Hybrid GPS and BLE Wire Reel Tracking System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electricians and technicians face challenges in efficiently locating and selecting the appropriate length of wire or cable reels from large inventory storage areas, as existing methods lack precision and efficiency, leading to suboptimal utilization of available wire lengths and limited accessibility for contractors.
Innovation Solution
A mobile device-based wire or cable reel tracking system utilizing GPS and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology, which communicates with a cloud-based inventory management server to store and retrieve reel information, allowing users to locate and manage wire or cable reels with precision, even in indoor environments, using beacons to store and transmit reel characteristics and locations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual searching methods are used in large inventory storage areas, then system complexity is reduced, but location time and productivity deteriorate significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical searching with an automated electronic system comprising mobile devices, GPS receivers, Bluetooth transceivers, and a centralized database. The system automatically tracks reel locations, wire lengths, and types, eliminating the need for manual inspection of hundreds or thousands of reels and dramatically reducing search time while improving productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a centralized inventory management system as an intermediary between users and the physical reel storage. This system acts as a mediator that processes location queries, retrieves reel information from the database, and guides users to the correct reels, thereby eliminating direct manual searching and significantly reducing location time
2Measurement precision
If GPS is used for location tracking, then outdoor location precision is improved, but indoor tracking capability deteriorates due to signal blockage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges GPS technology with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology to create a hybrid location tracking system. GPS provides accurate outdoor location data, while BLE transceivers mounted on reels enable precise indoor tracking through proximity detection. The system seamlessly combines both technologies to maintain location tracking capability across different environments, resolving the limitation of GPS alone
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the location tracking system based on environmental conditions. Outdoors, the system uses GPS satellite signals for location determination. Indoors, it switches to using Bluetooth signal strength and proximity data from BLE transceivers. This parameter change allows the system to adapt to different signal availability conditions and maintain tracking functionality in both indoor and outdoor settings
3Productivity
If detailed information about each reel is tracked, then inventory utilization is improved, but data management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal inventory management system that handles multiple types of data (reel locations, wire lengths, wire types, gauges) through a single integrated database and interface. This multi-functional system consolidates what would otherwise require separate tracking mechanisms, managing comprehensive reel information while maintaining operational simplicity and improving inventory utilization through centralized access to all relevant parameters
4Ease of operation
If contractors have access to inventory information, then accessibility is improved, but information security risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback-based access control system where the centralized database tracks and records which contractors access which reel information. The system provides feedback on access patterns and can alert administrators to unusual access behaviors. This feedback mechanism enables broad accessibility for legitimate users while maintaining security through monitoring and accountability, resolving the tension between openness and security
Data Source
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AI summary
Examples are disclosed to track wire or cable inventory in an inventory storage environment using an application on a mobile device. During a material intake phase, an identifier of a wire or cable reel is stored in association with a physical location of the reel, a length of a wire or cable, and a type of the wire or cable. During a material retrieval phase, a target location corresponding to the physical location of the wire or cable reel is received in response to a search query. The wire or cable reel is located using a GPS receiver based on the target location when the mobile device is located farther than a threshold distance from the target location, or using a Bluetooth radio interface, without the GPS receiver, based on the target location when the mobile device is located closer than the threshold distance to the target location.