Smart Wearable Location Highlighting via Device Coordination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing location determination methods, such as GPS, are insufficiently accurate in dark or crowded environments, and people may struggle to describe their location, especially in emergencies or when unable to see their surroundings.
Innovation Solution
A method and system using smart wearables to activate location highlighting through light or sound patterns, allowing users to request and relay location information to nearby devices, enabling others to easily locate a person or object by configuring permissions and using Bluetooth or network communications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS location determination is used, then location information can be obtained, but the accuracy is insufficient in dark or crowded environments
Solution Approach 1:
The location determination system is segmented into multiple independent components: GPS for general location, and multiple smart wearable devices with light/sound indicators for precise local positioning. Each segment operates independently and complements the others, allowing accurate location determination even when GPS alone is insufficient in dark or crowded environments.
Solution Approach 2:
Smart wearable devices act as intermediaries between the searcher and the searchee. These devices receive location information and translate it into visible light or audible sound patterns that can be easily perceived in challenging environments, thereby mediating the location determination process and improving reliability.
2Loss of information
If people try to describe their location manually, then location information can be communicated, but it is ineffective in dark environments or when people are unable to see or describe surroundings
Solution Approach 1:
The manual mechanical process of describing location is replaced with an automated electronic system. Smart wearable devices automatically generate and emit light or sound patterns based on received location data, eliminating the need for manual description and making the system usable even when people cannot see or speak.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service location communication where the smart wearable device automatically performs the task of location indication without requiring the user to manually describe their position. The device autonomously processes location data and generates appropriate light or sound signals.
3Illumination intensity
If a single device is used for location indication, then the device can display location information, but the visibility is insufficient in crowded environments
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple smart wearable devices are merged into a coordinated network where each device contributes to the overall location indication. The combined light or sound signals from multiple devices create a more visible and recognizable location marker that stands out in crowded environments, while the system manages complexity through standardized communication protocols.
Data Source
AI summary
At a first device, a location highlighting request is received. Responsive to the location highlighting request, a location highlight indicator is activated at the first device. It is determined that the location highlighting request includes a relay instruction. The location highlighting request is transmitted, responsive to the determining, from the first device to a cooperating device comprising a location highlight indicator and a location highlight cooperation capability.