Ability to interact with passive beacon receiver devices in a short-range wireless beacon communication system
First Claim
1. A beacon communication system comprising a plurality of beacon transmitter devices, each beacon transmitter device comprising a controller and a short-range wireless beacon transmitter, the controller being configured to cause a first transmission of a short-range wireless beacon signal by the beacon transmitter, the beacon signal identifying a beacon region, wait during a beacon delay time period, and cause a second transmission of the short-range wireless beacon signal by the beacon transmitter, wherein the first transmission of the short-range wireless beacon signal causes a short-range wireless beacon receiver device, when being in a passive mode, being in range of the beacon region and receiving the first transmission of the beacon signal, to:
- report to an external device that it has entered into the beacon region,then enter into a deafened-out state in which the beacon receiver device will not be capable of reacting to subsequent transmissions of the beacon signal,then once the deafened-out state has ended report an exit event to the external device;
and wherein the beacon delay time period is defined to last at least as long as the deafened-out state of the beacon receiver device, the beacon delay time period being sufficiently long to allow the short-range wireless beacon receiver device, when being in the passive mode, being in range of the beacon region and having received the first transmission of the beacon signal, to receive and react on the second transmission of the beacon signal, whereinthe first transmission of the short-range wireless beacon signal, the waiting during the beacon delay time period, and the second transmission of the short-range wireless beacon signal occur essentially concurrently at the respective beacon transmitter devices, each beacon transmitter device having a communication interface for data communication, and wherein;
the controller of each beacon transmitter device is further configured to;
obtain a current time value from either a local clock provided in the beacon transmitter device or an external time keeping service accessible via the communication interface;
determine whether the obtained time value indicates that at least a time corresponding to the beacon delay time period has elapsed since the first transmission of the short-range wireless beacon signal by the beacon transmitter; and
if the determination is affirmative, cause the second transmission of the short-range wireless beacon signal by the beacon transmitter.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A beacon transmitter device (BTD1; 700; 900) is disclosed. The beacon transmitter device comprises a controller (710; 910) and a short-range wireless beacon transmitter (732; 932). The controller is configured to cause a first transmission (S12) of a short-range wireless beacon signal (BA1) by the beacon transmitter, the beacon signal identifying a beacon region. The controller is also configured to wait during a beacon delay time period (BDTP), and then cause a second transmission (S32) of the short-range wireless beacon signal (BA1) by the beacon transmitter. The beacon delay time period (BDTP) is sufficiently long to allow a short-range wireless beacon receiver device (P1), when being in a passive mode, being in range of the beacon region and having received the first transmission of the beacon signal, to receive and react (S34) on the second transmission of the beacon signal.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A beacon communication system comprising a plurality of beacon transmitter devices, each beacon transmitter device comprising a controller and a short-range wireless beacon transmitter, the controller being configured to cause a first transmission of a short-range wireless beacon signal by the beacon transmitter, the beacon signal identifying a beacon region, wait during a beacon delay time period, and cause a second transmission of the short-range wireless beacon signal by the beacon transmitter, wherein the first transmission of the short-range wireless beacon signal causes a short-range wireless beacon receiver device, when being in a passive mode, being in range of the beacon region and receiving the first transmission of the beacon signal, to:
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report to an external device that it has entered into the beacon region, then enter into a deafened-out state in which the beacon receiver device will not be capable of reacting to subsequent transmissions of the beacon signal, then once the deafened-out state has ended report an exit event to the external device; and wherein the beacon delay time period is defined to last at least as long as the deafened-out state of the beacon receiver device, the beacon delay time period being sufficiently long to allow the short-range wireless beacon receiver device, when being in the passive mode, being in range of the beacon region and having received the first transmission of the beacon signal, to receive and react on the second transmission of the beacon signal, wherein the first transmission of the short-range wireless beacon signal, the waiting during the beacon delay time period, and the second transmission of the short-range wireless beacon signal occur essentially concurrently at the respective beacon transmitter devices, each beacon transmitter device having a communication interface for data communication, and wherein; the controller of each beacon transmitter device is further configured to; obtain a current time value from either a local clock provided in the beacon transmitter device or an external time keeping service accessible via the communication interface; determine whether the obtained time value indicates that at least a time corresponding to the beacon delay time period has elapsed since the first transmission of the short-range wireless beacon signal by the beacon transmitter; and if the determination is affirmative, cause the second transmission of the short-range wireless beacon signal by the beacon transmitter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A beacon communication system comprising a plurality of beacon transmitter devices, each beacon transmitter device comprising a controller and a short-range wireless beacon transmitter, the controller being configured to cause a first transmission of a short-range wireless beacon signal by the beacon transmitter, the beacon signal identifying a beacon region, wait during a beacon delay time period, and cause a second transmission of the short-range wireless beacon signal by the beacon transmitter, wherein the first transmission of the short-range wireless beacon signal causes a short-range wireless beacon receiver device, when being in a passive mode, being in range of the beacon region and receiving the first transmission of the beacon signal, to:
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report to an external device that it has entered into the beacon region, then enter into a deafened-out state in which the beacon receiver device will not be capable of reacting to subsequent transmissions of the beacon signal, then once the deafened-out state has ended report an exit event to the external device; and wherein the beacon delay time period is defined to last at least as long as the deafened-out state of the beacon receiver device, the beacon delay time period being sufficiently long to allow the short-range wireless beacon receiver device, when being in the passive mode, being in range of the beacon region and having received the first transmission of the beacon signal, to receive and react on the second transmission of the beacon signal, wherein the first transmission of the short-range wireless beacon signal, the waiting during the beacon delay time period, and the second transmission of the short-range wireless beacon signal occur essentially concurrently at the respective beacon transmitter devices, the beacon communication system further comprising an external device, each beacon transmitter device having a communication interface for data communication, wherein; the external device is configured to periodically send beacon transmission synchronization signals to the beacon transmitter devices; and
whereinthe controller of each beacon transmitter device is further configured to; receive a first beacon transmission synchronization signal from the external device via the communication interface; cause the first transmission of the short-range wireless beacon signal by the beacon transmitter; receive a second beacon transmission synchronization signal from the external device via the communication interface; and cause the second transmission of the short-range wireless beacon signal by the beacon transmitter. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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Specification