Traceable Rechargeable Battery Pack With Bluetooth Location Alerts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Small electronic devices, such as remote controls, are easily misplaced due to their size and the inefficiency of relying on line of sight, especially in environments without adequate illumination, leading to time-consuming and frustrating searches.
Innovation Solution
A traceable rechargeable battery system that includes batteries with a system on a chip (SoC) and a computing device that communicates to determine the battery's location, providing audible, visual, and haptic alerts through a Bluetooth tracking device, using multi-dimensional triangulation for accurate positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If small electronic devices are used, then device portability and functionality are improved, but the devices become easily misplaced and difficult to locate
Solution Approach 1:
A tracking device is introduced as an intermediary component integrated into the battery pack. This tracking device communicates with both the computing device and the powered electronic device, serving as a mediator that enables location tracking without requiring the powered device itself to have tracking capabilities. The tracking device uses wireless communication to transmit location information and receive alert commands, resolving the contradiction by adding a dedicated tracking intermediary.
Solution Approach 2:
The tracking device is nested within the battery pack structure, which itself is inserted into the powered electronic device. This nested arrangement allows the tracking functionality to be embedded within the small electronic device without adding external bulk. The battery pack containing the tracking device becomes a compact unit that fits inside devices like remote controls, game controllers, or keyboards, enabling location tracking while maintaining device portability.
2Device complexity
If line of sight searching is used, then no additional equipment is needed, but searching becomes time-consuming and inefficient especially in dark environments
Solution Approach 1:
The manual mechanical search process (visually scanning environments) is replaced with an automated electronic communication system. The computing device sends wireless communications to the tracking device, which then provides directional information and triggers audible/visual alerts. This substitution eliminates the need for physical searching through dark or cluttered spaces, dramatically reducing search time while maintaining simplicity through software-based implementation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by having the tracking device respond to computing device communications with location information and alert signals. When the computing device sends a query, the tracking device returns directional cues indicating its position relative to the powered device. This feedback loop enables the user to quickly locate the battery without manual searching, as the system actively provides location information in response to user queries.
3Loss of information
If tracking devices are integrated into batteries, then device location can be determined, but device complexity and communication requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The tracking device integrated into the battery pack serves multiple functions: it tracks the battery's location, communicates with both the computing device and the powered electronic device, and provides alert capabilities. By consolidating these multiple functions into a single integrated component within the battery, the system reduces overall complexity compared to having separate tracking devices in each electronic device. The universal tracking device handles all location and communication requirements centrally.
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 efficient location of missing electronic devices by providing real-time directional cues and alerts, reducing the time and effort required to find misplaced items like remote controls or game controllers.
Implementation Method 1
determining, by the computing device, a location of the battery device using multi-dimensional triangulation using an angle of arrival (AoA) of each of the second communication and the fourth communication
Implementation Method 2
receiving, by the computing device, a second communication in response to the first communication from the battery device, the second communication comprising a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) from the battery to the computing device
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes sending, by a computing device, a first communication to a battery device having a system on a chip (SoC) that is powering another device, receiving, by the computing device, a second communication in response to the first communication from the battery device, the second communication comprising a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) from the battery device to the computing device, displaying, by the computing device, a graphical user interface (GUI) that indicates the RSSI that provides real-time information in response to at least one of movement of the computing device and movement of the battery device, and sending, by the computing device, a third communication to the battery that when received by the battery device causes the battery device to provide at least one audible alert.