Proximate Terminal Search Using Logical-Physical Address Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies like Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and Global Positioning System (GPS) struggle to accurately locate proximate terminal devices, especially indoors, due to limited range and accuracy issues.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device that stores logical and physical addresses of terminal devices along with activation flags, allowing it to identify and list proximate devices based on these criteria, enabling accurate location even indoors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology is used to search for proximate terminal devices, then power consumption is reduced and operating cycle is shortened, but the range of availability is very narrow (e.g., 10 m)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary component that receives requests from terminal devices, stores logical addresses of other terminal devices, and returns proximate device information. This mediator approach allows terminal devices to search for proximate devices beyond their direct communication range while maintaining low power consumption, as the energy-intensive search operations are offloaded to the server rather than performed locally by battery-powered terminal devices.
2Measurement precision
If GPS technology is used to search for proximate terminal devices, then location information can be obtained, but accuracy is reduced for short distances or indoors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the identification parameters from GPS coordinates (which have poor indoor accuracy) to logical addresses obtained through network communication. By using logical addresses that terminal devices exchange via network protocols, the system achieves accurate proximate device identification indoors and for short distances, where GPS signals are unavailable or inaccurate, while maintaining versatility across different environments.
3Length of moving object
If network-based searching is implemented to find proximate terminal devices, then the range of search is extended beyond BLE limitations, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex search and matching logic from terminal devices and places it in a dedicated server. The server stores logical addresses of terminal devices and handles the complex task of identifying proximate devices based on network requests. This extraction reduces the computational burden and complexity of terminal devices while extending their search range, as they can query the server for proximate devices without performing complex local calculations.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may be configured to receive, from a first terminal device, a request for a list including at least one terminal device close to the first terminal device, a logical address of a communication network to which the first terminal device is connected, and a physical address of a communication device to which the first terminal device is connected, identify the at least one terminal device close to the first terminal device among the one or more second terminal devices, based on the logical address and the physical address of the first terminal device, and logical addresses, physical addresses, and flags respectively related to the one or more second terminal devices, and transmit the list including the at least one identified terminal device to the first terminal device.