KR102226690B1 - LOCATION ESTIMATION METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IoT DEVICE BASED ON BEACON SIGNAL - Google Patents

Abstract

The method for estimating the location of an IoT device based on a beacon signal includes the steps of sequentially receiving a plurality of beacon signals from a plurality of beacon transmitters disposed at different locations by an IoT device, and the IoT device receiving angle information from each of the plurality of beacon signals. Extracting and calculating signal strength, determining a target beam based on the strength of the signal from among beams transmitting beacon signals for each of the plurality of beacon transmitters, and based on the angle of the target beam determined for each of the plurality of beacon transmitters And estimating the location of the IoT device.

Description

IoT device location estimation method and device based on beacon signal {LOCATION ESTIMATION METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IoT DEVICE BASED ON BEACON SIGNAL}

The technique described below relates to a technique for estimating the location of an IoT device using a beacon signal.

With the development of communication technology and the popularization of smart devices, various services using Internet of Things devices (IoT devices) have recently emerged. IoT services basically use the location information of IoT devices. Accordingly, a technique for estimating the location of IoT devices was studied.

There is a fingerprint-based technique as an IoT device location estimation technique. The fingerprint technique uses a fingerprint map based on Wi-Fi or Bluetooth low energy (BLE). The fingerprint technique pre-generates a value of received signal strength information (RSSI) received from each access point (AP) arranged in an ROI in the form of a map. Thereafter, it is estimated where the specific IoT device is based on the RSSI value of the signal received from the corresponding location.

As a technique for estimating the location of IoT devices, there is an angle of arrival (AoA) based technique using Wi-Fi. In the AoA technique, when an IoT device transmits a pilot signal, it analyzes the phase of the signal coming into the antenna array of each AP to find the incoming AoA. Thereafter, based on the AoA values of the signals acquired by each AP, the area where the IoT device is expected to be located is repeatedly overlapped to estimate the location of the IoT device.

Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1302492

In the fingerprint technique, a fingerprint map must be constructed by measuring RSSI values at all locations in advance. Therefore, there is a disadvantage that the initial environment construction is complicated and the accuracy is low. The AoA technique has higher accuracy than the fingerprint technique, but the accuracy is not very high as the average error rate is 50cm when using 4 APs.

The technique described below is intended to provide a technique for estimating the location of an IoT device using beams radiated by a plurality of beacon transmitters having a directional antenna. The technology described below is intended to provide a technique for estimating the location of an IoT device by using a beamforming technology that is attracting attention in 5G communication. Although conventional beamforming has been used to increase the amount of data transmission, the technique described below is used as a technique for increasing the location estimation resolution of the IoT device.

The method for estimating the location of an IoT device based on a beacon signal includes the steps of: receiving a plurality of beacon signals from a plurality of beacon transmitters disposed at different locations by an IoT device, wherein the IoT device extracts angle information from each of the plurality of beacon signals, and , Calculating the signal strength, determining a target beam based on the strength of the signal from among the beams transmitting the beacon signal for each of the plurality of beacon transmitters, and the IoT based on the angle of the target beam determined for each of the plurality of beacon transmitters. And estimating the location of the device.

The IoT device location estimation device based on the beacon signal is an input device that receives angle information and signal strength of each of a plurality of beacon signals received by an IoT device from a plurality of beacon transmitters arranged at different locations in a region of interest, and a plurality of beacon signals. A storage device that stores a program for estimating the location of the IoT device based on angle information and signal strength of, and a target beam is determined for each of the plurality of beacon transmitters based on the signal strength using the program, and the target It includes a computing device for estimating the position of the IoT device based on the angle information of the beam.

The technique to be described below estimates the location of an IoT device with high accuracy using a narrow beam without any necessary information in advance. In addition, the technology described below makes it easy to build a system indoors by using a beacon transmitter having a small antenna size.

1 is an example of a system for estimating the location of an IoT device.
2 is an example of a flow chart for a process of estimating the location of an IoT device based on a beacon signal.
3 is another example of a flow chart for a process of estimating the location of an IoT device based on a beacon signal.
4 is an example of a process of estimating the location of an IoT device based on a beacon signal.
5 is an example of a block diagram of an IoT device location estimation apparatus.
6 is a simulation result of an IoT device location estimation process.

The technology to be described below may be modified in various ways and may have various embodiments, and specific embodiments will be illustrated in the drawings and described in detail. However, this is not intended to limit the technology to be described below with respect to a specific embodiment, and it should be understood to include all changes, equivalents, or substitutes included in the spirit and scope of the technology to be described below.

Terms such as 1st, 2nd, A, B, etc. may be used to describe various components, but the components are not limited by the above terms, and only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from other components. Is only used. For example, a first component may be referred to as a second component, and similarly, a second component may be referred to as a first component without departing from the scope of the rights of the technology described below. The term and/or includes a combination of a plurality of related listed items or any of a plurality of related listed items.

In terms of the terms used in the present specification, expressions in the singular should be understood as including plural expressions unless clearly interpreted differently in context, and terms such as "includes" are specified features, numbers, steps, actions, and components. It is to be understood that the presence or addition of one or more other features or numbers, step-acting components, parts or combinations thereof is not meant to imply the presence of, parts, or combinations thereof.

Prior to the detailed description of the drawings, it is intended to clarify that the division of the constituent parts in the present specification is merely divided by the main function that each constituent part is responsible for. That is, two or more constituent parts to be described below may be combined into one constituent part, or one constituent part may be divided into two or more for each more subdivided function. In addition, each of the constituent units to be described below may additionally perform some or all of the functions of other constituent units in addition to its own main function, and some of the main functions of each constituent unit are different. It goes without saying that it can also be performed exclusively by.

In addition, in performing the method or operation method, each of the processes constituting the method may occur differently from the specified order unless a specific order is clearly stated in the context. That is, each of the processes may occur in the same order as the specified order, may be performed substantially simultaneously, or may be performed in the reverse order.

The technique described below estimates the location of the IoT device disposed in the region of interest by using the beam transmitted by the beacon transmitter. The beacon transmitter is a device that can transmit and receive beacon signals. The beacon transmitter may transmit a beacon signal using a directional antenna. For example, the beacon transmitter may transmit and receive signals using a frequency of 60 GHz band based on BLE. The directional antenna in the 60 GHz band has a very small size and can form a beam pattern with a very narrow beam width. The directional antenna in the 60 GHz band has a very small antenna size. Therefore, it is very easy to mount an antenna on the beacon transmitter, and it is easy to arrange the beacon transmitter even in a small area or indoors.

The technique described below uses a plurality of beacon transmitters. The number of beacon transmitters may vary depending on the size and shape of the area where the IoT device is located.

IoT devices are objects that can collect and deliver certain information. IoT devices can be fixed or moved in a certain location. IoT devices generally transmit information collected by wireless communication. For example, there are various types of IoT devices such as home appliances, sensors for collecting environmental information (temperature, humidity, etc.), CCTV, smart devices, and power meter reading devices.

1 is an example of a system for estimating the location of an IoT device. 1 is an example in which four beacon transmitters 51, 52, 53, and 54 are arranged at the corners of a region of interest in a square shape. The beacon transmitters 51, 52, 53, and 54 may transmit and receive beacon signals through a beam. Each of the beacon transmitters 51, 52, 53, or 54 may emit a plurality of beams having different directivity.

The IoT device 10 receives beacon signals transmitted by the plurality of beacon transmitters 51, 52, 53, and 54. The IoT device 10 receives all of the plurality of beams transmitted by the beacon transmitters 51, 52, 53, or 54. The IoT device 10 must identify a plurality of beams transmitted by the beacon transmitters 51, 52, 53, or 54. For example, identification information of a beacon transmitter may be included in a beacon signal transmitted through each beam. Alternatively, a plurality of beacon transmitters 51, 52, 53, and 54 may each emit specific beams according to a preset order. The order of the beams transmitted by the beacon transmitters 51, 52, 53, and 54 must be shared in advance with the object that estimates the location of the IoT device 10.

2 is an example of a flow chart for an IoT device location estimation process 100 based on a beacon signal. 2 is an example of a process in which the IoT device 10 estimates its own location.

The IoT device 10 receives beam-based beacon signals from a plurality of beacon transmitters (110). The IoT device 10 may sequentially receive beacon signals in a certain order. The IoT device 10 may identify which beacon transmitter signal is the currently received beacon signal according to the order of the received signals. Alternatively, the IoT device 10 may identify which beacon transmitter signal is the currently received beacon signal through the identifier of the beacon transmitter included in the beacon signal.

The IoT device 10 determines signal strength and angle information of the beacon signal for each received beam (120). The IoT device 10 calculates the signal strength for each received beam. The signal strength may be determined by various criteria or functions. Typically, the signal strength may be expressed as a value of received signal strength information (RSSI). In addition, the IoT device 10 extracts angle information from the currently received beacon signal. The IoT device 10 separates and stores signal strength and angle information for a plurality of beacon signals for each beacon transmitter.

The IoT device 10 may estimate its own location based on the extracted information. The IoT device 10 may select a beam having a clear signal strength among signals transmitted by the plurality of beacon transmitters 51, 52, 53, and 54. The beam selected by the IoT device 10 based on the strength of the signal is hereinafter referred to as a target beam. The IoT device 10 determines one target beam having the strongest signal strength for each beacon transmitter 51, 52, 53, or 54 (130). In some cases, a plurality of target beams may be determined for each beacon transmitter 51, 52, 53, or 54. For example, the IoT device 10 may determine the top several beams having the strongest signal strength as target beams.

Thereafter, the IoT device 10 may estimate a region where all target beams determined for each of the beacon transmitters 51, 52, 53, and 54 overlap as its own location (140). The IoT device 10 may determine an area where a plurality of target beams are overlapped and serviced as its own location.

The IoT device 10 may transmit its own location to the outside together with the collected sensing data.

3 is another example of a flow chart for an IoT device location estimation process 200 based on a beacon signal. 3 is an example of a process in which the server 80 estimates the location of an IoT device.

The plurality of beacon transmitters 51, 52, 53, and 54 transmit a beam-based beacon signal (210). As described above, the plurality of beacon transmitters 51, 52, 53, and 54 may sequentially transmit beams according to a predetermined order.

The IoT device 10 may sequentially receive beacon signals in a certain order. The IoT device 10 may identify which beacon transmitter signal is the currently received beacon signal according to the order of the received signals. Alternatively, the IoT device 10 may identify which beacon transmitter signal is the currently received beacon signal through the identifier of the beacon transmitter included in the beacon signal. The IoT device 10 determines signal strength and angle information of a beacon signal for each received beam. The IoT device 10 calculates the signal strength for each received beam. The signal strength may be determined by various criteria or functions. Typically, the signal strength may be expressed as a value of received signal strength information (RSSI). In addition, the IoT device 10 extracts angle information from the currently received beacon signal.

The IoT device 10 may transmit signal strength and angle information for a beacon signal for each beacon transmitter to the server 80 (220).

The server 80 selects a beam having a clear signal strength among signals transmitted by the plurality of beacon transmitters 51, 52, 53, and 54, and estimates the overlapping area of the selected beams as the location of the IoT device 10. I can.

The server 80 may estimate the location of the IoT device 10 based on information received from the IoT device 10. The server 80 determines a target beam having a clear signal strength among signals transmitted by the plurality of beacon transmitters 51, 52, 53, and 54 (230). The server 80 determines one target beam having the strongest signal strength for each beacon transmitter 51, 52, 53, or 54 (130). In some cases, the server 80 may determine a plurality of target beams for each beacon transmitter 51, 52, 53, or 54. The server 80 may determine angles for target beams determined based on angle information for the beacon signal (230 ).

The server 80 determines an area in which all target beams determined for each of the beacon transmitters 51, 52, 53, and 54 overlap (240). The server 80 may determine an area in which a plurality of target beams are overlapped and serviced as the location of the IoT device 10 (250 ).

The server 80 may transmit the location of the IoT device 10 to the outside.

4 is an example of a process of estimating the location of an IoT device based on a beacon signal. There may be N beacon transmitters in the region of interest. 4 shows four beacon transmitters 51, 52, 53 and 54 as an example. 4 is an example in which the server 80 estimates the location of the IoT device 10.

The beacon signal transmitted by the beacon transmitter 51 will be mainly described. The beacon transmitter 51 emits a plurality of beams having different directivity using a directional antenna. The beacon transmitter 51 emits n beams (k _n = K ₁ , K ₂ ,...,K _n ).

를 포함한다.

은 n 번째 비콘 송신기에서 k_n 번째 빔을 통해 송신된 비콘 신호를 의미한다. 이는

의 함수로 표현될 수 있다. The IoT device 10 sequentially _{receives k n} beams from the beacon transmitter 51. Beacon signal transmitted through k _n beams Angle information of the corresponding beam

Includes.

Is k _{n in the nth beacon transmitter} Refers to a beacon signal transmitted through a th beam. this is

Can be expressed as a function of

In order to receive signals for each beam with the same gain, it is assumed that the IoT device 10 uses an omni-pattern antenna that radiates equally in all directions. In order to prevent a blind area from occurring, the n-th beacon transmitter (eg, beacon transmitter 51) may perform beam scanning using a directional antenna having a beam width of _{BW n.} At this time, the resolution of beam scanning may be expressed as Equation 1 below.

및

를 결정한다. IoT 기기(10)는 비콘 신호에 대한 신호 세기와 각도 정보를 서버(80)에 전송한다. IoT 기기(10)는 비콘 송신기(51)가 송신한 모든 비콘 신호에 대하여 신호 세기와 각도 정보를 서버(80)에 전송한다.The IoT device 10 is the signal strength (RSSI value) of the received beacon signal.

And

Decide. The IoT device 10 transmits signal strength and angle information for the beacon signal to the server 80. The IoT device 10 transmits signal strength and angle information for all beacon signals transmitted by the beacon transmitter 51 to the server 80.

The beacon transmitters 52, 53, and 54 also transmit beacon signals through a beam through the same process. The IoT device 10 measures the same signal strength for individual beams transmitted by individual beacon transmitters for each beacon transmitter, and extracts angle information. The IoT device 10 determines signal strength and angle information from the beacon signal for all beacon transmitters 51, 52, 53, and 54, and transmits it to the server 80.

를 결정한다.

를 타깃 빔 각도라고 명명한다. n 번째 타깃 빔이 서비스할 수 있는 영역을

라고 한다. n 번째 타깃 빔에 대한 타깃 빔 각도는 아래 수학식 2와 같이 결정될 수 있다.The server 80 determines a target beam having the largest RSSI value among beacon signals for each beacon transmitter. And the server 80 is the beam angle based on the angle information of the n-th target beam

Decide.

Is called the target beam angle. The n-th target beam can serve

It is called. The target beam angle with respect to the n-th target beam may be determined as in Equation 2 below.

집합을 보유하게 된다. 서버는 복수의 타깃 빔 각도가 중첩되는 영역

을 IoT 기기(10)가 위치하는 영역으로 추정한다.

이다.The server 80 determines a target beam and a target beam angle for each individual beacon transmitter. Eventually, the server 80 determines a plurality of target beam angles. The server 80 has a plurality of target beam angles

You will have a set. The server is an area where multiple target beam angles overlap

Is estimated as an area where the IoT device 10 is located.

to be.

5 is an example of a block diagram of an apparatus 300 for estimating a location of an IoT device. The device 300 for estimating the location of the IoT device may correspond to the IoT device 10 or the server 80 described above. The IoT device location estimation apparatus 300 may be physically implemented in various forms. For example, the location estimation apparatus 300 may have a form such as a computer device such as a PC, a server of a network, and a chipset dedicated to location estimation. The computer device may include a mobile device such as a smart device. The location estimation device 300 includes a storage device 310, a memory 320, an operation device 330, an interface device 340, and a communication device 350.

The storage device 310 stores a program or source code for estimating the location of the IoT device based on angle information and signal strength of the beacon signal. The storage device 310 may store received data and information. For example, the storage device 310 may store at least one of a beacon signal packet, angle information of a beacon signal, and strength of a beacon signal.

The memory 320 may store information received by the location estimation apparatus 300 and data generated during a location estimation process. For example, the memory 320 may store angle information of a beacon signal and strength of a beacon signal.

The interface device 340 is a device that receives certain commands and data from the outside. The interface device 340 may receive information about a beacon signal (signal strength and angle information for each beacon signal) from an input device physically connected or an external storage device. The interface device 340 may receive a code and a model for location estimation.

The communication device 350 refers to a component that receives and transmits certain information through a wired or wireless network. The communication device 350 may receive a beacon signal from a beacon transmitter. The communication device 350 may receive signal strength and angle information for a beacon signal from an IoT device. The communication device 350 may transmit the estimated IoT device location to an external object.

The communication device 350 to the interface device 340 are devices that receive certain data or commands from the outside. The communication device 350 to the interface device 340 may be referred to as an input device.

The computing device 330 estimates the location of the IoT device based on signal strength and angle information using a program in the storage device 310. The computing device 330 may determine a target beam for each of a plurality of beacon transmitters based on signal strength through the above-described process. The computing device 330 may estimate the location of the IoT device based on the target beam angle through the above-described process. The computing device 330 may be a device such as a processor, an AP, or a chip in which a program is embedded that processes data and processes certain operations.

6 is a simulation result of an IoT device location estimation process. The aforementioned IoT device location estimation technique uses a beamforming technique. The location of the IoT device is estimated using detailed beamforming. The simulation environment was configured as shown in FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 6, it is assumed that the region of interest has a square shape and each beacon transmitter is located at each corner. In FIG. 6, beacon transmitters are indicated by black dots. In FIG. 6, IoT devices are indicated by red dots. It is assumed that the IoT device is located in an arbitrary area in the region of interest. As in the above-described method, each beacon transmitter selects a beam having the largest RSSI through beam scanning, and an area where the selected beams in all beacons overlap is estimated as the location where the IoT device is located. The lower part of FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of an area estimated as an IoT device location. In the lower part of FIG. 6, an area in which a plurality of target beams overlap is indicated in blue. It can be seen that the IoT device location is located within the blue area where the target beams overlap.

In addition, the method for estimating the location of the IoT device as described above may be implemented as a program (or application) including an executable algorithm that can be executed on a computer. The program may be provided by being stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium.

The non-transitory readable medium refers to a medium that stores data semi-permanently and can be read by a device, rather than a medium that stores data for a short moment, such as a register, a cache, and a memory. Specifically, the above-described various applications or programs may be provided by being stored in a non-transitory readable medium such as a CD, DVD, hard disk, Blu-ray disk, USB, memory card, ROM, or the like.

The present embodiment and the accompanying drawings are merely illustrative of some of the technical ideas included in the above-described technology, and those skilled in the art can easily be used within the scope of the technical idea included in the specification and drawings of the above-described technology. It will be apparent that all of the modified examples and specific embodiments that can be inferred are included in the scope of the rights of the above-described technology.

10: IoT device
51, 52, 53, 54: beacon transmitter
80: server
300: IoT device location estimation device
310: storage device
320: memory
330: operation device
340: interface device
350: communication device

Claims (11)

Sequentially receiving a plurality of beacon signals from a plurality of beacon transmitters disposed at different locations by an IoT device;
Extracting angle information from each of the plurality of beacon signals transmitted by the plurality of beacon transmitters, by the IoT device, and calculating signal strength;
The IoT device storing the signal strength and the angle information for a plurality of beacon signals for each of the plurality of beacon transmitters;
Determining a beam having the largest signal strength among the beams transmitting beacon signals for each of the plurality of beacon transmitters as a target beam; And
Including the step of estimating a region where the plurality of target beams overlap as the location of the IoT device based on the angles of the plurality of target beams respectively determined with respect to the plurality of beacon transmitters,
Each of the plurality of beacon transmitters sequentially transmits the plurality of beacon signals each having a different orientation direction by using a beamforming technology in different time zones
The beacon signal includes an identifier of a beacon transmitter and information of a currently transmitted beam,
Angles of the plurality of target beams are determined using the identifier of the beacon transmitter and the information of the beam,
The IoT device is an IoT device location estimation method based on a beacon signal for receiving a signal using an omni-directional pattern antenna. delete delete The method of claim 1,
The IoT device further comprises transmitting the angle information of the plurality of beacon signals and the strength of the signal to a server,
IoT device location estimation method based on a beacon signal in which the server estimates the location of the IoT device based on the angle of the target beam. delete delete An input device for receiving angle information and signal strength of each of a plurality of beacon signals sequentially received by an IoT device from a plurality of beacon transmitters disposed at different locations in a region of interest;
A storage device for storing a program for estimating the location of the IoT device based on angle information and signal strength of a plurality of beacon signals; And
Using the program, a beam having the highest signal strength for each of the plurality of beacon transmitters is determined as a target beam based on the signal strength, and the plurality of target beams determined for the plurality of beacon transmitters are used as a reference. Including a computing device for estimating the area where the target beam overlaps as the location of the IoT device,
The plurality of beacon signals are transmitted from the plurality of beacon transmitters as beams each having a different directional direction, and each of the plurality of beacon transmitters uses a beamforming technology to each of the plurality of beacon signals having different directional directions. Differently and sequentially transmit,
The beacon signal includes an identifier of a beacon transmitter and information of a currently transmitted beam,
Angles of the plurality of target beams are determined using the identifier of the beacon transmitter and the information of the beam,
The IoT device is an IoT device location estimation device based on a beacon signal that receives a signal using an omni-directional pattern antenna. The method of claim 7,
The device for estimating the location of an IoT device based on a beacon signal, wherein the angle information and the signal strength are values determined and received by the IoT device. delete delete The method of claim 7,
The storage device is an IoT device location estimation device based on a beacon signal that separates and stores the angle information and the signal strength transmitted through the input device for each of the beacon transmitters.

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