A Review of Indoor Localization Methods Leveraging Smartphone Sensors and Spatial Context

Abstract

As Location-Based Services (LBSs) rapidly develop, indoor localization technology is garnering significant attention as a critical component. Smartphones have become tools for indoor localization due to their highly integrated sensors, fast-evolving computational capabilities, and widespread user adoption. With the rapid advancement of smartphones, methods for smartphone-based indoor localization have increasingly attracted attention. Although there are reviews on indoor localization, there is still a lack of systematic reviews focused on smartphone-based indoor localization methods. In particular, existing reviews have not systematically analyzed smartphone-based indoor localization methods or considered the combination of smartphone sensor data with prior knowledge of the indoor environment to enhance localization performance. In this study, through systematic retrieval and analysis, the existing research was first categorized into three types to dissect the strengths and weaknesses based on the types of data sources integrated, i.e., single sensor data sources, multi-sensor data fusion, and the combination of spatial context with sensor data. Then, four key issues are discussed and the research gaps in this field are summarized. Finally, a comprehensive conclusion is provided. This paper offers a systematic reference for research and technological applications related to smartphone-based indoor localization methods.