BEACON

TECHNOLOGY
While GPS remains the
crucial instrument for
outdoor navigation, it
requires an unobstructed
line of sight to satellites Report By
from the receiver. TT Consultants Pvt. Ltd
Introduction
While GPS remains the crucial instrument for outdoor navigation, it requires an unobstructed line of
sight to satellites from the receiver. The satellite-based GPS signal loses a significant amount of
strength indoors due to signal degradation caused by building materials. As a result, all mobile
location-based apps, such as navigation, are inoperable within airports, malls, subways, and other
public spaces.

So, GPS has some major flaws as it does not operate efficiently inside the buildings. That is where the
technology of Indoor Positioning Systems comes into play.

An Indoor Positioning System (IPS) depends on local anchors (nodes with known positions) instead of
satellites to either actively find tags or offer environmental context for devices to perceive. IPS can be
local to a user's smartphone (or other portable navigation devices) and produce a location fix invisibly.

There are four different types of positioning approaches:

• Pattern Recognition • Proximity Sensing • Trilateration • Triangulation

Far

Immediate

iBeacon

iBeacon

Near

Immediate
iBeacon

Unknown

iBeacon

iBeacon

Out of four positioning approaches, proximity sensing is proved to be most effective in indoor environ-
ments. The novel form of proximity sensing technology is Beacon Technology.

What are Beacons?

Beacons are one of the most developed technological devices which are often used for proximity
marketing, based on location technology. A beacon is a small, wireless Bluetooth transmitter that uses
low-energy Bluetooth technology to send signals to other smart devices nearby. The beacon devices
are indoor and outdoor navigation systems. They send out a specific signal that can only be seen by a
limited number of devices (that are allowed) within its range. They are being used to detect person's
presence via wireless transmitters. Instead of emitting visible light, the beacon device broadcasts a
radio signal made up of a combination of letters and numbers transmitted at short, regular intervals.

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Beacon Technology All Rights Reserved.
Evolution of Beacon
In 2013, the Beacon technology was first launched with an introduction of iBeacon, released along with
iOS 7, Apple laid out its architecture for location-based technologies. Beacons were utilised by Apple to
send in-store notifications to customers. In 2015, famous mobile applications such as Facebook or
Shazam had also started using beacons.

Later in 2016, Google launched its platform, Eddystone to provide open-source beaconing with
cross-platform functionality. Eddystone, which debuted in July 2015, allows for a variety of methods for
the basic beacon interaction.

How Do Beacons Work?

Rich contextual
information

Server Time, location

and ID Data

Content
Database

App
App

Beacon

The technology functions through beacon signals to repeatedly broadcast a short radio signal at a set
rate. Bluetooth beacon technology uses forty radio channels running at 2.4 GHz. Beacon-based identifi-
ers are unique ID numbers sent through low-energy Bluetooth technology to wireless devices. The
beacon broadcasts its ID, which is picked up by a customer’s smartphone present in the range and as
an app installed allows the smartphone to interact with the beacon. When the smartphone receives the
ID number, it transmits the ID to a Cloud server. Once the beacon is connected to the smartphone, it will
perform the specific work it has been programmed for. The different types of beacons create multiple
opportunities as the standard ones suitable for indoor tracking, portable/small beacons that are the
size of a credit card, or USB beacons are best suited for asset tracking.

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Beacon Technology All Rights Reserved.
Applications of Beacon Technology
Retailers Push Notifications Payments Transportation Events
Retailers are the first People might use This Application Beacons will be installed Beacons may be used
apparent market for beacons to give them includes a retail across airports, railway to broadcast
beacons, from in-store notifications when they component, but it also stations, and urban information, direct users
discounts emailed to enter a certain area of has the potential to be transit hubs to notify to related material, and
user phones through their home, such as very widespread. When passengers of delays, boost purchases during
beacons to data inquiring if they a person departs a changes, and weather music and athletic
collection for remembered to turn off given spot, beacons can conditions. events. This past
individualised loyalty the basement light. trigger an automated season, a handful of
programmes and ad payment, making Major League Baseball
campaigns. payment simple. stadiums experimented
with using Apple's
iBeacon technology at
their venues.

Benefits & Limitations

Benefits Limitations

Low-cost and simple to use: Beacons are Beacon marketing is confined to the BLE
less expensive than other cutting-edge signal: Customers who do not have
technology. Beacon technology comes with Bluetooth enabled will be unable to be
backend administration tools and a software identified by beacon technology. This
development kit, making them simple and restricts the amount of information that
quick to install, especially with existing firms may acquire from their customers.
applications (SDK).
Developing a beacon solution isn't always
simple: In the retail and marketing industries,
Customised customer experiences: Beacon
beacon technology has obvious applications.
technology allows you to send personalized
Hotels and organizations that develop smart
notifications and adverts to your consumers.
room solutions can also benefit from
Based on the information offered by beacon
beacons. In other circumstances, you'll need
technology, businesses may tailor their offer
a creative or employ a software engineer that
specifically to each individual client. This will
specialises in beacon-based or geofencing
allow for more specific suggestions,
solutions, which will take time, primarily if
resulting in more discussions, sales, and
your organisation is a medium-sized
consumer involvement.
business or enterprise that requires a highly
scalable solution.
Durable devices: Beacons are durable
devices that can pick up signals from a wide
For beacon technology to connect with the
range of locations, including underground or
customer's smartphone, most beacons rely
through thick walls. Exogenous influences
on installed business apps. If you go to Tim
are also considered by certain providers.
Horton's and don't have the Tim Horton's
app, you might not be able to get beacon
signals with personalized offers.

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Challenges for Beacons Technology
IRRELEVANT ALERTS
While beacons are well-known for their proximity marketing capabilities, an
excessive number of irrelevant push notifications, or an avalanche of
messages, might cause users to abandon an app or delete it. According to
Market research, marketers risk a 313 percent loss in app usage for every
additional push message given per shop visit.

DIFFICULTIES IN DEPLOYING BEACONS

Before moving forward with beacon deployment, companies must decide
on a variety of issues, ranging from how many beacons should be installed
(and where) to how to optimize the alignment of numerous beacons to
avoid interference. Having to consider so many variables may be a difficult
challenge for marketers.

BEACON RANGE IS LIMITED

The "maximum range" supplied by a beacon is frequently insufficient
because the beacon range is directly proportional to 'Broadcasting Signal
Power,' improved by increasing broadcasting power. You'll need to extend
the range in circumstances when your beacons must broadcast over a big
area, such as a parking lot, or where you wish to gather temperature data
wirelessly from the farthest spots in your office block. Unfortunately, as the
transmitting strength increases, beacons become less energy efficient as
the battery drains quicker.

WAR OF SPECIFICATIONS
Specification battles between Apple and Google are another issue voiced
by marketers as part of the Oho Interactive poll. As both companies build
vs their specs, iBeacons will soon only operate with iOS devices, and beacons
will only work with Android smartphones. As a result, there will be no single,
open standard, forcing businesses to buy, install, and operate beacons that
support each platform, as well as build applications for both iOS and
Android.

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Types of Beacons
Types Illustration Features

• These are smaller beacons.

• These are just like the size of a sticker or a
debit card.
Portable/ • They save a lot of space and are mostly
Small Beacon based on proximity.
• This is ideal for ensuring that products in
containers or cartons make it to their
intended destination.

• USB beacon is shaped like a standard flash

drive and may/may not be compatible with
USB USB connections.
Beacon • These are ideal for tracking shipments of
goods or products that are on their way to
delivery.

• Bluetooth device that is connected to the

back of a screen to provide contextual
visual information and advertisements.
• This works well for enterprises like
restaurants, bookstores, and the like, as it
Video acts as an interface transmitter.
Beacon
• They can be connected to screens that
allow users to enter preferences, orders, or
searches.
• These can also be utilized to allow
employees, visitors, and others to sign in.

• AI beacon is a machine learning-based

program that can recognize a variety of
AI Beacon actions and gestures.
• AI variations are commonly available as
video interfaces with or without cameras.

• A parent beacon is the largest piece of

equipment in what is effectively a hive
John-PC DC system.
send commands
with SMB Write
• This is around the same size as or slightly
Parent larger than most modems.
Beacon retreve results
Parent with SMB Read SMB beacon listens on • It communicates with and manages a
Beacon \\DC\pipe\msagent_8b4
myriad of smaller beacons, organizing all
the information that gives the beacon its
meaning.

• Dedicated beacons are the most durable of

all beacon kinds.

Dedicated • They are used in places where they will be

Beacon subjected to a lot of abuse from the
environment. Examples include rain, snow,
dust, muck, and anything else that might
block data transmission.

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Beacon Technology All Rights Reserved.
Indoor Positioning Systems for
Visually Impaired People
• An indoor positioning system (IPS) works similarly to a GPS in an indoor context. It's a system that
employs mobile devices to detect goods or people inside a facility by using lights, radio waves, mag-
netic fields, audio signals, or other sensory information.

• Beacons have been used to help people with visual impairment traverse their local environment in
recent years. The lively Euston station in London and the French city of Strasbourg are two famous
examples. Beacons are electrical devices that are strategically scattered across physical space.

• Real-time interior navigation is provided through mobile app thanks to a mix of iBeacons, smartphone
sensors, and indoor algorithms.

• By using an audio tour, a visually impaired person will be able to accurately assess their location
inside the structure and efficiently proceed to their chosen Point of Interest on their own.

• An indoor positioning system allows for internal navigation and location in a variety of industries and
environments. The whole indoor positioning system includes digital maps, navigation, and analytics.

Use Cases of Beacon Technology

for Visually Impaired People
A London-based digital design studio is collaborating with the Royal London Society for
the Blind (RLSB) on a project to see if iBeacons/Bluetooth Low Energy beacon technology
can be used to help visually impaired people navigate public transportation by dynamically
mapping their location and providing audio cues to guide them through stations and onto
trains via an app.

Guide Beacon invented by Wichita State University is an indoor wayfinding system for the
blind, visually impaired, and disoriented (BVID) that assists people in navigating between
two points within indoor places. The system allows users equipped with smartphones to
interact with low-cost Bluetooth-based beacons deployed strategically within the indoor
space to navigate their surroundings of interest.

BlindWays provides crowdsourced visual clues to help users navigate the last few final
and crucial feet. MBTA pilot program is also in the early stages of placing Bluetooth sensor
technology on bus stops that act as beacons and can guide. BlindWays users to the exact
spot through a series of cues from a person’s smartphone

Beacon technology in the airport is making airports smart by helping differently abled
travelers to reach from one place to another. Beacons and Voice Assistants in the
smartphone in combination help the visual aid person to determine the shortest route to
reach the destination.

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Beacon Technology All Rights Reserved.
Market Insights
CAGR Report

USD 22,000
GLOBAL BLUETOOTH Million
BEACONS MARKET
Market forecast to grow
at CAGR of 60.0%

USD 2,100
Million

2021 2026

Potential Market Regions

Smart Beacon Market - Growth Rate by Region (2020-2025)

Regional Growth Rates

High Mid Low Source: Mordor Intelligence

The countries in APAC region are leading in Beacon Technology market, while South America, Africa
and Middle East are having less share in Beacon Technology. [Mordor Intelligence]

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 Market Insights
Stakeholders in Beacon Market

Smart Beacon Smart Beacon Smart Beacon

End User Providers Distributors

Venture Capitals, Research Organization

Start-Up Companies & Consulting Companies

Market Segmentation

By Segmentation By Connectivity By End User By Technology By Region

1. Software 1. BLE 1. Retail 1. iBeacon 1. North America
2. Hardware 2. Wi-Fi 2. Non-Retail 2. Eddystone 2. Europe
3. Others 3. Others [Link] Pacific
4. Rest

Market Dynamics

Driver Opportunities
• High demand for a • Expansion in organized
personalized experience retail stores such as
and real-time marketing Restrains departmental stores,
experience. • Trust and Security supermarkets.
• Growing adoption of IoT Limitations. • High Conversion rate
Demand for location-based • Networking and precision offering by providing
marketing solutions challenges. targeted discounts to
• Increasing penetration of nearby customers.
mobile devices.
• Emphasis on developing
smart cities.

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Market Insights
Top Companies

Apple Samsung Google Radius Networks

Fujitsu Cisco Estimote K2B Solutions

Multidots Infograins Software Seamgen Lets Nurture

Solutions

Mindinventory Hyperlink Infosystem Clearbridge Enuke Software

Blue Cat Hid Sensoro Gelo Company

Accent Advanced Systems Leantegra [Link] Qualcomm

Aruba Networks Blue Sense Network Onyx Beacon Bluvision, Inc

Top Universities

University of Tokyo University of Oklahoma Macomb Community College

Curtin University Xavier University University Of Miami

Sheffield Hallam University Lees-Mcrae College Emory University

University Of Hartford Clemson University Clark Atlanta University

Southeastern Baptist
University of the Virgin Islands Harvard University
Theological Seminary (SEBTS)

Colorado State University Birmingham-Southern College Nova Scotia Community College

Grossmont Cuyamaca
California State University Atlantic Cape Community College Community Colleges

Del Mar College University Of North Georgia University of Detroit Mercy

University of Wyoming Hawai‘i Pacific University Texas A&M University

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Market Insights
Top Start-ups

Founded in 2020 Founded in 2017

United Kingdom Israel

Founded in 2019 Founded in 2017

USA USA

Founded in 2019 Founded in 2017

USA United Kingdom

Founded in 2018 Founded in 2018

Spain China

Founded in 2017 Founded in 2018

United Kingdom United Kingdom

Mergers And Acquisitions

Beacon Communications headquartered in Littleton has
acquired California-based communications and security
company Comtel Systems Technology for an undisclosed
amount.

Beacon Mergers & Acquisitions is a full-service advisory

firm with offices across Ontario, Canada, and in Washington,
D.C, U.S.A. Beacon Mergers & Acquisitions also has a
strategic partnership in the Asian subcontinent with Prime
Bank Investment Limited.

BeneSys a leading third-party administrator of benefit plans

for Taft-Hartley multiemployer trust funds has acquired
Beacon Technologies Group Inc.

Shelfbucks Widens Beacon Tech Footprint with Emmoco

Acquisition.

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Beacon Technology All Rights Reserved.
Market Insights
Major Retail Brands Using Beacon Mobile Advertising

[Link]. Retail Brands Features

• Target app uses beacons to help buyers find their way

through stores and locate specific products.
• The target app represents the real-time location of the
buyer on the store map and shows a listing of aisle
1 Target
numbers where products can be located.
• The buyer clicks an item in the shopping list to see its
location on the map, including the aisle number and
any current promotions for that item.

• Macy’s used a beacon-powered mobile game “Black

Friday Walk in and Win” game and encouraged holiday
2 Macy’s shoppers to plan and win Macy’s gift codes.
• Customers receive push notifications triggered by
their proximity to beacons placed inside the stores.

• Nordstrom uses beacon technology to bridge the gap

between online shopping and the in-store experience.
• This beacon-enabled app notifies customers if an
3 Nordstrom item in their mobile shopping bag is in stock as they
pass a store with beacons installed. Also, the app
shows online options to in-store shoppers and makes
suggestions based on the customer’s interest and
expedites try-on and check-out.

• CVS uses beacon-powered push notifications to

4 CVS Pharmacies deliver notifications like a reminder to refill a
prescription or to pick up one that is ready.

• Walmart partnered with GE to place beacons inside

LED light bulbs throughout the store and parking lots.
5 Walmart • This allowed to send personalized push notifications
and discounts to in-store customers and saved tens of
thousands on energy costs per store every year.

• Neiman Marcus piloted beacons at three stores to

6 Neiman Marcus promote in-store events like trunk shows, guest
designers, and book signings.

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Beacon Technology All Rights Reserved.
Market Insights
Major Retail Brands Using Beacon Mobile Advertising

[Link]. Retail Brands Features

• This global mannequin company has supplied major

retailers like Lord & Taylor, Saks, and Uniqlo with
placed beacons inside their mannequins.
• These “smart mannequins” in window displays can
7 Universal Display send a signal to anyone within a 100-foot range of the
store to increase foot traffic.
• Shoppers can instantly see the details of an outfit, or
purchase any of its components right from their
phones.

• Levi’s Stadium features nearly 17,000 Bluetooth

beacons that fans can use to find their seats, the
Levi’s Stadium
8 nearest restrooms, and concessions.
Concessions
• Paired with the Levi’s Stadium app, visitors can even
have food delivered right to their seats.

• Shopping app users received a personalized message

that highlighted the quality of Hillshire Farms’
9 Hillshire Farms products and prompted them to either add American
Craft sausages to their in-app shopping lists or
directly into their carts.

• This jewellery retailer used beacons in all its 40 stores

to optimize store layouts and product placement.
10 Alex And Ani • The brand used beacons to capture customer
analytics, enhance store layouts, and educate
consumers about its products.

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IP Insights
1. Legal Status of Patents:
The Pie chart shows the legal status of Patents, also the breakdown of Patent types.

Lapsed
70
Non-Payment
42
Non-Payment
42
Dead
Dead
85
210
Utility Model
57

Patent
Application
288
Active 508
Granted 198
198
Active
171
Granted
Pending
171
187
Application: 508

Patent: 288 Published

44 Examination
83
Utility Model: 57

2. Grant Rate of Patents:

The Bar Graph shows the grant rate of patents with respect to their Application Year.

Application Patent Patent for Application Ratio

100 100%

80%
Patent for Application Ratio

60%
50
Count

40%

20%

0 0%
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

Application Year

The filing-based trend demonstrates that the maximum

number of patent applications were filed in the year 2017.

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IP Insights
3. Country-Wise Patent Trend:

Application Patent Patent for Application Ratio

100 100%

80%

Patent for Application Ratio

60%
50
Count

40%

20%

0 0%
US CN KR EP JP DE CA TW FR RU

Application Year

The graph is showing the grant rate of Patents with respect to the countries.
The Country-wise filing-based trend demonstrates that a maximum
number of patent applications were filed in China.

4. Technology Breakdown:
This is the visualization of major concepts of Technology breakdown. The numeric number shown in
each block is presenting the no. of patents count in the corresponding field.

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Beacon Technology All Rights Reserved.
IP Insights
5. Technology Timeline Trend:
This chart shows the top classes that are being used in respective Patents.

H04W4 124
H04W72 58
G08G1 49
G01S5 46
A61H3 44
G01C21 44
H04W64 43
H04W84 39
H04L12 28
G01S1 6
G02B27 6
G06T19 5
G10L15 5
G06Q20 5
A63G31 5

2022
H04L7 5
G10L13 4
B63C11 4
A63G21 4

0 50 100 150

Most patent applications were assigned

with IPC “H04W4” followed by IPC “H04W72” and “G08G1”.

6. Core Assignees:
This chart is showing the top players in the domain with the citation ranges respectively.

Widex

Fuso Pharmaceutical

Kyocera
Standardized Current Assignees

Huawei Tech
Citation Count

Sunrise R & D Holding

0-2

Apple 3-9
10 - 19
Sunrise R & D Holding
20 - 39
Ericsson Telefon >= 40

Reata Pharmaceutical

Qualcomm

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Publication Year

The chart represents that the Qualcomm is leading player with a higher forward citation frequency.

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Beacon Technology All Rights Reserved.
IP Insights
7. Core publications:
The following chart is showing the core publication of patents related to this domain with the
publication number of Patents on vertical axis.

Top 10 Top 20 <2006 2006-2010 2011-2015 2016-2020 >2020

US-2116667-A 76

US-20090140881-A1 80

US-20060088010-A1 86

US-5719567-A 94

US-5806017-A 102

US-20080192726-A1 106

US-20110211219-A1 168

US-20050226201-A1 330

US-7653394-B2 342

US-7027773-B1 548

US Patent – US7027773B1 is the most cited patent

reference by assignee AFx Technology Group International.

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