WO2015052611A1

WO2015052611A1 - Method for finding missing objects and use of the method

Info

Publication number: WO2015052611A1
Application number: PCT/IB2014/064838
Authority: WO
Inventors: Daniel HÄNGGI
Original assignee: Hänggi Daniel
Priority date: 2013-10-09
Filing date: 2014-09-25
Publication date: 2015-04-16
Also published as: CH708672A2

Abstract

The invention relates to a method, which is used in particular, but not exclusively, to locate objects provided with a communication-capable chip, which objects communicate with a central computer via a long-range connection via the mobile radio network or the Internet by means of the community of mobile telephones or smartphone which, first, allow communication by means of a BLE short-range connection to the lost or stolen objects and, second, are equipped with a preinstalled app. The method is also used, in particular at locations of heavy traffic, such as customs facilities, airports, train stations, and the like.

Description

Method for locating missing objects and application of the method

The present invention relates to a method for

Finding lost objects or third parties

stolen objects according to the preamble of claim 1 and an application of the method.

There are a variety of mobile items that are unsecured in the private or public space and must be protected against unauthorized use or theft by third parties. It is not always possible to protect such objects against theft or entrap. Examples of such items are bicycles, laptops or sporting goods such as skis or sailboats, but also suitcases and expensive clothing or handbags, just to name a few. Known are simple, mechanical security mechanisms such as lockers, chains or locks, but also sophisticated electronic anti-theft devices. Furthermore, there are a large number of mobile objects that are forgotten and left by the owner for various reasons outside of their own living and business premises out of carelessness or negligence. An airport or train station are real treasure troves of forgotten objects. Both the owners of mobile and especially expensive items as well as the insurance companies have a vital interest in keeping the number of claims as low as possible with the aim of the To limit the amount of damage and also to minimize the annoying machinations for the replacement of the mobile objects by the owners.

Patent EP 2 372 666 A2 discloses a method by means of a mobile telephone for finding an object equipped with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology. With BLE a connection can be maintained over the distance of a few meters with very low energy. This is so low that of mobile phones

Send radiated energy can be recorded and stored with the receiving part of a mobile phone, and then maintain the BLE connection. Thus, the device uses the cellular phone communication of the GSM network or another standard only to power for the

provide lower energy BLE communication.

In EP 2 296 126 AI a method is disclosed to facilitate finding his own vehicle, for example, in a large parking garage. Mentioned are GPS-based solutions, where the exact position of the vehicle when locking the vehicle is registered in an internal memory and later on a mobile phone

can be read out.

Also known are systems that are equipped with the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology, which are woken up via a remote connection call from standby mode, see the patent US 2012/0214417 AI. Described in the patent TW M455938U1 is an application of Bluetooth technology for subscribers

Sports competitions. It includes a broadcast and

Receiving unit in a bracelet as well as various

Stations for detecting intermediate positions and allows to capture the exact position of a participant to initiate rapid rescue, especially in an emergency situation.

The patent EP 2 509 343 A2 describes an invention in the field of wireless communication, in

Special for collecting information for

position-dependent services to describe the current position of a device, direction, orientation, etc.

The problem with such systems is the big one

Amount of data because the position of moving objects changes rapidly. Transmission over a BLE data channel is described.

The US 2009/0033494 AI patent describes the use of RF tags and the transmission via mobile network for finding vehicles. Mention should also be made of active / passive RFID tags, where attention is drawn to their limited range and to the fact that a special device is required for reading out the tags.

The above methods and systems use that

Mobile network and / or wireless networks like

For example, Bluetooth (BT) or Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and serve to establish a radio connection to To determine the location of objects and, typically, to communicate this information to the owner. For example, the above methods are suitable for an owner finding his own car again, but they do not use the community of mobile subscribers to anonymized data of arbitrary objects

to gather, evaluate and the object

localize.

Important criteria in such procedures are, on the one hand, reliability and, on the other hand, for broadcasters /

Receiver be given the autonomous power supply for a long time. Some of the above-mentioned methods utilize existing power systems such as

For example, a car battery to provide the necessary energy. If non-existing energy sources can be used, the limited capacity of, for example, batteries in such a system is of central importance. This is particularly important if a system has to function autonomously for a long time - for example, over several months.

The present invention is therefore the task

Reason to provide a method in which the above-mentioned disadvantages are eliminated.

This object is achieved by the features specified in claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are given in the dependent claims. The invention presented here enables the simple and cost-effective marking of objects and makes it possible to localize these objects in the event of loss and the

To inform owners. This primarily uses the community of mobile phone subscribers or special institutions and services such as customs, police services or transport associations, without violating the privacy and privacy of the individual mobile phone subscriber.

The process uses existing mobile networks, which in many countries already today will provide very good territorial coverage, especially in densely populated cities and agglomeration areas. Many mobile phone users already have one with their service provider today

Flatrate contract for mobile traffic, bringing the problem of additional costs in the

Background occurs. The trend for this development will continue to increase in the future.

The present invention will be explained below with reference to embodiments with reference to drawings. Showing:

Fig. 1 shows an arrangement with a, with a chip

equipped, object out of range of mobile phones in a schematic representation,

Fig. 2 shows a first inventive arrangement with a, equipped with a chip, object within reach a mobile network in a schematic representation,

Fig. 3 shows a second inventive arrangement with a, equipped with a chip, object in

Range of a mobile network in a schematic representation,

Fig. 4 shows a third inventive arrangement with a, equipped with a chip, object in

Range of a mobile network in a schematic representation and

Fig. 5 shows a fourth inventive arrangement with a, equipped with a chip, object in

Range of a mobile network in a schematic representation.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of an arrangement with an object 9, which is equipped with a chip IIb, consisting of a processor 14 and a power supply 15 and an optional GPS module 16 and a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) module 12 with antenna , The optional GPS module 16 is not active to keep the power consumption of chip IIb as low as possible. The BLE module 12 is

activated and tried by means of a periodically - for example, every two to thirty seconds - emitted signal 13 to establish a connection to a short-range BLE communication link 6 with the optionally equipped with an APP (application) 24 Cell phones 21a, 21b, 21c, wherein the range 7, for example, twenty to fifty meters, depending on parameters such as terrain, antenna, transmit power, power supply 15 and other factors. The mobile phones 21a, 21b, 21c are all outside the range of the BLE communication link 6, wherein only in the mobile phone 21b an application program APP 24th

is installed, which could evaluate the signal 13 from the object 9 with sufficient reception strength. The

Installation of the APP 24 in the mobile phone causes the mobile phone to be at least not exclusively granted access to a database with information on missing objects, and that the BT or BLE function is enabled in the mobile phone and optional enabling of GPS information is permitted , Mobile phones with the

installed APP 24 form its own community.

Fig. 2 shows again in a schematic representation in a first inventive arrangement, an object 9, with a chip IIa, consisting of a processor 14 and a

Power supply 15 and equipped with an activated BLE module 12 with antenna that tries to establish a connection to a mobile phone 22 by means of a periodically transmitted signal 13 and a short-range BLE communication link 6 at least the one-to-one chip identification 17 of chip IIa to the mobile phone 22 equipped with an APP 24, wherein the mobile phone 22 and at least the APP 24 mandatory

have to be on or active. If the mobile phone 22 is within reach 7 of the BLE Communication link 6 is located, receives the

Mobile phone 22 at least - but not exclusively - the one-to-one chip identification 17 from the object 9. The mobile phone 22 is also a long-range

Communication link 3 either with the mobile

Internet, for example, according to the GSM, GPRS, UMTS, LTE or another standard, or via a Wi-Fi connection. The APP 24 provides on-line access to the central computer 30 and to the database 31 or has access to the list of missing objects 32 temporarily stored in the mobile phone 22

State is "not missing", the receipt of the uniquely identified chip identification 17 of object 9 triggers

Mobile phone 22 no further action. Out

For reasons of data protection, the mobile telephone 22 or the APP 24 does not necessarily have information or information about the identity of the owner of the object 9. For the sake of simplicity, only a single mobile telephone 22 equipped with an APP 24 is shown within the range 7 of the object 9 in FIG. It is understood that a plurality of mobile telephones 22, 21b can be located within the range 7 of object 9.

Fig. 3 shows a second inventive arrangement again in a schematic representation. If the object 10a is missed by the owner or can not be found, the status of the relevant object is, for example, from

Owner or by an operator 36 in the on one

Central computer 30 installed database 31 is changed and the object 10a is in the list of missing objects 32nd entered. The APP 24 either has on-line access to the list of missing items 32 or the mobile 22 has a periodically updated copy of the list of missing items 32. Since the item 10a is in the "Missing" state, the receipt triggers the one-to-one chip identification 17 in the mobile phone 22. The APP 24 recognizes, by means of the one-to-one chip identification 17 and the information in the list of missing objects 32, that the object 10a is marked as "missing". If the release of the GPS position data in the mobile phone 22 is enabled, the APP 24 sends the

Missing position information 20a, consisting of the

one-to-one chip identification 17 and the GPS position data of the mobile phone 22 and the current time, if the GPS position data in the mobile phone 22 are not present only the one-time chip identification 17 and the current time, over the long-range

Communication link 3 in the mobile network respectively via the Internet to the central computer 30. Based on the missing position information 20a and the

one-to-one chip identification 17 and in the

Database 31 stored optional customer data 33, the application software 25 in the central computer 30 one or more messages 34 with the relevant customer and

Object data, in compliance with the valid

Data protection regulations, to various interested parties and beneficiaries 35 such as but not limited to owners, police services, insurance companies, customs offices or similar interested parties. These then take over the further processing of as lost respectively as stolen reported object 10a. Upon successful transmission of the missing position information 20a, one or more

Control signals 18 via the BLE communication connection 6 different functions in the chip IIa are activated, for example, a siren or a battery check or a motion sensor or the transmitter in the BLE module 12 activate or deactivate.

Fig. 4 shows again in a schematic representation in a third inventive arrangement as lost

respectively reported object 10b stolen. The APP 24 in the mobile phone 22 is turned on and is within range 7 of the object 10b. Chip 11 is with a

optional GPS chip 16 is applied, which is in a non-active operating state Bl and thus receives substantially no power. The object 10b-one corresponding chip ID 17 and a status "missing" corresponding flag is missing ^¬ information 19 via the short-range BLE

Communication link 6 is sent to the BLE module 12 of chip IIb, with the result that in the chip IIb the optional GPS module 16 is placed in the active operating state B2 and powered by the power supply 15, the activation process a few seconds, for example, can be thirty seconds.

Fig. 5 again shows a schematic representation in a fourth inventive arrangement as missing

reported object 10b, wherein the mobile phone 22nd 4, but still within range 7 of the short-range BLE communication link 6, and in a first step from the BLE module 12 of the object 10b, the missing position information 20b receives, consisting of the one-to-one chip identification 17, the exact GPS position data of chip IIb and the current time. In a second step, the missing position information 20b is transmitted via the long-range communication connection 3 to the mobile radio network or via the Internet to the

Central computer 30 transmitted. On the basis of the missing position information 20b and the customer data 33 stored in the database 31, the application software 25 can

Central computer 30 one or more messages 34 with the relevant customer and object data to different

interested parties and beneficiaries 35 such as, but not limited to, owners, police services,

Insurance companies, customs offices or similar interested parties. These then take over the further processing of the reported as missing or stolen

Object 10b. After successful transfer of the

Missing position information 20b can be activated by means of one or more control signals 18 via the BLE communication link 6 different functions in the chip IIb such as a siren or a

Battery check or a motion sensor or the transmitter in the BLE module 12 activate or deactivate.

It is understood that the inventive method according to FIGS. 1-5 is not necessarily a mobile network or the Internet needed. The method may also be used to locate objects such as a laptop, IPad or similar communicable device, the software in these devices simulating a chip IIa, IIb. The devices can have access to the Internet and are optionally equipped with a GPS

respectively have access to GPS information.

Claims

claims

1. A method for finding at least one

missing object 10a, 10b with a fixed or integrated on the object or in the object

communicable chip IIa, IIb, consisting of at least one BLE module 12 with an antenna that emits a connection signal ping signal 13 with the range 7, and a processor 14 and a

Power supply 15 and an optional GPS module 16, further with at least one Internet-enabled mobile or smartphone 22, loaded with the at least one APP 24, which allows access to a list of missing objects 32, and the at least one BLE module 12th via a BLE-enabled short-range connection 6 with the at least one object 10a, 10b communicates, and further via a long-range communication link 3 with the mobile Internet with at least one with a

Database 31 acted upon central computer 30th

can communicate, characterized in that at least one located in range 7 of the object 10a, 10b mobile phone 22 receives in a first step, the one-to-one chip identification 17 of the missing object 10a, 10b via the short-range BLE communication link 6 and in a second Step the Missing Position Information 20a, 20b

consisting of at least the one-to-one chip identification 17 and date / time and optionally with GPS information from the mobile phone 22 or from the GPS module 16, via mobile network or Internet

at least one central computer 30 forwards and there in a third step, an application program 25 the object 10a, 10b associated customer data 33 and the missing position information 20a, 20b evaluates, and that after evaluation of this information at least one point to be notified by means of at least one message 34th informed respectively alarmed.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that when activated GPS in the mobile phone 22 at least the GPS information of the mobile phone 22 and, alternatively or additionally, the GPS information of the optional GPS module 16 is transmitted and evaluated.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the mobile phone 22 via the installed in the mobile APP 24 on-line access to the

Central computer 30 and the database 31 or can access a temporarily stored in the mobile phone 22 list of missing objects 32.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the database 31 contains at least one list of missing objects 32.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the optional GPS module 16 either in non- active operating state Bl is located without significant power consumption or active

Operating state B2 with supply via the power supply 15 is located.

6. The method according to claim 1 and 5, characterized

characterized in that the optional GPS module 16 in the active operating state B2, the missing position information 20b via the short-range BLE communication link 6 to the at least one

Cellular phone 22 transmits, and that the mobile phone 22, the missing position information 20b via the long-range communication link 3 to the at least one

Central computer 30 transmitted.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the communication takes place from the mobile phone 22 to the Internet via a WLAN connection.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the short-range communication link 6 is a Bluetooth connection.

9. Application of the method according to one of claims 1 - 8 for locating missing objects, for example, in a customs office, a police station, a train station or an airport.

10. Application of the method according to one of the claims

1 - 8 for locating devices such as but not limited to a laptop, iPad or similar device powered by at least one BLE or BT capable interface and one

additional software for simulating a chip IIa, IIb and optionally loaded with a GPS module 16.