Electronic Beacon With Latching Mechanism for Secure Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
In crowded environments, such as zoos, office buildings, and parks, it is difficult to locate personal items like strollers or bikes, and to keep track of children, due to the chaos and potential movement of these items by others, leading to stress and the risk of separation.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a beacon attached to objects or children that can be activated remotely to emit audio and visual indicators, allowing users to locate them easily, featuring a latching mechanism for secure attachment and a remote control for communication and indicator activation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If distinctive markers like ribbons or straps are used to identify items, then item identification is improved, but the method remains simple and may not be sufficient in crowded environments
Solution Approach 1:
The beacon device incorporates visual indicators including multi-color LED lights that can display different colors (red, yellow, green, blue) to identify the specific item. The housing itself can be made in distinctive colors, and the combination of colored lights and colored housing creates a highly visible identification system that stands out in crowded environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The beacon includes a vibration motor that generates mechanical vibrations and tactile feedback. When activated, the beacon vibrates to provide physical identification that can be felt, adding another dimension to item identification beyond visual markers alone.
2Loss of information
If leashes are attached to children, then tracking is improved, but safety risks increase due to tangling and entanglement
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces the mechanical leash constraint with a wireless electronic tracking system. The beacon worn by the child communicates location and status information wirelessly to the parent's device, eliminating the physical leash and its associated tangling and entanglement risks while maintaining tracking capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces a wireless communication intermediary (the beacon device with transceiver) between the parent and child. This intermediary transmits location and status information without requiring direct physical connection, allowing tracking while eliminating the harmful mechanical constraints of leashes.
3Loss of information
If the beacon is always visible, then location tracking is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The beacon's indicators operate periodically rather than continuously. The visual LED lights and audio alerts are activated on-demand when the parent requests location information or when the child moves beyond a predetermined distance. The vibration motor also operates periodically to provide tactile feedback at specific intervals or events, conserving battery energy while maintaining tracking effectiveness.
4Reliability
If the beacon is securely locked to the object, then attachment reliability is improved, but the locking mechanism increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The latch mechanism is designed to be self-latching, automatically securing the beacon to the item when the housing is closed. The flexible strap with buckle automatically engages with the housing's latch feature, eliminating the need for separate locking tools or complex manual locking procedures. The design allows easy one-handed operation where the parent simply closes the housing and the latch secures automatically.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for marking and locating objects in crowded environments, and more particularly, systems and methods that include a remote configured to communicate with a beacon having audio and visual indicators, are shown and described. One system comprises a remote including a housing, a tool extending from the housing, a movable sleeve configured to cover the tool, a first control circuit, a selection button coupled to the control circuit, a first transceiver, and a beacon including a second transceiver configured to communicate with the first transceiver, a second control circuit, an indicator electrically coupled to the second control circuit, and a latch mechanism, the tool configured to interact with the latch mechanism to securely couple the beacon.