Radiobeacon Data Sharing via Cloud Host Forwarding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for resource sharing, particularly in winter sports, face challenges in distributing shared resources fairly without exploiting resource providers, and there is a need for efficient tracking and finding of equipment embedded with radio units, such as skis and snowboards.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented system that uses low energy radio transmissions from radiobeacons to a cloud host server, enabling ad hoc networks of smart devices to upload messages and actuate remote machines based on user preferences, while maintaining privacy and reciprocity among community members.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If proprietary networks are built for resource sharing, then resource sharing capability is improved, but device complexity and system cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by enabling existing smartphones to function as radiobeacon proxies through a software application. The same device can serve multiple purposes: normal communication, radiobeacon signal reception, and message forwarding to cloud servers. This eliminates the need for dedicated proprietary network infrastructure while maintaining resource sharing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by allowing community members' smartphones to automatically receive and forward radiobeacon messages without manual intervention. The background service operates autonomously, detecting radiobeacon signals and relaying them to the cloud host server, thereby reducing the need for specialized network infrastructure.
2Reliability
If radiobeacon messages are forwarded through community nodal devices, then message delivery reliability is improved, but loss of information increases due to background processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cloud host server as an intermediary that receives forwarded messages from community nodal devices. The server acts as a trusted mediator that processes and delivers messages to intended recipients without requiring the nodal device owner to access or understand the message content, thereby maintaining privacy while ensuring reliable delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts the message forwarding function from the nodal device's primary user-controlled operations. By separating the forwarding mechanism from user awareness and control, the system ensures messages are relayed reliably without compromising the privacy of message contents or the nodal device owner's knowledge of the transmitted information.
3Productivity
If smartphones are recruited as community nodal devices, then productivity of resource sharing is improved, but use of energy increases due to background radio scanning
Solution Approach 1:
The background service on smartphones performs periodic scanning for radiobeacon signals rather than continuous monitoring. This periodic action reduces energy consumption while maintaining the ability to detect and forward messages when radiobeacons are active, thereby balancing productivity with energy efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements partial action by having smartphones perform only the specific function of scanning for and forwarding radiobeacon messages, rather than full network infrastructure operations. This partial participation enables resource sharing productivity while minimizing energy expenditure compared to running complete network protocols.
4Ease of manufacture
If ad hoc networks are created using existing smart devices, then ease of manufacture is improved, but reliability of message transmission deteriorates due to limited low energy radio bandwidth
Solution Approach 1:
The cloud host server serves as an intermediary that aggregates messages from multiple nodal devices and manages transmission to the ultimate recipient. This intermediary approach compensates for the limited bandwidth of individual low energy radio transmissions by collecting messages from multiple sources and ensuring reliable delivery through server-mediated communication.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses multi-functional smartphones that can operate as both regular communication devices and radiobeacon proxies. This universality enables easy deployment using existing devices while the cloud server provides the additional processing power and bandwidth needed to ensure reliable message transmission despite limitations of low energy radio.
Data Source
AI summary
Remote actuation of machines or machine systems is realized by a system for coupling a radiobeacon to a smart device and in turn to a broader network. The smart device is configured as a proximity-actuated “community nodal device” by an application that operates as part of the system. The community nodal device is given instructions to function as a “soft switch”: to automatically “upswitch”, amplify, and broadcast low energy, local area radiobeacon “messages” to a cloud-based server, where the message is interpreted according to rules or policies established by an operator, and a command is transmitted for execution to a remote device. Conventional smart devices generally discard data not addressed to the owner of the smart device. Instead of discarding third party messages, the system preempts their handling, and using a soft switch formed from background resources, anonymously, without access to the message by a user interface of the proxy device, and without waiting for a network query from the host, engineers an “upswitched transmission” of radiobeacon-generated data to a cloud host. Advantageously, confidential sharing of ad hoc community resources results in a negligible load on background resources of the community nodal device. Messages may include a sensor data payload. Attached and embedded radiobeacons find use in tracking and finding lost winter sports equipment, for example.