NU 2010-018
Inventors
Aaron Ballew
Aleksandar Kuzmanovic*
C.C. Lee
Shiva Srivastava
Nikolay Valtchanov
Abstract
Wi-Fi and cellular base station based technologies can be applied to the problem of indoor localization and wayfinding when GPS sensing is not possible. However, these technologies suffer various technical problems and can be complicated and difficult to implement. Researchers from Northwestern University have developed a simple, practical approach to indoor localization and wayfinding that uses publicly available floor plans and requires only minimal input from a mobile phone user. No special infrastructure is needed. A user proceeds from one location to another location inside of a building by traveling in a sequence of several hops in response to different visual cues. A portable handheld device may provide the visual cues to the user. The user reaches the destination through the sequence of hops using the portable handheld device.
Applications
Advantages
IP Status
Issued US Patent No. 8,731,817. A PCT application has been filed.