Received signal strength models for WLAN and BLE-based indoor positioning in multi-floor buildings

Abstract

This paper investigates the similarities and differences of the signal strength fluctuations and positioning accuracy in indoor scenarios for three types of wireless area networks: two Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency, respectively, and one Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN), namely the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). Two path-loss models based on weighted centroids and non-negative least squares estimation are presented: one including a floor loss factor, and the other one ignoring the floor losses, and the three signal types are compared in terms of the path-loss parameters, channel fluctuations and positioning accuracy, namely the distance errors and floor detection probabilities. The comparison is done based on real-field measurement data collected from a university building in Tampere, Finland. It is shown that all these three signal types have similar shadowing variances and close path-loss parameter values, and that a path-loss model considering floor losses gives the best floor detection probability, but not necessarily the smallest distance error.