Sectorized Base Station Beacon Zone Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
The management, placement, and maintenance of large numbers of individual battery-operated wireless beacon transmitters in various environments, such as stores, are cumbersome and costly, and they face issues with damage and the need for frequent battery replacements, limiting their practical use.
Innovation Solution
Implementing sectorized base stations with directional antennas or beam forming capabilities to transmit Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) beacon signals, allowing for the definition of virtual zones based on beacon coverage areas and signal strength, which reduces the number of required base stations and simplifies management by using a zone correlation engine to determine device location and provide relevant information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a large number of individual battery-operated beacon transmitters are placed throughout a store to advertise different items, then locally relevant information can be communicated to individuals as they move through the store, but management, maintenance, and placement complexity increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple individual beacon transmitters into a single centralized beacon system that transmits beacons on multiple beams. This merging approach maintains the ability to communicate locally relevant information to different areas of the store while dramatically reducing the number of individual devices to manage, place, and maintain.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the store environment into multiple zones or areas, each served by directional beams from the centralized beacon. This allows different information to be transmitted to different spatial segments without requiring separate physical beacon devices in each location.
2Area of stationary object
If battery powered beacon transmitters are used at numerous locations, then beacon coverage can be provided throughout the store, but frequent battery replacements and device maintenance are required
Solution Approach 1:
By consolidating multiple battery-powered beacons into a single powered beacon system with multiple beams, the patent eliminates the need for frequent battery replacements across multiple devices while maintaining comprehensive coverage of the store area.
3Ease of operation
If beacon transmitters are placed on stands or at ground level to advertise items, then local information can be transmitted, but the devices are subject to damage from carts and goods movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from ground-level or stand-based beacon placement to a centralized beacon system that transmits beacons in three-dimensional space through multiple directional beams. This dimensional change allows the beacon to be positioned in a safe, protected location while still providing comprehensive coverage of the store floor area.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple individual beacons are deployed to cover different areas, then detailed local information can be provided, but the cost of deployment and management increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual beacon deployments into a single centralized system that can still provide customized local information through directional beams. This reduces deployment costs, management overhead, and overall system complexity while maintaining the ability to target specific areas with relevant information.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus for using beacon signals are described. One or more sectorized base stations are used in some embodiments to transmit beacon signals into zones, e.g., each zone being at least partially covered by one or more beacon signals. Use of sectorized base stations allows a single base station, e.g., a Bluetooth or other base station capable of transmitting beacon signals, to cover a number of different zones avoiding the need for multiple different beacon transmitters at different locations to establish different beacon coverage areas. Sectorization of a Bluetooth base station and the ability to remotely or locally configure the base station allows for great flexibility to use beacon signals in stores or other locations without the need for numerous individual battery powered beacon transmitters at floor or display level.