Beacons, iBeacon & Eddystone…. simplified

What is a Beacon?

Beacons are small devices that emit signals using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) aka Bluetooth 4.0.

Made by many companies and come in various shapes, sizes and prices.

Range: Up to 70 m | Battery life: Up to 3 years.

Beacons can be stuck on walls without any wiring.

Who makes Beacons?Some of the Beacon makers….

How beacons work

Beacon software

There are currently two major software frameworks that are being used with these devices.

Apple iBeacon – released in June 2013

Google Eddystone – released in July 2015

Most of the existing beacons can be made Eddystone compatible with just a firmware update.

Eddystone ready beacons

The main purpose of beacons, no matter which framework they use, is proximity marketing and offering proximity related services to smartphone users.

Google Eddystone vs. Apple iBeacon

Google Eddystone vs. Apple iBeacon

Google Eddystone Apple iBeacon

- Open source, available on GitHub - Proprietary software. under the Apache v2.0 license.

- Cross-platform software - Native only to iOS devices and beacons meeting iBeacon framework.

- Can send messages to all smartphones - Can send messages to all smartphones meeting the BLE (Bluetooth 4.0) standard. meeting the BLE (Bluetooth 4.0) standard.

- Sends messages/data via UUID, URLs and Telemetry. - Sends messages only through UUID.

- To receive messages, mobile app is optional. - To receive messages, mobile app is mandatory.

- Ephemeral Identifiers (EIDs) change frequently which - No EIDs only authorized clients can decode.

Google Eddystone how it works, uses cases

Eddystone can support multiple “frame types” (data payloads)

It broadcasts three distinct signal types.

UNIVERSALLY UNIQUE IDENTIFIER (UUID)—

Similar to the iBeacon standard. The UUID is a 128-bit value that identifies a specific beacon which an application can sense.

The smartphone can then perform certain actions once it comes into contact with the beacon.

The shortcoming with this technology is that it requires the consumer to have the store’s app installed on his phone. This is where Eddystone’s second feature comes in.

Google Eddystone – under the hood

Google Eddystone – under the hood

URLs—With this capability, the store does not have to ask its consumers to download its app.

The store can just send a URL to the user’s phone and the consumer can look up the coupon or information on a web browser.

Telemetry Data— This last frame type is useful for companies that need to manage vast fleets of beacons.

Beacons run on battery power, so the telemetry frame type can send diagnostic data and remaining battery power to the admin.

EPHEMERAL IDENTIFIERS (EIDs)

Eddystone also has a security feature called Ephemeral Identifiers.

Current beacons are discoverable by any nearby device supporting the BLE standard.

This is because of the identifier which is a public signal.

Eddystone adds a layer of privacy and security with its EIDs which change frequently, allowing only authorized clients to decode them.

Google Eddystone – under the hood

NEARBY API Allows Android and iOS devices to communicate with other devices and beacons.

Part of Google Play Services.

For iOS, Google has a Nearby API library that developers can include with their app.

PROXIMITY BEACON API Lets developers connect semantic location data to beacons. Also works with Places API.

The diagnostics component that allows companies to monitor their beacon fleet.

Identify beacons behaving unusually.

Google Eddystone – under the hood

Google Eddystone in use

Google Eddystone in use

• TriMet, the public transit authority for the Portland metro area, worked with Google to implement Eddystone based beacons at Portland area train stations.

• 87 light-rail stations beam the notifications to nearby commuters.

• The beacon automatically connects with the commuter’s smartphone.

• This causes an alert with the station name to pop up on the home screen.

• The user taps the notification and the phone gives detailed arrival information about approaching trains.

Google Eddystone use cases

Retailers, Restaurants & Bars

Eddystone does not need a mobile app to send messages to smartphone users.

Google Now can provide contextual information for things like showing menu items when a user is within a restaurant.

Restaurants and bars can use this to their advantage by pushing their discount codes, menus, and Happy Hour specials through URLs.

Airports, Railway stations, and Bus stops

Integration of Google Maps with Eddystone can provide transit information to travelers.

Fast-access to real-time schedules at each station.

Google Eddystone use cases

Museums and Tourist Attractions

Eddystone based beacons can eliminate the need for tour guides.

Eliminates the need to develop a mobile app.

Whenever a user stands in front of an exhibit with a beacon in proximity, information about the exhibit can be sent directly on the user’s device.

In fact, the link to the specific webpage relating to that exhibit can be sent out.

Google Eddystone use cases

Asset Tracking

Eddystone has the potential to change the asset tracking industry, both at the consumer level and in factories.

Consumers can find their luggage at airports quickly with beacons stuck to their bags.

Companies can attach beacons to their shipments to keep track of them and find goods quickly in a warehouse.

Google Eddystone use cases

Sports stadiums

Stadiums can scatter beacons all over their grounds for helping attendees with directions, offers and information.

Eddystone’s Telemetry frame and its Proximity Beacon API, allows the owner to monitor all the beacons for any issues.

The owner can know which beacon needs to be replaced, which one is offline and which needs to get its battery changed.

Google Eddystone use cases

Google Eddystone apps

Edjing Pro uses the Nearby API to let DJs publish their track list to people around them.

The audience can vote on tracks that they like, with votes being updated in real-time.

Trello, the project management software company, is using the Nearby API to simplify sharing.

Google Eddystone apps

Pocket Casts lets you find and compare podcasts with people around you.

Google Eddystone apps

Trulia simplifies the house hunting process by creating a board and using the Nearby API to make it easy for people in the vicinity to join in.

Google Eddystone apps

ADDRESS:

Softweb Solutions Inc.

2531 Technology Drive, Suite 312,Elgin,

Chicago, IL, USA-60124

Get Connected!

PHONE:866-345-7638

E-MAIL:info@softwebsolutions.com

Follow us:

WEBSITE:www.softwebsolutions.com

CONTACT