UNILoc: Unified Localization Combining Model-Based Geometry and Unsupervised Learning

Abstract: Accurate mobile device localization is critical for emerging 5G/6G applications such as autonomous vehicles and augmented reality. In this paper, we propose a unified localization method that integrates model-based and ML-based methods to reap their respective advantages by exploiting available map information. In order to avoid supervised learning, we generate training labels automatically via optimal transport (OT) by fusing geometric estimates with building layouts. Ray-tracing based simulations are carried out to demonstrate that the proposed method significantly improves positioning accuracy for both line-of-sight (LoS) users (compared to ML-based methods) and non-line-of-sight (NLoS) users (compared to model-based methods). Remarkably, the unified method is able to achieve competitive overall performance with the fully-supervised fingerprinting, while eliminating the need for cumbersome labeled data measurement and collection.