Probabilistic model for a positioning technique

Abstract

A model construction module for constructing a probabilistic model of a wireless environment in which a target device communicates using signals that have a measurable signal value, such as signal strength. The model construction module forms several submodels of the wireless environment. Each submodel indicates a probability distribution for signal values at one or more locations in the wireless environment. The module combines the submodels to a probabilistic model of the wireless environment, such that the probabilistic model indicates a probability distribution for signal values at several locations in the wireless environment. Alternatively, the model may insert new locations to a single model based on a combination of existing locations. The combination of submodels or existing locations includes combining the inverse cumulative distribution functions of the submodels or existing locations.

Description

[0001] This is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 999,140, filed Nov. 30, 2004, which a continuation of International Application No. PCT / FI03 / 00413, filed May 27, 2003, which claims priority from Finnish application No. 20021044, filed May 31, 2002, the contents of all of which are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The invention relates generally to a positioning technique in which a target device's location is estimated on the basis of observations on the target device's wireless communication environment. FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an example of such a positioning technique. A target device T communicates via base stations BS via a radio interface RI. In this example, the communication is assumed to be radio communication. The target device T observes signal values at the radio interface RI. The observation set OS is applied to a probabilistic model PM that models the target device's wireless communication envir...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0021] The location-estimating step can be performed in the target device. In this case, the target device must comprise the probabilistic model and carry out the location-estimating software routines. An advantage gained by performing the location-estimating step in the target device is that the target device does not have to transmit the signal value observations to have its location estimated.

Problems solved by technology

A problem is that obtaining a large number of sample points by physical calibration is time-consuming and expensive.

This process is difficult to perform automatically.

But such a combined probability distribution 23 does not predict signal values between two locations, at least not very well.

Thus a problem is how to create a sample point based on interpolation of two or more known locations.

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