Smartphone Beacon Forwarding for Building Occupancy Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional building occupancy measurement systems require expensive and inefficient integration of gateways with building IT infrastructure for data transmission, making installation and maintenance costly and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that uses smartphones to transmit occupancy-related data from sensors to a remote server without a gateway, utilizing Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons and a beacon-forwarding application to automatically forward data, enabling wireless data transmission via cellular or Wi-Fi connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a gateway is used to connect sensors to building management systems, then data transmission is enabled, but installation and maintenance costs increase and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the gateway component from the traditional sensor-to-BMS connection architecture. Sensors now transmit data directly to the building management system or cloud platform using native wireless protocols (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee), eliminating the need for intermediate gateway devices and their associated integration complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces mobile devices (smartphones, tablets) as intermediary carriers that receive sensor data via short-range wireless communication and forward it to remote servers or building management systems. This mobile-mediated approach replaces traditional fixed gateways, enabling flexible, cost-effective data transmission without dedicated infrastructure integration.
2Reliability
If a gateway is integrated with building IT infrastructure, then sensor data can be transmitted, but installation and maintenance become more expensive and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the gateway component from the traditional sensor-to-BMS connection architecture. Sensors now transmit data directly to the building management system or cloud platform using native wireless protocols (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee), eliminating the need for intermediate gateway devices and their associated integration complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables sensors to independently connect and transmit data using standard wireless protocols without requiring specialized gateway integration. Mobile devices with beacon-forwarding applications automatically discover and relay sensor data, allowing the system to self-configure and operate without expensive professional installation and maintenance services.
3Measurement precision
If traditional gateway architecture is used, then occupancy data can be collected, but the system requires expensive third-party integration and maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the gateway component from the traditional sensor-to-BMS connection architecture. Sensors now transmit data directly to the building management system or cloud platform using native wireless protocols (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee), eliminating the need for intermediate gateway devices and their associated integration complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs universal mobile devices (smartphones, tablets) that can serve multiple functions: acting as data carriers, wireless transmitters, and intermediate processing nodes. These multi-functional devices replace specialized gateway hardware, enabling the same occupancy data collection capabilities without dedicated integration infrastructure.
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
This solution eliminates the need for gateway integration, reducing costs and enhancing efficiency by allowing seamless data transmission from sensors to a remote server, enabling accurate occupancy calculations for building management systems without user interaction.
Implementation Method 1
Each sensor periodically generates an advertisement beacon (e.g., a BLE beacon) with an identifier and a data payload that includes buffered occupancy-related data. The sensors wirelessly broadcast the advertisement beacons.
Implementation Method 2
A plurality of mobile devices (e.g., smartphones) execute an application that scans for advertisement beacons with the above-referenced identifier. In response to a mobile device with the application being in the vicinity of a sensor and detecting an advertisement beacon, the mobile device forwards the advertisement beacon to a remote server.
Data Source
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Figure 2B
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a system and method for transmitting occupancy-related data from sensors to a remote server using smart phones instead of a gateway. Sensors in a building or other location collect and buffer occupancy- related data. Each sensor periodically generates an advertisement beacon with an identifier and a data payload that includes buffered occupancy-related data. The sensors wirelessly broadcast the advertisement beacons. A plurality of mobile devices (e.g., smartphones) execute an application that scans for advertisement beacons with the above-referenced identifier. In response to a mobile device with the application being in the vicinity of a sensor and detecting an advertisement beacon with the identifier, the mobile device forwards the advertisement beacon to a remote server, which uses the beacon' s data payload to calculate the occupancy of a building or location.