Beacon Communication System for Anonymous Owner Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for locating lost or misplaced items, such as pets or personal belongings, often fail to provide quick and accurate tracking while maintaining the anonymity of the owner, leading to inefficiencies and potential risks in communication.
Innovation Solution
A beacon communication system that uses electronic devices to generate signals detectable by mobile communication devices, allowing for anonymous contact with the owner through voice, video, or text communication, while maintaining the owner's identity hidden from the finder.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If contact information is provided on lost items, then communication between finder and owner is enabled, but owner anonymity is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary between the finder and the owner. The server receives beacon signals from the lost item, stores owner contact information securely, and enables communication without requiring the finder to directly access or reveal owner identity. This mediator architecture resolves the contradiction by enabling communication while preserving anonymity through indirect interaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a digital copy of the beacon signal containing encoded owner information. Instead of directly providing physical contact information on the lost item, the system creates a digital representation (beacon signal) that can be read and processed remotely, allowing communication initiation without direct exposure of owner identity to the finder.
2Measurement precision
If traditional tracking methods are used, then location information can be provided, but tracking speed and accuracy are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The beacon device continuously transmits signals containing location and identification information. This continuous transmission ensures that the latest location data is always available when the finder approaches, eliminating delays associated with periodic updates or manual location requests. The system maintains constant monitoring and communication readiness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical tracking methods (such as physical tags with manual readout) with electronic beacon signals that can be detected and processed automatically by communication devices. This substitution enables faster, more accurate location identification through electronic signal processing rather than manual inspection.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for providing a communications link between an owner of a lost article and a person that finds the lost article. The method includes detecting at a communication device of the person that finds the lost article, a beaconing signal generated by an electronic beacon device when the communication device is in proximity of the communication device. The beaconing signal is associated with an owner of the electronic beacon device. The communication device may transmit, to a server, location information and identification information inherent within the beaconing signal. The server may return one or more communication options enabling a user of the communication device to contact the owner of the electronic beacon device. Such communication options may comprise, for example, voice communication, video communication or communication via text message. In one embodiment the communication options enable communication to occur while maintaining the anonymity of the owner.