Beacon Terminal Management System for Construction Site Monitoring

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In plant construction sites, existing labor management systems face challenges such as high costs for electrical wiring and receiver installation, radio wave interference, and mechanical failures due to harsh environments, which complicate the management of field laborers' presence and location.

Innovation Solution

A management system using beacon terminals with unique identifiers broadcasted by laborers and received by site foremen's management terminals, which determine presence and location without pre-installed receivers, employing triangulation and reference signals to improve accuracy and power efficiency, and averaging power consumption by varying signal patterns.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If receivers are pre-installed in work areas using electrical wiring or storage batteries, then the system can receive beacon signals, but the cost increases and maintenance becomes troublesome

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereceiver operation reliabilityVSAvoidinstallation and maintenance complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of having fixed receivers installed in work areas that actively receive signals, the patent inverts the approach by equipping moving objects (laborers, foremen, vehicles) with active receivers that seek out and receive beacon signals from fixed transmitter locations. This eliminates the need for electrical wiring or battery-powered installations in harsh construction environments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The moving bodies with receivers autonomously navigate through work areas and automatically receive beacon signals from transmitters without requiring manual installation, configuration, or maintenance of fixed receiver infrastructure. The system serves itself by utilizing the natural movement of personnel and equipment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If receivers are installed at fixed locations, then signal reception is possible, but the installation locations must be changed as construction progresses due to radio wave interference

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal reception reliabilityVSAvoidadaptability to changing construction environment

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent switches from fixed receivers that must be relocated to moving receivers that remain functional throughout the construction lifecycle. The receivers on moving bodies adapt to changing environments by simply moving to new locations, eliminating the need to relocate installed infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The system transitions from static fixed receivers to dynamic moving receivers that can freely move throughout the construction site. This dynamic approach allows the system to automatically adapt to changing construction layouts and radio wave interference patterns without manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If multiple beacon terminals broadcast signals simultaneously, then presence detection is possible, but interference among beacon signals occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepresence detection efficiencyVSAvoidbeacon signal interference

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Beacon terminals transmit signals periodically at scheduled time intervals rather than continuously or simultaneously. This periodic transmission pattern allows receivers to capture signals from multiple beacons sequentially, preventing signal interference while maintaining efficient presence detection across the construction site.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

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

Enables effective management of laborers' presence and location without pre-installed receivers, reduces interference, and maintains consistent power consumption across multiple beacon terminals, even in harsh environments.

Implementation Method 1

Each of the beacon terminals has a unique beacon identifier and is operable to broadcast a beacon signal. The one or more management terminals are respectively held by one or more moving bodies moving in the one or more areas and operable to receive the beacon signals to acquire the beacon identifiers and beacon presence information

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRadio wave propagation: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentUS11243302B2Management system for objects under monitoring and method of identifying beacon terminals

Publication Date: 2022.02.08 CHIYODA CORP

AI summary

A management system for objects under monitoring that is capable of managing the presence of moving objects under monitoring. The management system includes a plurality of beacon terminals, one or more management terminals, and a management server. The beacon terminals are respectively held by the moving objects under monitoring, and each have a unique identifier and broadcast a beacon signal. The one or more management terminals are respectively held by one or more moving bodies moving in one or more areas, receive beacon signals to acquire beacon identifiers and beacon presence information, and acquire location information via a positioning system. The management terminals output beacon information spontaneously or upon request. The management server determines the state of presence of the objects under monitoring in the one or more areas, based on the beacon information acquired from the one or more management terminals.