Magnetometer-Based Communication via Magnetic Beaconing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile devices face bandwidth constraints due to competing applications and limited data plans, necessitating alternative communication methods that do not rely on traditional wireless bandwidth.
Innovation Solution
A magnetic beaconing system that uses a user device's magnetometer to detect changes in magnetic fields, interpreting sequences of activations and deactivations as messages, allowing communication with a service provider without requiring wireless bandwidth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If traditional wireless communication is used for data transfer, then information can be transmitted to mobile devices, but bandwidth is consumed and restricted by data plans and competing applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces magnetic fields as an intermediary medium for communication. Instead of directly transmitting data through wireless networks that consume bandwidth, the system uses magnetic beacons to encode information in magnetic field changes that the device's magnetometer can detect, thereby transferring information without consuming cellular or Wi-Fi bandwidth
Solution Approach 2:
The patent repurposes the magnetometer, which is already universally present in mobile devices for compass functionality, to serve an additional communication function. This multi-functionality allows the device to receive information through magnetic field detection without requiring additional hardware or consuming network bandwidth
2Loss of information
If specialized communication hardware is added to mobile devices, then alternative communication channels can be created, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent leverages the existing magnetometer in mobile devices, which is already a standard component for compass functionality. By making this existing component multi-functional (serving both navigation and communication purposes), the invention enables alternative communication channels without adding any specialized hardware, thereby avoiding increased device complexity and cost
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 communication and information transfer to mobile devices even when traditional bandwidth is restricted, leveraging the ubiquitous presence of magnetometers in mobile devices to provide information without consuming wireless resources.
Implementation Method 1
a magnetic beacon may generate a sequence of activations and deactivations of a magnetic field. The user device's magnetometer may detect the sudden changes in magnetic field and may be used to determine that the changes include a message
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein is a system and method for enabling communication with a user device using that user device's magnetometer. In some embodiments, a magnetic beacon may generate a sequence of input signals that correspond to activations and deactivations of a magnetic field. A magnetometer in a user device may detect sudden changes in magnetic field and may be used to determine that those changes include a message. In some embodiments, the user device may monitor for an initiation sequence. Upon detecting a sequence of magnetic field activations and deactivations (which may appear to the magnetometer as a sequence of sudden rotational position changes), the user device may interpret a message conveyed by the magnetic beacon. In some embodiments, the user device may communicate the message to a service provider computer, which may subsequently identify additional information related to the message and provide that additional information to the user device.