Characterization of Multipath Effects in Indoor Positioning Systems by AoA and PoA Based on Optical Signals

Six-Degree-of-Freedom Posture Measurement Technologies Using Position Sensitive Detectors (PSDs): State of the Art

Six degree-of-freedom (6-DOF) posture measurement is an important academic research topic which has been broadly applied in many fields. As a high-speed photoelectronic sensor with ultra-high resolution and precision, position sensitive detector (PSD) has shown to be one of the most competitive candidates in 6-DOF measurement. This review presents the research progress of PSD-based 6-DOF posture measurement systems in the field of large-scale equipment assembly, ultra-precision manufacturing and other emerging areas. A total of six methods for implementing 6-DOF measurement are summarized and their advantages and limitations are discussed. Meanwhile, the paper illustrates challenges, potential solutions and future development trends.

Accuracy and Precision of Agents Orientation in an Indoor Positioning System Using Multiple Infrastructure Lighting Spotlights and a PSD Sensor

In indoor localization there are applications in which the orientation of the agent to be located is as important as knowing the position. In this paper we present the results of the orientation estimation from a local positioning system based on position-sensitive device (PSD) sensors and the visible light emitted from the illumination of the room in which it is located. The orientation estimation will require that the PSD sensor receives signal from either 2 or 4 light sources simultaneously. As will be shown in the article, the error determining the rotation angle of the agent with the on-board sensor is less than 0.2 degrees for two emitters. On the other hand, by using 4 light sources the three Euler rotation angles are determined, with mean errors in the measurements smaller than 0.35° for the x- and y-axis and 0.16° for the z-axis. The accuracy of the measurement has been evaluated experimentally in a 2.5 m-high ceiling room over an area of 2.2 m2 using geodetic measurement tools to establish the reference ground truth values.

Weak Calibration of a Visible Light Positioning System Based on a Position-Sensitive Detector: Positioning Error Assessment

Reduced deployment and calibration requirements are key for scalable and cost-effective indoor positioning systems. In this work, we propose a low-complexity, weak calibration procedure for an indoor positioning system based on infrastructure lighting and a positioning-sensitive detector. The proposed calibration relies on genetic algorithms to obtain the relevant system parameters in the real positioning environment without a priori information, and requires a low number of simple measurements. The achievable performance of the proposal was assessed by direct comparison with a formal offline calibration method requiring complex dedicated infrastructure and instruments. The comparative error assessment showed that the maximum accuracy reduction compared to the significantly more costly formal calibration was below 25 mm, and the overall absolute positioning error was smaller than 35 mm with orientation errors of around 0.25°. The performance achieved with the proposed weak calibration procedure is sufficient for many indoor positioning applications and largely reduces the cost and complexity of setting up the positioning system in real environments.

Exploring Fast Fingerprint Construction Algorithm for Unmodulated Visible Light Indoor Localization

The study of visible light indoor position has received considerable attention. The visible light indoor position has problems such as deployment difficulty and high cost. In our system, we propose a new fingerprint construction algorithm to simplify visible light indoor position. This method can realize the rapid construction of a visible fingerprint database and prove that the fingerprint database can be used repeatedly in different environments. We proved the theoretical feasibility of this method through theoretical derivation. We carried out extensive experiments in two classic real indoor environments. Experimental results show that reverse fingerprinting can be achieved. In 95% of cases, the positioning accuracy can be guaranteed to be less than 10 cm.

Indoor Localization Based on Infrared Angle of Arrival Sensor Network

Accurate, inexpensive, and reliable real-time indoor localization holds the key to the full potential of the context-aware applications and location-based Internet of Things (IoT) services. State-of-the-art indoor localization systems are coping with the complex non-line-of-sight (NLOS) signal propagation which hinders the use of proven multiangulation and multilateration methods, as well as with prohibitive installation costs, computational demands, and energy requirements. In this paper, we present a novel sensor utilizing low-range infrared (IR) signal in the line-of-sight (LOS) context providing high precision angle-of-arrival (AoA) estimation. The proposed sensor is used in the pragmatic solution to the localization problem that avoids NLOS propagation issues by exploiting the powerful concept of the wireless sensor network (WSN). To demonstrate the proposed solution, we applied it in the challenging context of the supermarket cart navigation. In this specific use case, a proof-of-concept navigation system was implemented with the following components: IR-AoA sensor prototype and the corresponding WSN used for cart localization, server-side application programming interface (API), and client application suite consisting of smartphone and smartwatch applications. The localization performance of the proposed solution was assessed in, altogether, four evaluation procedures, including both empirical and simulation settings. The evaluation outcomes are ranging from centimeter-level accuracy achieved in static-1D context up to 1 m mean localization error obtained for a mobile cart moving at 140 cm/s in a 2D setup. These results show that, for the supermarket context, appropriate localization accuracy can be achieved, along with the real-time navigation support, using readily available IR technology with inexpensive hardware components.

Accuracy and Precision Assessment of AoA-Based Indoor Positioning Systems Using Infrastructure Lighting and a Position-Sensitive Detector

Unlike GNSS-based outdoor positioning, there is no technological alternative for Indoor Positioning Systems (IPSs) that generally stands out from the others. In indoor contexts, the measurement technologies and localization strategies to be used depend strongly on the application requirements and are complementary to each other. In this work, we present an optical IPS based on a Position-Sensitive Detector (PSD) and exploiting illumination infrastructure to determine the target position by Angle of Arrival (AoA) measurements. We combine the proposed IPS with different positioning strategies depending on the number of visible emitters (one, two, or more) and available prior or additional information about the scenario and target. The accuracy and precision of the proposal is assessed experimentally for the different strategies in a 2.47 m high space covering approximately 2.2 m², using high-end geodetic equipment to establish the reference ground truth. When the orientation of the target is known from external measurements, an average positioning error of 8.2 mm is obtained using the signal received from only one emitter. Using simultaneous observations from two emitters, an average positioning error of 9.4 mm is obtained without external information when the target movement is restricted to a plane. Conversely, if four signals are available, an average positioning error of 4.9 cm is demonstrated, yielding the complete 3D pose of the target free of any prior assumption or additional measurements. In all cases, a precision (2σ) better than 5.9 mm is achieved across the complete test space for an integration time of 10 ms. The proposed system represents a prospectively useful alternative for indoor positioning applications requiring fast and reliable cm-level accuracy with moderate cost when smart illumination infrastructure is available in the environment.

Noise-Adaptive Visible Light Communications Receiver for Automotive Applications: A Step Toward Self-Awareness

Visible light communications are considered as a promising solution for inter-vehicle communications, which in turn can significantly enhance the traffic safety and efficiency. However, the vehicular visible light communications (VLC) channel is highly dynamic, very unpredictable, and subject to many noise sources. Enhancing VLC systems with self-aware capabilities would maximize the communication performances and efficiency, whatever the environmental conditions. Within this context, this letter proposes a novel signal to noise ratio (SNR)-adaptive visible light communication receiver architecture aimed for automotive applications. The novelty of this letter comes from an open loop signal processing technique in which the signal treatment complexity is established based on a real-time SNR analysis. So, the receiver evaluates the SNR, and based on this assessment, it reconfigures its structural design in order to ensure a proper signal treatment, while providing an optimal tradeoff between communication performances and computational resources usage. This approach based on software reconfiguration has the potential to provide the system with enhanced flexibility and enables its usage in resource sharing application. As far as we know, this approach has not been considered in vehicular VLC systems. The performances of the proposed architecture are demonstrated by simulations, which confirm the SNR-adaptive capacity and the optimized performances.

Noise-Adaptive Visible Light Communications Receiver for Automotive Applications: A Step Toward Self-Awareness

Visible light communications are considered as a promising solution for inter-vehicle communications, which in turn can significantly enhance the traffic safety and efficiency. However, the vehicular visible light communications (VLC) channel is highly dynamic, very unpredictable, and subject to many noise sources. Enhancing VLC systems with self-aware capabilities would maximize the communication performances and efficiency, whatever the environmental conditions. Within this context, this letter proposes a novel signal to noise ratio (SNR)-adaptive visible light communication receiver architecture aimed for automotive applications. The novelty of this letter comes from an open loop signal processing technique in which the signal treatment complexity is established based on a real-time SNR analysis. So, the receiver evaluates the SNR, and based on this assessment, it reconfigures its structural design in order to ensure a proper signal treatment, while providing an optimal tradeoff between communication performances and computational resources usage. This approach based on software reconfiguration has the potential to provide the system with enhanced flexibility and enables its usage in resource sharing application. As far as we know, this approach has not been considered in vehicular VLC systems. The performances of the proposed architecture are demonstrated by simulations, which confirm the SNR-adaptive capacity and the optimized performances.

Analysis of Multiple-Access Discrimination Techniques for the Development of a PSD-Based VLP System

There are several technologies and techniques available when developing indoor positioning systems (IPS). Recently, the development of positioning systems based on optical signals has aroused great interest, mainly those using visible light from the lighting infrastructure. In this work, we analyze which techniques give better results to lay the foundations for the development of a Visible Light Positioning system (VLP). Working only with a receiver, it is analyzed what the result of determining the position of different emitters is when they emit simultaneously and without any synchronism. The results obtained by Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) (with digital bandpass filters, I/Q demodulation, and FFT) and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) are compared. The interference between signals when emitted simultaneously from multiple emitters is analyzed as well as the errors they cause and how these effects can be mitigated. As a result of the research, the advantages and disadvantages using different multiple-access determination techniques are determined. In addition, advantages and disadvantages of using FDMA and CDMA techniques as well as hardware requirements that make one more feasible than the other are presented. The system behavior, in terms of errors, is established using FDMA and different configurations such as: I/Q, RMS, or FFT. The work also determines the error rates that can be obtained with the different FDMA and CDMA configurations, considering different error scenarios and integration time. Synthetic emulations and empirical tests were performed, which concluded that IPS systems based on optical signals and PSD sensors can achieve very high measurement accuracies and a high measurement rate. Obtained positioning errors in a room of 3 m height are less than 1 cm when working in noisy environments.

Noise Resilient Outdoor Traffic Light Visible Light Communications System Based on Logarithmic Transimpedance Circuit: Experimental Demonstration of a 50 m Reliable Link in Direct Sun Exposure

The usage of Visible Light Communications (VLC) technology in automotive applications is very promising. Nevertheless, in outdoor conditions, the performances of existing VLC systems are strongly affected by the sun or other sources of light. In such situations, the strong parasitic light can saturate the photosensitive element and block data communication. To address the issue, this article analyzes the usage of an adaptive logarithmic transimpedance circuit as an alternative to the classical linear transimpedance circuit. The simulation and experimental evaluation demonstrate benefits of the proposed technique, as it significantly expands the communication distance and optical noise functionality range of the VLC systems and reduces the possibility of photoelement saturation. As a result, this approach might enable outdoor VLC sensors to work in strong sun conditions, the experimental results confirming its validity not only in the laboratory but also in outdoor conditions. A reliable 50 m communication distance is reported for outdoor sunny conditions using a standard power traffic light VLC emitter and a PIN photodiode VLC sensor.