

Indoor positioning without WIFI mapping - Orva
http://www.indooratlas.com/

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brittohalloran
Two issues:

1\. I have to question the effectiveness of using 'magnetic anomalies' to
determine absolute position. Isn't the sensor just reading one value (magnetic
field strength)? Couldn't that be anywhere on the map with that value? Do
people have to turn it on at a specific starting point?

2\. It says 'communicates with the API' while tracking. Most large buildings
that I've been in like a conference center have marginal data reception.

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archivator
Regarding 1., my phone reads strength and inclination of the field. I suppose
that these two, coupled with a compass, could in theory give enough
information to collapse the belief state to a single position. Moving a bit
should give you enough data to further ensure precision.

Either that, or WiFi. :)

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brittohalloran
(no expertise here)

How do you get 'inclination' of the field? Is it based on phone orientation?
If so then you just opened up a lot more possibilities for position. Also, in
this solution the phone doesn't know you're moving. It just sees: magnetic
field is changing...

You must have to start it at a specific place, or tell it where you are when
you start it (eliminating the 'where am I' use case).

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famousactress
I have some experience with indoor location tech, but not magnetic fields. If
I had to guess (and I do) I'd suspect that the algorithm depends on consensus
based on traffic/usage. The map's gonna change regularly, but if enough people
use the technology you can take the algorithm's guesses for everyone and start
to build a confidence weight for your prediction, weed out anomalies, and
update your understanding of the magnetic fingerprint of the space over time.
I'd also assume it uses GPS to get your bootstrapped whenever possible, ie:
sort out what entrance you came through, use pathfinding over time to get some
limit the possible locations you might be in currently.

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jrockway
How well does this work? I've never even had much luck getting my phone to
detect "north" as accurately as a $3 compass.

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bcl
What happens when you move large metal objects around? Say a large file
cabinet or a safe? The local 'anomalies' are going to change.

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Zenst
Given that mobile phones have wires and electricity then they are creating
small magnetic waves which will impact others.

That all said this technolody is very suitable for underwater GPS were a GPS
signal does not penetrate the water due to weakness and how bad radio travels
thru water in general.

So given that I would have to questions if the military don't already use
something very similiar in submarines. Lets say I'd be very supprised if this
was not being already utilised in some form or another in that feild.

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dangrossman
There's already a front-page discussion of this:

<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4217329>

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stevejabs
I find it hard to believe that they have legit Trademarks on the phrases
"Floor plans" and "Map Creator".

<http://www.indooratlas.com/technology.html>

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jrockway
I did a US trademark search and did not see anything of theirs for "floor
plans".

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samwillis
There wouldn't be, its a (TM) not an (R).

A (TM) is for an unregistered trademark, you own the IP of it though your use
of it in the marketplace. This is what they have, and in fact anyone could
have. In reality the (TM) is there to indicate you intention to protect it.

An (R) is for the registered trademark, as the name suggests you register it
with your local trademark authority. It provides grater protection and is
easer to take people to court over the misuse of.

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cdmckay
(TM) also means that you've submitted a trade-mark application.

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jimbobimbo
Not necessarily: "In the United States, neither federal nor state registration
is required to obtain rights in a trademark. An unregistered mark may still
receive common law trademark rights. Those rights, for example, may extend to
its area of influence—usually delineated by geography. As such, multiple
parties may simultaneously use a mark throughout the country or even state. An
unregistered mark may also be protected under the federal "Lanham Act" (15 USC
§ 1125) prohibition against commercial misrepresentation of source or origins
of goods. Unregistered marks are also protectable in the United States under
Lanham Act §43(a)."

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unregistered_trade_mark>

