Beacon-Based Passenger Status Tracking Without GNSS
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transportation management systems rely heavily on external positioning systems like GNSS, which can lead to errors and inefficiencies in determining passenger status within public transportation systems.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and system utilizing beacons installed on stationary and moving objects to determine passenger status by analyzing beacon signal strengths and changes over time, without requiring satellite-based navigation, using a data storage unit, beacon ID translation, signal recognition, and passenger status presumption modules to reliably track passenger location and activity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If external positioning systems like GNSS are used to determine passenger status, then coverage area is extended, but reliability of determination deteriorates due to errors and inefficiencies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces beacons as intermediary devices installed at public transportation facilities to mediate between the passenger status determination system and the physical location. These beacons provide local positioning signals that replace reliance on external GNSS systems, thereby improving reliability while maintaining the ability to determine passenger status accurately within the transportation system.
2Measurement precision
If beacon signals from multiple sources are continuously monitored to track passenger movement, then measurement precision of passenger status is improved, but use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements partial monitoring by focusing computational resources on processing beacon signals from relevant nearby beacons rather than continuously monitoring all possible signal sources. The processor selectively evaluates beacon signals based on signal strength and relevance to current passenger location, achieving adequate measurement precision while reducing unnecessary energy consumption from processing excessive data.
3Reliability
If beacon signals are analyzed to determine passenger status, then reliability of determination is improved, but computational burden increases
Solution Approach 1:
The computational task of determining passenger status is segmented into discrete evaluation steps: receiving individual beacon signals, evaluating signal strength against thresholds, determining binary or multi-state status values, and updating passenger status records. This segmentation allows the processor to handle computational work in manageable increments rather than requiring intensive simultaneous processing of all signal data, thereby reducing overall computational burden while maintaining reliability.
4Adaptability or versatility
If beacons are installed on both stationary and moving objects, then adaptability of the system is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The beacon system is designed with universality by using identical beacon devices that can be installed on both stationary objects (buildings, poles) and moving objects (vehicles, trains). The same beacon hardware and signal protocol serve multiple functions and locations, providing adaptability to different transportation scenarios without requiring different types of devices. This universal approach increases versatility while managing device complexity through standardization.
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
Provides a reliable and computationally efficient method to determine passenger status, reducing errors and computational burden, while allowing for continuous tracking of passenger movement within public transportation systems.
Implementation Method 1
a beacon signal detector configured to receive a beacon signal including a beacon ID from a beacon
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus for determining a passenger status comprising a data storage unit 1150; a beacon ID translation module 1111 configured to read a position ID and an attribute of a received beacon signal; a beacon signal recognition module 1112 configured to determine a moving object beacon signal strength of beacon signals received from beacons installed on a moving object and a stationary object beacon signal strength of beacon signals received from beacons installed on a stationary object, wherein the beacon signal strength is the sum of the number of beacon IDs stored in a beacon signal management table 1102; a passenger status presumption module 1113 configured to determine a passenger current status based on the moving object beacon signal strength, the stationary object beacon signal strength and/or a previous passenger status.