Beacon Transmission Scheduling to Reduce Wireless Signal Collisions

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Solution Overview

Problem

The risk of signal collision of radio beacon signals transmitted by network nodes in wireless communication arrangements is high, particularly in uncoordinated systems like Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), leading to inefficiencies in communication.

Innovation Solution

A network control node coordinates the provision of radio beacon signals by generating a beacon-provision schedule with time-windows and rank-values, ensuring non-overlapping slots for signal transmission, thereby reducing collisions and optimizing communication efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If network nodes transmit radio beacon signals periodically without coordination, then each node can independently provide beacon signals, but the risk of signal collision increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveindependent beacon signal provisionVSAvoidsignal collision risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The beacon provision period is segmented into multiple beacon-provision time-windows, with each time-window further divided into non-overlapping slots assigned to different network nodes. This segmentation allows multiple nodes to transmit beacons simultaneously without collision by assigning them to different time slots within the segmented structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements periodic beacon transmission through structured time-windows that repeat at regular intervals. Each network node transmits beacon signals periodically within its assigned non-overlapping slots, maintaining the periodic nature of beacon provision while eliminating collisions through coordinated time-slot assignment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

2Device complexity

If network nodes transmit beacon signals without time coordination, then transmission simplicity is maintained, but communication efficiency deteriorates due to signal collisions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransmission coordination complexityVSAvoidcommunication efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

A network controller acts as an intermediary that generates and distributes beacon-provision schedules to network nodes. The controller assigns specific non-overlapping time slots to each node, coordinating transmissions centrally while allowing nodes to independently transmit within their assigned slots, thus improving efficiency without requiring complex peer-to-peer coordination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The network controller performs preliminary action by generating beacon-provision schedules in advance and distributing them to network nodes before transmission begins. This preliminary coordination establishes the time-slot assignment structure, allowing nodes to transmit efficiently without real-time negotiation or complex coordination during actual beacon transmission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If beacon signal transmission is uncoordinated, then individual node autonomy is preserved, but signal collision risk increases leading to communication failures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenode transmission autonomyVSAvoidsignal collision

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements dynamic beacon transmission where network nodes can autonomously adjust their transmission timing based on received beacon-provision schedules. Each node dynamically selects its transmission slot according to the schedule while maintaining autonomy in execution, allowing adaptive coordination without sacrificing node independence.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where network nodes receive beacon-provision schedules from the network controller that indicate their assigned transmission slots. Nodes use this feedback information to coordinate their transmissions, adjusting their behavior based on the scheduled time slots to avoid collisions while maintaining operational autonomy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS12513684B2Network control node for controlling provision of radio beacon signals

Publication Date: 2025.12.30 SIGNIFY HOLDING BV

AI summary

The invention is directed to a network control node (100), for controlling provision of radio beacon signals (B1, B2, B3 by network nodes (120, 130, 140) of a wireless communication arrangement (150). The network control node comprises a beacon-control unit (104) connected to a network-data ascertainment unit (102) and configured, using ascertained network node data identifying the network nodes, to generate and provide, to the network nodes, a beacon-provision schedule (BS) indicative of a periodical beacon-provision time-window having a predetermined time-window length for providing the respective radio beacon-signals that is shorter than a beacon signal provision period of the provision of radio beacon signals by the network nodes, thereby reducing the risk of signal collision.