Bluetooth Beacon Proximity Alert System for Urban Hazard Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current warning systems for vehicles lack comprehensive and practical solutions for alerting drivers to pedestrians, bicyclists, and other hazards in urban environments, particularly in areas where existing technologies are impractical for mass distribution and usage.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a beacon that transmits signals via Bluetooth 4.0 (or upgraded standards) to smartphones, providing audible, visual, and tactile alerts to drivers about potential hazards such as pedestrians, bicyclists, intersections, and road hazards, integrating with GPS for enhanced precision and compatibility with various devices and systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional warning systems (surface mounted lights, reflectors) are used, then drivers can be alerted to hazards, but the systems lack comprehensive coverage for all hazard types and are impractical for mass distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical/optical warning systems (surface mounted lights, reflectors) with a mobile electronic system using smartphones, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons, and GPS technology. This substitution enables comprehensive coverage of various hazard types (pedestrians, cyclists, road hazards, emergency vehicles) while being practical for mass distribution through existing mobile device infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The warning system is designed to serve multiple hazard detection functions through a single mobile platform. The system can detect and alert about pedestrians, cyclists, road hazards, emergency vehicles, and other dangers using integrated sensors (camera, microphone, accelerometer, GPS) and Bluetooth Low Energy beacon detection, making it universally applicable across diverse urban environments.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If mobile devices with sensors are used to detect hazards, then comprehensive hazard detection is achieved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic action by using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology for beacon detection instead of continuous high-power scanning. BLE allows the mobile device to periodically check for hazards while consuming minimal power, and only activates full sensor suites (camera, microphone, accelerometer) when a potential hazard is detected, thereby balancing comprehensive detection with low power consumption.
3Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are integrated for comprehensive detection, then hazard detection accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple sensor functions (camera, microphone, accelerometer, GPS, Bluetooth Low Energy) into a single integrated mobile warning system. By combining these sensors and processing them through a unified application on the mobile device, the system achieves comprehensive hazard detection accuracy while avoiding the complexity of multiple separate systems, leveraging the existing integrated sensor architecture of modern smartphones and tablets.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for providing a proximity alert to the operator of a vehicle, such as a vehicle approaching a pedestrian crosswalk. A fixed or mobile controller (beacon) component when activated transmits a signal relating to a potential hazard, and a software application (“app”) installed on a smartphone or other device provides the receiver/notification component. The app delivers an audible, visual, and/or tactile alert to drivers via their smartphones, tablet computers, or mobile devices installed in their vehicles that they are approaching an “activated” pedestrian crosswalk, intersection, railroad crossing, road hazard or work zone, emergency vehicle, or even a bicyclist when they are equipped with a beacon.