RSSI-based LoRa localization systems for large-scale indoor and outdoor environments

Abstract

Localization is an important research topic that has been applied in many different applications. Different wireless technologies have been applied in localization but each has its own limitations. LoRa wireless technology has recently been proposed to support M2M (Machine-to-Machine) and IoT (Internet of Things) applications. Its key features (long range, low power and low cost) show that LoRa technology can be an appropriate alternative for localization in both large-scale indoor and outdoor environments. To the best of our knowledge, we are among the first (1) working on localization using LoRa technology, (2) to develop RSSI-based (Receiver Signal Strength Indicator based) localization algorithms in LoRa networks, and (3) to reduce the effect of Gaussian and non-Gaussian noise during localization in LoRa networks. This paper proposes different RSSI-based localization algorithms to reduce the effect of Gaussian and non-Gaussian noise in LoRa networks. The performance investigation in our simulation models and real experiments show that the proposed localization algorithms work properly in both outdoor and large-scale indoor environments. In outdoor environments, their performance is comparable to GPS (Global Positioning System), the most popular satellite-based localization system.