FR2781911A1 - FENCE ELECTRIFIER PROTECTED BY ELECTRONIC THEFT - Google Patents

Abstract

In this fence energizer comprising a housing (2) which contains means capable of generating electrical pulses having an adjustable energy level by means of an energy level selection button (6), which is mounted movable on one face (1) of the housing and provided with an index (7) movable in front of a graduation (8) carried by said face of the housing, coding means capable of producing a first electrical signal, the value of which depends on the position of the button (6), a push button (10) for testing and / or changing the mode, capable of producing a second electrical signal when it is pressed, and an electronic control and command unit capable of controlling the operation of the means generators of electrical pulses in response to the first and second electrical signals, as well as an electronic anti-theft device with secret code, the graduation (8) carries a series of symbols distinct from each other, which are selectable, in a predefined number, for form a code secret; the button (6) also constitutes, in combination with its index (7) and the series of distinct symbols of the graduation, a means of entering the secret code of the anti-theft device, and the push button (10) also constitutes a means of validation of each of the symbols of the secret code entered using the button (6).

Description

ANTI-THEFT PROTECTION FENCE ELECTRIFIER

ELECTRONIC

  The present invention relates to a fence energizer protected against theft, in particular of the type comprising an anti-theft device.

electronic secret code.

  The present invention relates generally to electric fences intended to protect any place against any intrusion or exit of an animal or a person. These fences are mainly found around fields or meadows in order to prevent cattle from leaving them. The deterrent effect of these fences is due to the sending of high voltage pulses, of controlled energy, in the wires

  conductors forming the fence, via an energizer.

  Usually, energizers receive their energy either from the public electrical distribution network, or from a cell or battery. Energizers operating on the network are generally installed in buildings where the presence of users provides them with good protection against theft. On the other hand, energizers operating on battery or battery are generally installed in the open field, far from any

  surveillance. They can therefore be easily stolen.

  This is why various protection systems have already been proposed to protect the energizers against theft. Known mechanical protection systems, which energetically fix the energizer to the ground or against a stake or pole, have the disadvantage of immobilizing significantly devices that their legitimate owner generally wishes to be able to move quickly from one

  plot of land to another plot.

  Fence energizers are also known which, in service, are placed in a protective cage which is itself connected to the output of the electric pulse generator of the energizer. Consequently, any person who touches the protective cage of the energizer when it is in service receives electric shocks. The deterrent effect provided by such a protective cage is relatively weak, since it is

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  possible to cancel or greatly reduce the effect of electrical impulses

  high voltage, for example wearing thick gloves.

  Finally, fence energizers are known equipped with an electronic anti-theft device with a secret code, which does not hamper the mobility of the energizer, but which is nevertheless sufficiently dissuasive for a potential thief. Indeed, the motivation of a thief is mainly linked to the profit he can get from his theft. If a protection system cancels this profit, or at least makes it very improbable, the thief will be strongly dissuaded from committing his theft. Indeed, if after being stolen, a fence energizer becomes inoperative, the thief can neither

  profit for his personal use nor profit in a possible resale.

  When a fence energizer is equipped with an electronic anti-theft device, after each stop of the energizer, in order to obtain its return to operation, the electronic anti-theft device requires the introduction of a secret code known only to owner of the energizer. The code entered in the electronic circuit of the energizer is compared to the secret code previously stored in a memory of the electronic circuit, and the start-up of the energizer is authorized if and only if the code entered is identical to the memorized secret code. To be able to steal an energizer, you must disconnect it from the fence to which it is connected. To this end, and to avoid suffering painful electric shocks, the thief must first stop the energizer or disconnect it from its power source, battery or battery for example. If the energizer is equipped with an electronic anti-theft device, the thief can no longer obtain the energizer to be restarted later, since he does not know the secret code. In this case, the thief therefore has no interest in taking a risk by stealing a

device that will become useless.

  Electronic means have long been known for keeping a secret code composed of several numbers and / or alphanumeric characters. Semiconductor manufacturers offer many models of permanent electronic memories that retain information, including in the absence of a power supply, and which, combined with a microcontroller and software, can manage

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  the introduction and storage of a secret code. We have also known for a long time, various means of introducing a secret code,

  like for example keyboards or magnetic cards, opto-

  electronic or electronic chips associated with an appropriate card reader. However, these various means of introducing a secret code are relatively expensive and significantly increase the price of fence energizers when incorporated into them to provide them with an electronic anti-theft device. In addition, keyboards or card readers are relatively fragile and delicate to use for devices intended to be installed in the open field and

subject to bad weather.

  The present invention therefore aims to provide a fence energizer equipped with an electronic anti-theft device, which is simple to put

  in work, in manufacture as in use.

  To this end, the invention provides a fence energizer comprising a housing which contains means capable of generating electrical pulses having an adjustable energy level, an energy level selection button, which is mounted mobile on one side. of the case and provided with a movable index in front of a scale carried by said face of the case, a coding means able to produce a first electrical signal whose value depends on the position of the energy level selection button, a push button test and / or mode change, capable of producing a second electrical signal when it is pressed, and an electronic control and command unit capable of controlling the operation of the electrical pulse generator means in response to said first and second electrical signals, as well as an electronic anti-theft device with secret code, said fence energizer being characterized in that said graduation po rte a series of symbols distinct from each other, which are selectable, in predefined number, to form a secret code, in that said energy level selection button also constitutes, in combination with its index and said series of symbols distinct from said graduation, a means of entering the secret code of the anti-theft device, and in that said push button also constitutes a means of validating each of the symbols of the secret code

  entered using said energy level selection button.

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  According to other characteristics of the present invention: - said graduation may include a code change zone and a series of zones each identified by a respective symbol of said

set of symbols.

  - said electronic control and command unit can comprise a programmed microcontroller containing software which firstly manages the logical sequence of operations for the introduction and / or change of the secret code carried out using said button selection of energy level and of said push button, and which, in a second step, if the secret code entered is correct, activates the means generating electrical pulses and restores the function of selection of energy level of said energy level selection button and the test and / or mode change function

pushbutton.

  the energizer can comprise, in a manner known per se, a single-color or multi-color light indicating device making it possible to provide an indication of the state of charge of the battery or of the battery of the energizer when the test push-button is pressed . Preferably, the light indicator device may be arranged to selectively take a first, a second and a third color, for example: red, green and white, and said programmed microcontroller may be arranged to control said light indicator device in making it take on different colors and different states of ignition, continuous or flashing, during said logical sequence of operations for the introduction and / or change of secret code, in order to provide a

  indication of the progress of said operations.

  From the above, it is clear that the invention does not require the installation of expensive additional devices inside

  the fence energizer to equip it with an electronic anti-theft device.

  Indeed, the energy level selection button, the coding means, the test and / or mode change push button, the electronic control and command unit (programmed microcontroller) and the indicating device luminous are elements which are already normally provided in a fence energizer to control the operation of

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  its electrical pulse generator, to adjust the energy level of the pulses produced by this pulse generator and change its operating mode (for example by changing the frequency and / or the shape of the pulses), and to test the state of the battery or battery which supplies current to the fence energizer. From an economic point of view,

  the invention is therefore very advantageous.

  Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge

  better during the following description given as an example in

  reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a view of the front face of a fence energizer of a known type, operating on a battery; Figure 2 is a view of the front face of a fence energizer according to the invention, operating on battery or battery; Figure 3 is a block diagram of the fence energizer according to the invention; Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the sequence of operations performed for the introduction of a secret code in the fence energizer according to the invention; FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the sequence of operations carried out to change the secret code stored in

  Fence energizer according to the invention.

  Figure 1 schematically shows the front face 1 of the housing 2 of a fence energizer of known type, operating on battery or battery. On this front face 1, there is a terminal 3 intended to be connected to an earth connection (not shown), a terminal 4 intended to be connected to the wire of a fence (not shown), and an indicator 5 which flickers at each electrical pulse sent over the fence wire. On the face 1, there is also a button 6 provided with an index 7 movable in front of a scale 8 carried by the front face 1. By turning the button 6 so as to move its index 7 in front of the scale 8, the user can adjust the

  energy level of the electrical impulses sent to the fence wire.

  The button 6 is connected to a member which converts the position of this button, defined by the index 7 and the scale 8, into an electrical quantity whose value depends on the position of the index 7 with respect to the scale 8 and which is usable by the electronic circuit of the energizer in order to regulate the energy level of the electrical pulses produced by said energizer. The aforementioned converter member may be constituted for example by a potentiometer, an optical encoder, a magnetic encoder with

  Hall effect or by a multi-position switch.

  On side 1, there is finally a means of checking the state of charge of the battery or the battery of the fence energizer. This control means may for example consist of a light indicator 9 activated only when a push button 10 is pressed to avoid any current consumption which would decrease the autonomy of the energizer. This push button 10 can also be used to change the operating mode of the energizer, in a manner which will also be

described later.

  FIG. 2 schematically represents the front face 1 of a

  fence energizer according to the invention, operating on cell or battery.

  In FIG. 2, the elements which are identical or which play the same role as those of FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numbers and will not be described again in detail. It should however be specified that, in the energizer according to the invention, the button 6 can, in addition to its role of organ for selecting the energy level of the electrical pulses sent to the fence wire, also play the role a means for entering a secret code in the electronic circuit of the energizer, in a manner which will be described in detail below. In addition, the push button 10, which is used to test the state of charge of the battery or the battery of the energizer, can also, in accordance with the invention, serve to validate each of the elements of the secret code entered by means button 6 like

will also see it later.

  It will also be noted that, in the fence energizer according to the invention, the graduation 8 (FIG. 2) which is associated with the button 6 and its index 7, is different from that which is represented in FIG. 1. Preferably, the graduation 8 of the energizer according to the invention comprises a series of ten zones or boxes, which are respectively identified by the numbers 0 to 9. However, in other embodiments of the invention, the graduation 8 could comprise a number of boxes greater than or less than ten and the boxes could be identified respectively by letters or letters and numbers or by any other graphic symbol, provided that each box is identified by a symbol distinct from that of the other boxes. Preferably, the scale 8 of the energizer according to the invention further carries a box or zone

  additional 11, known as code change box. This box 11 can

  be identified by a color different from that of the other ten boxes or by the words "code change". Although box 11 is shown in Figure 2 at the start of graduation 8, i.e. before the other ten boxes marked with the numbers 0 to 9, it could also be found at

end of said graduation 8.

  Figure 3 shows the block diagram of the fence energizer according to the invention. In Figure 3 we find the two terminals 3 and 4, the button 6 for energy level selection, the light indicator 9, and the push button 10 already mentioned above. As in known energizers, the button 6 is connected to an encoder 12 which converts the position of the button 6 into an electrical signal usable by an electronic control and command unit 13 for controlling a pulse generator 14 and its power stage 15, the output of which is connected to terminal 4, in order to adjust the energy level of the electrical pulses delivered on said terminal 4 as a function of the position of the button 6. Preferably, the encoder 12 is constituted by a potentiometer, but it could also be constituted, in a known manner, by an optoelectronic encoder, a magnetic Hall effect encoder or a switch with

multiple positions.

  In Figure 3, there is also shown a source of electrical energy 16, for example a cell or a battery, which provides the various elements of the energizer the electrical energy necessary for their operation. The source 16 is here connected to the pulse generator 14 via an electronic switch 17, which is controlled by the electronic control and command unit 13 and which constitutes with the latter and with the button 6 and the encoder 12 an anti-theft device

  electronic as we will see later.

  In FIG. 3, the push button 10 is shown as being part of a push button contactor one contact of which is connected to a source of fixed potential, for example ground, while the other contact is connected to the unit Control and command electronics 13. Preferably, the light indicator 9 is constituted by a single light indicator capable of selectively taking various colors. It may be constituted for example by a light emitting diode, which comprises two control electrodes and which emits light of a first color, for example red, when one of the two control electrodes is excited, a light of a second color, for example green, when the other control electrode is excited, and a light of a third color, for example white, when the two control electrodes are excited simultaneously. Under these conditions, when a short-term pressure is exerted on the push button 10, the control and command unit 13 controls, in a known manner, the state of charge of the cell constituting the energy source 16. If the battery 16 has a sufficient charge, the monitoring and control unit 13 controls the indicator 9 so that it lights up green for a few seconds. If the battery charge is low, the control and command unit 13 controls the indicator 9 so that it lights up, for example, in white, while, if the battery 16 insufficient charge and must be changed or recharged, the monitoring and control unit 13 controls the indicator 9 so that it lights up

example in red.

  The push button 10 can also be used to change the operating mode of the energizer, in particular of its pulse generator 14. This can for example be obtained by pressing the push button 10 for several seconds. The software included in the control and command unit 13, which can be constituted in a known manner by a programmed microcontroller, then detects a long press on the push button 10 and decides to change the operating mode of the energizer , for example by controlling the pulse generator 14 so as to modify the frequency and / or the shape of the electrical pulses produced by it. For example, the energizer can have a normal operating mode, in which all the pulses produced at the output (on terminal 4) have the same energy, and a modified operating mode, in which after a high energy pulse we obtains a series of low energy pulses, then again a high energy pulse followed by a series of low energy pulses, and so on, as described in

document EP-A-0454543.

  According to the present invention, in addition to the fact that the button 6 is used to adjust the energy level of the electrical pulses produced on the terminal 4 by the pulse generator 14 and its power stage 15, the button 6 can also be used to introduce a secret code into the control and command unit 13 so that the latter causes the electronic switch 17 to close and thus allows the pulse generator 14 to be started if the code entered is correct, or on the contrary keeps the electronic switch open and, consequently, prohibits the setting

  on the pulse generator 14 if the code entered is incorrect.

  As the button 6 allows only one element of the secret code to be entered at a time into the control and command unit 13, it is necessary to validate and memorize each element of the secret code introduced by means

  button 6 before you can enter the next element of the secret code.

  In accordance with the present invention, the push button 10 can be used, in addition to its usual functions described above, to control the validation and the memorization of each of the elements of the secret code.

  introduced into the control and command unit 13 using button 6.

  FIG. 4 gives the logical flow diagram of the operations carried out during the introduction of a secret code to obtain the start-up of the energizer. The first operation 20 is the energization of the energizer. It is performed by the user by closing an on / off switch (not shown), for example a rotary switch controlled by the button 6. Thus, by bringing the index 7 of the button 6 to any of the boxes of the graduation 8, the user indicates to the control and command unit 13 that he wants to get the energizer started. The unit 13 then flashes the indicator 9 in red (operation 21) to indicate to the user that it is awaiting the introduction of a secret code. The user then positions the index 7 of the button 6 in front of the graduation box 8 which contains the first digit of his secret code (operation 22). The encoder 12 then supplies the unit 13 with an electrical signal or information the value of which corresponds to the first digit of the secret code. The user then presses the push button 10 (operation 23) to indicate to the unit 13 that it must store the first digit of the secret code in its memory. The unit 13 then checks whether the user has pressed the push button 10 (operation 24) and, if so, it lights the indicator 9 in solid green (operation 25) to indicate that

  the user that the first digit of the secret code has been stored.

  The user must then release the push button 10 (operation 26), which the unit 13 verifies (operation 27) and, if this verification is successful, the unit 13 then verifies whether the digit of the secret code which comes to be entered is or is not the last digit of the secret code. If not, the unit 13 lights the indicator 9 in solid red (operation 29) to indicate to the user that he must enter the next digit of his secret code. Operations 22 to 29 are then repeated as many times as necessary, for example

  three more times if the secret code is a four-digit code.

  When all the digits of the secret code have been entered, the unit 13 then checks whether the secret code entered by the user is correct (operation 30), by comparing the code which has just been entered with the secret code which had been recorded. beforehand in another zone of the memory of the unit 13. If at least one of the digits of the code entered does not conform to the memorized secret code, the unit 13 makes the indicator 9 flash in red (operation 21) to indicate to the user that he was mistaken and that he must start re-entering his secret code. On the other hand, if the code entered conforms to the secret code, the unit 13 causes the indicator 9 to flash green (operation 31) for a few moments to indicate to the user the success of the operations for entering the secret code, then it starts the pulse generator 14 (operation 32) for example by controlling the closing of the electronic switch 17, and it finally restores (operation 33) the usual functions of the button 6, of the push button and of the indicator 9. In other words, once the correct secret code has been entered and the pulse generator 14 has been started, the user can conventionally adjust the energy level of the electrical pulses delivered to terminal 4 of l energizer by bringing the index 7 of the button 6 in front of any of the boxes of the

  graduation 8 corresponding to the desired energy level.

  The user can also test the state of the battery 16 by pressing briefly on the push button 10, or he can change the operating mode of the pulse generator by pressing for several seconds on the push button 10. Two operating modes can be provided, namely a normal mode, in which all the pulses have the same energy level (for a given adjustment of the energy level), and a modified mode or economy mode in which for example one pulse in five is a high energy pulse and the other pulses are low energy pulses. In this case, during operation 32, the unit 13 starts the pulse generator 14 in the normal operating mode. Then, if the user wishes to operate the energizer in the modified mode, he exerts a long press on the push button 10 and the unit 13 switches the pulse generator to the modified operating mode. A further long press on the push button 10 returns the pulse generator 14 to the mode

normal operation.

  It is of course possible to provide more than two operating modes. In this case, starting from the normal mode, each prolonged press on the push button 10 switches the pulse generator 14 into one of the other operating modes according to a circular permutation, returning to the normal mode when all the modes have been

explored.

  FIG. 5 gives the logical flowchart of the operations carried out during a code change before obtaining the start-up of the energizer. As before, the first operation 40 consists in energizing the energizer, for example by placing the index 7 of the button 6 on any one of the boxes of the graduation 8. The unit 13 then flashes the indicator 9 in red (operation 41) to indicate to the user that he is awaiting the introduction of a secret code. The user then positions the index 7 of the button 6 in front of the change box.

  code 11l1 of scale 8 (operation 42) and he presses the button-

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  push-button 10 (operation 43) to indicate to unit 13 that it wishes to perform

a code change.

  The unit 13 checks whether the push button 10 has been pressed (operation 44) and, if so, it lights the indicator 9 in solid green (operation 45) to indicate to the user that it has recorded its request

  change of secret code. The user must then release the button-

  pusher 10 (operation 46), which the unit 13 checks (operation 47). As soon as the push button 10 has been released, the unit 13 flashes the indicator 9 in red (operation 48) to indicate to the user that he must enter his 0 old secret code, that is to say say the one currently stored in the memory of the unit 13. The introduction of this secret code (operation 49) can take place in accordance with operations 22 to 29 of the flowchart of the

figure 4.

  Once the last digit of the code has been entered, the unit 13 checks whether the code entered is in accordance with the secret code currently stored in its memory (operation 50). Thus, only the legitimate user of the energizer can modify the secret code. If the code entered conforms to the memorized code, the unit 13 flashes the indicator 9 green for a short time (operation 51) to indicate to the user that the code entered is correct, then it flashes l indicator 9 in white (operation 52) in order to indicate to the user that he must now enter the new secret code which must be memorized in the unit 13. The introduction of this new code (operation 53) can again take place in a manner similar to that described in connection with operations 22 to 29 of the flow diagram of FIG. 4, except that in the operation corresponding to operation 25, between

  entering each digit, indicator 9 is lit solid white.

  When all the digits of the new code have been entered, the unit 13 checks whether the code has been entered twice (operation 54) and, if not, it flashes the indicator 9 in white (operation 52) to indicate that the user that he must enter the new code a second time. This procedure is intended to ensure that the user has correctly noted his new code. The user must therefore repeat the memorization of the new code (operation 53). After the unit 13 has checked that the new code has been entered twice (operation 54), it then checks whether the two new codes entered are identical (operation 55). If not, the program returns to operation 52 in order to invite the user to start again the introduction of the new code. On the other hand, if the two new codes entered are identical, the unit 13 stores the new code in its memory (operation 56) and causes the indicator 9 to flash in green (operation 57)

  to indicate to the user the success of the code change operation.

  Then, the unit 13 starts the pulse generator 14 (operation 58) and it restores (operation 59) the usual functions of the button 6, of the push button 10 and of the indicator 9, after which the energizer can

operate in a conventional manner.

  From the foregoing, it can be seen that, by means of a modification of the graduation 8, in comparison with that of a known energizer, and by means of the use of appropriate software in the control and command unit 13, for example software conforming to the flowcharts of FIGS. 4 and 5, the invention makes it possible to introduce and change a secret code in the fence energizer, and then to operate it in a conventional manner, without it being necessary to '' add expensive and / or delicate components to devices intended to operate outdoors, therefore

weather sensitive.

  It goes without saying that the embodiment of the invention which has been described above has been given by way of purely indicative and in no way limiting example, and that numerous modifications can be easily made by those skilled in the art. art without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus in particular that the rotary button 6 can be replaced by a cursor with linear movement and the circular graduated scale 8

by a linear scale.

  In addition, it is possible to design a procedure for changing the secret code requiring the introduction of the new code only once (the verification operations 54 and 55 of FIG. 5 can then be deleted) or more than twice. , for example three times (operations 52 to

  54 of Figure 5 are then repeated as many times as necessary).

  Likewise, the software can be designed, as is known per se, in such a way that the activation of the energizer can no longer be obtained after a given number of unsuccessful attempts to introduce the secret code, for example when a bad code has been

introduced three times in a row.

  It is also possible to provide, in a manner known per se, a particular code, hidden in the memory of the control and command unit 13 and known only to the manufacturer of energizers. Such a special code allows the after-sales service of the energizer manufacturer to carry out repairs if necessary on a defective energizer or to bring the energizer back to its initial state when

  the user has forgotten their secret code, for example.

  Furthermore, although the foregoing description refers to a

  energizer powered by battery, the invention also applies to an energizer powered by the sector or by solar panels or to an energizer that can be powered by a combination of the aforementioned power modes. If the energizer is not designed for

  operate on battery or battery, it is not necessary that the button-

  push-button 10 has a battery or battery test function. It is also not essential that it has a function change function, if the energizer is designed to operate according to a

only mode of operation.

Claims (4)

  1. Fence energizer comprising a housing (2) which contains means (14, 15) capable of generating electrical pulses having an adjustable energy level, a button (6) for selecting the energy level, which is mounted movable on one face (1) of the housing and provided with an index (7) movable in front of a scale (8) carried by said face of the housing, a coding means (12) capable of producing a first electrical signal whose value depends the position of the energy level selection button (6), a test and / or mode change push button (10) capable of producing a second electrical signal when it is pressed, and an electronic unit (13 ) of control and command capable of controlling the operation of the means (14, 15) generating electrical pulses in response to said first and second electrical signals, as well as an electronic anti-theft device (13, 17) with secret code, characterized in that said graduation (8) carries a e series of symbols distinct from each other, which are selectable, in predefined number, to form a secret code, in that said button (6) for selecting the energy level also constitutes, in combination with its index (7) and said series of symbols distinct from said graduation, a means of entering the secret code of the anti-theft device (13, 17), and in that said push button (10) also constitutes a means of validating each of the symbols of the secret code   entered using said energy level selection button (6).   2. fence energizer according to claim 1, characterized in that said graduation (8) comprises a code change zone (11) and a series of zones each identified by a respective symbol of said series of symbols.   3. Enclosure energizer according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said electronic control and command unit (13) comprises a programmed microcontroller containing software which firstly manages the logical sequence of input operations and / or change of the secret code carried out using said button (6) for selecting the energy level and said push button (10), and which, in a second step, if the secret code entered is correct, routes the electrical pulse generating means and restores the energy level selection function of said energy level selection button (6) and the test and / or mode change function of said push button (10).   4. A fence energizer according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises a light indicator device (9) which can selectively take a first, a second and a third color, and in that said programmed microcontroller (13) controls said device luminous indicator (9) by making it take different colors and different states of ignition, continuous or flashing, during said logical sequence of operations of introduction and / or change of secret code, in order to provide an indication of the state advancement of said operations.