RF Modules and Antennas Design for Indoor Positioning Systems

Abstract

The main goal of indoor positioning system (IPS) is to locate people or objects, especially inside the building. Satellite technologies and GPS lack precision and cannot function inside buildings, airports, parking garages, and underground locations. Several techniques and devices are used to provide indoor positioning, such as smartphones, Bluetooth, radio waves, Wi-Fi, light, magnetic fields, acoustic signals, and behavioral analytics, which are all used in IPS systems. IPS can achieve position accuracy up to 2 cm. Radio frequency (RF) IPS components and antennas are described in this chapter. MIC, MMIC, and LTCC technologies may be used to develop IPS RF modules and systems, which are presented in this chapter. Moreover, in the design of RF devices for IPS systems, we can use the features and benefits of these technologies in the design of transmitters and receivers for communication systems. Efficient metamaterials antennas are employed to develop radiating elements for radio frequency IPS systems. Monopulse antennas are used to find position and direction in IPS and radar systems. The monopulse antenna S11 parameter is −9.5 dB with 11% bandwidth. The antenna beam width is around 36°. The computed and measured antenna directivity and gain is 10 dBi. A circular patch antenna with SRRs is developed in this chapter. The antenna bandwidth is around 8% for VSWR, better than 3:1. The antenna beam width is around 82°. The antenna directivity and gain are around 7.6 dBi.