Dynamic Beacon Code Generation for Retail Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing indoor positioning systems in commercial retail establishments face challenges in preserving ownership and preventing unauthorized use, as beacon codes remain constant, allowing others to replicate the system by surveying the space and using the same beacon data.
Innovation Solution
The system generates and distributes encoded identities to location beacons, which are broadcast to user devices, and combines these with a time interval mask to create a masked mapping stored on a website, allowing navigation while preventing unauthorized mapping recovery through periodic changes in beacon identities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If beacon codes remain constant for system operation, then navigation functionality is maintained, but system ownership cannot be preserved and unauthorized replication becomes possible
Solution Approach 1:
The beacon codes are changed periodically from constant to dynamic values. The system generates new beacon codes at predetermined intervals and updates both the beacons and the mapping information accordingly. This dynamic transformation ensures that while navigation remains functional for authorized users, unauthorized replication becomes impractical as the codes continuously change.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic updates of beacon codes at predetermined time intervals. A controller generates new codes periodically, distributes them to beacons, and updates the mapping information stored on servers. This periodic action maintains reliable navigation during each interval while preventing unauthorized use across different time periods.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If beacon codes are changed periodically to prevent unauthorized use, then system ownership is preserved, but seamless transition between mappings must be ensured for continuous navigation
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by generating and distributing new beacon codes and updated mapping information before the current codes expire. The controller proactively updates the mapping server and beacons in advance of the transition point, ensuring that users experience seamless navigation without interruption or noticeable disruption when codes change.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where user devices continuously receive updated mapping information from the server. When beacon codes change, the server automatically provides updated mapping data to authorized users, ensuring they can seamlessly continue navigation without manual intervention or disruption to the user experience.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If encoded identities are distributed to beacons with time interval masks, then mapping recovery is prevented for interlopers, but registered customers must be able to access navigation functionality
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces a server as an intermediary that holds the master mapping information and distributes it selectively. Registered customer devices communicate with the server to obtain the necessary mapping data, while interlopers without server access cannot recover the mapping even if they intercept beacon signals. This intermediary controls access to the decoded mapping information.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different quality levels of access to different users. Registered customers receive full access to decoded mapping information through the server, enabling complete navigation functionality. Interlopers only receive encrypted beacon signals without the ability to decode or access the mapping, creating localized quality differences in system access based on authorization status.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for navigating within a retail establishment includes:generating and distributing an encoded identity to each of a plurality of location beacons, the encoded identity being effective during a time interval;broadcasting the encoded identity from each of the plurality of location beacons to a user device within a retail establishment;mapping the encoded identity of each of the plurality of location beacons to a location thereof;generating a masked mapping by combining the mapping with a time interval mask;storing the masked mapping in a website accessible to the user device; andbroadcasting an srw signal to the user device within the retail establishment, the srw signal comprising information for recovering the mapping from the masked mapping in the web site;whereby navigation via the location beacons is enabled.