signal strengths of the respective radio transmitter.

The data compression described can be increased even further by assigning 2, 4 or 8 identifiers in the white list to each manufacturer, so that 1, 2 or 4 bits can be used for signal strength within a data packet instead of the complete identifier Case of Sigfox, but also with any other protocol allows for strong data compression despite transmission of MAC address and signal strength. According to the invention, a data combiner then makes from the compressed identification data and data for the reception strengths data packets which are suitable for a fast transmission and a respective standard. The transmitted data is then decoded again for processing by using the same white list with the identifiers used in the compression. This then results in the complete MAC address and the signal strength assigned to a radio transmitter.

Thus, you can transmit 4 complete MAC addresses with a 2-, 4-, or 8-stage signal strength within 12 bytes. The coding of the signal strengths is not limited to individual bits, but you can adjust the number of assigned identifiers per manufacturer depending on the required resolution of the signal strength. In realistic applications, a small number of identifiers per manufacturer will suffice for accurate tracking in a typical reception range.

It is clear that a method for determining and / or tracking the position of a user by means of radio signals is also specified here, that independently of the structural design of the device described here can independently represent an improvement over the prior art.

• 1 zeigt schematisch ein Ausführungsbeispiel einer Vorrichtung zur Positionsbestimmung.

Further advantages and details of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the figure, wherein the invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the figure and combinations of details.

• 1 schematically shows an embodiment of a device for determining position.

A device 1 contains at least a first receiving device 2 for receiving radio signals of a particular technology, e.g. B. WLAN or Bluetooth. The typical application is radio signals in a certain frequency range with which digital signals are transmitted. Optionally, however, devices according to the invention can also be equipped with further receiving devices, for example with a second receiving device 3 for mobile radio and a third receiving device 4 for GPS. If there are several receiving devices, there is a changeover 5 which can switch between different positioning technologies depending on requirements and environmental conditions. A sensor is preferred 6 , in particular an acceleration sensor, with the switching 5 connected, the information about the particular type of use of the device 1 and can provide over radio signal reception conditions. Thus, in certain movements or conditions, a different technology can be used for tracking than z. B. at rest or below / above a speed threshold. In the switch 5 For example, other conditions may be set for a change in technology, in particular conditions associated with energy consumption. The signals of the selected (or only) technology are evaluated 7 further processed. According to the identification signal is determined for each received radio transmitter (not shown) and with in a memory 8th stored data compared. The memory 8th contains either data from radio stations suitable for position determination (white list) or from inappropriate radio transmitters (black list), whichever is more advantageous for a particular application. The organization of data in memory 8th should be such that it can be determined as quickly as possible for each received radio transmitter, whether it is suitable or not. A communication module 13 and / or a data input 15 allow it in the store 8th Read data or update existing data. Most of this will be done in the manner of an update, with an already determined approximate position of the device 1 or the currently received radio transmitter in the selection of the required data in the memory 8th can be considered. The evaluation 7 is also associated with a signal strength measurement 10 which determines the strength with which the signals of the received radio transmitters arrive (from which the approximate distances to the radio transmitters can later be determined, as long as their transmission characteristics and other ambient conditions are known). For the further processing of the received identifications and signal strengths of suitable transmitters (according to White / Black List), it is not absolutely necessary to use the whole (globally unique) identifications and high-precision signal strengths. A compression 11 therefore selects as described above meaningful parts of the existing data and stores them in an additional memory 9 as (compressed) additional information to the identified as suitable identifications of the radio transmitter. A data combiner 14 then makes according to the invention from the compressed identification data and possibly data for the reception strengths data packets that are suitable for fast transmission and a respective standard. This data can then be used with less overhead on data flow in a position determination 12 further processed and / or via the communication module 13 to a central location (not shown). Depending on the method and algorithms used in the position determination 12 Also, the signal strength is co-processed or sent with an appropriate accuracy (that is, an appropriate number of bits per measured signal strength or number of levels of signal strength). An additional data input 15 is then preferred to the device 1 if it is to be used autonomously and without own communication for the tracking, thus also the memory 8th can be updated if necessary.

The present invention makes it possible, even when receiving a large number of radio transmitters in a location whose suitability for a position determination is initially unknown, quickly and without data exchange (or in any case with an exchange of only a few data) to select suitable transmitters with a central location and only use them for a quick and accurate tracking. Due to the possibility of resorting to a condition-dependent switching to different technologies of position determination, a device according to the invention is versatile, for. B. in buildings, logistics centers and in traffic (near and far).

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

contraption

2

First receiving device (eg GPS)

3

Second receiving device (eg mobile radio)

4

Third receiving device (eg WLAN)

5

change

6

sensors

7

evaluation

8th

Memory (White / Black List)

9

additional memory

10

Signal strength measurement

11

compression

12

location

13

communication module

14

data combiner

15

data input

Claims (8)

Device (1) for determining and / or tracking the position of a user by means of radio signals, the device (1) having at least a first receiving device (2) for radio signals in a predeterminable frequency range and an evaluation (5) for unambiguous identification of different radio transmitter for determination the position of reception strengths and / or locations of radio transmitters, wherein the device (1) has at least one of the following features: a. a data memory (8) for identification data and / or positions of radio transmitters; b. a communication module (13) for connection to an external data memory for identification data and / or positions of radio transmitters; c. an evaluation (7) for the selection of a position determination of suitable radio transmitter from identified transmitters. Device after Claim 1 , wherein the device (1) has a sensor system (6) for detection for different reception conditions or conditions of use and a changeover (5) between different receiving devices (2, 3, 4). Device after Claim 1 or 2 wherein the device (1) comprises a signal strength measurement (10) for determining the reception strength of radio signals of a radio transmitter. Device after Claim 1 or 2 wherein the device comprises a compression (11) enabling a reduction of identification data and / or signal strength data. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein an additional memory (9) is provided for compressed identification data of at least recognized as suitable radio transmitters. Device according to one of Claims 3 to 5 in which a data combiner (14) is present, which combines identification data and data of reception strengths into data packets of a predefinable size. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a communication module (13) is present for data exchange with a central location. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a data input (15) is provided for updating the data memory (8).

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