What Are The Features And Advantages Of Bluetooth Beacon?

Beacon is a broadcast protocol based on the low-power Bluetooth protocol. It is also a low-power Bluetooth device with this protocol and is compatible with the Apple ibeacon protocol.

As a Beacon device, it is usually placed in a fixed position indoors. It broadcasts continuously to the surroundings. However, it cannot connect with any low-power Bluetooth host. All broadcast data are arranged under specific rules.

Seven Features of Bluetooth Beacon

(1) The Bluetooth Beacon is placed in a fixed position indoors and is often fixed on the wall or other static structures.

(2) After the Bluetooth Beacon is powered, it broadcasts and sends periodic signals continuously.

(3) Beacon is set to broadcast mode and cannot be connected to any low-power Bluetooth host

(4) SKYLAB's(天工测控) Bluetooth beacon broadcast interval is 100 milliseconds (factory default)

(5) The broadcast content of Bluetooth Beacon VG02 is arranged according to certain rules.

(6) Inform the surrounding scanners of the basic information (data packets) of this Beacon, as well as the signal strength (RSSI) and the slave device from which MAC addresses the broadcast packet comes when the scanner searches for this Beacon.

(7) Bluetooth Beacon needs mobile app support

What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Bluetooth Beacons?

1、 Advantages of Bluetooth Beacons

（1）BLE has low power consumption and a long standby time.

（2）Beacon continuously broadcasts the status, can automatically send information to users in the coverage area, determine the location of the user, and then transmit the corresponding information based on the location.

（3）Beacon can cooperate with the indoor positioning and navigation system of shopping malls to realize indoor positioning functions such as shopping mall navigation and reverse car search.

2、Disadvantages of Bluetooth Beacons

（1）Limited by the transmission distance of BLE Bluetooth, the coverage of Bluetooth beacons is limited. The information is pushed only when the user is close to the location of the Bluetooth beacon for a certain distance.

（2）If the same mobile phone approaches the location of the Bluetooth beacon multiple times, it will repeatedly receive push messages.

The Use of Bluetooth Beacon

The use of Beacon requires mobile app support. Because the beacon device only transmits signals to the outside, it cannot push messages to the mobile phone or receive messages.

Then the beacon cannot push the message, so how is the push message implemented? So it all depends on the APP installed on the mobile phone.

For example, we installed the APP of the shopping mall, and the merchant deployed a beacon somewhere in the digital counter. Then when we approach the digital counter, the APP will send a notification when it detects that we are less than 5m away from the digital counter in the background. After clicking on it, the latest digital product introduction and discount information will pop up, detect the distance from the beacon, and initiate a notification, all controlled by the APP.

The beacon is in broadcast mode, and the beacon device is placed in a fixed location in the room. It is set to broadcast mode, it will broadcast after power is on, and it cannot connect with any low-power Bluetooth host.

Application Scenarios of Bluetooth Beacon

(1) Beacon is used for information push, such as shopping malls, scenic spots, museums, etc.

(2) Beacon indoor navigation, such as exhibition, library, museum, hotel, airport, campus, hospital, etc.

(3) The combination of beacon and WeChat Shake to carry out a new marketing and interaction model. For example, shake sign-in, shake navigation, shake vote, etc.