Alert Beacon Converting GPS Coordinates to Audio Signals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing alert transmission systems in the absence of cellular networks are bulky and impractical for outdoor activities due to their design, and they cannot transmit GPS coordinates in a comprehensible format to non-compatible walkie-talkies, limiting the ability to alert and locate victims effectively.
Innovation Solution
A system that converts GPS coordinates into audio signals, allowing any walkie-talkie to play back the alert signal, combined with an alert beacon that automatically triggers alerts using sensors and transmits on multiple channels, and a rucksack-mounted beacon that is lightweight and lacks a screen or microphone, enabling broader compatibility and increased chances of rescue.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the alert beacon uses a specialized design with receiver and screen to display GPS coordinates, then the coordinates can be displayed directly to the user, but the device becomes bulky and impractical to carry during outdoor activities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the display function from the alert beacon itself, removing the screen and receiver components. Instead, the beacon only transmits audio signals containing GPS coordinates, which are then displayed or processed by external devices carried by rescue personnel or bystanders. This extraction eliminates the bulk while preserving the essential alert functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The alert beacon is designed to transmit universal audio signals that can be received and processed by any standard walkie-talkie or audio device, not just specialized equipment. This multi-functionality allows the lightweight beacon to work with diverse existing devices, eliminating the need for dedicated display components in the beacon itself.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the alert beacon transmits GPS coordinates in a proprietary format, then specialized walkie-talkies can display them directly, but other walkie-talkies cannot comprehend or relay the alert signal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs universal audio transmission where GPS coordinates are converted into standard audio frequencies that any walkie-talkie can receive and play back. This universal format ensures that regardless of the brand or model of walkie-talkie, the alert signal can be comprehended and relayed, dramatically increasing the reliability of the system.
Solution Approach 2:
The audio signal serves as an intermediary that bridges different walkie-talkie systems. Instead of using proprietary digital formats that require matching receivers, the audio intermediary can be played back by any standard walkie-talkie, enabling cross-compatibility and ensuring the alert reaches whoever is nearby regardless of their equipment.
3Device complexity
If the alert beacon transmits only on a single channel, then the transmission is simple and focused, but the probability of the alert being received is reduced if that channel is not being monitored
Solution Approach 1:
The alert beacon implements periodic transmission across multiple channels, cycling through them in sequence. This periodic action on different channels increases the likelihood that at least one transmission will be received, as different users monitor different channels. The systematic rotation through channels maintains manageable complexity while significantly improving reception probability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple transmission channels into a single beacon device, allowing it to transmit the same alert signal across several different frequencies or channels. This combining of channel usage within one device increases coverage and reception probability without requiring multiple separate beacons, maintaining simplicity while enhancing reliability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system enhances the probability of alert reception and rescue by allowing any walkie-talkie to comprehend and relay GPS coordinates, increasing the likelihood of successful rescue operations even outside cellular network coverage.
Implementation Method 1
a radioelectric transmitter-receiver (16) able to listen directly to at least one channel used to exchange audio signals
Implementation Method 2
a loudspeaker (18) able to transform the audio signal received on this channel into a voice message directly perceivable
Data Source
AI summary
An alert beacon carried directly by a human being is equipped with a transmit circuit able to produce an alert signal transmitted on the same channel as that used by a walkie-talkie. The transmit circuit has a memory containing, for each symbol of the coordinates of the current position of the alert beacon, an audio transcription of the symbol, and a microcontroller able to introduce, into the alert signal produced, the audio transcriptions recorded in the memory corresponding to each symbol of the coordinates in such a way that the coordinates can be played back in the form of a voice message comprehensible to a user of any walkie-talkie that has received this message on a channel that is being listened to.