Improving RSS Fingerprint-based Localization Using Directional Antennas

The objective of this research work is to investigate and demonstrate potential accuracy improvements in the RSS indoor positioning process, by introducing directional antennas in the radio network infrastructure. The position and orientation is selected in such a way as to decrease the correlation levels of the Received Signal Strength (RSS) fingerprints which form the radio-map. Localization algorithms are expected to perform better with reduced correlation level, thus reducing the positioning error. Due to the necessity to generate several radio-maps for the setup and environment of interest, the use of 3D ray tracing (RT) to construct the radio-maps is proposed, instead of carrying out time consuming and expensive radio measurement campaigns. The approach was evaluated in an indoor environment and the results obtained, suggest a significant reduction of the positioning error.