Ability to detect passive beacon receiver devices in a short-range wireless beacon communication system

A beacon communication system comprising:

• one or more short-range wireless beacon transmitter devices,
• wherein a device among the short-range wireless beacon transmitter devices is configured to repeatedly transmit a short-range wireless beacon advertisement signal on a first beacon broadcast channel,
• wherein a device among the short-range wireless beacon transmitter devices is configured to temporarily transmit a short-range wireless beacon refresh signal on a second beacon broadcast channel, the beacon refresh signal being adapted to cause one or more short-range wireless beacon receiver devices being in a passive mode to enter into a short-range wireless beacon scanning mode,
• wherein the device transmitting the short-range wireless beacon refresh signal is configured to transmit the short-range wireless beacon refresh signal on the second beacon broadcast channel at a defined occasion, and
• wherein the beacon communication system further comprises a server, wherein the defined occasion is based on refresh control data sent by the server to the device transmitting the short-range wireless beacon refresh signal.

A beacon communication system comprising:

• one or more short-range wireless beacon transmitter devices,
• wherein a device among the short-range wireless beacon transmitter devices is configured to repeatedly transmit a short-range wireless beacon advertisement signal on a first beacon broadcast channel,
• wherein a device among the short-range wireless beacon transmitter devices is configured to temporarily transmit a short-range wireless beacon refresh signal on a second beacon broadcast channel, the beacon refresh signal being adapted to cause one or more short-range wireless beacon receiver devices being in a passive mode to enter into a short-range wireless beacon scanning mode, and
• wherein the beacon communication system further comprises a server, wherein the server is configured for:
• receiving respective reports from beacon receiver devices being in the passive mode when having detected respective beacon advertisement signals from the short-range wireless beacon transmitter devices on the first beacon broadcast channel;
• registering a relation between the reporting beacon receiver device being in the passive mode and the beacon transmitter device whose beacon advertisement signal it detected;
• receiving an enquiry from one of the beacon transmitter devices, wherein the enquiry identifies at least one of the beacon transmitter devices;
• and
• responding to the enquiring beacon transmitter device with information about beacon receiver devices being in the passive mode for which a relation with the identified beacon transmitter device has been registered.

A beacon communication system comprising:

• one or more short-range wireless beacon transmitter devices,
• wherein a device among the short-range wireless beacon transmitter devices is configured to repeatedly transmit a short-range wireless beacon advertisement signal on a first beacon broadcast channel,
• wherein a device among the short-range wireless beacon transmitter devices is configured to temporarily transmit a short-range wireless beacon refresh signal on a second beacon broadcast channel, the beacon refresh signal being adapted to cause one or more short-range wireless beacon receiver devices being in a passive mode to enter into a short-range wireless beacon scanning mode, and
• wherein the beacon communication system further comprises a server, wherein the server is configured for:
• receiving respective reports from beacon receiver devices being in the passive mode when having detected respective beacon refresh signals from the short-range wireless beacon transmitter devices on the second beacon broadcast channel;
• registering a relation between the reporting beacon receiver device being in the passive mode and the beacon transmitter device whose beacon refresh signal it detected;
• receiving an enquiry from one of the beacon transmitter devices;
• and
• responding to the enquiring beacon transmitter device with information pertaining to registered relations between the enquiring beacon transmitter device and beacon receiver devices being in the passive mode, wherein the information serves to enable the enquiring beacon transmitter device to determine whether a beacon refresh signal is to be sent.

A method of operating a beacon communication system which comprises one or more short-range wireless beacon transmitter devices, at least one of which is configured to repeatedly transmit a short-range wireless beacon advertisement signal on a first beacon broadcast channel, wherein the method involves:

• causing a device among the short-range wireless beacon transmitter devices to temporarily transmit a short-range wireless beacon refresh signal on a second beacon broadcast channel, the beacon refresh signal being adapted to cause one or more short-range wireless beacon receiver devices being in a passive mode to enter into a short-range wireless beacon scanning mode;
• receiving, by a server, respective reports from beacon receiver devices being in the passive mode when having detected respective beacon advertisement signals from the short-range wireless beacon transmitter devices on the first beacon broadcast channel;
• registering, by the server, a relation between the reporting beacon receiver device being in the passive mode and the beacon transmitter device whose beacon advertisement signal it detected;
• receiving, by the server, an enquiry from one of the beacon transmitter devices, wherein the enquiry identifies at least one of the beacon transmitter devices;
• and
• responding, by the server, to the enquiring beacon transmitter device with information about beacon receiver devices being in the passive mode for which a relation with the identified beacon transmitter device has been registered.