Indoor Positioning System Based on a PSD Detector, Precise Positioning of Agents in Motion Using AoA Techniques

Area of Science:

• Robotics and Automation
• Sensor Technology
• Navigation Systems

Background:

• Existing indoor positioning systems (IPS) can be expensive, complex to install, and computationally intensive.
• There is a need for alternative IPS solutions offering lower cost, simpler deployment, and high measurement rates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, cost-effective indoor positioning system (IPS) utilizing a single Position Sensitive Device (PSD) sensor and InfraRed Emitter Diodes (IREDs).
• To achieve accurate 3D positioning with a high update rate and low computational load, serving as a viable alternative to current technologies.

Main Methods:

• The proposed system uses a single environmental Position Sensitive Device (PSD) sensor to detect InfraRed Emitter Diodes (IREDs) on mobile agents.
• Positioning is achieved by calculating the Angle of Arrival (AoA) of the IRED signals at the PSD sensor.
• Two methods for signal identification are explored: unique frequency tones and distinct signal sequences emitted by each IRED.

Main Results:

• The system accurately determines the 3D position of mobile agents.
• A high position update rate exceeding 100 measurements per second was achieved.
• Millimetric accuracies were obtained with reduced signal processing execution times.

Conclusions:

• The developed IPS offers a simple, easily deployable, and cost-effective solution for accurate 3D indoor positioning.
• The low computational load enables high-speed position updates, suitable for dynamic environments.
• This approach provides a competitive alternative to existing indoor positioning technologies.