Coordinated Signaling for Emergency Communication Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

In emergency situations, such as maritime distress or rescue scenarios, existing communication devices fail to provide coordinated and efficient signaling, leading to challenges in data collection and transmission, especially in hostile environments with limited connectivity, resulting in delayed or inaccurate information for rescue teams.

Innovation Solution

A method for communication devices to activate, recognize each other, exchange data, determine rules for coordinated signaling, and initiate synchronized transmission, such as coordinated light emission, to enhance detection probability and prolong battery life by optimizing resource usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If communication devices transmit signaling continuously to improve detection probability, then detection probability increases, but battery life decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetection probabilityVSAvoidbattery life

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The communication devices transmit signaling in periodic intervals rather than continuously. Each device transmits for a determined time period, then enters a listening period where it receives signals from other devices. This periodic transmission pattern maintains detection probability while significantly reducing power consumption compared to continuous transmission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple communication devices coordinate their signaling transmissions to occur simultaneously or in a synchronized manner. By merging their transmission efforts, the group achieves enhanced detection probability through coordinated signaling, while each individual device only needs to transmit for a fraction of the time it would require if operating alone, thus preserving battery life.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Device complexity

If communication devices operate independently to simplify device complexity, then device complexity decreases, but information completeness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoordination mechanismVSAvoidsituation overview

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

Communication devices exchange information about their operational status, signaling activities, and detected situations through structured data packets. Each device provides feedback to the group about its local observations and coordinates with others to build a comprehensive situation overview, maintaining information completeness without requiring complex centralized coordination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

Each communication device autonomously determines its own signaling schedule and coordinates with others through simple exchange protocols. Devices independently manage their transmission and listening periods based on group coordination rules, eliminating the need for complex centralized control while still achieving comprehensive information gathering through their collective autonomous actions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Measurement precision

If communication devices transmit data frequently to improve information accuracy, then information accuracy increases, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation accuracyVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Devices transmit data at periodic intervals determined by the coordination mechanism rather than continuously or at fixed high frequency. The periodic transmission schedule allows devices to share updated information about their status and observations at regular intervals, maintaining information accuracy while consuming energy only during transmission periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses just enough transmission frequency to maintain adequate information accuracy for rescue operations. Rather than transmitting at maximum possible frequency, the coordination mechanism determines optimal intervals that provide sufficient situational awareness while minimizing energy consumption, applying partial action rather than excessive transmission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS11869336B2Method and a communication device for coordinated signalling

Publication Date: 2024.01.09 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

AI summary

A method, executable at a first communication device, for enabling communication between a group of communication devices, including the first communication device is suggested. The suggested method comprise activating the first communication device in response to recognizing a cause for triggering such activation, recognizing at least one second communication device, exchanging data between the first and the at least one second communication device, in response to recognizing the at least one second communication device, determining, based on the exchanged data, rules to be applied for a coordinated signaling, from the first communication device and at least one of the at least one second communication device, and initiating the coordinated signaling, based on the determined rules.