• 专利附录
  • 专利说明
  • 权利要求
  • 类似技术
  • 同族专利
  • 引用文献
  • 法律状态
  • 优先权
    • 专利摘要:
    The present invention relates to a communication beacon (100) comprising a computing unit (100) associated with a memory unit (108) for data backup, a clock circuit (110) and a communication circuit (112). , said beacon being powered by a power supply unit (104), characterized in that said communication circuit comprises a first interface unit (116) using a first protocol (P1), a second interface unit (118) using a second protocol (P2) and an antenna (114) connected to each of the interface units.
    公开号:CH709924A2
    申请号:CH01148/14
    申请日:2014-07-25
    公开日:2016-01-29
    发明作者:Zoran Randjelovic
    申请人:Swatch Group Res & Dev Ltd；
    IPC主号:
    专利说明:

    The present invention relates to a tag comprising a microcontroller associated with a memory unit for data backup, a clock circuit and a communication circuit. This communication circuit comprises an antenna, a first interface using a first protocol and a second interface using a second protocol.
    PRIOR ART
    It is known beacons 1 that is to say self-powered electronic devices by a power supply 2 comprising a microcontroller 3 associated with a memory unit 4 for data backup, to a clock circuit 5 and a circuit communication 6 using a communication protocol as shown in FIG. 1.
    These tags allow, via their communication circuit, to broadcast messages to mobile terminals such as mobile phones, tablets or computers. These mobile terminals are therefore compatible with the communication protocol of the tag.
    The messages sent may be in the form of advertisements or point of interest. For example, a beacon located in a department store will send messages to consumers who have an application dedicated to said department store, announcing to consumers the last minute offers in progress in the department store. In another example, a beacon located in an airport area may provide consumers with information indicating delays on specific flights or information of temperature and humidity to arriving travelers.
    [0005] The communication protocol generally used is the Bluetooth protocol. This Bluetooth protocol indeed defines 3 classes of transmitters offering different ranges according to their transmission power ranging from 1 mW to 100 mW for a range D ranging respectively from 10 m to 100 m.
    However, a disadvantage of this Bluetooth protocol is that it is unsecured by nature.
    As this Bluetooth protocol is not secure, it may be necessary to use another protocol to operate an exchange of confidential elements such as an encryption key which will then be used to encrypt the communication using the Bluetooth protocol. .
    Moreover, the range of several meters of the Bluetooth protocol makes possible the interception of data by an undesirable third party device.
    SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
    The invention aims to provide a communication tag to be programmed or configured securely while being able to send data to a multitude of mobile terminals.
    For this purpose, the invention relates to a communication beacon comprising a microcontroller associated with a memory unit for data backup, a clock circuit and a communication circuit, said beacon being powered by a unit of communication. power supply, characterized in that said communication circuit comprises a first interface unit using a first protocol, a second interface unit using a second protocol and an antenna connected to each of the interface units, the first protocol being used to receiving data while the second protocol is used for sending data.
    In a first advantageous embodiment, the first protocol is a protocol whose range is less than 1 meter.
    In a second advantageous embodiment, the second protocol is a protocol whose range is greater than 1 meter.
    In a third advantageous embodiment, the first protocol is a near field communication protocol.
    In a fourth advantageous embodiment, the second protocol is a Bluetooth ™ communication protocol.
    In a fifth advantageous embodiment, the first protocol used by the first interface unit also allows the transmission of data.
    In a sixth advantageous embodiment, the beacon further comprises at least one sensor providing data representative of a physical quantity, these data representative of a physical quantity being diffused by the second interface unit.
    In another advantageous embodiment, the sensor is a location sensor.
    In another advantageous embodiment, data from said at least one sensor are stored in the memory unit of the beacon.
    In another advantageous embodiment, data may be downloaded by the first interface unit and stored in the memory unit.
    In another advantageous embodiment, the first interface unit is connected to a first antenna and in that the second interface unit is connected to a second antenna.
    In another advantageous embodiment, the beacon is provided with an energy recovery system for feeding said beacon.
    In another advantageous embodiment, the first interface unit is used as energy recuperator for supplying said beacon.
    BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
    The objects, advantages and features of the present invention will appear more clearly in the following detailed description of at least one embodiment of the invention given solely by way of non-limiting example and illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which: :<tb> fig. 1 <SEP> schematically represents a beacon according to the prior art;<tb> fig. 2 <SEP> schematically represents a beacon according to the invention;<tb> fig. 3 <SEP> schematically represents a beacon according to a first variant of the invention;<tb> fig. 4 <SEP> schematically represents a beacon according to a second variant of the invention;<tb> fig. 5 <SEP> schematically represents a beacon with two antennas and energy recovery system.
    DETAILED DESCRIPTION
    In FIG. 2 is a beacon 100 according to the present invention. This beacon 100 is in the form of a housing 102 in which an electronic device is placed. This electronic device is powered by a power supply unit 104. This power supply unit 104 may be a battery or an accumulator or an autonomous unit such as a solar cell. The advantage of such an autonomous unit is that the latter is energy independent.
    The electronic device comprises a computing unit or microcontroller 106 associated with a memory unit 108. This memory unit 108 is used to store data and can be a non-volatile memory using flash technology (NOR, NAND).
    The electronic device also comprises a clock circuit 110 for the timing of the beacon 100 and as a precise time base for the data recording.
    The electronic device further comprises a communication circuit 112 comprising at least one antenna 114 to communicate with the outside. This communication circuit 112 also makes it possible to send data to dedicated devices 200 such as mobile phones, tablets, computers or watches.
    This communication circuit 112 thus makes it possible to receive and transmit configuration data and information data that can be stored in the memory unit 108.
    The configuration data may be the frequency of sending the tag or consumption parameters while the information data may be data such as location data or alert data related to specific applications. .
    Advantageously according to the invention, the communication circuit 112 comprises a first interface unit 116 and a second interface unit 118, the first interface unit 116 operating according to a first protocol P1 and the second unit D1. interface 118 operating according to a second protocol P2.
    In a first embodiment, the first interface unit 116 using the first protocol P1 is used for receiving data while the second interface unit 118 using the second protocol P2 is used for the transmission of data. information. It will be understood that the first interface unit 116 and the second interface unit 118 share the same antenna 114, but it is also conceivable that each interface unit is connected to its own antenna 114 as can be seen in FIG. 5.
    This configuration with two interface units makes it possible to have two different protocols for the first interface unit 116 and for the second interface unit 118, ie two different protocols for receiving data or transmitting data. Thus, the administrator of this or these tags will be able to communicate with the tag or tags 100 using the first protocol P1 while the tag or tags 100 will communicate with client mobile terminals 200 via the second protocol P2. The administrator will communicate with the beacon 100 via an administrator terminal 300 which may for example be a mobile phone, a tablet, a computer or a watch.
    This possibility of having two different protocols for the reception of data and for the transmission of data makes it possible to use a secure protocol for the reception of data.
    According to an advantageous exemplary embodiment, the first interface unit 116 uses, as the first protocol P1, the near field communication protocol (in English: Near Field Communication, NFC). This NFC protocol is a short-range and high-frequency wireless communication technology, allowing the exchange of information between devices up to a distance D1 of about 10 cm. The second interface unit 118 uses, as second protocol P2, the Bluetooth protocol whose range D2 can range from 10m to 100m depending on the power of the signal. The P2 protocol may be, even more advantageously, a low-power protocol such as the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) protocol.
    In this embodiment, the receipt of data is secured by two means.
    First, the security of the communication is operated by the short range of a signal using the NFC protocol which prevents an interception of said signal by a third party. Secondly, the NFC protocol directly integrates coding algorithms so that there is no need for an external signal to perform an encoding key exchange to encrypt the communication.
    Thus the present invention allows the beacon to receive, by an administrator, configuration data or information data securely while being able to send data on mobile devices 200 to a range greater than the one whose NFC protocol is capable.
    Therefore, the administrator who wishes to send data to program the beacon will, in the first place, establish a connection with the beacon via the first protocol P1 that is to say the near field communication protocol ( NFC). This allows him to securely send data to program the tag. For example, these data are related to its operation or related to the information that said beacon 100 broadcasts.
    Once this data received by the tag 100, the latter will then use them either to configure or to transmit information related to these data. When transmitting the information related to this data, the second interface unit 118 using the second protocol is selected and put into operation.
    In a first variant visible in FIG. 3, the beacon 100 further comprises at least one sensor 120 making measurements at more or less regular intervals, these intervals being configurable. This sensor 120 provides information data which can thus be sent to different mobile devices 200.
    For example, the sensor 120 is a pressure sensor used to determine an altitude which will then be sent to hikers informing them of the altitude at which it is located. This altitude information can also be used to calibrate a portable altimeter equipping for example a watch.
    In another example, the sensor 120 is a location sensor. This location sensor such as a GPS sensor provides coordinate data so that the user knows where he is. A network comprising a multitude of these tags 100 may be used to operate a navigation, the mobile device 200 of the user being configured to measure the power of the received signal. The higher the power received, the closer the beacon is.
    In a second embodiment, visible in FIG. 4, it is expected that the first interface unit 116 can communicate bidirectionally. Indeed, it is conceivable that the first interface unit 116 using the first protocol P1 for sending data to the beacon 100 can be used for the transmission of data from the beacon 100 to an administrator terminal 300. to transfer data securely.
    This capacity can be, for example, used to download configuration information of the tag or allow the sending of data tables from a sensor to a central terminal.
    In another embodiment, this makes it possible to use the second interface unit 118 using the P2 protocol which may be a power-hungry protocol (Bluetooth) to send only short messages at regular intervals to attract the attention of the potential customer / consumer / passenger. If the latter is interested in the message received via the P2 protocol, he will have to get closer to the beacon to obtain the details of the offer or the message via a less energy-hungry protocol (for example the NFC tag can be passive and activated by the reader in the mobile phone).
    It will be understood that various modifications and / or improvements and / or combinations obvious to those skilled in the art can be made to the various embodiments of the invention described above without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the appended claims.
    Of course, other protocols may be used such as ZigBee protocols, Wi-Fi or Wi-max.
    Moreover, the beacon according to the present invention can be designed to make energy harvesting (in English: energy harvesting). For this, the beacon is provided with an energy recovery system 122 using vibratory energy, chemical, solar, wind, thermal to provide electricity to the beacon. Similarly, it is conceivable that the first interface unit 116 using the first protocol P1 is used for the reception of data. It will be understood that the first interface unit 116 comprises this energy recovery system 122 and that the signals received by this first interface are used by the energy recovery system to power or recharge the beacon as shown in FIG. . 5.
    权利要求:
    Claims (13)
    [1]
    A communication beacon (100) comprising a computing unit (106) associated with a memory unit (108) for data backup, a clock circuit (110) and a communication circuit (112), said beacon being powered by a power supply unit (104), characterized in that said communication circuit comprises a first interface unit (116) using a first protocol (P1), a second interface unit (118) using a second protocol (P2) and at least one antenna (114) allowing the interface units to communicate, the first protocol being used for receiving data while the second protocol is used for sending data.
    [2]
    2. Beacon according to claim 1, characterized in that the first protocol (P1) is a protocol whose scope (D1) is less than 1 meter.
    [3]
    3. Beacon according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the second protocol (P2) is a protocol whose range (D2) is greater than 1 meter.
    [4]
    4. Beacon according to claim 2, characterized in that the first protocol (P1) is a near field communication protocol.
    [5]
    5. Beacon according to claim 3, characterized in that the second protocol (P2) is a Bluetooth ™ communication protocol.
    [6]
    6. Beacon according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first protocol (P1) used by the first interface unit (116) also allows the transmission of data.
    [7]
    7. Beacon according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises at least one sensor (120) providing data representative of a physical quantity, these data representative of a physical quantity being diffused by the second interface unit.
    [8]
    Beacon according to claim 7, characterized in that the sensor (120) is a location sensor.
    [9]
    Beacon according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that data from said at least one sensor (120) is stored in the memory unit (108) of the beacon.
    [10]
    10. Beacon according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that data can be downloaded by the first interface unit (116) and stored in the memory unit (108).
    [11]
    11. Beacon according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first interface unit is connected to a first antenna and in that the second interface unit is connected to a second antenna.
    [12]
    12. Beacon according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said beacon is provided with an energy recovery system for feeding said beacon.
    [13]
    13. Beacon according to claim 12, characterized in that the first interface unit (116) is used as energy recovery for the supply of said beacon.
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    同族专利:
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    引用文献:
    公开号 | 申请日 | 公开日 | 申请人 | 专利标题
    法律状态:
    优先权:
    申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题
    CH01148/14A|CH709924B1|2014-07-25|2014-07-25|Beacon with multiple communication interfaces.|CH01148/14A| CH709924B1|2014-07-25|2014-07-25|Beacon with multiple communication interfaces.|
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