Data communications system including a local beacon

• US 6,957,043 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2002
• Issued: 10/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OSRAM GmbH (Ams-Osram AG)
• Original Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum Fã¼R Luft- Und Raumfahrt E.V.
• Inventors: Angermann, Michael, Robertson, Patrick, Steingass, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Application Number:
  US10/159,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20020197963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,233 Days
• Field of Search: 455/7, 455/14, 455/402, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 340/310.01, 340/310.06
• US Class Current: 455/7
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/68 Marker, boundary, call-sign, or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5441 Wireless systems or telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5458 Monitor sensor; Alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/542 the information being in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

A data communications system including a local beacon (10; 9, 9′), on the one side ,being programmable and/or communicating with controlling and/or information communicating infrastructure means (16), for example a central service provider or the Internet and/or with one or more further local beacons and which, on the other side, contains for wireless communication with one or more end devices (17) located in its vicinity a transceiver combination or in special cases a transmitter only and which is located in or in place of a electric lighting equipment (1) is characterized in accordance with the invention in that the local beacon is provided with a smart cache and/or processing functionality for the data to be communicated wireless. The data communications system in accordance with the invention can be put to use for both communication and navigation by end device users.

Claims

1. A data communications system comprising a local beacon, communicating with controlling and/or information communicating infrastructure means and/or with at least one further local beacon and which contains, for wireless communication with at least one end device located in vicinity of the local beacon, one of a transceiver combination or, in special cases, a transmitter only, said local beacon being located in, on or in place of an electric lighting equipment, wherein said local beacon comprises a smart module relating to data to be transmitted wirelessly, which includes a memory and a processing unit, the memory being capable of caching information so that said information can then be repeatedly sent to users equipped with a suitable end device without having to be fetched every time from said infrastructure means, and said processing unit being capable of outsourcing certain processing actions, otherwise implemented in a central processing unit of said infrastructure means or in said end device itself, to the local beacon, and wherein the smart module of said local beacon makes a decision as to which data and how long said data are to be cached.

2. The data communications system as set forth in claim 1, wherein various algorithms are used to make said decision as to which relate to point in time analysis of “

stale”

retrievals and delays in data links via said data infrastructure means.

3. The data communications system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said infrastructure means is a central provider.

4. The data communications system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said infrastructure means is the Internet.

5. The data communications system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the communication link between said local beacon and said controlling and/or information communicating infrastructure means is formed by an air interface.

6. The data communications system as set forth in claim 5, wherein said air interface is achieved by a mobile radio telephone link.

7. The data communications system as set forth in claim 5, wherein said air interface is achieved by a wireless LAN link.

8. The data communications system as set forth in claim 5, wherein said air interface is achieved by an infrared link.

9. The data communications system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said communications link between said local beacon and said controlling and/or information communicating infrastructure means and/or with at least one further local beacon is formed by a power line in a uni-directional or bi-directional link.

10. The data communications system as set forth in claim 9, wherein said power line link is achieved via one of a power supply of said lighting equipment or of a lamp forming said lighting equipment.

11. The data communications system as set forth in claim 10, wherein the power supply of said lighting equipment is simultaneously the power supply of said local beacon.

12. The data communications system as set forth in claim 11, wherein on a discontinuously operated lighting equipment an energy storage means is assigned to one of said local beacon or a solar cell array assignable as a backup power supply.

13. The data communications system as set forth in claim 10, wherein said local beacon is pre-programmed by smart cards, E-PROMs or DIP switches.

14. The data communications system as set forth in claim 10, wherein means are provided for identification by persons of a lighting equipment containing a local beacon.

15. The data communications system as set forth in claim 14, wherein said means for identification is a special color code of said lighting equipment containing said local beacon.

16. The data communications system as set forth in claim 14, wherein said means for identification is a special pattern of said lighting equipment containing said local beacon.

17. The data communications system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said communications link between said local beacon and said controlling and/or information communicating infrastructure means is formed by separate cable links in a uni-directional or bi-directional link.

18. The data communications system as set forth in claim 17, wherein said communications link is made by means of wiring as used to control at least one of said lighting equipment or lamp.

19. The data communications system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said data to be sent to or swapped by said at least one end device are input into the memory of said local beacon.

20. The data communications system as set forth in claim 19, wherein local information regarding said data are cached in the memory of said local beacon.

21. The data communications system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said data to be sent to or swapped by said at least one end device are output from the memory of said local beacon.

22. The data communications system as set forth in claim 1, wherein wireless communication between said local beacon and said at least one end device is achieved by radio, requiring both said local beacon and said at least one end device to be designed compatible with said corresponding wireless operating mode.

23. The data communications system as set forth in claim 1, wherein wireless communication between said local beacon and said at least one end device is made by means of infrared beaming, said local beacon and said at least one end device being designed compatible with said corresponding infrared operating mode.

24. The data communications system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said local beacon is integrated in a lamp belonging to said lighting equipment.

25. The data communications system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said local beacon is integrated in a lamp array forming said lighting equipment.

26. The data communications system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said local beacon is integrated in a starter of a fluorescent tube belonging to said lighting equipment.

27. The data communications system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said local beacon is accommodated in an adapter between a lamp belonging to said lighting equipment and its socket.

28. The data communications system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the processing unit of said module of said local beacon involves routing, currency conversion, reservations, authentication or other cryptographic operations.

29. The data communications system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said local beacon is devised for transmitting navigational data.

30. The data communications system as set forth in claim 29, wherein said navigational data transmitted by said local beacon include information and maps saved locally thereto.

31. The data communications system as set forth in claim 29, wherein direction finding signals transmitted for users count as said transmitted navigational data.

32. The data communications system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said local beacon is pre-programmed by smart cards, E-PROMs or DIP switches.

33. The data communications system as set forth in claim 1, compatible with the JINI®

protocol.

34. The data communications system as set forth in claim 1, compatible with the JAVA®

protocol.