System and method for customizing beacon packets

1 . A device comprising:

a communications interface including a beacon; and

a controller interconnected with the communications interface, the controller configured to:

receive, via the communications interface, an initialization to configure the device with a beaconing protocol selected from a plurality of possible beaconing protocols based on an environment within which the device is configured to operate;

in response to the initialization request:

obtain configuration data for the beaconing protocol;

format a beacon packet according to the configuration data for the beaconing protocol; and

control the beacon to broadcast the beacon packet using the beaconing protocol.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to receive a configuration request including the configuration data for the beaconing protocol.

3 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the configuration request comprises at least one length-type-value element including the configuration data.

4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to obtain the configuration data from a memory of the device.

5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to generate a unique identifier for the device and apply the unique identifier to the configuration data.

6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

obtain broadcast parameters; and

control the beacon to broadcast the beacon packet according to the broadcast parameters.

7 . The device of claim 6 , wherein the broadcast parameters comprise one or more of: an initiation condition; a stop condition; and a beacon frequency.

8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive an enablement request via the communications interface; and

control the beacon to broadcast the beacon packet in response to the enablement request.

9 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the initialization request is received as a configuration command for the device.

10 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the controller receives a further initialization request to reconfigure the device with a different beaconing protocol selected from the plurality of possible beaconing protocols based on a change in the environment within which the device is configured to operate; and

in response to the further initialization request:

obtain updated configuration data for the beaconing protocol;

format the beacon packet according to the updated configuration data for the beaconing protocol; and

control the beacon to broadcast the beacon packet using the different beaconing protocol.

11 . A method for customizing beacon packets in a device, the method comprising:

receiving an initialization request to configure the device with a beaconing protocol selected from a plurality of possible beaconing protocols based on an environment within which the device configured to operate;

in response to the initialization request:

obtaining configuration data for the beaconing protocol; and

formatting a beacon packet according to the configuration data for the beaconing protocol; and

controlling a beacon to broadcast the beacon packet using the beaconing protocol.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising receiving a configuration request including the configuration data for the beaconing protocol.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the configuration request comprises at least one length-type-value element including the configuration data.

14 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising obtaining the configuration data from a memory of the device.

15 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising generating a unique identifier for the device and applying the unique identifier to the configuration data.

16 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

obtaining broadcast parameters; and

controlling the beacon to broadcast the beacon packet according to the broadcast parameters.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the broadcast parameters comprise one or more of: an initiation condition; a stop condition; and a beacon frequency.

18 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

receiving an enablement request; and

controlling the beacon to broadcast the beacon packet in response to the enablement request.

19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the initialization request is received as a configuration command for the device.

20 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

receiving a further initialization request to reconfigure the device with a different beaconing protocol selected from the plurality of possible beaconing protocols based on a change in the environment within which the device is configured to operate; and

in response to the further initialization request:

obtaining updated configuration data for the beaconing protocol;

formatting the beacon packet according to the updated configuration data for the beaconing protocol; and

controlling the beacon to broadcast the beacon packet using the different beaconing protocol.