Communication techniques using passive beacons
Certain embodiments are directed to techniques (e.g., a device, a method, a memory or non-transitory computer readable medium storing code or instructions executable by one or more processors) for passive beacon communication techniques. Transmitting devices (e.g., beacons) can transmit advertising messages using a first wireless protocol to provide timing for ranging messages for one of more ranging messages over a second protocol (e.g., UWB). One or more receiving devices can determine using signal strength if the devices are within a threshold range to perform communication techniques. Various ranging communications techniques can be used to determine a range between the receiving device and transmitting device. Other techniques can be used to passively calculate the angle of arrival for transmitter signals. The angle of arrival information can be used for precise position locating for the receiving device or to indicate interest in information provided by the one or more transmitting devices.
1 . A method of transmitting information to mobile devices by a beacon device, the method comprising:
storing a schedule specifying a transmission time for broadcasting, by the beacon device, ranging packets that comprise information usable to locate the mobile devices relative to the beacon device;
broadcasting, by the beacon device, advertising packets at an interval using a wireless communication protocol, the advertising packets including the schedule for broadcasting the ranging packets and information concerning an identity of the beacon device;
after broadcasting an advertising packet, entering, by the beacon device, a reduced power state until the transmission time specified by the schedule;
exiting, by the beacon device, the reduced power state at the transmission time; and
broadcasting, by the beacon device, a ranging packet via a wireless protocol according to the schedule, wherein the advertising packets or the ranging packet includes additional information for the mobile devices to use for display.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the beacon device broadcasts the advertising packets using a first wireless communication protocol; and
the beacon device broadcasts the ranging packets using a second wireless communication protocol that is different than the first wireless communication protocol.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising entering, by the beacon device, the reduced power state until a next transmission time specified by the schedule.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the schedule is hardcoded in a memory of the beacon device.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the schedule specifies the transmission time of the ranging packet as a function of a reception time of the advertising packets and is stored in a memory of the beacon device.
6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the first wireless communication protocol is Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) protocol and the second wireless protocol is ultra-wideband (UWB) protocol.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the interval is random or pseudo-random.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the additional information in the ranging packets comprises one or more links that are selectable by users of the mobile devices to receive information via a network.
9 . A transmitting device comprising:
a processor;
a memory storing instructions that cause the processor to perform operations for transmitting information to mobile devices by a beacon device, the operations comprising:
storing a schedule specifying a transmission time for broadcasting ranging packets that comprise information usable to locate the mobile devices relative to the transmitting device;
broadcasting advertising packets at an interval using a wireless communication protocol, the advertising packets including the schedule for broadcasting the ranging packets and information concerning an identity of the transmitting device; and
broadcasting a ranging packet via a wireless protocol according to the schedule, wherein the advertising packets or the ranging packet includes additional information for the mobile devices to use for display.
10 . The transmitting device of claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise:
after broadcasting an advertising packet, entering a reduced power state until the transmission time specified by the schedule; and
exiting the reduced power state at the transmission time.
11 . The transmitting device of claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise entering the reduced power state until a next transmission time specified by the schedule.
12 . The transmitting device of claim 9 , wherein the schedule is hardcoded in a memory of the transmitting device.
13 . The transmitting device of claim 9 , wherein the schedule specifies the transmission time of the ranging packet as a function of a reception time of the advertising packets and is stored in a memory of the transmitting device.
14 . The transmitting device of claim 9 , wherein the wireless protocol for broadcasting the advertising packets is Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) protocol and the wireless protocol for broadcasting the ranging packets is ultra-wideband (UWB) protocol.
15 . The transmitting device of claim 9 , wherein the interval is random or pseudo-random.
16 . The transmitting device of claim 9 , wherein the additional information in the ranging packets comprises one or more links that are selectable by a user to receive information via a network.
17 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions for performing operations when executed by a processor for transmitting information to mobile devices by a beacon device, the operations comprising:
storing a schedule specifying a transmission time for broadcasting, by the beacon device, ranging packets that comprise information usable to locate the mobile devices relative to the beacon device;
broadcasting, by the beacon device, advertising packets at an interval using a wireless communication protocol, the advertising packets including the schedule for broadcasting the ranging packets and information concerning an identity of the beacon device; and
broadcasting, by the beacon device, a ranging packet via a wireless protocol according to the schedule, wherein the advertising packets or the ranging packet includes additional information for the mobile devices to use for display.
18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the operations further comprise:
after broadcasting an advertising packet, entering, by the beacon device, a reduced power state until the transmission time specified by the schedule; and
exiting, by the beacon device, the reduced power state at the transmission time.
19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18 , further comprising entering, by the beacon device, the reduced power state until a next transmission time specified by the schedule.
20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the schedule is hardcoded in a memory of the beacon device.