Wireless Audio Guide Using BLE Beacons

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional audio guides are cumbersome, restrict user movement, and often require fixed viewing orders due to poor design and inefficient GPS tracking, especially in indoor environments.

Innovation Solution

A wireless audio guide system using BLE chips to transmit audio data to mobile devices, allowing users to access information about exhibits in any order without the need for community headsets or fixed viewing paths, utilizing proximity determination via Wi-Fi and BLE beacons for seamless audio playback.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If traditional audio guides with headsets are used, then audio information can be delivered to users, but the system becomes cumbersome and restricts user movement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser convenienceVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the audio guide functionality from the physical headset device and relocates it to the user's personal mobile device. The mobile device captures Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons transmitted by exhibits and plays back associated audio files, eliminating the need for dedicated audio guide headsets while maintaining the core function of delivering audio information about exhibits.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent leverages the universal nature of mobile devices that users already possess, making them serve dual purposes: their original functions plus audio guide functionality. This eliminates the need for separate dedicated audio guide equipment, as the mobile device becomes a multi-functional tool that provides both communication and exhibit information delivery.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If fixed viewing order is enforced, then audio content matches exhibit sequence, but user flexibility is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaudio-exhibit matchingVSAvoidviewing order flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a dynamic system where the mobile device continuously captures BLE beacons from different exhibits and automatically plays back the corresponding audio files based on the user's current location. This dynamic approach replaces the static fixed-order system, allowing users to move freely while maintaining reliable audio-exhibit matching through real-time beacon detection and automatic playback control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Measurement precision

If GPS tracking is used for location determination, then user position can be identified, but indoor accuracy is poor and energy consumption is high

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocation accuracyVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces BLE beacons as intermediary elements placed at each exhibit location. Instead of using GPS satellite signals that require high energy consumption and provide poor indoor accuracy, the system uses local BLE beacons that transmit exhibit identifiers. The mobile device captures these low-energy beacon signals to determine user position, achieving accurate indoor location tracking with minimal energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11025765B2Wireless audio guide
Publication Date: 2021.06.01 HARMAN INT IND INC
  • US11025765B2 patent drawing
  • US11025765B2 patent drawing
  • US11025765B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A wireless audio guide system for an exhibition area. The system includes a BLE chip transmitting a beacon containing audio guide data associated with at least one exhibit in the exhibition area. The beacon is transmitted at predetermined intervals. A mobile device, within a predetermined range of the at least one exhibit, captures the beacon and links the mobile device to an audio file that is played back at the mobile device.