Music-Based Positioning Aided By Dead Reckoning

Abstract

Music-based positioning (MP) provides positioning service only sporadically and therefore is not suitable for indoor positioning. The present invention discloses system and method for music-based positioning aided by dead reckoning (MP-DR). At each signature burst (i.e. a highly unique short musical segment suitable for positioning), musical sounds are used for positioning. Between signature bursts, positioning is performed by dead reckoning (DR). MP-DR is an ideal combination of MP and DR: DR extends temporal coverage for MP, while MP provides the much needed periodic calibrations for DR.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority of a provisional application entitled “Music-Based Positioning Aided By Dead Reckoning”, Ser. No. 61 / 835,527, filed Jun. 14, 2013.BACKGROUND[0002]1. Technical Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to the field of mobile electronic system, and more particularly to indoor positioning using human consumable sounds such as music.[0004]2. Prior Arts[0005]Sound has been suggested as a medium for positioning. For positioning in a large venue like a shopping mall or a supermarket, an important metric is the range of the sound. To limit the number of sound sources (e.g. loudspeakers), the sound used for positioning preferably has a long range.[0006]Ultrasound, although widely used for ranging, fails in this aspect. Ultrasound suffers from severe attenuation when transmitted in air. For a distance of 100 meters, the transmission loss for a 40 kHz ultrasound is ˜140 dB (FIG. 1). In fact, ultrasoun...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010]It is a principle object of the present invention to provide a positioning service in a large venue using the existing infra-structure (e.g. loudspeakers in the public address system and microphones in mobile devices).

[0011]It is a further object of the present invention to improve the temporal coverage of music-based positioning (MP).

[0012]It is a further object of the present invention to improve the accuracy of dead reckoning (DR).

[0013]In accordance with these and other objects of the present invention, the present invention discloses system and method for music-based positioning aided by dead reckoning (MP-DR).

[0014]The present invention discloses system and method for music-based positioning aided by dead reckoning (MP-DR). At each signature burst (i.e. a highly unique short musical segment suitable for positioning), musical sounds are used for positioning. During a non-signature interval (i.e. between successive signature bursts), positioning is performed by dead reckoning.

[0015]MP-DR is an ideal combination of music-based positioning (MP) and dead reckoning (DR), whose strengths and weaknesses exactly complement each other. MP provides accurate positioning with an error of ˜1%. However, because most musical segments are not suitable for positioning, MP can be performed only sporadically. The time gap between two successive MP measurements ranges from a few seconds to tens of seconds. On the other hand, DR suffers from accumulation of errors. After calibrating its location at a reference point, although DR initially has a small error, this error grows rapidly and becomes unacceptable after a mobile user walks for more than one minute or so. For MP-DR, DR extends temporal coverage for MP, while MP provides the much needed periodic calibrations for DR.

Problems solved by technology

However, because most musical segments are not suitable for positioning, MP can be performed only sporadically.

On the other hand, DR suffers from accumulation of errors.

After calibrating its location at a reference point, although DR initially has a small error, this error grows rapidly and becomes unacceptable after a mobile user walks for more than one minute or so.

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