Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W48/00—Access restriction; Network selection; Access point selection
  • H04W48/16—Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W8/00—Network data management
  • H04W8/26—Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W84/00—Network topologies
  • H04W84/18—Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method and a system making it possible to quickly establish communication between a reader and a plurality of communicating objects.
• the volume of data that users increasingly seek to obtain, in particular by implementing Internet-type communications networks, is constantly increasing. These data are long and difficult to obtain when they relate to a specific product or object.
• the object of the invention is to facilitate access to this data.
• PRIOR ART It is known a communication protocol called Bluetooth which makes it possible to put in communication by wireless links of the objects located in the same environment and to exchange data between the objects. 1.
• Technological environment Bluetooth was designed to guarantee the absence of interference between different communicating products with each other. To achieve the Bluetooth protocol works by dividing the 2.45Ghz frequency band into sub-frequencies.
• connection process can take up to 10s. With regard to the energy consumed, it is then impossible, with such long connection times, to operate Bluetooth on a battery outside a significant energy source for a period greater than one day.
• One of the objects of the invention is to achieve a lifespan of at least one year.
• One of the objects of the invention is to considerably reduce the connection time and thus extend the service life to one year.
• a fortiori the Bluetooth protocol is not suitable when the objects entering into communication must be of small dimensions.
• the solution according to the invention which will be described below applies to a connection between a standard Bluetooth device (the reader) and a specific Bluetooth element (the communicating object otherwise called a patch).
• the object of the invention is more particularly to enable communication, especially communication of the Bluetooth type, to be implemented faster and less consuming energy than the protocols known to date.
• the invention therefore also makes it possible to integrate microprocessors, in particular microprocessors of the Bluetooth type, into tablets which are compact and of low cost.
• the pads according to the invention also make it possible to exchange information with electronic equipment. implementing standard communication protocols, such as for example the Bluetooth protocol.
• the invention relates to a method for quickly implementing a communication, in particular a Bluetooth type communication, between at least one reader and a plurality of communicating objects, each occurring in particular under the shape of a small communicating object (a size comparable to that of a Euro).
• Each communicating object and the reader includes a communication protocol.
• Each communicating object has a communication address.
• the method according to the invention comprises the following steps: - the step of defining a single communication address for all the communicating objects, - the step, for the reader, of determining whether there is at least one communicating object in the environment in which the reader is located. To this end, the reader sends a request to the unique communication address of all the communicating objects.
• the method further comprises the following steps: the step, for each communicating object receiving the request, to reveal its presence to the reader by emitting a response signal offset in time with respect to the response signals emitted by the other communicating objects , - the step, for each communicating object, of inserting into the response signal to said request information specific to the communicating object concerned.
• the reader is a fully standardized Bluetooth device and only receives software. Communicating objects although specific are compatible with any standard Bluetooth device as long as the software is installed.
• the software fitted to the reader is designed to allow the execution of the steps described above.
• the reader is a mobile phone
• the software is integrated into it during manufacture or is downloaded into the mobile phone from a local source (tag or tag) from a website.
• the reader is associated with mobile telephone equipment, in particular of the GSM type.
• the method further comprises the following steps: the step, for the communicating object, of detecting the GSM signals transmitted by the mobile telephone equipment, the step, for the communicating object, of activating, as a function of the GSM signals thus detected, the emission of the response signal to the request. It is thus possible to reduce the energy consumption of the communicating object by activating the emission of the response signal only in good time.
• the communication protocol includes standby phases and active phases.
• the method further comprises the step of adapting the duration of the standby phases as a function of the number of requests sent by the readers.
• the method further comprises the step of establishing a Bluetooth type connection between said reader and said communicating object concerned by using specific information received from said communicating object.
• the specific information includes information necessary for said reader to establish a Bluetooth type connection with the communicating jet.
• the method further comprises the following steps: - the step of conferring on one of the communicating objects the status of communicating object master in relation to the other communicating objects having the status of slave communicating objects, - the step, for the master communicating object, to collect the communication address and / or the specific information of the slave communicating objects, the step , for the master communicating object, to respond to requests sent by the reader.
• the method further comprises the step, for the master communicating object, of transferring the status of master communicating object to another communicating object, preferably according to the invention, also in the case of this other alternative embodiment, the method further comprises the following steps: the step, for the previous master communicating object, of communicating to the new master communicating object the information which it has concerning the other communicating objects, - the step, for the new master communicating object, to verify the information coming from the previous master communicating object.
• the method is triggered using an application, said application allowing the method to be triggered by a simple action, in particular a click, of a user of the communicating object.
• the invention relates to a system making it possible to rapidly implement a communication, in particular a Bluetooth type communication, between at least one reader and a plurality of communicating objects, in particular in the form of tablets.
• a communication in particular a Bluetooth type communication
• Each communicating object and the reader have a communication protocol.
• Each communicating object has a communication address. All communicating objects have the same unique communication address.
• the system is such that the reader includes first transmission means for sending a request to the unique communication address of all the communicating objects.
• Each communicating object receiving the request comprises second transmission means for transmitting a response signal offset in time with respect to the response signals transmitted by the other communicating objects.
• each communicating object reveals its presence. It also results from the combination of these technical features that the reader can thus quickly determine whether there is at least one communicating object in the environment in which the reader is located.
• each communicating object includes computer processing means for inserting into the response signal to said request information specific to the communicating object concerned.
• the reader is associated with mobile telephone equipment, in particular of the GSM type.
• the system is such that: - each communicating object comprises detection means for detecting the GSM signals emitted by the mobile telephone equipment, - each communicating object comprises means activation to activate, as a function of the GSM signals thus detected, the transmission by the second transmission means of the response signal to the request. It is thus possible, thanks to the combination of these technical features, to reduce the energy consumption of the communicating object by activating the transmission of the response signal only in good time.
• the communication protocol includes standby phases and active phases.
• the system is such that the computer processing means of one communicating object adapt the duration of the standby phases as a function of the number of requests sent by the readers.
• said reader and said communicating object further comprise connection means for establishing a Bluetooth type connection between said reader and said communicating object concerned by using specific information received from said communicating object.
• the system is such that: - the computer processing means make it possible to confer on one of the communicating objects the status of master communicating object with respect to the other communicating objects having the status of slave communicating objects, - the computer processing means of the master communicating object make it possible to collect the communication address and / or the specific information of each slave communicating object, - the computer processing means of the master communicating object make it possible to respond to requests sent by the reader. It results from the combination of these technical features that the reader collects all the information from the communicating objects.
• the system is such that the computer processing means make it possible to transfer the status of master communicating object to another communicating object.
• the system is such that: - the computer processing means allow the previous master communicating object to communicate to the new master communicating object the information which it has concerning the other communicating objects, - the computer processing means of the new master communicating object make it possible to verify the information coming from the previous master communicating object.
• the communicating object is linked to an application module making it possible to trigger the implementation of the communication by a simple action, in particular a click, of a user of the communicating object.
• Communicating object The invention relates to a communicating object, in particular in the form of a communicating object, making it possible to rapidly implement a communication, in particular a Bluetooth type communication, between at least one reader and the communicating object. .
• the communicating object and the reader include a communication protocol.
• the communicating object has a communication address. All communicating objects have the same unique communication address.
• the reader has first means transmission to send a request to the unique communication address of the communicating object.
• the communicating object comprises: - reception means for receiving the request from the reader, - second transmission means for transmitting a response signal offset in time with respect to the response signals emitted by the other communicating objects. It results from the combination of these technical features that each communicating object reveals its presence. It also results from the combination of these technical features that the reader can thus quickly determine whether there is at least one communicating object in the environment in which the reader is located.
• the communicating object also comprises computer processing means for inserting into the request response signal information specific to the communicating object concerned.
• the reader is associated with mobile telephone equipment, in particular of the GSM type.
• the communicating object comprises: - detection means for detecting the GSM signals transmitted by the mobile telephone equipment, - activation means for activating, depending on the GSM signals thus detected, the transmission by the second transmission means of the response signal to the request. It is thus possible, thanks to the combination of these technical features, to reduce the energy consumption of the communicating object by activating the emission of the response signal only in good time.
• the communication protocol includes standby phases and active phases.
• the communicating object is such that the computer processing means of the communicating object adapt the duration of the standby phases according to the number of requests sent by the readers.
• said communicating object comprises connection means for establishing a Bluetooth type connection between said reader and said communicating object concerned by using specific information received from said communicating object.
• the communicating object is such that: - the computer processing means make it possible to confer on one of the communicating objects the status of master communicating object by relation to the other communicating objects having the status of slave communicating objects, - the computer processing means of the master communicating jet make it possible to collect the communication address and / or the specific information of each slave communicating object, - the computer processing means of the master communicating object make it possible to respond to requests sent by the reader. It results from the combination of these technical features that the reader collects all the information from the communicating objects.
• the communicating object is such that the computer processing means make it possible to transfer the status of master communicating object to another communicating object.
• the communicating object is such that: - the computer processing means allow the previous master communicating object to communicate to the new master communicating object the information which it has concerning other communicating objects, the computer processing means of the new master communicating object make it possible to verify the information coming from the previous master communicating object.
• said communicating object is linked to an application module making it possible to trigger the implementation of the communication by a simple action, in particular a click, of a user of the communicating object.
• FIG. 1 represents a diagram of assembly of a system according to the invention
• - figure 2 which represents the algorithm of operation between a reader of communicating object and a communicating object
• - figure 3 which represents in diagrammatic form the activation of the Bluetooth communication system by detection of GSM signals
• - figure 4 which represents the operating algorithm of the activation system of figure 3
• - figure 5 which represents the behavior of a communicating object in individual mode
• - figure 6 which represents the behavior of a slave communicating object in community mode
• - Figure 7 which represents the operation of a master communicating object in community mode.
• a communicating object is also designated, as the case may be, by the terms of master object or of slave object or of pellets.
• Bluetooth has been designed to guarantee the absence of interference between different communicating products with each other. To achieve this, the Bluetooth protocol works by dividing the 2.45Ghz frequency band into sub-frequencies. To eliminate all risks of interference during a communication, two elements agree to communicate on one of these frequencies. The principle of connections is as follows.
• the inquiry mode is by far the one that takes the most time (and energy) because it must discover the surrounding communicating objects (obtain their identifier) without knowing which ones are present.
• the page mode is extremely fast but it requires knowing the Bluetooth communication addresses of the objects present.
• Unique Bluetooth address According to the invention, all the communicating objects have the same Bluetooth communication address. It is thus possible to implement the calling process without going through the search mode for the communicating objects present (see FIG. 2). This unique communication address is coded during manufacture by the manufacturer. This unique communication address cannot be used to identify a particular communicating object. Once the connection is established, the communicating object transmits its identifier.
• the means implemented to circumvent this difficulty consists in adding a delta random response time for the communicating object (see Figure 2).
• the parameters of this statistical system are therefore the listening interval of the communicating object and the opening time of the listening window. Indeed, the communicating object listens for a period of 20ms with a wake-up period every 2.5 s. The probability of "waking up" two communicating objects at the same time is therefore low if the number of communicating objects present is not too high. If two communicating objects respond at the same time, the connection is reset and the process restarted.
• LTC5505 which after detecting a GSM signal activates the search for a system according to the Bluetooth protocol.
• a standard or modified Bluetooth protocol can be used to obtain the information contained in the tablets.
• the GSM signal detector consumes much less energy during the listening phases. Indeed, as the GSM signal is stronger, it therefore requires less energy to detect it. It is therefore possible to benefit from a significant reduction in energy during the listening phases. This allows an extension of the battery life of communicating objects.
• IV. Community operating process The variant embodiment which will be described below is also particularly well suited for reducing the consumption of electrical energy when the density of the pad is high (that is to say when many communicating objects are located in a same environment) or when communicating objects are not very mobile (i.e. when communicating objects stay together for relatively long times).
• the community mode of operation allows communicating objects which remain in groups for sufficiently long times to save their battery.
• Two modes of operation in community are possible: the individual mode and the community mode. These two modes are complementary and describe the operation of the pads.
• the individual mode concerns a single tablet which seeks either a reader or a community to join it or other tablets to form a community.
• the community mode describes the behavior of the pellets after the community has been formed; from the point of view of the master disc and from the point of view of the slave disc belonging to this community.
• Community mode The constitution of a community of communicating jets implies that at the start of the process, according to a predefined algorithm, a communicating object is defined as the master communicating object.
• the master object then communicates with the individual communicating objects to ask them to join the community. It also has the role of collecting all the identifiers of the other communicating objects and responding to the passage of a communicating object reader in order to communicate to it the identifiers of all the communicating objects of the community of communicating objects. Thus the reader collects all the identifiers in a single reading. In order not to consume all the energy of this chip, this function of master communicating object is transmitted in turn.
• the communicating object that responded in first when collecting identifiers in turn becomes the master communicating object of the community. and the master communicating object becomes again the slave communicating object. This process is continuously repeated.
• the master assigns to the next communicating object the role of master object of the community and the duration during which the community must remain in sleep mode before waking up.
• All the community identifiers are for the new master communicating object transmitted by the previous master communicating object.
• the new master communicating object checks whether the information it has received is correct by scanning the other identifiers.
• the communicating jet is in individual mode. During this mode the communicating object seeks - to join a community, other communicating jets to create a community, and / or - a communicating object reader to transmit its information to it.
• the advantages of these two community operating processes are as follows: - a shorter connection time for communication between the communicating objects and the reader, - a longer battery life, - the possibility of '' a high density of communicating objects V.
• the pellet has an adaptive wake-up call. That is to say that if the communicating object sees no communicating object reader after a significant delay it will gradually lengthen the time interval between two alarm clocks. In the same way if the communicating object is in an environment where there are many connections, it will bring the alarm clocks closer to optimize the transmissions. It is thus possible to minimize consumption, for example, in the case where a communicating object is in a warehouse at night when an active search is not necessary.
• the system described makes it possible to quickly implement a communication, in particular a Bluetooth type communication, between at least one reader 1 and a plurality of communicating objects 2, in particular in the form of pellets.
• Each communicating object 2 and the reader 1 use a communication protocol.
• Each communicating object 2 has a communication address. All the communicating objects 2 have the same unique communication address.
• the reader 1 comprises first transmission means 3 for sending a request 4 to the unique communication address of all the communicating objects 2.
• Each communicating object 2 comprises reception means 14 for receiving the request 4.
• Each communicating object 2 comprises second transmission means 5 for transmitting a response signal 6 offset in time randomly with respect to the response signals 6 transmitted by the other communicating objects 2.
• each communicating object 2 reveals its presence and transmits its data .
• the reader 1 can thus quickly determine whether there is at least one communicating object 2 in the environment in which the reader is located 1.
• Each communicating object 2 comprises computer processing means 8 for inserting into the response signal 6 at request 4 information specific to the communicating object 2 concerned.
• the reader 1 is associated with mobile telephone equipment 9, in particular of the GSM type.
• each communicating object 2 comprises: - detection means 10 for detecting the GSM signals transmitted by said mobile telephony equipment 9, - activation means 11 for activating, as a function of the GSM signals thus detected , the transmission by the second transmission means 5 of the response signal 6 to the Bluetooth request 4. It is thus possible to reduce the energy consumption of the communicating object 2 by activating the transmission of the response signal 6 , in proper time.
• the communication protocol comprising standby and active phases.
• the computer processing means 8 of the communicating object 2 adapt the duration of the standby phases according to the number of requests sent by said readers.
• the computer processing means 8 make it possible to confer on one of the communicating objects the status of master communicating object 12 with respect to the other communicating objects 2. The latter have the status slave communicating object 13.
• the computer processing means 8 of the master communicating object 12 make it possible to collect the communication address and / or said specific information from each slave communicating object 13.
• said computer processing means 8 of the master communicating object 12 make it possible to respond to Bluetooth 4 requests sent by said reader 1.
• the reader 1 can collect the of information from communicating objects.
• the computer processing means 8 make it possible to transfer to another object communicating the status of master communicating jet 12.
• the computer processing means 8 also allow the previous master communicating object 12 to communicate to the new master communicating object 12 the information which it has concerning the other communicating objects 2.
• the computer processing means 8 of the new master communicating object 12 make it possible to verify the information coming from the previous master communicating object 12.
• FIG. 2 represents the operating algorithm between a reader of a communicating object and a communicating object.
• Phase 101 The user initiates a search for pads 102: Phase 102: System initialization: Switching to communication in "axces mode" 103: Phase 103: Search phase for communicating object for a given period 104: Phase 104 : Use of identifiers depending on the application 105 - Phase 105 Connection and collection of identifiers 106: Phase 106 Connection and transfer of
• Phase 107 Phase 107: Sleep phase for a given period 108: Phase 108: Sleep phase for a random period 109: Phase 109 Call mode for 21 ms 110: Phase 110 Call mode?
• 111 Phase 111 System initialization 112: Reader 113; Comm object Description of the algorithm in Figure 2. From the point of view of the reader, the latter, once the program is activated, switches to communication mode and periodically searches for communicating objects. If it finds a communicating object, it makes a communication and receives the identifier of the communicating object. Once the where the identifiers received from the different communicating objects he uses them according to the application. From the point of view of the communicating object, the latter periodically searches for readers.
• FIG. 3 represents in schematic form the activation of the Bluetooth communication system by the detection of GSM signals.
• the following numerical references designate the following technical elements: 114: Bluetooth equipment 115: Signal detector 116: Wake-up signal 117: GSM signals 118: Bluetooth signals
• the Bluetooth communication function is activated by the detection of a field signal GSM of a certain amplitude. If this signal is detected then the function is activated, otherwise the system continues its search.
• FIG. 3 represents in schematic form the activation of the Bluetooth communication system by the detection of GSM signals.
• the following numerical references designate the following technical elements: 114: Bluetooth equipment 115: Signal detector 116: Wake-up signal 117: GSM signals 118: Bluetooth signals
• the Bluetooth communication function is activated by the detection of a field signal GSM of a certain amplitude. If this signal is detected then the function is activated, otherwise the system continues its search.
• FIG. 3 represents in schematic form the activation of the Bluetooth communication system by the detection of GSM signals.
• FIG. 5 represents the behavior of a communicating object in individual mode.
• the following numerical references designate the following technical elements: 127: Phase 127: Waking up of the system 128: Phase 128: Sending and listening to a communicating object (survey mode or Bluetooth call) from the community master OR other tablets in individual mode.
• Phase 132 Phase 132: Search for a communicating object reader 133: Phase 133: creation of a new community if an individual responds 134: Phase 134: Sending the identifier of the sticker 131: Phase 131: Is there an answer? 135: Phase 135: Sleep phase for a given period
• a communicating object seeks to enter into communication with either a community of communicating objects or with other communicating jets seeking to form a community. If the communicating object receives a response from a communicating object having the status of master of a community, then it has joined it. If the communicating object finds other communicating objects in individual mode then they constitute a community. In the case where the communicating jet finds neither of these two types of elements, it then seeks a reader of communicating objects.
• FIG. 6 represents the behavior of a slave communicating object in community mode.
• the following numerical references designate the following technical elements: 137: Phase 137: Waking time imposed by the current master 138: Phase 138 : Listening for a communication from the new master 139: Phase 139: Communication? 140: Phase 140: Transmits the identifier of the tablet to the new master and obtains the waking time 141: Phase 141: Enter deep sleep mode 142: Phase 142: Either one tablet has been removed from the tablet community or a new one master has been kidnapped.
• Phase 143 Enter individual mode
• the master sets the wake-up time. Once awakened, the slave object searches for a signal from the master. If this communication takes place then the slave object transmits its identifier and obtains the new wake-up time and goes into sleep mode. If this communication cannot be established, either the master object has been removed or this slave object has been removed from the community. The slave object therefore goes into individual mode.
• FIG. 7 represents the operation of a master communicating object in community mode.
• Phase 144 A tablet is designated as master by the previous master and the former master becomes a slave again 145: Phase 145: Community mode - Master 146: Phase 146: The tablet conducts an investigation process to verify which tablets belong to the community. All identifiers are recorded 147: Phase 147: The master tablet gives the wake-up interval to all the tablets 148: Phase 148: The tablet designates a tablet to become master 149: Phase 149: The tablet searches for a reader and tablets that are looking to join community 150: Phase 150: The pellet transmits the updated list to the community member at defined intervals. 151: Phase 151: If a reader is found, all the identifiers of the community are transferred.
• Phase 152 Phase 152: If a new patch is found, the wake-up information is transmitted; His ID is added to the list 153: Phase 153: After a defined time, the role of master is transmitted to the next master.
• a communicating object is designated as master by the previous master. The master performs a process of verifying the identifiers transmitted by the previous master. All identifiers are memorized. The master then gives all the slaves their waking time, and she designates the new master of the community. The teacher is looking for a communicating object reader to transmit the identifiers or a communicating object to join the community. If a reader is found, all of the stored identifiers are transmitted.
• the solution according to the invention makes it possible to open access to an innovative and wide field of applications, by making the functionality of Bluetooth accessible from a communicating object. Operating Bluetooth in very low consumption mode opens the possibility of using it from a communicating object in order to make objects "intelligent".
• connection time is a principle which can be applied to energized systems (having an important source of energy) but which have access needs to
• the technological solution according to the invention makes it possible to provide numerous value-added services, via mobile telephones and other standard communications devices (PDAs, etc.). For example, a user can immediately obtain information associated with a billboard, a poster for a show or a painting exhibited in a museum, by clicking directly on these objects using a mobile telephone device. He can thus access the most relevant information with one click.
• PDAs personal digital assistants
• 06/01883 filed May 25, 2001 it is described how it is possible to "surf" in a city, in the same way that a surfer explores a website.
• the technology according to the invention makes it possible to make the link between the profusion of data and the needs to disseminate knowledge intelligently in response to real needs.
• the technology according to the invention makes it possible to respond to growing problems of rapid access to relevant information, allowing the passage from a world of data to a world of information and acquired knowledge.

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  • 2004-07-09 WO PCT/FR2004/050324 patent/WO2005008973A2/fr active Application Filing
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