Centralized Beacon Fleet Management System

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Solution Overview

Problem

The management of wireless beacon fleets is challenging due to logistical issues, including individual programming, monitoring, and control, especially in multiple locations, which requires extensive resource consumption and can lead to suboptimal operation and inconsistent user experiences.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for remote beacon fleet management that includes a set of beacons, a management system, and an application, enabling automated deployment, continuous monitoring, and centralized control, using sensors and a mesh network for data transmission and updating, and leveraging user devices for crowdsourced monitoring and updating.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If individual beacon programming and management is performed manually, then each beacon can be precisely configured and monitored, but resource consumption increases significantly and management efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeacon management efficiencyVSAvoidresource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple individual beacon management operations into a single centralized system. The fleet management system aggregates deployment, monitoring, and control functions for numerous beacons into one unified platform, allowing simultaneous management of entire beacon fleets rather than individual units. This merging eliminates redundant operations and significantly reduces resource consumption while improving productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a centralized fleet management system as an intermediary between administrators and individual beacons. This intermediary layer provides automated coordination, routing, and control mechanisms that eliminate the need for manual individual beacon management. The system acts as a mediator that optimizes resource allocation and management operations across the entire beacon fleet.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If physical monitoring of each beacon is performed manually, then real-time beacon status can be checked, but extensive resources are consumed especially across multiple locations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeacon operation monitoringVSAvoidmonitoring resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables beacons to perform self-monitoring and self-reporting of their operational status. Each beacon automatically tracks its own health metrics, location, and performance data, then transmits this information to the centralized fleet management system. This self-service approach eliminates the need for manual physical inspections while maintaining reliable real-time monitoring across all beacon locations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements automated feedback loops where beacons continuously report their status to the fleet management system, which then provides real-time alerts and notifications. This feedback mechanism ensures reliable monitoring of beacon operation without requiring manual intervention, as the system automatically detects and communicates status changes, failures, and performance metrics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Ease of operation

If individual beacon updates are performed manually, then each beacon can be precisely controlled, but management time increases and hidden beacons may be forgotten leading to inconsistent user experiences

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeacon control consistencyVSAvoidmanagement time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring update schedules, deployment routes, and control parameters in the centralized fleet management system. Before manual or automated updates are executed, all necessary instructions, timing, and targeting information are prepared in advance. This preliminary preparation ensures consistent application of updates across all beacons while minimizing management time, as the system automatically executes pre-planned operations without requiring real-time manual decision-making.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Productivity

If automated fleet management systems are implemented, then resource consumption and management time are reduced, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeacon management efficiencyVSAvoidmanagement system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal fleet management system that performs multiple functions through a single integrated platform. The system simultaneously handles deployment coordination, real-time monitoring, firmware updates, route optimization, and analytics for the entire beacon fleet. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple separate systems and tools, thereby managing complexity while maintaining high productivity across all beacon operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS9942706B2System and method for beacon fleet management

Publication Date: 2018.04.10 ESTIMOTE POLSKA

AI summary

A method for distributed beacon management, including: broadcasting a packet from the beacon; receiving the packet at an application executing on a plurality of user devices; and transmitting beacon information extracted from the packet to the management system from the application.