Tracking Message Mode Switching for Low-Battery Location Beacons
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tracking devices face challenges in extending battery life due to their mobile nature and reliance on small batteries, necessitating efficient power management to maintain functionality.
Innovation Solution
A tracking device periodically monitors battery voltage or signal strength and switches to short-range wireless communication when the battery level drops below a threshold, using a modified round-robin message distribution scheme to extend battery life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If long-range wireless communication is used for transmitting location messages, then communication range is improved, but battery life deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically switches between long-range and short-range communication modes based on real-time battery status. When battery charge is sufficient, the device uses long-range wireless communication for optimal coverage. When battery charge drops below a threshold, the device automatically transitions to short-range communication mode, thereby adapting the communication range to current power availability and extending battery life.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the communication parameter (transmission range/power) based on battery charge level. By monitoring battery status and adjusting the communication mode accordingly, the system optimizes the balance between communication effectiveness and power consumption, preventing battery depletion while maintaining tracking functionality.
2Volume of moving object
If small battery size is used to maintain device compactness, then device portability is improved, but power capacity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts power consumption based on battery status by switching between communication modes. This allows the device to operate effectively with a small battery by reducing power usage when charge is low, rather than requiring a larger battery to sustain high-power operations continuously.
Solution Approach 2:
The device periodically monitors battery charge levels and switches communication modes accordingly. This periodic assessment and adjustment allows the system to maximize the utility of limited battery capacity by preventing high-power operations when charge is insufficient.
Data Source
AI summary
A tracking device is configured to monitor a parameter, such as battery state or cellular network signal strength, and cause a component of the tracking device to enter a sleep state when a monitored parameter value satisfies a sleep state criterion. Before entering a sleep state, which may comprise a long-range wireless transceiver being turned off, one or more final messages may be emitted that indicate the location of the tracking device before, or at, entering of the sleep state. While in a sleep state, the tracking device may emit a low power beacon, which may be emitted in different formats at different transmission of the beacon. The different beacons may be emitted according to a configured pattern.