OSRAM EINSTONE: Smart Positioning Solutions

OSRAM stands for light. OSRAM stands for solutions.
OSRAM EINSTONE is the building block in the lighting technology to link the real world and the digital world right where you are. The lighting installation realizes location-based services (Apps), generates customer value at the exact location, supports the efficiency of employees, provides location-based marketing tools and offers analytics for logistics requirements.

With the new brand EINSTONE OSRAM creates a complete solution for light and "location based services". The lighting installations provide users everywhere not only with brilliant light – but they also support apps and analyses at the specific location.

EINSTONE is the basis for a variety of innovative use cases enabled by the infrastructure of the lighting installation. The service system is similar to a satellite communication technology. EINSTONE generates a local GPS signal and enables location based services, like a navigation system.

OSRAM implements for their customers tracking and navigation services for office buildings, museum guides, maintenance support services, shopping list assistants, highly personalized corporate apps and many other site-specific services.

Location Based Services (LBS) provide site-specific information and other services based on positioning data. They result from the interaction of connected devices, cloud servers and an infrastructure providing positioning data.

For this purpose, apps need to know the exact actual location of the user. However, this is not always possible: The typical GPS signal is too vague and technologies like beacons, WLAN or NFC are unfavorable for various reasons. The OSRAM lighting installation levels those disadvantages by providing luminaires with tailored communications technologies which offer more than simple beacons. By this, the lighting installation turns into a smart infrastructure which notifies the device about its exact location. The lighting installation offers a simple battery-independent solution in each luminaire and an excellent and homogeneous coverage of the area.

The technology upgrades the lighting installation to a digital service system for this specific location:

• The lighting system emits site-specific information
• Smartphones, devices and machines receive and process site-specific information through an app
• (Cloud) servers offer the management of relevant content

• Complete project solution for lighting installations
• Highly precise positioning, independent from GPS and WiFi
• No battery power needed, thus life time is not limited to the battery life span (unlike the case of simple beacons)
• Considerably reduced maintenance costs - saving of both costs for battery exchange and costs for the manual replacement of the batteries
• Very high reliability and consistent availability
• Very high service quality
• No oversized devices within the positioning infrastructure
• No visual disturbance caused by beacons or other devices in specifically designed areas
• No extensive installation planning – it is determined by the luminaire position
• No complex installation process – the transmitter gets installed together with the luminaire
• Very homogeneous signal coverage – due to equally spread lighting installations
• Simple service management
• No risk of theft or manipulation since integrated in the lighting system

OSRAM EINSTONE supports various Use Cases. Please find a short selection enclosed:

• Display of interesting places close by, points of interest (POI):
  Tourist guide, shopping center, restaurant guide
• Where am I? (display on a map):
  Navigation – particularly inside of buildings. Locate a specific office, shop or hospital room etc.
• Route guidance, route planning and route optimization (navigation):
  Optimize a shopping list in a supermarket. Stock up or search in a warehouse
• Location based advertisement and brand communication:
  Loyalty programs, special offers, coupons
• Museum guides / additional information:
  Audio guides in different languages, additional information about buildings, exhibits, machines
• Location specific ‘’help button’’:
  e.g. to inform a service technician about a defect or to call for a specialist for additional advice
• Orientation support for visually impaired (especially for unfamiliar areas):
  Signage and route guidance / Orientation inside of buildings, where GPS guidance does not work
• Site-specific feedback (e.g. suggestions for improvements):
  Feedback forms, connection to social networks, comments
• Analysis of movement and behavior patterns