Visitor Notification System for Host Arrival Coordination

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing visitor monitoring systems fail to effectively coordinate the meeting of visitors and hosts upon arrival, resulting in wasted time as hosts search for visitors.

Innovation Solution

A visitor notification system that receives and processes the current position of a visitor device, determines triggering events, and communicates with a host device to provide mapped positions, visitor destinations, and arrival times, allowing the host to plan their arrival accordingly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If a visitor monitoring system stores information about visitor arrival but does not actively notify the host, then the system structure remains simple, but the host wastes time searching for the visitor

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetime wasted by host searching for visitorVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements automatic feedback by monitoring visitor device positions and triggering notifications to host devices when visitors arrive at expected locations. This closes the information loop, eliminating the need for hosts to manually search for visitors while maintaining automated coordination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The visitor's own device serves the function of notification by automatically detecting their position and triggering alerts to hosts. The system uses the visitor's device capabilities (GPS, location services) to perform the notification function without requiring additional dedicated hardware.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Productivity

If the system provides real-time position tracking and notification, then coordination between visitor and host improves, but the information processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoordination efficiencyVSAvoidinformation processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts only the essential information needed for coordination - specifically the visitor's position relative to expected destinations and arrival status. Rather than processing all possible visitor data, it focuses on location and timing information critical for meeting coordination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system acts as an intermediary that processes visitor position data and translates it into meaningful notifications for hosts. It mediates between the visitor's device and the host's device, converting raw location data into actionable arrival notifications and route guidance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Loss of information

If the system only stores visitor information without active notification, then the system remains simple, but valuable coordination opportunities are lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoordination informationVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-calculating expected visitor destinations based on scheduling data and pre-notifying hosts before visitors actually arrive. This allows hosts to prepare in advance and plan their routes, transforming passive information storage into active coordination support.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3669558B1Method to notify a host the current position of a visitor
Publication Date: 2023.05.10 CARRIER CORP
  • EP3669558B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3669558B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

A method of monitoring a visitor is provided. The method comprising: receiving a first current position of a visitor device; determining if a first triggering event has occurred in response to the first current position; determining a host device associated with the visitor device; determining a first mapped position of the visitor device in response to the first current position of the visitor device; and transmitting the first mapped position of the visitor device to the host device.