WO2016162847A1

WO2016162847A1 - System for location information retrieval

Info

Publication number: WO2016162847A1
Application number: PCT/IB2016/052010
Authority: WO
Inventors: Karl Jonsson
Original assignee: Zumtobel Lighting Inc
Current assignee: Zumtobel Lighting Inc
Priority date: 2015-04-08
Filing date: 2016-04-08
Publication date: 2016-10-13
Anticipated expiration: 2017-10-08
Also published as: GB201714575D0; GB2552433B; GB2552433A

Abstract

System comprising at least one beacon, whereby the beacon is a hardware transmitter which broadcasts data. The beacon designed to provide beacon data and associated services that uses unique beacon ID's or combining them with other data to verify location information such as geographical location of mobile devices such as smart devices. And a lighting management system comprising at least one beacon, wherein the beacon is embedded in a luminaire.

Description

SYSTEM FOR LOCATION INFORMATION RETRIEVAL

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention is directed to a beacon system for location information retrieval and verification.

BACKGROUND

[0002] It is already known to use a radio frequency identification transmitter also called "beacon" to provide information about the location of the beacon. The radio frequency identification transmitter may include a radio frequency identification antenna.

[0003] An example for a radio frequency identification (RFID) beacon is described in AU2012101222B4.

[0004] A visible light communication transmitter may include a light source which may output modulated light in order to transmit information.

SUMMARY

[0005] The present invention proposes an improved solution for location retrieval system using a beacon e.g. a radio frequency identification transmitter and / or visible light communication transmitter. [0006] The invention relates to a system comprising at least one beacon, whereby the beacon is a hardware transmitter which broadcasts data, whereby the data provided by the beacon contains an unique beacon ID, and preferably other data, whereby the data provided by the beacon is used to verify location information such as geographical location of a mobile device such as a smart device.

[0007] The beacon is a hardware transmitter which broadcasts data to nearby mobile devices (portable electronic devices). The beacon data may comprise an ID which is a unique identifier. The data preferably the ID transmitted by the beacon may enable mobile devices like smartphones, tablets and other smart devices to perform actions when those mobile devices are in close proximity to such beacon.

[0008] The beacon as hardware transmitter may be a radio frequency identification transmitter and / or a visible light communication transmitter.

[0009] The radio frequency identification transmitter also called narrow field beacons may be used for various kind of services in retail stores and other locations. The ID's of the Beacon may be transmitted using radio frequency (RF) technology such as Bluetooth Low Energy or by using light modulation such as visible light communication for LED lighting. The beacons may be then interpreted by mobile devices such as a smart phone using the phones radio frequency communication unit or front/rear facing cameras. The beacons can be used for various services such as indoor location tracking or custom price tag distribution. [0010] The invention now has a new approach to verify location information provided by a beacon such as a radio frequency identification transmitter and / or visible light communication transmitter.

[0011] The invention relates to a system to provide beacon data and associated services that uses unique beacon ID's and/or combining them with other data to verify location information such as geographical location of a mobile devices such as smart devices.

[0012] The system according to the invention may comprise a beacon which provides information about the location of the beacon by a radio frequency identification transmitter and / or a visible light communication transmitter. The information about the location of the beacon is a part of the data provided by the beacon.

[0013] The system according to the invention may comprise a mobile device which is in communication with the beacon, preferably with the radio frequency identification transmitter or a visible light communication transmitter, and that the mobile device verifies the location information provided by the beacon with an location information retrieved by the mobile device from another source than the beacon, e.g. by a GPS system. The GPS system may comprise a GPS receiver integrated into the mobile device or linked to the mobile device.

[0014] The mobile device of the system according to the invention may comprise an optical sensor to receive and read out information transmitted by the visible light communication transmitter. [0015] The mobile device of the system according to the invention may comprise an antenna to receive and read out information transmitted by the radio frequency identification transmitter.

[0016] The invention relates to a beacon designed to provide data and associated services that uses unique beacon ID's and/or combining them with other data to verify location information such as geographical location of a mobile device such as smart device.

[0017] The beacon according to the invention may provide an information about the location of the beacon by a radio frequency identification transmitter or a visible light communication transmitter.

[0018] According to the invention the mobile device may be in communication with the beacon, preferably with the radio frequency identification transmitter or a visible light communication transmitter, and that the mobile device may verify the location information provided by the beacon with an location information retrieved by the mobile device from another source than the beacon, e.g. by a GPS system.

[0019] According to the invention the beacon may be integrated into a lighting unit. The beacon information may be distributed by visible light and / or a radio frequency (RF) signal emitted by a lighting unit, e.g. a LED lighting unit. The beacon could be embedded in lighting control gear which and may be able to send out light transmission by the lamp connected to the control gear or by radio frequency (RF) transmission send out by the control gear. [0020] The beacon according to the invention may be stand-alone beacon which only acts as a beacon sending out beacon information by light transmission and / or radio frequency (RF) transmission with no other function. For instance the beacon may be a beacon comprising an energy storage element for powering the beacon.

[0021] The invention also relates to a lighting management system comprising at least one beacon according to the invention and / or a system according to the invention.

[0022] The invention also relates to a lighting management system where at least one beacon according to the invention is embedded in a luminaire.

[0023] Further features, advantages and objects of the present invention will become evident from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0024] This idea suggest a new category of beacon data and associated services that uses unique beacon ID's and/or combining them with other data to verify location information such as geographical location of a mobile devices such as smart devices (tablet, smart phone, smart watch/wearable etc.) with high accuracy to allow for services related but not limited to customer intimacy and customer retention. The benefit of having secure beacon verification would be to enable new category of services that could as an example involve rewards in various forms including free product gifts, capital gains, discounts or points for gaming high score or premium status verification.

[0025] Example use case 1 : For every new restaurant or store of a franchise you visit, an app (smartphone program) related to the restaurant or store on your phone will give you credit for, e.g. a free coffee or other product. Every year a user's rewards get reset to incentify the customer to re-visit the restaurant or store.

[0026] Example use case 2^'· For every airport lounge of a certain airline or company a user visits around the world as a premium traveler, the user will receive additional miles and be ranked among fellow travelers on who has been to which location more often.

[0027] Example use case 3: Location based games such as multiplayer online location-based games with outdoor location positioning using a GPS system or similar could now support accurate indoor locations to verify the player's location. Until now the game is limited to outdoor locations for its virtual portals.

[0028] All of these secure beacons could be distributed by light or radio frequency (RF) of a lighting unit, e.g. a LED lighting unit. The secure beacons could be embedded in lighting control gear which is able to send out light transmission or radio frequency (RF) transmission. The beacon may be integrated into a lighting unit e.g. inside a luminaire or an operating device for lighting means (control gear). The beacon information may be distributed by light or a radio frequency (RF) signal emitted by a lighting unit, e.g. a LED lighting unit. The beacon could be embedded in lighting control gear which and may be able to send out light transmission by the lamp connected to the control gear or by radio frequency (RF) transmission send out by the control gear e.g. using a communication interface for wireless communication.

[0029] The secure beacons could be managed be a cloud service of a lighting management system. The beacons may be part of a lighting management system. This may especially be the case where the beacons are embedded in a lighting control gear or in a luminaire.

[0030] In case where visible light communication transmitters such as visible light communication (VLC) signals are used by the beacon information is send by modulating in particular visual light by a lighting means. The at least one mobile device processes the visible light communication signals received from the beacon in order to obtain information identifying the beacon e.g. the ID of the beacon.

[0031] The mobile device may comprise an optical sensor which is able to receive the visible light communication (VLC) signal transmitted by the beacon. The mobile device also processes visible light communication signals issued or generated by the beacon (e.g. using a LED/OLED) and received by the optical sensor. The visible light communication signal can be signals generated by an emission of e.g. pulse modulated light. In case of the beacon being luminaries, the lighting means for emitting light can be used to emit light for issuing the visible light communication signals. The optical sensor may be e.g. a photo cell or a CMOS sensor. The optical sensor may be a front/rear facing camera of a smart phone or tablet. [0032] A software component, e.g. the image processing software, a part thereof, a separate software running on the mobile device decodes or evaluates the visible light communication signals emitted by the beacon. The software component and /or the at least one processing unit P especially extracts an ID of the beacon from the visible light communication signals received by the optical sensor. Hence, the information signaled by the visible light communication signals preferably is such an address of the beacon.

[0033] It is also possible that more than one beacon issues a visible light communication signal at the same time. The mobile device then filters and associates the determined address and/or other information transmitted by the visible light communication signals with the ID and / or geographical location determined by the beacons.

[0034] While the mobile device may use one or more still images to determine information transmitted by the visible light communication signals, also consecutive images, e.g. a recorded film showing at least one beacon while emitting the visible light communication signals, may be used to read out information transmitted by the visible light communication signals. It is therefore possible to put the mobile device into a room, making a film of one or more beacons in a room while they issue visible light communication signals, and then transfer this film from the mobile device to an external device which uses an image processing software to extract the visible light communication signals issued by the beacons and respective information from the consecutive images in the film and to read out information transmitted by the visible light communication signals. [0035] However, the mobile device may also extract information from the visible light communication signals in real-time while taking a picture of beacon and being exposed to the visible light communication signals issued by the beacon.

[0036] For example, a luminaire as beacon transmits visual light communication signals by modulating its light emission. The optical sensor imaging the area is either provided with a software component or connected to an external computing device for demodulating the visual light communication signals to read out information transmitted by the visible light communication signals.

[0037] Hence, the communication by visible light communication signals are read out by the optical sensor which reads the information transmitted by the visible light communication signals.

[0038] Otherwise, it is also possible that the beacon sends out e.g. a wireless or radio signal as a radio frequency identification transmitter. In such case the beacon may comprise an antenna to send out information transmitted by the radio frequency identification transmitter. In such case the mobile device may comprise an antenna to receive and read out information transmitted by the radio frequency identification transmitter. [0039] The beacon may be able to out a wireless or radio signal as a radio frequency identification transmitter in addition to a visible light communication transmitter. For instance the beacon may first send out visible light communication signals by the visible light communication transmitter. In case that the mobile device is not able to read out the signal of the visible light communication transmitter the mobile device may send back a request that the beacon sends out a wireless or radio signal as a radio frequency identification transmitter. Such case may happen for instance if the mobile device is not in direct line of sight to the beacon and thus the visible light communication signal send out by the communication transmitter is not able to reach the mobile device or its optical sensor. The mobile device may send signals to the beacon by radio frequency communication or by visible light communication.

[0040] The beacon may be able to increase the signal strength used by the visible light communication transmitter or radio frequency identification transmitter. For instance the beacon may first send out wireless or radio signal at a first intensity level. In case that the mobile device is not able to fully receive and read out the signal of the radio frequency identification transmitter the mobile device may send back a request that the beacon sends out a wireless or radio signal at higher intensity.

[0041] One method involves comparing the location information provided by beacon with the user's current (or last known) position information e.g. GPS location or triangular cellular signal to validate that the received information provided by beacon is within range of a certain location. The position information can either be a relative or absolute geographical location or position in an environment, e.g. a building. The position information in particular may be performed with position information sensors such as a orientation sensor, a sensor for obtaining a geographical information (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, ^■■■) and/or a compass.

[0042] As obtaining position information to determine a geographical location (e.g. by receiving a GPS signal) indoors might be difficult, a wireless interface can be used to determine a position of the beacon based on a cell tower, base station or wireless access point position (e.g. WiFi/WLAN access points or routers).

[0043] The system according to the invention could include a mobile device which is in communication with the beacon, preferably with the radio frequency identification transmitter or a visible light communication transmitter, and that the mobile device verifies the location information provided by the beacon with an location information retrieved by the mobile device from another source than the beacon, e.g. by a GPS system or another position information system like a triangular cellular signal. The GPS system may comprise a GPS receiver integrated into the mobile device or linked to the mobile device. [0044] Another method involves dynamic encryption of a beacon to ensure it is being received at the location the user claims to be.

[0045] Another method is to combine the beacon ID it with an in store display that would reveal a unique QR or bar code for a two-step verification.

[0046] Another method is to involve more than one beacon in the same location.

[0047] Businesses could use this service to improve customer intimacy and increase traffic through brick and mortal retail stores.

[0048] This invention could be used for gamification and competitions in several ways.

[0049] This invention can be used as 2nd or 3rd step verification for phone based bank transactions where phone has to be in proximity of an ATM (automatic teller machine) to verify its location.

[0050] This invention could be used for Point of Purchase (POS) devices to Businesses could use this service to improve customer intimacy and increase traffic through brick and mortal retail stores.

[0051] This invention can be used as 2nd or 3rd step verification for phone based bank transactions where phone has to be in proximity of an ATM to verify its location. [0052] This invention can be used for Point of Purchase (POS) devices to verify the payment device (phone) is in the same location as the POS device.

[0053] This invention can be used to solve the problem on context awareness for control applications (like lighting controls). The beacons usually have a certain range where the information transmitted by the beacon by a radio frequency identification transmitter or a visible light communication transmitter is present. If a mobile device e.g. smart phone or tablet is within the range of such beacon the mobile device could show all relevant controls and lighting control functions available to influence the lighting management system e.g. in a dedicated control app. If a user with a mobile device is walking from room to room this would allow to always show relevant controls for the location where the user is currently located. This would save the user of the mobile device from having to browse through potentially several hierarchy's of locations and avoid that the user would have access to lights or controls which are located in another room.

[0054] Another embodiment of the invention relates to beacons where the ID's of the beacons can be updated through the lighting management system. Such update may be initiated by the lighting management system which may regularly distribute the ID's of the beacons. [0055] As lighting management system forms a network to which the beacons are connected this offers the option to update the beacon ID e.g. in realtime if needed. Such updating of beacon ID's offers the advantage of a higher security level against beacons which use static ID's. For instance the beacon ID's may be updated on a frequent basis (once per hour or per day as an example) whereby the previous beacon ID's would expire and would be no longer valid. Such updating of beacon ID's would offer an added layer of fraud prevention e.g. if a hacker would try to take advantage of the information's provided by the beacons he has recorded over time in various locations.

[0056] The beacon according to the invention may be stand-alone beacon which only acts as a beacon sending out beacon information by visible light transmission or radio frequency (RF) transmission with no other function. For instance the beacon may be a beacon comprising an energy storage element for powering the beacon. The energy storage element may be a rechargeable energy storage element e.g. a rechargeable battery or a capacitor. The energy storage element may be recharged by a mains connection or by energy harvesting e.g. from a solar cell or photo cell. The beacon may be a Bluetooth low energy beacon.

Claims

1. System comprising at least one beacon, whereby the beacon is a hardware transmitter which broadcasts data, whereby the data provided by the beacon contains a unique beacon ID, and preferably other data, whereby the data provided by the beacon is used to verify location information such as geographical location of a mobile device such as a smart device.

2. System according to claim 1 , wherein a beacon provides an information about the location of the beacon by a radio frequency identification transmitter and / or a visible light communication transmitter.

3. System according to claim 2, wherein a mobile device is in communication with the beacon, preferably with the radio frequency identification transmitter and / or a visible light communication transmitter, and that the mobile device verifies the location information provided by the beacon with an location information retrieved by the mobile device from another position information source than the beacon, e.g. by a GPS system.

4. System according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the mobile device comprises an optical sensor to receive and read out information transmitted by the visible light communication transmitter.

5. System according to one of the claims 1 to 4, wherein the mobile device comprises an antenna to receive and read out information transmitted by the radio frequency identification transmitter.

6. Beacon designed to provide data and associated services that uses unique beacon ID's and/or combining them with other data to verify location information such as geographical location of a mobile device such as smart device.

7. Beacon according to claim 6, wherein a beacon provides an information about the location of the beacon by a radio frequency identification transmitter and / or a visible light communication transmitter.

8. Beacon according to claim 7, wherein the mobile device is in communication with the beacon, preferably with the radio frequency identification transmitter and / or a visible light communication transmitter, and that the mobile device verifies the location information provided by the beacon with an location information retrieved by the mobile device from another position information source than the beacon, e.g. by a GPS system.

9. Lighting management system comprising at least one beacon according to one of the claims 6 to 8 and / or a system according to one of the claims 1 to 5.

10. Lighting management system where at least one beacon according to one of the claims 6 to 8 is embedded in a luminaire.