Low-Cost Bluetooth Mobile Positioning for Location-based Application

TL;DR

This paper introduces a low-cost, scalable indoor Bluetooth-based positioning system that detects mobile devices and provides real-time location information for location-based applications.

Contribution

It presents a novel Bluetooth infrastructure combining sensor and navigation components for indoor positioning, emphasizing simplicity and cost-effectiveness.

Findings

Effective detection of Bluetooth devices within indoor environments

Real-time updating of navigation maps based on device movement

Scalable system suitable for various indoor settings

Abstract

Bluetooth is a promising short-range radio network technology. We present a low cost and easily deployed, scalable infrastructure for indoor location-based computing of mobile devices based on Bluetooth technology. The system consists of 2 main components, namely the Bluetooth (BT) Sensor System and the Central Navigation System which have been developed using the JDK 6.0. The Bluetooth Sensor System allows mobile devices whose Bluetooth mode is set to discoverable, to be scanned and detected, and they receive customizable text message of their positioning information, e.g. room identity. The positioning information is also sent to the Central Navigation System which in turn displays and updates the navigation map. The system is also used to track the movement of different BT mobile devices within the implemented environment.