An iBeacon transmitter emits data packets at a specific intervals consisting of its UUID and its broadcasting power.
The broadcasting power is the Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) measured at 1 meter from the device.
A smart phone with a suitable app can use the actual RSSI and the broadcasting power to calculate the approximate distance of the receiver from the beacon [7],[8].
As the strength of the signal decreases predictably as a user gets further away from a iBeacon, knowing the RSSI at one meter, and the current RSSI, it is possible to calculate the distance and can be presented as a range [near / immediate / far] or as a measurement [18].
This information can be used by retailers and other marketers to detect the proximity of a user to a specific beacon and derive where the user is within a building.
This provides a powerful means of driving context sensitive offers, detecting crowd flow, personalized messaging etc. [7], [8]