CSR announced that its CSRmesh^® technology has been used by SK Telecom to enable the world’s first range of smart LED lightbulbs which also function as Bluetooth^® Smart beacons networked together using CSRmesh. The intelligent CSRmesh lighting system will allow an almost unlimited number of smart lightbulbs to be simply controlled and networked together in-store while also enabling location-based special offers and targeted information to smartphone users.

The system uses high quality LED lightbulbs that fit into a building’s existing lighting fixtures to provide a mesh network of intelligent lights that ‘double-up’ as beacons. The smart lightbulbs can then enable targeted information to be sent using Bluetooth Smart to a user’s precise location in the store. SK Telecom’s complete intelligent lighting solution will be using smart lightbulbs that are fitted with a pre-certified module based on the CSR1010™ chipset.

CSR and SK Telecom team up to develop smart LED systems for retail applications. (CSR/LEDinside)

CSRmesh enables Bluetooth low energy devices not only to receive and act upon messages, but also to repeat those messages to surrounding devices thus extending the range of Bluetooth Smart and turning it into a mesh network for the Internet of Things. This unique combination of lighting, beacon, and mesh functionality is a world first.

Anthony Murray, Senior Vice President, Business Group at CSR, said: “For retailers, current in-store beacon systems require the installation of many wireless sensors around the shop floor, a process which is often lengthy, expensive, and requires constant maintenance. This solution offers a beaconing system without the need to overhaul a building’s infrastructure. With LED smart beacons, a building’s existing lighting fixtures offer complete coverage because they are spread evenly throughout the store. The LED beacon also relies on a permanent mains power supply, meaning the service provider no longer needs to manage hundreds of battery-powered devices.”

“It’s clear that more large-scale retailers and service providers are now looking to harness the power of location-based communication offered by beacons,” said Alex Jinsung Choi, CTO and Head of Cooperate R&D Center at SK Telecom. “The challenge of managing thousands of Bluetooth Smart-enabled beacons in a large space such as a stadium has effectively been solved by smart lighting beacons with CSRmesh.”

The new range of smart LED beacons is a complete end-to-end commercial lighting solution including LED lightbulbs, the CSRmesh v1.2 protocol layer with beacon capability, and iOS and Android mobile support.