Data communications system including a local beacon

• US 20020197963A1
• Filed: 06/03/2002
• Published: 12/26/2002
• 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: Robertson, Patrick, Steingass, Alexander, Angermann, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 6,957,043 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/70
• 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 including a local beacon, on the one side,being pre-programmable and/or communicating with controlling and/or information communicating infrastructure means, 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 located in its vicinity a transceiver combination or in special cases a transmitter only and which is located in, on or in place of a electric lighting equipment wherein said local beacon is provided with a smart cache and/or processing functionality for said data to be communicated wireless, said cache functionality of said local beacon consists of caching information so that this information can then be sent to users equipped with a suitable end device without having to be fetched every time from said infrastructure means and that said processing functionality consists of certain processing actions, otherwise implemented in a central processing unit of the infrastructure means or in the end device itself, that are outsourced to the local beacon.

2. The data communications system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the smart function of said beacon involves deciding which data and how long this data is to be cached.

3. The data communications system as set forth in claim 2 wherein to make this kind of decision various algorithms are used, e.g. point in time analysis of “

stale”

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

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

5. The data communications system as set forth in claim 4 wherein said air interface is achieved by a wireless link suitable as e.g. GSM or UMTS.

6. The data communications system as set forth in claim 4 wherein said air interface is achieved by a wireless LAN link.

7. The data communications system as set forth in claim 4 wherein said air interface is achieved by an infrared link.

8. 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, for example a central service provider or said Internet and/or with one or more further local beacons is formed by a power line in a uni- or bi-directional link.

9. The data communications system as set forth in claim 8 wherein said power line link is achieved via said power supply of said lighting equipment or lamp.

10. 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, for example a central service provider or said Internet is formed by separate cable links in a uni- or bi-directional link.

11. The data communications system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said communications link is made by means of wiring as used to control said lighting equipment or lamp.

12. The data communications system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said data to be sent or swapped by said end devices may also be incoming into a cache of said local beacon.

13. The data communications system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said data to be sent or swapped by said end devices may also be outgoing from a cache of said local beacon.

14. The data communications system as set forth in claim 1 wherein wireless communication between said local beacon and said end devices may be achieved by radio, e.g. Bluetooth, wireless LAN or DVB-T requiring both said local beacon and said end devices to be designed compatible with said corresponding wireless operating mode.

15. The data communications system as set forth in claim 1 wherein wireless communication between said local beacon and said end devices can be made also by means of infrared beaming, e.g. IRDA, said local beacon and end devices then being designed compatible with said corresponding infrared operating mode.

16. The data communications system as set forth in claim 12 wherein local information regarding said data is cached in said local beacon.

17. The data communications system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said local beacon is integrated in a lamp belonging to a lighting equipment, i.e. for example in an electric incandescent lamp, halogen lamp, energy saving lamp or a fluorescent tube.

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

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

20. The data communications system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said local beacon is accommodated in an adapter between said lamp and its socket.

21. The data communications system as set forth in claim 17 wherein said local beacon is accommodated in an adapter between said lamp and its socket.

22. The data communications system as set forth in claim 9 wherein the power supply of said lighting equipment is simultaneously the power supply of said local beacon.

23. The data communications system as set forth in claim 22 wherein on a discontinuously operated lighting equipment an energy storage means, e.g. a rechargeable battery or capacitor is assigned to said local beacon or a solar cell array assignable as a backup power supply.

24. The data communications system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said processing functionality of said local beacon of a data communications system involves routing, currency conversion, reservations, authentication, further cryptographic operations or the like.

25. The data communications system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said local beacon is devised for transmitting navigational data or the like.

26. The data communications system as set forth in claim 25 wherein navigational data transmitted by said local beacon includes information and maps saved locally thereto.

27. The data communications system as set forth in claim 25 wherein direction finding signals transmitted to said user count as said transmitted navigational data.

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

29. The data communications system as set forth in claim 16 wherein said local beacon is pre-programmed by smart cards or E-PROMs, DIP switches or the like.

30. The data communications system as set forth in claim 9 wherein means are provided for identification by persons of a lighting equipment containing a local beacon, for example by means of a special color code or pattern.

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

protocol. 16

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

environment.