Beacon Mode Battery Threshold for Device Locatability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional techniques for locating misplaced handheld scanning devices are inefficient and often result in rapid battery drain, leading to devices being lost and powerless due to limited range and excessive energy consumption during location attempts.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a beacon mode that activates when the device battery reaches a specific state of charge threshold, allowing the device to periodically emit signals such as BLE beacons, disable non-essential components, and adjust power consumption to prolong battery life and enhance locatability without complete discharge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional techniques are used to locate misplaced scanning devices, then the device can be located within pairing range, but the device battery drains rapidly and the device becomes powerless
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the device's operational state based on location status and battery conditions. When the device is misplaced and detected via BLE beaconing, the system transitions the device from a powered-off state to a beacon mode, which consumes minimal power while maintaining locatability. This dynamic state adjustment resolves the contradiction by enabling location detection without sustained high power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic beacon signaling instead of continuous operation. The device periodically transmits BLE beacons at low power intervals, allowing it to be detected by nearby devices while consuming minimal battery power. This periodic action enables the device to remain locatable without the rapid battery drain associated with continuous operation.
2Reliability
If the device operates continuously to maintain locatability, then the device can be located at any time, but the battery drains completely
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential locatability function from the full device operation. Instead of keeping all device components active, only the minimal BLE beaconing capability is maintained in a low-power state. This extraction allows the device to remain locatable while preserving battery life for essential functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of the device based on its state. When misplaced, the device transitions to beacon mode with specific power consumption parameters optimized for low-power operation. The beacon interval and transmission power are adjusted to balance locatability with battery preservation, resolving the contradiction between continuous locatability and battery life.
3Duration of action of moving object
If the device activates beacon mode at low battery threshold, then battery life is extended, but the device may be misplaced for longer duration
Solution Approach 1:
The system prepares the device for potential misplacement by pre-configuring beacon mode parameters and thresholds. The beacon mode is pre-programmed with optimal power consumption settings and activation thresholds, so when misplacement occurs, the device can immediately transition to the prepared low-power state without calculation delays, extending battery life while maintaining locatability.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for improving device locatability are disclosed herein. An example method includes determining a beacon mode capacity of a device battery, the beacon mode capacity corresponding to a device operating in a beacon mode while powered by the device battery. The example method further includes calculating a total battery power of the device battery and an aged total battery power of the device battery based on the total battery power and a state of health (SOH) of the device battery. The example method further includes determining a beacon state of charge (SOC) threshold for the device battery based on the beacon mode capacity and the aged total battery power, and causing the device to begin operating in the beacon mode when a remaining charge of the device battery is less than the beacon SOC threshold.