KR102673268B1 - method of providing in-door navigation by use of UWB tags and smartphones - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an indoor navigation technology which generally guides a moving path inside a building. In particular, the present invention relates to an indoor navigation providing technology using a UWB tag and a smartphone, which implements an indoor navigation service for a user by using the smartphone of the user as a UWB anchor in a state in which the UWB tag is disposed in each passage and store inside a building. According to the present invention, there is an advantage of providing high-precision indoor navigation inside a building. In particular, according to the present invention, since a smartphone of the user is used as a UWB anchor, there is no need to install a plurality of UWB anchor devices inside the building, thereby reducing installation costs and maintenance burden.

Description

Method of providing indoor navigation using UWB tags and smartphones {method of providing in-door navigation by use of UWB tags and smartphones}

The present invention generally relates to indoor navigation technology that guides movement routes inside a building.

In particular, the present invention is a technology for providing indoor navigation using UWB tags and smartphones that implements an indoor navigation service for users by using the user's smartphone as a UWB anchor while UWB tags are placed in each passage and store inside the building. It's about.

Recently, as the size of buildings such as department stores and outlets has increased, the development of in-door navigation technology that guides users to their respective destinations inside the building has been actively developed.

In general, navigation technology has been developed based on GPS (Global Positioning System), but since it is difficult to receive GPS signals in indoor spaces, alternative technology is needed.

An indoor navigation system based on Bluetooth (BLE) and wireless LAN (WiFi) was proposed. With multiple BLE beacons and wireless LAN access points (WiFi APs) installed in a building, the RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) values of the beacon signals and wireless LAN signals can be checked from smartphones carried by users in the building. Measure. Triangulation and fingerprinting techniques are applied to these RSSI values to measure the user's location and provide indoor navigation based on that. However, this method has the disadvantage of requiring installation of multiple BLE beacon devices and wireless LAN access point devices within the building, resulting in high installation costs and maintenance burden.

Meanwhile, a location tracking system based on UWB (Ultra Wide Band) has been proposed. With multiple UWB anchors installed in a building, users attach UWB tags to their items (e.g. bags, key chains). The location of an object with a UWB tag can be tracked within the building. However, this method also has the disadvantage of requiring installation of multiple UWB anchor devices within the building, resulting in high installation costs and maintenance burden.

Republic of Korea Patent No. 10-2404098 “Method of providing indoor navigation for managing mechanical facilities on each floor in a building and system using the same” Republic of Korea Patent No. 10-1947134 “Method and device for providing indoor navigation service” Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2017-0130234 “Electronic device for providing indoor navigation and method thereof” Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2022-0145056 “Indoor navigation service method and device”

The purpose of the present invention is to provide indoor navigation technology that generally guides movement routes inside a building.

In particular, the purpose of the present invention is to provide indoor navigation using UWB tags and smartphones, which implements an indoor navigation service for users by using the user's smartphone as a UWB anchor while UWB tags are placed in each passage and store inside the building. It is about providing technology.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is not limited to this matter, and other problems to be solved can be understood from the description in this specification.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention uses a plurality of UWB tags (100) pre-installed at a plurality of movement path points inside the building and a smartphone (201) with a built-in UWB module carried by the user. We present a method of providing indoor navigation using UWB tags and smartphones to provide indoor navigation.

A method of providing indoor navigation using a UWB tag and a smartphone according to the present invention includes the steps of the UWB navigation unit 220 installed in the smartphone 201 receiving destination information from the user; A step where the UWB anchor unit 210 installed in the smartphone 201 operates the smartphone 201 as a UWB anchor; A step of the UWB anchor unit 210 transmitting and receiving UWB signals to and from a surrounding UWB tag 100 using a UWB module built into the smartphone 201; The UWB anchor unit 210 collects UWB transmission and reception information and transmits it to the navigation server 300; The navigation server 300 receiving destination information and UWB transmission and reception information; The navigation server 300 acquiring building structure data and tag placement data for the building; The navigation server 300 performing indoor location determination for the smartphone 201 based on tag placement data and UWB transmission and reception information; The navigation server 300 generating an indoor movement route based on building structure data, indoor location determination results, and destination information; The navigation server 300 providing an indoor movement route to the smartphone 201; The UWB navigation unit 220 may be configured to include providing indoor navigation on the display screen of the smartphone 201 based on the indoor movement path.

In the present invention, UWB transmission and reception information may include identification information of the UWB tag 100 that transmits and receives UWB signals to and from the smartphone 201 and UWB signal reception strength (RSSI).

A method of providing indoor navigation using a UWB tag and a smartphone according to the present invention includes the steps of the navigation server 300 providing tag placement data along with an indoor movement path to the UWB navigation unit 220; While indoor navigation is being provided, the UWB navigation unit 220 updates the current location of the smartphone 201 in real time based on tag placement data and UWB transmission and reception information and updates the indoor navigation screen according to the updated current location. It may further include a step;

Meanwhile, the computer program according to the present invention is stored in a non-volatile storage medium in order to execute the above method of providing indoor navigation using a UWB tag and a smartphone on a computer.

According to the present invention, there is an advantage of providing high-precision indoor navigation inside a building.

In particular, according to the present invention, by using the user's smartphone as a UWB anchor, there is no need to install multiple UWB anchor devices in the building, which has the advantage of lower installation costs and maintenance burden.

[Figure 1] is an overall configuration diagram of an indoor navigation system for the present invention.
[Figure 2] is an example of a typical UWB anchor device and UWB tag.
[Figure 3] is an example of building structure data and tag placement data in the present invention.
[Figure 4] is an example of an indoor navigation service in the present invention.
[Figure 5] is an example of an indoor navigation screen in the present invention.
[Figure 6] is another example of an indoor navigation screen in the present invention.
[Figure 7] is a flowchart of a method for providing indoor navigation using a UWB tag and a smartphone according to the present invention.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

In describing the present invention, detailed descriptions of parts that overlap with the prior art may be omitted.

[Figure 1] is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an indoor navigation system for implementing a method of providing indoor navigation using a UWB tag 100 and a smartphone 201 according to the present invention.

First, UWB tags (100:100A ~ 100H) are placed at each point along the path where people move inside the building. For example, the UWB tag 100 may be placed in stores and passageways within a building, and in this specification, these points are referred to as 'path points'. It is desirable for one or more UWB tags 100 to be placed in every store and passageway within the building.

[Figure 2] is an example diagram of a typical UWB anchor device and UWB tag. [FIG. 2] (a) and (b) are illustrative diagrams of a UWB anchor device, and [FIG. 2] (c) and (d) are illustrative diagrams of a UWB tag. Referring to [Figure 2], UWB tags are smaller in size, cheaper, and consume less power than UWB anchor devices. Accordingly, placing multiple UWB anchor devices inside a building has a large installation cost and maintenance burden, whereas placing multiple UWB tags inside a building does not have a large installation cost and maintenance burden.

Users moving inside the building each carry a smartphone (201: 201A ~ 201C). The smartphone 201 is equipped with a UWB anchor unit (210: 210A to 210C) and a UWB navigation unit (220: 220A to 220C). As an embodiment, the UWB anchor unit 210 and the UWB navigation unit 220 may be implemented in the form of a smart app (eg, Android App, iOS App).

The UWB anchor unit 210 is a component that operates the smartphone 201 as a UWB anchor using the UWB module built into the user's smartphone 201. In 2019, Apple Inc. installed a UWB module in the iPhone 11 and presented a service based on precision positioning, and since then, UWB modules have been built into smartphones. In the present invention, it is assumed that the user's smartphone 201 has a built-in UWB module. When the UWB anchor unit 210 operates, the user's smartphone 201 serves as a UWB anchor for 10 msec, for example, once per second.

When performing the UWB anchor role, the smartphone 201 transmits and receives UWB signals to and from a plurality of UWB tags 100 in its vicinity using a built-in UWB module. When a user moves while carrying the smartphone 201, the UWB tag 100 through which the smartphone 201 transmits and receives UWB signals continuously changes. The UWB anchor unit 210 collects UWB signal transmission and reception information ('UWB transmission and reception information') and transmits it to the navigation server 300. At this time, the UWB transmission and reception information may include the identification information (identifier) of the UWB tag 100 that transmitted and received the UWB signal to the smartphone 201 and UWB signal reception strength (RSSI).

The UWB navigation unit 220 is a component that provides an indoor route guidance service (indoor navigation service) to the user in conjunction with the external navigation server 300. The UWB navigation unit 220 provides a user interface (UI) for navigation operation on the display screen of the smartphone 201. When the user sets a destination through the UI of the smartphone 201, the UWB anchor unit 210 operates the smartphone 201 as a UWB anchor, and the UWB navigation unit 220 sends destination information to the navigation server 300. Pass it to Then, the UWB navigation unit 220 obtains the movement route information from the navigation server 300 and uses it to display indoor route guidance information (indoor navigation information) on the display screen of the smartphone 201.

The navigation server 300 is a component that operates in cooperation with the UWB anchor unit 210 and the UWB navigation unit 220 of the smartphone 201 to provide an indoor navigation service to users inside the building. The navigation server 300 receives destination information from the UWB navigation unit 220 and UWB transmission/reception information from the UWB anchor unit 210. The navigation server 300 performs indoor positioning of the smartphone 201 based on UWB transmission and reception information, generates an indoor movement path for the smart phone 201 based on the indoor positioning result, and provides the UWB navigation unit ( 220).

The navigation server 300 manages the building structure database 310 and the tag placement database 320. The building structure database 310 is a database that stores information (building structure data) about the internal structure of the building, and the tag placement database 320 is information about the status of the UWB tag 100 being placed within the building ( This is a database that stores tag placement data. [Figure 3] is an example of building structure data and tag placement data in the present invention. The building structure data in (a) of [Figure 3] and the tag placement data in (b) of [Figure 3] are data for the same space, and the navigation server 300 maps the building structure data and tag placement data to each other and utilizes it. .

In this way, the navigation server 300 can use the building structure data and tag placement data for the relevant building as a reference. Accordingly, the navigation server 300 performs location determination of where the smartphone 201 is in the building based on the transmission and reception information of the UWB signal provided from the UWB anchor unit 210, and based on the location determination result, the smart phone 201 An indoor movement path for the phone 201 can be created and provided to the UWB navigation unit 220.

[FIG. 4] is an exemplary diagram of an indoor navigation service in the present invention, and [FIG. 5] and [FIG. 6] are exemplary diagrams of an indoor navigation screen provided by the UWB navigation unit 220 in the present invention.

As shown in [Figure 4], when the user sets a destination through the UI of the smartphone 201 at a specific location (current location) in the building, the navigation server 300 provides the indoor movement route to the UWB navigation unit 220. , the UWB navigation unit 220 provides indoor navigation screens such as [FIG. 5] and [FIG. 6] on the screen of the smartphone 201.

As shown in [FIG. 4], when the user moves along the indoor navigation screen, the UWB anchor unit 210 of the smartphone 201 continuously transmits and receives UWB signals with UWB tags 100 that newly appear around the user. do. Based on this UWB signal transmission and reception information, the user's current location is updated in real time, and the indoor navigation screen is also updated based on the location update.

As an embodiment, the UWB anchor unit 210 transmits UWB signal transmission and reception information to the navigation server 300, and the navigation server 300 updates the user's current location in real time through location determination and updates the indoor movement route. It is possible to update the indoor navigation screen by providing it to the UWB navigation unit 220.

In another embodiment, the navigation server 300 provides tag placement data for the building to the UWB navigation unit 220, so that the UWB navigation unit 220 updates the user's current location in real time and displays the indoor navigation screen. Updating configuration is also possible.

Since the present invention is a positioning method using UWB signals, the accuracy is very high, with an error range of only a few centimeters. It can provide quick and accurate travel routes in shopping malls, department stores, or large marts, improving the user experience in the building and helping to make product purchases more efficient. In addition, since the margin of error is at the level of several centimeters, it is possible to classify each floor of a building and provide indoor navigation for moving between multiple floors. In particular, the present invention can provide multiple references for location determination by placing UWB tags (100: 100A ~ 100H) at multiple movement path points. Through this, the accuracy of location determination can be improved.

Meanwhile, in the present invention, it is desirable to provide real-time management and monitoring by the administrator by linking the navigation server 300, the UWB navigation unit 220 of the smartphone 201, and the back-office terminal 400. do. For example, you can monitor information in real time about which places in a building people want to visit the most and provide that information to the managers of those places so they can prepare for those people's visits. Additionally, users' browsing frequency can be considered as a preference for the location and reflected in the overall store design.

[Figure 6] is a flowchart of a method for providing indoor navigation using a UWB tag and a smartphone according to the present invention.

The present invention is to provide indoor navigation inside a building using a plurality of UWB tags (100) pre-installed at a plurality of movement path points inside the building and a smartphone (201) with a built-in UWB module carried by the user. We present a method of providing indoor navigation using UWB tags and smartphones.

Step (S100): First, the UWB navigation unit 220 installed in the smartphone 201 receives destination information within the building from the user through a user interface (UI). For example, a specific room, a specific store, or a bathroom in a building can be designated as a destination.

Steps (S110, S120): When the destination is set, the UWB anchor unit 210 installed in the smartphone 201 operates the smartphone 201 as a UWB anchor. Accordingly, the smartphone 201 uses the built-in UWB module to transmit and receive UWB signals with the UWB tag 100 around the smartphone 201. The UWB anchor unit 210 monitors UWB signal transmission and reception between the smartphone 201 and the surrounding UWB tag 100, collects UWB transmission and reception information accordingly, and transmits it to the navigation server 300. At this time, the UWB transmission and reception information may include identification information of the UWB tag 100 that transmitted and received the UWB signal to the smartphone 201 and UWB signal reception strength (RSSI).

Steps (S130, S140): The navigation server 300 receives destination information and UWB transmission and reception information from the user's smartphone 201. Specifically, destination information is received from the UWB navigation unit 220 of the smartphone 201, and UWB transmission and reception information is received from the UWB anchor unit 210 of the smartphone 201.

Additionally, the navigation server 300 obtains building structure data and tag placement data for the building from the building structure database 310 and the tag placement database 320.

Step (S150): The navigation server 300 performs indoor location determination for the smartphone 201 based on tag placement data and UWB transmission and reception information. First, the navigation server 300 obtains information about where each UWB tag 100 is placed within the building from tag placement data and sets it as a reference for indoor location determination. Additionally, the navigation server 300 obtains information about which UWB tag 100 and at what reception strength the smartphone 201 transmits and receives UWB signals from the UWB transmission and reception information. Indoor location determination for the smartphone 201 can be performed by using the tag placement data as a reference and applying UWB transmission and reception information.

Steps (S160, S170): Next, the navigation server 300 generates an indoor movement route as illustrated in [FIG. 4] based on building structure data, indoor location determination results, and destination information. At this time, it is assumed that the algorithm for generating the movement path is prepared in advance. The navigation server 300 provides the generated indoor movement route to the smartphone 201.

Step (S180): The UWB navigation unit 220 provides indoor navigation as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 on the display screen of the smartphone 201 based on the indoor movement path.

As shown in [FIG. 4], when the user moves along the indoor navigation screen, the UWB anchor unit 210 of the smartphone 201 continuously transmits and receives UWB signals with UWB tags 100 that newly appear around the user. do. The UWB navigation unit 220 updates the user's current location in real time based on the UWB signal transmission and reception information, and the indoor navigation screen is also updated based on the location update.

As an embodiment, the UWB anchor unit 210 transmits UWB signal transmission and reception information to the navigation server 300, and the navigation server 300 updates the user's current location in real time through location determination and updates the indoor movement route. It is possible to update the indoor navigation screen by providing it to the UWB navigation unit 220.

In another embodiment, the navigation server 300 provides an indoor movement route and tag placement data to the UWB navigation unit 220, and while indoor navigation is being provided, the UWB navigation unit 220 provides the tag placement data and the tag placement data. It is also possible to update the current location of the smartphone 201 in real time based on UWB transmission and reception information and update the indoor navigation screen according to the updated current location.

Meanwhile, the present invention can be implemented in the form of computer-readable code on a computer-readable non-volatile recording medium. These non-volatile recording media include various types of storage devices, such as hard disks, SSDs, CD-ROMs, NAS, magnetic tapes, web disks, and cloud disks. Additionally, the present invention may be implemented in the form of a computer program stored on a medium in order to execute a specific procedure in combination with hardware.

100: UWB tag
210: UWB anchor unit
220: UWB internal affairs department
201: Smartphone
300: Navigation server
310: Building structure database
320: Tag placement database
400: Back office terminal

Claims (4)

UWB to provide indoor navigation inside the building using a plurality of UWB tags (100) pre-installed at a number of movement route points such as passageways and stores inside the building and a smartphone (201) with a built-in UWB module carried by the user. As a method of providing indoor navigation using tags and a smartphone,
A step where the UWB navigation unit 220 installed in the smartphone 201 carried by the user receives destination information by navigation operation from the user;
When the user's input of destination information is identified, the UWB anchor unit 210 installed in the smartphone 201 operates the smartphone 201 as a UWB anchor;
The UWB anchor unit 210 periodically performing a UWB anchor operation using a UWB module built into the smartphone 201;
When the UWB anchor unit 210 performs the UWB anchor operation, transmitting and receiving a UWB signal with a nearby UWB tag 100 using a UWB module built into the smartphone 201;
The UWB anchor unit 210 collects UWB transmission and reception information between the smartphone 201 and a nearby UWB tag 100 and transmits it to the navigation server 300;
In response to the user moving while holding the smart phone 201, the UWB anchor unit 210 continuously collects continuously changing UWB transmission and reception information in the vicinity of the smart phone 201 and sends it to the navigation server ( 300) passing on;
The navigation server 300 receiving the destination information from the UWB navigation unit 220;
The navigation server 300 continuously receiving the UWB transmission and reception information from the UWB anchor unit 210;
Obtaining building structure data, which is information about the internal structure of the building, by the navigation server 300;
Obtaining, by the navigation server 300, tag placement data, which is information about the status of a plurality of UWB tags 100 being placed within the building;
The navigation server 300 performing indoor location determination of where the smartphone 201 is within the building based on the tag placement data and the UWB transmission and reception information;
generating, by the navigation server 300, an indoor movement route based on the building structure data, the indoor location determination results, and the destination information;
The navigation server 300 providing the indoor movement route to the smartphone 201;
The UWB navigation unit 220 providing indoor navigation on the display screen of the smartphone 201 based on the indoor movement path;
The navigation server 300 providing the tag placement data along with the indoor movement path to the UWB navigation unit 220; and
While the indoor navigation is being provided, as the user moves along the indoor navigation screen while holding the smartphone 201, the UWB anchor unit 210 of the smartphone 201 continuously moves around the user. UWB signal transmission and reception is additionally performed with newly appearing UWB tags 100, and the UWB navigation unit 220 is based on the tag placement data and UWB transmission and reception information collected through the additionally performed UWB signal transmission and reception. updating the current location of the smartphone 201 in real time and updating the indoor navigation screen according to the updated current location;
A method of providing indoor navigation using a UWB tag and a smartphone, including:
In claim 1,
The UWB transmission and reception information includes identification information of the UWB tag 100 that transmitted and received the UWB signal to the smartphone 201 and UWB signal reception strength (RSSI). How to provide navigation.
delete A computer program stored in a storage medium to execute the method of providing indoor navigation using a UWB tag and a smartphone according to claim 1 or 2 on a computer.

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