Technical field

The present invention generally lies within the field of communication systems and communication messages. Specifically, the invention relates to communication systems that may be used for communication from a user device facing a communication network according to a Bluetooth protocol including a Bluetooth localization infrastructure arranged in a confined environment to a recipient device facing a communication network according to an Internet protocol, and/or for communication from a recipient device facing a communication network according to an Internet protocol to a user device facing a communication network according to a Bluetooth protocol including a Bluetooth localization infrastructure arranged in a confined environment.

The invention further relates to an advanced request communication message, for a communication from a user device facing a communication network according to a Bluetooth protocol including a Bluetooth localization infrastructure arranged in a confined environment to a recipient device facing a communication network according to an Internet protocol, and an advanced response communication message, for a communication from a recipient device facing a communication network according to an Internet protocol to a user device facing a communication network according to a Bluetooth protocol including a Bluetooth localization infrastructure arranged in a confined environment.

Prior art

In recent years, considerable progress has been made in the field of technologies for detecting the positioning of users in a confined environment. Nowadays there is a growing interest in location-based services.

In the known prior art there are solutions that propose the use of localization systems based on Bluetooth beaconing. These solutions based on Bluetooth beaconing make it possible to obtain good localization precision but do not contemplate the possibility of establishing a bi-directional communication channel between network nodes.

In the known prior art other solutions also exist that are based on Wi-Fi networks. These solutions make it possible to establish a bi-directional communication channel between network nodes, but introduce scarce results in terms of localization precision.

Nowadays, therefore, there is no solution that makes it possible to establish a bi-directional communication channel between network nodes and at the same time obtain good localization accuracy.

For example, in the known prior art:

- US10571547B2 describes a method and system for indoor localization using beacons.

- US2020259570A1 describes indoor localization using beacon technology based on signal strength distribution and deep learning techniques;

- US10684349B2 describes an indoor localization method;

- US9204259B2 describes internal localization of mobile devices;

- US10794983B1 describes localization of devices at an arrival angle by means of machine learning.

However, even in light of the above documents from the prior art, the aforementioned disadvantages of the known art remain unresolved.

Summary of the invention

One object of the present invention is to provide a solution that combines high-precision localization capabilities with bi-directional contextualized communications capabilities using a localized user device, within a unique and/or pre-existing network infrastructure.

The aforementioned and other objects and advantages are achieved, according to the respective aspects of the invention, by a communication system having the features defined in claim 1, a communication system having the features defined in claim 7, a communica- tion system having the features defined in claim 8, an advanced request communication message according to claim 16 and an advanced response communication message according to claim 17. Preferred embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims, the content of which is to be understood as an integral part of the present description.

Brief description of the drawings

The functional and structural features of some preferred embodiments of communication systems according to the invention will now be described. Reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a communication system according to the invention;

- Figure 2 shows a block diagram wherein the passage of the request message and the advanced request message between the various components of the communication system may be observed;

- Figure 3 shows a block diagram wherein the passage of the response message and the advanced response message between the various components of the communication system may be observed;

- Figure 4 shows an example of how a global coverage area of the localization infrastructure may automatically re-adapt when Bluetooth nodes are added.

Detailed description

Before explaining, in detail, a plurality of embodiments of the invention, it should be clarified that the invention is not limited in the application thereof to the design details and configuration of the components presented within the following description or shown in the drawings. The invention may assume other embodiments and be implemented or constructed in practice in different ways. It should also be understood that the phraseology and terminology have a descriptive purpose and should not be construed as limiting. The use of “include” and “comprise” and the variations thereof are intended to cover the elements set out below and the equivalents thereof, as well as additional elements and the equivalents thereof.

In the following, referring to Figure 1 as an example, a first embodiment of a communication system is described.

In this embodiment, the communication system 100 is intended for communication from a user device 102 facing a communication network according to a Bluetooth protocol 104 including a Bluetooth localization infrastructure arranged in a confined environment A to a recipient device 106 facing a communication network according to an Internet protocol 108. This communication system 100 includes a software application, or software library, arranged for being installed in the user device 102 having a Bluetooth address identifier of the user device and configured to generate a request message according to the Bluetooth protocol including at least a first data portion indicative of an internet protocol address of the recipient device and a second data portion including the Bluetooth address identifier of the user device.

The communication system 100 also includes a plurality of Bluetooth nodes 108 belonging to the Bluetooth localization infrastructure and arranged to be installed in respective positions of the confined environment A. Each of the Bluetooth nodes 108 has its own coverage area C of the confined environment. Each Bluetooth 108 node is also arranged to receive the request message transmitted by said user device 102 when it is in the relevant coverage area.

Furthermore, the communication system 100 includes an access apparatus 110, arranged to allow access to a communication network according to the Internet protocol 112 to which the Bluetooth nodes 108 of the Bluetooth localization infrastructure are connected via a local area communication network LAN.

For example, the local area communication network LAN may be a wired local area network or a wireless network. Each Bluetooth node 108, when it receives the request message, is arranged to forward the request message to the access apparatus 110 through the local area communication network LAN.

The access apparatus 110 is also arranged to generate an advanced request message according to the internet protocol including a first data portion indicative of the internet protocol address of the recipient device included in the received request message, a second data portion indicative of the Bluetooth address identifier of the user device included in the received request message, and a third data portion of data indicative of the position of the user device 102 with respect to the Bluetooth localization infrastructure.

In addition, the access apparatus 110 is arranged to transmit, through the communication network according to the Internet protocol, the advanced request message to the recipient device 106.

In Figure 2, it is possible to observe a summary block diagram that shows the passage of the request message and the advanced request message between the various components of the communication system described above.

Preferably, the access apparatus 110 may include a user device 102 position determination means arranged for determining that the position of the user device 102 with respect to the Bluetooth localization infrastructure corresponds to the predetermined position in the confined environment of the Bluetooth node from which the request message according to the Bluetooth protocol was transmitted.

Preferably, when the user device position determination means receives a plurality of request messages whose first data portions and second data portions are identical, the user device position determination means is arranged to determine that the position of the user device with respect to the Bluetooth localization infrastructure corresponds to the predetermined position in the confined environment of the Bluetooth node which transmitted first this request message according to the Bluetooth protocol. The fact that it is possible to determine the position of the user device with respect to the Bluetooth localization infrastructure based on the predetermined position in the confined environment of the Bluetooth node which transmitted first this request message according to the Bluetooth protocol optimizes communication management and decreases communication traffic.

Preferably, the access apparatus 110 may include an associative table in which the association between the Bluetooth address identifier of the user device and the second data portion of the advanced request message according to the internet protocol, indicative of the Bluetooth address identifier of the user device, is reported.

Preferably, the second data portion of the advanced request message according to the internet protocol, indicative of the Bluetooth address identifier of the user device, may be or may include an assigned IP address associated with the Bluetooth address identifier of the user device.

For example, the access apparatus 110 may be arranged to, at the software level, maintain the associative table between the assigned IP addresses and the respective Bluetooth address identifiers of the connected user devices, so as to perform a conversion from an address according to the Internet protocol to a Bluetooth address identifier of the user device according to a Bluetooth address, and vice versa. In this way, the user device may be identified within the request by an Internet protocol address and not by a Bluetooth address.

Preferably, said assigned IP address associated with the Bluetooth address identifier of the user device may be assigned by the Bluetooth localization infrastructure, for example by an element belonging to said Bluetooth localization infrastructure.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the communication system 100 is intended for communication from a recipient device 106 facing a communication network according to an Internet protocol 112 to a user device 102 facing a communication network according to a Bluetooth protocol 104 including a Bluetooth localization infrastructure arranged in a confined environment A. In this embodiment, the communication system again comprises an access apparatus 110 arranged to allow access to the communication network according to the Internet protocol and to which a plurality of Bluetooth nodes 108 of said Bluetooth localization infrastructure is connected via a local area communication network LAN. Again, the Bluetooth nodes 108 of the plurality of Bluetooth nodes are arranged to be installed in respective positions of the confined environment. Each of the Bluetooth nodes has its own coverage area of the confined environment.

Also in this embodiment, for example, the local area communication network LAN may be a wired local area network or a wireless network.

The access apparatus 110 is arranged to receive from the recipient device 106, through a communication network according to the Internet protocol, a response message according to an Internet protocol including a first data portion indicative of an Internet protocol address of the recipient device and a second data portion indicative of a Bluetooth address identifier of the user device.

The access apparatus 110 is also arranged to generate an advanced response message according to the Bluetooth protocol including a first data portion indicative of the internet protocol address of the recipient device included in the received response message, a second data portion indicative of the Bluetooth address identifier of the user device included in the received request message, and a third data portion indicative of the position of the user device with respect to the Bluetooth location infrastructure.

Furthermore, the access apparatus 110 or a supervisor Bluetooth node of said Bluetooth location infrastructure is arranged to determine the Bluetooth node of the Bluetooth localization infrastructure closest to the user device 102.

The access apparatus 110 is arranged to transmit, through said local area communication network (LAN), the advanced response message to the Bluetooth node of the Bluetooth localization infrastructure closest to the user device. Finally, the Bluetooth node that receives the advanced response message is arranged to forward said advanced response message to the user device 102 in its coverage area.

Hereinafter a further embodiment of a communication system 100 intended for communication from a recipient device 106 facing a communication network according to an Internet protocol 112 to a user device 102 facing a communication network according to a Bluetooth protocol 104 including a Bluetooth localization infrastructure arranged in a confined environment A is described.

In this embodiment, the communication system 100 again comprises an access apparatus 110 arranged to allow access to the communication network according to the Internet protocol and to which a plurality of Bluetooth nodes 108 of said Bluetooth localization infrastructure is connected via a local area communication network LAN. The Bluetooth nodes 108 of the plurality of Bluetooth nodes are arranged to be installed in respective positions of the confined environment A. In addition, each of the Bluetooth nodes 108 has its own coverage area of the confined environment.

The access apparatus 110 is again arranged to receive from the recipient device 106, through said communication network according to an Internet protocol 112, a response message according to an Internet protocol including a first data portion indicative of an Internet protocol address of the recipient device and a second data portion indicative of a Bluetooth address identifier of the user device. The access apparatus 110 is further arranged to generate an advanced response message according to the Bluetooth protocol including a first data portion indicative of the internet protocol address of the recipient device included in the received response message, a second data portion indicative of the Bluetooth address identifier of the user device included in the received request message, and a third data portion indicative of the position of the user device with respect to the Bluetooth location infrastructure.

Unlike the previous embodiment, the access apparatus 110 is arranged to transmit the advanced response message to the plurality of Bluetooth nodes 108 of the Bluetooth localization infrastructure, through said local area communication network LAN. In such a case, each Bluetooth node 108 is arranged to compare the position of the user device 102 with respect to the Bluetooth location infrastructure indicated by the third data portion of the advanced response message with its predetermined position in the Bluetooth localization infrastructure. When a Bluetooth node determines that its predetermined position in the localization infrastructure corresponds to the position of the user device with respect to the Bluetooth location infrastructure indicated by the third data portion of the advanced response message, said Bluetooth node is arranged to forward said advanced response message to the user device 102 in its coverage area.

Preferably, a software application, or software library, arranged to compare the Bluetooth address identifier of the user device indicated by the second data portion indicative of the Bluetooth address identifier of the user device included in the advanced response message received with the Bluetooth address identifier of the user device may be installed on the user device 102. When the comparison shows that the Bluetooth address identifier of the user device does not correspond with the Bluetooth address identifier of the user device indicated by the second data portion indicative of the Bluetooth address identifier of the user device included in the received advanced response message, the software application, or the software library, may be arranged to discard the received advanced response message.

Preferably, for both previously described embodiments, the access apparatus 110 may include an associative table in which the association between the Bluetooth address identifier of the user device and the second data portion indicative of a Bluetooth address identifier of the user device of the response message according to an Internet protocol is reported.

Preferably, the second data portion of the response message according to the internet protocol, indicative of the Bluetooth address identifier of the user device, may be or may include an assigned IP address associated with the Bluetooth address identifier of the user device.

For example, as previously described, the access apparatus 110 may be arranged to, at the software level, maintain the associative table between the assigned IP addresses and the re- spective Bluetooth address identifiers of the connected user devices, so as to perform a conversion from an address according to the Internet protocol to a Bluetooth address identifier of the user device according to a Bluetooth address, and vice versa. In this way, in the response, the user device may be identified via a Bluetooth address and not via an Internet protocol address.

Preferably, the assigned IP address associated with the Bluetooth address identifier of the user device may be assigned by the Bluetooth localization infrastructure, for example by an element belonging to said Bluetooth localization infrastructure.

Figure 3 shows an exemplary block diagram showing the passage of the response message and the advanced response message between the various components of the communication system according to the embodiments described herein and relating to communications from the recipient device 106 facing the communication network according to the Internet protocol 112 to the user device 102 facing the communication network according to the Bluetooth protocol 104.

Preferably, each Bluetooth node may include a Bluetooth beacon.

Preferably, the access apparatus 110 may be a network switch.

Preferably, the access apparatus 110 may be connected to said communication network according to the Internet protocol 112 by means of a router.

For example, the router may be a wired communication or wireless communication router.

Advantageously, according to the present invention, whenever a Bluetooth node is removed or added in the Bluetooth localization infrastructure, it is not necessary to perform a training step. Thus, the communication system of the present invention is advantageously scalable. An example of how the global coverage area GC of the localization infrastructure automatically extends when Bluetooth nodes 108 are added is shown in Figure 4. For example, in the present invention, a confined space may be any environment within a building or structure (indoor) or any open confined space (outdoor).

For example, in the present invention, a communication network according to the Internet protocol 112 may be any internet network (world wide web) or any local network that is based on communications via IP addresses. A communication network according to the Bluetooth protocol may be any Bluetooth network.

The Bluetooth localization infrastructure may be any known infrastructure used in the localization industry that is capable of providing/determining user location information.

For example, in the present invention, a recipient device facing a communication network according to an Internet protocol may be a remote server/database of an external service connected to such a communication network according to an Internet protocol, or a serv- er/database/device connected locally to such a communication network according to an Internet protocol.

For example, in the present invention, the various software applications may be developed according to any known programming language, e.g. Java, C, C++, etc.... By way of example, the various software applications may be downloaded and installed on the user device from a digital application market.

In a further aspect, the present invention relates to an advanced request communication message, for communication from a user device 102 facing a communication network according to a Bluetooth protocol 104 including a Bluetooth localization infrastructure arranged in a confined environment A to a recipient device 106 facing a communication network according to an Internet protocol 108, including at least:

- a first data portion indicative of an internet protocol address of the recipient device;

- a second data portion indicative of a Bluetooth address identifier of the user device; - a third data portion indicative of the position of the user device 102 with respect to the Bluetooth location infrastructure.

Preferably, the advanced request communication message may be a message according to the internet protocol.

For example, the message payload may correspond to a payload of an IP packet as it would be if sent from a source device interfaced to the communication network according to the IP internet protocol directly to the destination device identified by an address according to the IP internet protocol, having however the latter interfaced to the network via Bluetooth infrastructure.

In a still further aspect, the invention relates to an advanced response communication message, for a communication from a recipient device 106 facing a communication network according to an Internet protocol 112 to a user device 102 facing a communication network according to a Bluetooth protocol 104 including a Bluetooth localization infrastructure arranged in a confined environment A, including at least:

- a first data portion indicative of an internet protocol address of the recipient device;

- a second data portion including a Bluetooth address identifier of the user device;

- a third data portion indicative of the position of the user device with respect to the Bluetooth location infrastructure.

Preferably, the advanced request communication message may be a message according to the Bluetooth protocol.

The advantage gained is therefore to have provided solutions that make it possible to establish a bi-directional communication channel between the nodes of the network, insofar as some are connected via the Internet protocol and others are connected via the Bluetooth protocol, and at the same time to obtain good localization accuracy. Various aspects and embodiments of communication systems according to the invention and of an advanced request communication message and an advanced response communication message according to the invention have been described. It is understood that each embodiment may be combined with any other embodiment. Moreover, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described, but may be varied within the scope defined by the appended claims.