Learn in the textbookIoT Networks
DefinitionA beacon (ビーコン) is a small device that keeps sending its own ID signal at fixed intervals, giving a receiving device a clue that it is near the beacon and where it is.
ExplanationMost beacons transmit over BLE and run for a long time on a battery. The receiver, such as a smartphone, estimates how far away the transmitter is from the signal strength and uses an app to show information suited to that spot. Even inside buildings where satellite signals barely reach, the places where transmitters are installed serve as landmarks for finding where you are.
AnalogyIt resembles a lighthouse flashing at a steady rhythm over the night sea, letting ships that see it work out their position.
Memory hookThe English word beacon first meant a signal fire or lighthouse lamp: a marker that sends a sign far away.