Single- and Multiple-Access Point Indoor Localization for Millimeter Wave Networks

Abstract

Millimeter wave (mmWave) location systems not only provide accurate positioning for location-based services, but can also help optimize network operations, for example through location-driven beam steering and access point association. In this paper, we design and evaluate localization schemes that exploit the characteristics of mmWave communication systems. We propose two range-free algorithms belonging to the broad classes of triangulation and angle difference-of-arrival. The schemes work both with multiple anchors and with as few as a single anchor, under the only assumption that the floor plan and the positions of the mmWave access points are known. Moreover, they are designed to be lightweight, so that even computationally-constrained devices can run them. We evaluate our proposed algorithms against two benchmark approaches based on fingerprinting and angles of arrival, respectively. Our results, obtained both by means of simulations and through measurements involving commercial 60-GHz mmWave devices, show that sub-meter accuracy is achieved in most of the cases, even in the presence of only a single access point. The availability of multiple access points substantially improves the localization accuracy, especially for large indoor spaces.