Battery Pack Beacon for Low-Power Device Locationing

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Solution Overview

Problem

User devices lose the ability to emit beaconing signals when their battery power drops below a minimum threshold, making them difficult to locate under low power conditions.

Innovation Solution

A battery pack with a beacon that detects low power conditions in a connected user device and emits beaconing signals to facilitate location, utilizing a controller to manage power efficiently and extend the duration of signal emission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the user device uses its own communication component to emit beaconing signals, then the locationing function is available, but the device cannot emit signals when battery power drops below the minimum threshold

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocationing availabilityVSAvoidbattery power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The battery pack acts as an intermediary device that takes over the beaconing signal emission function when the user device's battery power is insufficient. The battery pack includes its own communication component that can independently emit beaconing signals, serving as a mediator to maintain locationing capability without requiring the user device to consume additional power.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The locationing function is segmented between the user device and the battery pack. When the user device has sufficient power, it handles beaconing independently. When power drops below the threshold, the battery pack assumes this specific function, allowing the user device to conserve energy while maintaining overall system reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Duration of action of moving object

If the battery pack emits beaconing signals continuously, then the locationing duration is extended, but the power consumption of the battery pack increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocationing durationVSAvoidbattery pack power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of moving objectVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The battery pack emits beaconing signals periodically rather than continuously. The communication component is configured to emit signals at specific intervals, which extends the overall duration of locationing capability while managing power consumption by having periods of active transmission followed by periods of lower power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The beaconing signal emission strategy is dynamically adjusted based on power conditions. The system transitions between different emission modes depending on the battery pack's power state, optimizing the balance between locationing duration and power consumption in real-time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS12432685B2Device locationing using a beacon of a battery pack

Publication Date: 2025.09.30 ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES CORP

AI summary

Device locationing using a beacon of a battery pack is described herein. A battery pack may determine that a user device is connected to the battery. The battery pack may determine, based on a power output of the battery, that the user device is inactive. The battery pack may cause, based on determining that the user device is inactive, the beacon to emit a beaconing signal that is associated with locating the user device and/or the battery pack.