Content-Based Floor Map Generation Using Beacon Signal Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercial property operators face challenges in dynamically updating marketing and product information across changing layouts, especially in large-scale environments, due to the cumbersome process of maintaining digital records of physical spaces, which hinders effective location-based digital messaging.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing beacons positioned throughout a physical space that transmit unique identifiers, allowing mobile devices to collect signal strengths and content data, which is then used to create a content-based map of the space, enabling automatic generation and updating of floor maps without manual labor, and adapting to changes in layout or content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual labor and scheduling are used to update marketing and product information messages, then the property layout can be updated, but the process becomes cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic floor map generation and content message updates by having mobile devices autonomously collect beacon signal data and the server automatically process this data to generate and update floor maps and content messages, eliminating the need for manual labor and scheduling in the update process
Solution Approach 2:
Beacons are pre-positioned throughout the physical space to establish a signal infrastructure that enables automatic location tracking and floor map generation, allowing the system to be ready for immediate automatic updates without manual intervention when layout changes occur
2Loss of information
If digital records of property layout are maintained manually, then location-based digital messaging can be enabled, but maintaining hundreds or thousands of property locations becomes overwhelming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical record-keeping processes with an automated electronic system where mobile devices collect beacon signal data and servers automatically generate and maintain digital floor maps, eliminating the overwhelming manual maintenance burden while ensuring accurate digital records
Solution Approach 2:
Beacons serve as intermediary devices positioned throughout the physical space that automatically transmit signal data to mobile devices, which then relay this information to the server for automatic floor map generation, eliminating the need for manual data collection and record maintenance
3Reliability
If content messages are updated manually as layout changes, then marketing information can be kept current, but the process requires significant manual labor
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously collects real-time beacon signal strength data from mobile devices throughout the physical space, processes this feedback information to automatically generate updated floor maps, and subsequently updates content messages based on the current layout, creating a closed-loop system that maintains accuracy without manual intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The floor map and content message system transitions from static manual updates to dynamic automatic updates that continuously adapt to layout changes by processing real-time beacon signal data, enabling the system to automatically reflect current conditions without manual labor
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
Enables real-time, dynamic, and efficient generation of floor maps that reflect changes in product layouts or content, improving the delivery of contextual and relevant content to users, reducing the burden of manual record-keeping and enhancing user experiences across multiple locations.
Implementation Method 1
Each beacon includes a transmitter that transmits a unique beacon identifier. A mobile device uses one or more software applications to perform information collection functions about the physical space. The information collection functions may include detecting one or more unique beacon identifiers transmitted from one or more of the beacons; determining a signal strength for each detected unique beacon identifier
Data Source
AI summary
A system creates a content-based mapping of a physical space based on data received from beacons positioned at various locations in a physical space. Each beacon transmits a unique beacon identifier. When a mobile device detects a beacon identifier, the mobile device may also detect the signal strength of the transmitted identifier. If, with or shortly after detecting the beacon identifier, the mobile device is used to view content that is present in the physical space, the system may use the content information, the beacon identifier and the signal strength to build content-based floor map of the physical space.