Ability to trigger beacon receiver devices in a short-range wireless beacon communication system
A beacon communication system for improving the ability to trigger beacon receiver devices is disclosed. The beacon communication system ( 100; 100′; 100 ″) comprises a short-range wireless beacon transmitter device ( 110 ; A 1 ; BTD) and a short-range wireless beacon receiver device ( 120 ; P 1 ; MD 1 ). The short-range wireless beacon transmitter device ( 110 ; A 1 ; BTD) is configured to repeatedly transmit a short-range wireless beacon advertisement signal ( 112 ; BA) on a first beacon broadcast channel ( 114 ), the first beacon broadcast channel being defined by a predefined unique identity (PUID) included in the short-range wireless beacon advertisement signal, the predefined unique identity remaining fixed between subsequent transmissions of the short-range wireless beacon advertisement signal ( 112 ; BA). The short-range wireless beacon transmitter device ( 110 ; A 1 ; BTD) is configured to temporarily transmit a short-range wireless beacon trigger signal ( 116 ; BT 1 ; BT 2 ) on an alternate beacon broadcast channel ( 118 ), the alternate beacon broadcast channel being defined by a dynamically allocated unique identity (DAUID 1 ; DAUID 2 ) included in the short-range wireless beacon trigger signal, the dynamically allocated unique identity being different from the predefined unique identity and being different between subsequent transmissions of the short-range wireless beacon trigger signal ( 116 ; BT 1 ; BT 2 ).
1. A beacon communication system comprising a short-range wireless beacon transmitter device and a short-range wireless beacon receiver device,
wherein the short-range wireless beacon transmitter device is configured to repeatedly transmit a short-range wireless beacon advertisement signal on a first beacon broadcast channel, the first beacon broadcast channel being defined by a predefined unique identity included in the short-range wireless beacon advertisement signal, the predefined unique identity remaining fixed between subsequent transmissions of the short-range wireless beacon advertisement signal, and
wherein the short-range wireless beacon transmitter device is configured to temporarily transmit a short-range wireless beacon trigger signal on an alternate beacon broadcast channel, the alternate beacon broadcast channel being defined by a dynamically allocated unique identity included in the short-range wireless beacon trigger signal, the dynamically allocated unique identity being different from the predefined unique identity and being different between subsequent transmissions of the short-range wireless beacon trigger signal.
2. The beacon communication system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the short-range wireless beacon advertisement signal is adapted for causing short-range wireless beacon receiver devices IN proximity of the short-range wireless beacon transmitter device to contact a server over a broadband network to register their presence in the proximity of the short-range wireless beacon transmitter device.
3. The beacon communication system as defined in claim 2 , wherein the short-range wireless beacon advertisement signal is adapted for announcing to the short-range wireless beacon receiver devices in the proximity of the short-range wireless beacon transmitter device about the availability of a dynamic ad-hoc network of beacon transmitter devices which the short-range wireless beacon transmitter device is a member of.
4. The beacon communication system as defined in claim 2 , wherein the short-range wireless beacon advertisement signal is adapted for inviting the short-range wireless beacon receiver devices in the proximity of the short-range wireless beacon transmitter device to use a service offered by a service terminal associated with the short-range wireless beacon transmitter device.
5. The beacon communication system as defined in claim 4 , wherein the dynamically allocated unique identity is generated by a server and communicated by the server to the short-range wireless beacon transmitter device over a broadband network.
6. The beacon communication system as defined in claim 5 , wherein the dynamically allocated unique identity generated by the server is communicated by the server also to the short-range wireless beacon receiver device over the broadband network.
7. The beacon communication system as defined in claim 5 , wherein the dynamically allocated unique identity generated by the server and communicated by the server to the short-range wireless beacon transmitter device is communicated by the short-range wireless beacon transmitter device to the short-range wireless beacon receiver device in a short-range wireless beacon signal.
8. The beacon communication system as defined in claim 5 , wherein the short-range wireless beacon transmitter device is configured to detect an event in the beacon communication system and in response send a request over the broadband network to the server to cause the server to generate the dynamically allocated unique identity.
9. The beacon communication system as defined in claim 8 , wherein the event is related to the service offered by the service terminal associated with the short-range wireless beacon transmitter device.
10. The beacon communication system as defined in claim 8 , wherein the event is related to a request for authentication by another short-range wireless beacon receiver device in proximity of the short-range wireless beacon transmitter device.
11. The beacon communication system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the short-range wireless beacon trigger signal is adapted for causing the short-range wireless beacon receiver device to perform an activity.
12. The beacon communication system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the short-range wireless beacon trigger signal is adapted for causing the short-range wireless beacon receiver device, when being in a passive mode, to enter into a short-range wireless beacon scanning mode.
13. The beacon communication system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the dynamically allocated unique identity included in the short-range wireless beacon trigger signal is adapted to be received by all short-range wireless beacon receiver devices in proximity of the short-range wireless beacon transmitter device.
14. The beacon communication system as defined in any claim 1 , wherein the dynamically allocated unique identity included in the short-range wireless beacon trigger signal is adapted to be received by a subset of all short-range wireless beacon receiver devices in proximity of the short-range wireless beacon transmitter device.
15. The beacon communication system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the dynamically allocated unique identity included in the short-range wireless beacon trigger signal is adapted to be received by said short-range wireless beacon receiver device but not by other short-range wireless beacon receiver devices in proximity of the short-range wireless beacon transmitter device.
16. The beacon communication system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the predefined unique identity included in the short-range wireless beacon advertisement signal and the dynamically allocated unique identity included in the short-range wireless beacon trigger signal represent different universally unique identifier values.
17. The beacon communication system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the dynamically allocated unique identity is generated by the short-range wireless beacon transmitter device and is communicated by the short-range wireless beacon transmitter device to the short-range wireless beacon receiver device in a short-range wireless beacon signal.
18. A method of operating a beacon communication system which comprises a short-range wireless beacon transmitter device and a short-range wireless beacon receiver device, the method comprising:
repeatedly transmitting, by the short-range wireless beacon transmitter device, a short-range wireless beacon advertisement signal on a first beacon broadcast channel, the first beacon broadcast channel being defined by a predefined unique identity included in the short-range wireless beacon advertisement signal, the predefined unique identity remaining fixed between subsequent transmissions of the short-range wireless beacon advertisement signal; and
temporarily transmitting, by the short-range wireless beacon transmitter device, a short-range wireless beacon trigger signal on an alternate beacon broadcast channel, the alternate beacon broadcast channel being defined by a dynamically allocated unique identity included in the short-range wireless beacon trigger signal, the dynamically allocated unique identity being different from the predefined unique identity and being different between subsequent transmissions of the short-range wireless beacon trigger signal.
19. The method as defined in claim 18 , further involving:
receiving the short-range wireless beacon trigger signal by the short-range wireless beacon receiver device; and
performing an activity by the short-range wireless beacon receiver device.
20. The method as defined in claim 19 , wherein performing an activity by the short-range wireless beacon receiver device involves causing the short-range wireless beacon receiver device, when being in a passive mode, to enter into a short-range wireless beacon scanning mode.
21. A short-range wireless beacon transmitter device for use in a beacon communication system which furthermore comprises a short-range wireless beacon receiver device,
wherein the short-range wireless beacon transmitter device is configured to repeatedly transmit a short-range wireless beacon advertisement signal on a first beacon broadcast channel, the first beacon broadcast channel being defined by a predefined unique identity included in the short-range wireless beacon advertisement signal, the predefined unique identity remaining fixed between subsequent transmissions of the short-range wireless beacon advertisement signal, and
wherein the short-range wireless beacon transmitter device is configured to temporarily transmit a short-range wireless beacon trigger signal on an alternate beacon broadcast channel, the alternate beacon broadcast channel being defined by a dynamically allocated unique identity included in the short-range wireless beacon trigger signal, the dynamically allocated unique identity being different from the predefined unique identity and being different between subsequent transmissions of the short-range wireless beacon trigger signal.