1. Indoor Positioning System
Cory Anderson
Rylan Grant
Herbert Mueller
Project Supervisor: Dr. Li Chen
Cory

2. Presentation Overview
Project Goal
Requirements & Specifications
Engineering Approach
Project Tasks
System Overview
System Demonstration
Conclusions
Applications
Cory
Project Goal ~ Cory
Requirements & Specifications ~ Cory & Rylan
Engineering Approach ~ Herbert
System Overview ~ Herbert & Rylan
Project Management ~ Cory
System Demonstration ~ Cory, Rylan, Herbert
Conclusions ~ Herbert, Cory

3. Project Goal
To utilize a positioning system that can be used in an indoor environment and incorporate a completely web based user interface.
Cory

4. Requirements & Specifications
Environment
To be used in an indoor setting
Operational temperature range between -20°C and 50°C
Should be of “industrial strength” for use in a typical manufacturing setting
Range
Cover a minimum area of 50m x 50m
Cory

5. Requirements & Specifications
Accuracy
Tolerance to within a one meter radius
User Interface
Operational on any standard PC
Able to view data for each object
Positional information should be accessible over a standard network
No application software need be installed
Cory

6. Requirements & Specifications
Installation
Should be easily performed by in-house staff
Reliability / Maintenance
Will be as reliable as the network infrastructure the system resides on
Indicator LEDs shall be available
Mobile units must be operable for a minimum of twelve hours of battery power
Rylan

7. Requirements & Specifications
Cost
The prototype shall cost no more than $1000
High volume production units shall cost no more than $500
Physical Attributes
No larger than 150mm x 150mm x 300mm
Weigh no more than 3kg
Resistant to air particulate and moisture
Rylan

8. Engineering Approach
Design and manufacture a positioning system using wireless routers as reference nodes
This method would allow us to easily deploy a positioning system using an existing WiFi (802.11) network
We developed a design for a directional antenna capable of triangulating position information by calculating carrier wave intensity emitted by the routers
Herb

9. Engineering Approach Carrier signal is very “bursty” in nature
Intensity Calculations
Bit error
Signal strength
Herb
Bursty
Bit error rate
Intensity

10. Engineering Approach
Employ the Chipcon CC2430 microcontroller utilizing the ZigBee protocol ( ) to determine ranging using intensity calculations
Lower cost
Increased scalability
Smaller infrastructure footprint
Herb

11. Project Tasks
Develop and test positioning routines for mobile and stationary units
Design a communication interface between the Chipcon hardware and the Rabbit microcontroller (Serial Peripheral Interface or SPI)
Convert Chipcon data into a manageable standard and format as extensible mark-up language (XML)
Herb

12. Project Tasks Design and program a custom XML streaming data server
Multiple TCP/IP connections
Must accept and interpret inbound XML data
Must format and stream outbound XML data in real-time to all listening connections
Compatible with the Ethernet enabled Rabbit microcontroller
Rylan

13. Project Tasks
Develop a platform independent web based graphical user interface (GUI)
Authenticate the user
Establish a connection to the XML streaming data server
Receive and parse the incoming XML data to be displayed to the user in real time
Send commands and XML data to the server
Rylan

14. Project Tasks
Design the circuitry for the root, specialty reference, and blind nodes
Design and construct printed circuit boards
Install components into demonstration enclosures
Rylan

15. System Overview Blind Node Reference Node Root Node Server Client
Herb & Rylan

16. System Demonstration http://demo.triadpositioning.com/ Cory to MC
Rylan & Herbert to demonstrate

17. Conclusions Project Feasibility Suggested Further Study
Industrial sector (Boeing & Bombardier)
Public sector
Suggested Further Study
Hybrid ranging/directional antenna implementation
A more advanced routable network could be employed
Miniaturization
Herb

18. Conclusions Future Development Accuracy refinement Cost reduction
Power
Increased battery life
Reduction in power consumption
Permanent power source
Interface with current GPS technology for seamless use between environments
Integration into existing products
Cory
Integration | These products could be blind nodes:
Cellular or cordless phones
TV remote control
Your vehicle’s keyless entry pad
Your vehicle

19. Applications Warehouse Logistics Factory Automation Inventory
Equipment
Personnel
Factory Automation
Mobile Robotics
Centralized Control

20. Applications The Mining Industry Airports Equipment Personnel Luggage
Passengers

21. Applications
Shopping Malls
Hospitals
Prisons
Office Buildings

22. Applications Smart Home Security Environmental Sustainability
Automation

23. Acknowledgements
Garth Wells | Synchrotron Laboratory for Micro & Nano Devices (SyLMAND)
Jack Hanson | TRLabs
Joe Dudiak | Startco Engineering Ltd.
Richard Florizone | VP of Finance, U of S
Doug Nichols | CFO, Boeing
Li Chen | U of S Faculty
Denard Lynch | U of S Faculty
The U of S Technical Staff
Are there any questions?