FR2782208A1 - Radio control method for actuating bird scaring equipment at an airport, involving specific keying sequence of standard voice communication transceiver - Google Patents

Abstract

Additional data for remote control is sent in short bursts as a coded sequence by on-off keying of an otherwise standard radio transmitter. The coded sequence can be altered at will to indicate different parameters, e.g. bird species to be dispersed, and is transmitted by electronic switching of a relay in an external unit connected in parallel with the normal transmit-receive switch. Independent claims are included for a method and device for bird scaring, especially at an aerodrome, and for a remote actuation device.

Description

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR REMOTELY OPERATING A

  ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED MEMBER AND DEVICE

  FEEDING BIRDS INCLUDING

SUCH AN ACTUATION DEVICE

  The invention relates to a method of remote actuation of an electrically controlled member in which a coded radio signal representative of an actuation order of the member to be delivered by means of a transmission module electric control, and this signal is received at a reception module capable of identifying said coded signal and of delivering, upon reception of the latter, an electric signal for actuation of said electrically controlled member. The invention further extends to a device for the remote actuation of an electrically controlled member and to a device

  intended to scare birds comprising such an actuating device.

  Devices for the remote actuation of an electrically controlled member of the type described above are in common use in many technical fields and mainly comprise a transmission module suitable for delivering a radioelectric signal and a module receiving device electrically coupled to the electrically controlled member and adapted for

  identify the signal emitted by the remote control module.

  By way of example, such actuating devices as described in particular in patent GB 2,284,971 are used on aerodromes to control the broadcasting of sounds intended to scare birds in order to prevent possible collisions between these last and the

planes.

  The present invention relates to an actuation device operating according to this principle of transmission / reception of radioelectric signals, and is particular in that it consists in using, as transmitter, a transmitter provided with an alternator of the type equipping the aerodrome control towers and

aircraft.

  The essential objective of the invention is thus to provide a method and a device for remote actuation of an electrically controlled member using, for the transmission of radioelectric signals, the transmitter with which the tower is equipped. control of an aerodrome or aircraft, without generating

  disturbances in the conventional operation of this transmitter.

  To this end, the invention relates, firstly, to a method of remote actuation of an electrically controlled member according to which: - a transmission module is used comprising a transmitter equipped with a suitable alternation control to switch said transmitter between modes of transmitting and receiving signals, - there is between the terminals of the alternat control a branch circuit provided with a normally open switch associated with electrical control means, - it stores data representative of a predetermined sequence of commands for opening and closing the switch of the branch circuit, - and an electrical signal representative of the stored data is generated, and this electrical signal is delivered to the electrical control means the branch circuit switch so as to successively close and open said branch circuit in accordance with the stored sequence, for the purpose of transmission of an actuation signal by the

transmission module.

  Such an actuation method therefore consists in using a transmitter equipped with a half-cycle control and in having between the terminals of said half-cycle control a branch circuit provided with a switch allowing

  to cut the transmitter carrier according to a given stored sequence.

  Such a method therefore makes it possible, by adding a simple branch circuit, to remotely actuate an electrically controlled member from a conventional transmitter equipped with a half-cycle control such as that fitted in particular in the aeronautical field. control towers and aircraft, without affecting the operation of said transmitter. Indeed, outside of the very short periods of emission of an actuation signal from the electrically controlled member, the transmitter can be used in a conventional manner for the transmission of messages on the frequency of said transmitter, without consequence. concerning the operation of said electrically controlled member. Indeed, although these messages are transmitted on the frequency of the transmitter identified by the receiver, the latter remains inactive due to the non-reception of the sequence very

specific memorized.

  s According to a preferred embodiment, data representative of a sequence of given time intervals of closings and openings of the bypass circuit switch are stored, and each radio signal received at the decoder is decoded. level of the reception module by measuring the successive reception and non-reception times of said signal and by

  o0 comparing them to stored values.

  In addition, preferably, data representative of a sequence of switching period T of the switch of the branch circuit is stored, and each radio signal is decoded by measuring the successive reception and non-reception times. and by comparing them with a stored value representative of T. In addition, during decoding, the time average of each cycle of reception and non-reception time is advantageously calculated, and this time average is compared with the stored value T. In addition, data representative of a sequence advantageously is stored leading to a defined number n of successive switchings of the switch of the branch circuit, and during decoding, the cumulative number of reception times and times is calculated. of non-reception and

we compare it to n.

  The invention applies in particular to a method for controlling a device intended to scare birds, in particular on an aerodrome, according to which: - the calls of different species of birds are synthesized, in a preliminary phase one wishes to be able to startle, and the series of synthesized data representative of said bird calls is memorized by assigning to each of said series an identification code, - and in order to remotely control the device, a signal is delivered. actuation broken down into a first signal part representative of the activation command of said device, and into a second

  representative part of the code of the selected memorized series.

  The invention extends to a device for the remote actuation of an electrically controlled member comprising a module for transmitting radioelectric signals, comprising a transmitter provided with a half-cycle control adapted to switch said transmitter between modes of transmission and reception of radioelectric signals, and a reception module comprising a receiver adapted to identify the signals delivered by the transmission module and deliver an electrical signal for actuation of the electrically controlled member 1o when receiving a predetermined coded radio signal. According to the invention, the transmission module of this actuation device comprises: a bypass circuit connected between the terminals of the alternation control and provided with a normally open switch and with electrical means for controlling said switch, means for storing data representative of a predetermined sequence of commands for opening and closing the switch of the bypass circuit, and a central unit with microcontroller connected to the memory means and to the electrical control means of the bypass circuit switch, and programmed to be able to read the sequence of stored data, generate an electrical signal representative of said stored data, and deliver this electrical signal to the means

  electrical switch control.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, the auxiliary module is integrated in a housing provided with means for connecting its circuit

  bypass at the terminals of the alternat control of a transmitter.

  In addition, the reception module preferably comprises: - means for storing data representative of a range of radio-electric signals for actuation of the electrically controlled member, - a central unit with connected microcontroller, on the one hand , to the storage means in order to be able to read therein, and, on the other hand, to the receiver to receive the signals coming from the transmission module, said central unit being programmed to be able to decode a signal received by the receiver, compare it with stored data, and in case of correspondence,

  to deliver an actuation signal of the electrically controlled member.

  The invention also extends to a device intended for

  scaring birds, comprising, in addition to the actuation device described above

  above: - a voice synthesis component associated with means for memorizing series of synthetic data each representative of a bird's cry, said synthesis component being adapted to deliver a low frequency electrical signal corresponding to one of the series of synthetic data stored, - means for amplifying the low frequency signal delivered by the voice synthesis component, - and means for converting the acoustic waves

  electrical signal delivered by the amplification means.

  Other characteristics, aims and advantages of the invention

  will emerge from the detailed description which follows with reference to the appended drawings

  which represent by way of nonlimiting example a preferred embodiment as well as an application of this embodiment. On these drawings

  which form an integral part of this description:

  - Figure 1 is a block diagram of a transmission module of an actuating device according to the invention, - Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the auxiliary module of this transmission module, - Figure 3 is a block diagram of the auxiliary module of this transmission module, - Figure 4 is a perspective view of a reception module for a specific application of an actuating device according to the invention, - Figure 5 is a general block diagram of this reception module, - Figure 6 is an electronic diagram of the amplification means of this reception module, - and Figures 7a and 7b respectively represent a binary signal transmitted to the control of the alternat of the transmitter of the transmission module and the corresponding radioelectric signal transmitted by said transmission module. The device according to the invention for remote actuation 10 of an electrically controlled member mainly comprises a module for transmitting high frequency radioelectric signals and a module for

reception of said signals.

  Firstly, as shown in FIG. 1, the transmission module comprises a conventional transceiver 1 as used in the

  aeronautics in control towers and aircraft. This transmitter-

  receiver 1 connected to an antenna 2 therefore traditionally comprises a microphone 3 for the transmission of messages, and an alternation control 4 adapted to switch said transmitter between its modes of transmission and reception of audio messages. This transmission module also comprises an auxiliary module 5 comprising a bypass circuit 6 provided with a switch 7, mounted

  between the terminals of the alternation control 4.

  As shown in Figure 2, this auxiliary module 5 is in the form of a housing 8 incorporating a processing card 9, closed by a plate 10 provided with an on / off power supply button 11, a push button 12, a connector 13 for the connection of this box 8

  with a terminal, and a light display diode 14.

  The processing card 9 incorporated in this box 8 is shown in a synoptic manner in FIG. 3, and mainly comprises a microcontroller 15 associated with an EEPROM memory 16, and the bypass circuit 6 intended to be mounted between the terminals of the control d 'altemrnat 4 of

transmitter / receiver 1.

  First, the microcontroller 15 is connected to the push button 12 by means of a photocoupler 17, so that

  actuation of said push button switches the ground at the input of said micro-

  controller. This microcontroller 15 is also connected to the branch circuit 6 which mainly comprises an electrical relay 18, by

  through a second photocopier 19.

  This microcontroller is finally connected to the diode 14, and to the

  connector 13 for its connection with a terminal.

  The EEPROM memory 16 contains series of binary data representative of a key code, coded on 5 bits, intended to be identified by the reception module, and of codes, coded on 3 bits, representative of the type of birds whose calls you want to make, and whose selection can be

operated from a terminal.

  For example, the key code can consist of the binary data series 10101, while the code representative of the type of birds can

be chosen between 000 and 111.

  The operation of the transmission module described above is as follows: when the push button 12 is closed, the micro-controller 15 is programmed to deliver to the branch circuit 6 an 8-bit binary signal, the width of which each bit is equivalent to a predetermined time T of

  a few hundred milliseconds, such as for example T = 200 m s.

  This binary signal representative of the key code and of the selected bird code is transformed into dry contact at the relay 18 and has for example the shape illustrated in FIG. 7a which represents a binary signal whose key code is 10101 as mentioned above , and the selection code

of birds is 011.

  This signal transmitted to the control of the alternation 4 leads to the transmission by the transmitter / receiver 1 of a carrier on the frequency of said

  transmitter / receiver, according to the sequence determined by the form of the binary signal.

  However, it turns out that there is most often a time difference d depending on the type of transceiver 1, between the time when the half-duplex 4 is grounded and the time when the transmission is effective. . Therefore, the radio signal actually transmitted has the form illustrated in the

  FIG. 7b in which the index d represents the abovementioned offset.

  At the same time, the microcontroller 15 controls the lighting of the diode 14 for a predetermined period of time corresponding substantially to the time of emission of the calls of birds, so as to avoid a new

  actuation of the push button 12 during this period of time.

  The reception module 20 shown in FIG. 4 constitutes a mobile station adapted to be installed at the edge

  an aerodrome runway for the dissemination of synthesized bird calls.

  This mobile station 20 is in the form of a removable external structure composed of a foot 21 consisting of a folding tripod fixed to the ground by stakes 22, and possibly guyed, of a box 23 carried by the foot 22 and supporting , on the one hand, a vertical mast 24 on the upper end of which are fixed two adjustable speakers 25a, 25b and, on the other

  hand, an integrated antenna, and a solar panel 26.

  The box 23 of this mobile station integrates the intelligence of the reception module 20 shown synoptically in FIG. 5 and mainly comprising a receiver 27, two electronic cards ensuring the essential functions: a micro-controller card 28 and an amplification card 29 , a battery 30 associated with a power supply card to

  cutting 31, and a speech synthesis component 32.

  First, the power supply card 31 includes a switching power supply allowing, from the 12 Volts current

  supplied by the battery 30 to deliver a direct current 60 Volts, 1 Ampere.

  The amplification card 29 makes it possible to convert the power supplied by the power supply card 31 into sinusoidal power, and to amplify the low frequency signals coming from the speech synthesis component 32 by giving them this power, so as to deliver a current supply of the two speakers 25a, 25b connected in parallel, having a power of more than

Watts.

  The diagram of this power supply board 29 is represented in FIG. 6. This includes an amplifier 33 delivering, from the binary signal coming from the speech synthesis component 32, a sinusoidal signal evolving between 0 and 60 Volts, and a large capacity capacitor 34 making it possible to cut the DC component to 30 Volts, so that the signal delivered is

sinusoidal between - and + 30 Volts.

  This amplification card 29 also includes a filter making it possible to get rid of any parasites. Finally, it includes a grounded output resistor 36, intended to avoid operation at

  vacuum by providing an output load of said amplifier, in case the loudspeakers

  speakers 25a, 25b would not be connected.

  The voice synthesis component 32 is associated with a REPROM memory 37 programmed in an initial phase, from which it draws the sampled sound data representative of the different calls of birds, memorized in the form of series of data each of which is

  allocated a numeric address code.

  This voice synthesis component 32 is connected in parallel form to the microcontroller 28 via an address bus, and is adapted to deliver to the amplification card 29 a low frequency signal.

with a power of 0.5 to 1 Watt.

  Finally, the microcontroller card 28 is associated with an E2 PROM memory 38 in which data are notably stored.

  numerical codes representing the key code and the different bird call codes.

  This microcontroller card 28 is, first of all, programmed to be able to read and write in this memory 39, and to decode the signals coming from the

receiver 27.

  This decoding consists, for the key code, of sampling the signal from each edge, so as to calculate the time corresponding to each of its alternations, then to: - verify the time identity of the corresponding alternations, - calculate the cumulative time of the first two half-waves, and verify the identity of the average of this time with a stored value representative of the time T of each bit of the signal delivered by the

  emission module (in the example T = 200 m s as mentioned above).

  For bird call codes, and in case of codeclef identification, this decoding consists in sampling the signal from the end of 3T the last alternation of the key code, to calculate its value for times T / 2 , 2 T and 2 from the origin of this sampling, and to compare the three values

  obtained with the stored bird call codes.

  By way of example, for the signal represented in FIG. 7b, the

  signal sent corresponds to a bird call code equal to 011.

  The microcontroller 28 is also programmed, after identification of a key code and a bird call code, to control on the one hand the voice synthesis component 32 according to the identified bird call code, and on the other hand, the powering up of the amplification card 29 and the

  amplification of the amplifier 33.

  To this end, this micro-controller card 28 is programmed to control: - a first relay 39 making it possible to switch the output of the battery 30 on the power supply card 31, so that said card

  power does not flow continuously.

  a second relay 40 located on the supply to the amplification card 29, intended to allow the capacitor 34 to be discharged from the latter after the supply has stopped, so as to avoid destruction of the

  switching power supply card 31.

  Finally, the microcontroller 28 can be connected by

  a serial link 41 to a terminal.

he

Claims (8)

  1 / - Method for remote actuation of an electrically controlled member, in which a coded radio signal representative of an actuation order for said actuation is delivered by means of a transmission module (1, 5) electrically controlled member, and this signal is received at a reception module (20) able to identify said coded signal and to deliver, when received, an electric signal for activating the electrically controlled member, said method being characterized in that: - a transmission module (1, 5) is used comprising a transmitter 10 (1) provided with a half-cycle control (4) adapted to switch said transmitter between transmission and transmission modes reception of signals, - there is between the terminals of the control (4) of alternation a branch circuit (6) provided with a normally open switch (7) associated with electrical control means (18), - it stores data representative of a predetermined sequence of co mmandes of openings and closings of the switch (7) of the branch circuit (6), - and an electrical signal representative of the memorized data is generated, and this electrical signal is delivered to the electrical means (18) for controlling the branch circuit switch (7) so as to successively close and open said branch circuit in accordance with the stored sequence, with a view to transmitting a signal   actuation by the transmission module (1, 5).   2 / -A method according to claim 1, characterized in that data representative of a sequence of given time intervals of closings and openings of the switch (7) of the branch circuit (6) is stored, and each radio signal received at the reception module (20) is decoded by measuring the successive reception and non-reception times   of said signal and comparing them with stored values.   3 / -A method according to claim 2, characterized in that data representative of a sequence of switching period T of the switch (7) of the branch circuit (6) is stored, and each radio signal is decoded- electric by measuring the successive reception and non-reception times and comparing them to a memorized value representative of T. 4 / -A method according to claim 3, characterized in that, during decoding, the average time of each cycle of reception and non-reception time, and this time average is compared with the stored value representative of T.   / - Method according to one of claims 3 or 4,   characterized in that data representative of a sequence memorized leading to a defined number n of successive switchings of the switch l0 (7) of the branch circuit (6) are stored, and during the decoding, the cumulative number is calculated   of reception time and non-reception time and we compare it to n.   6 / -Process according to one of the preceding claims for   remote control of a device intended to scare birds, in particular on an aerodrome, characterized in that: - the cries of different species of birds which one wishes to be able to scare are synthesized, in a preliminary phase, and the series of synthesized data representative of said bird calls is memorized by assigning an identification code to each of said series, - and in order to control the device remotely, an actuation signal is broken down into a first part of signal representative of the activation command of said device, and in one second   representative part of the identification code of the selected stored series.   7 / -Device for remote actuation of an organ to   electrical control comprising a module for transmitting (1, 5) radio signals   electrical devices comprising a transmitter (1) provided with an alternation control (4) adapted to switch said transmitter between modes of transmission and reception of radioelectric signals, and a reception module (20) comprising a receiver ( 27) for the reception of the radio signals delivered by the emission module (1, 5), and adapted to identify the signals delivered by the emission module (1, 5) and deliver an electrical signal for activating the electrical component upon reception of a predetermined coded radio signal, 13 2782208   said remote actuation device being characterized in that the transmission module (1, 5) comprises an auxiliary module (5) comprising: a bypass circuit (6) connected between the terminals of the alternation control (4 ) and provided with a normally open switch (7) and with electrical means (18) for controlling said switch, - means (16) for memorizing data representative of a predetermined sequence of opening and closing commands of the 'switch (7) of the branch circuit (6), - and a central unit (15) with microcontroller connected to l0 storage means (16) and to the electrical means (18) for controlling the switch (7) of the circuit bypass (6), and programmed to be able to read the sequence of stored data, generate an electrical signal representative of said stored data, and deliver this electrical signal to the means   electrical (18) control switch (7).   8 / -Activation device according to claim 7, characterized in that the auxiliary module (5) is integrated in a housing (8) provided with means for connecting its branch circuit (7) to the terminals of the   alternation control (4) of a transmitter (1).   9 / -Activation device according to one of claims   7 or 8, characterized in that the microcontroller (15) is connected to a serial link interface (13) adapted to allow reading and writing in the means of storage (16).   / - Actuation device according to one of   Claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the receiving module (20)   comprises: - means (38) for storing data representative of a range of radioelectric signals for actuating the electrically controlled member, - a central unit with microcontroller (28) connected, on the one hand, to the storage means (38) to be able to read therein, and, secondly, to the receiver (27) to receive the signals coming from the transmission module (1, 5), said central unit being programmed to be able to decode a signal received by the receiver (27), compare it with the stored data, and in case of correspondence, to deliver an electrical signal for activation of the organ to online order.   11 / - Device intended to scare birds, in particular on an aerodrome, characterized in that it comprises: - an actuating device according to claim, - a voice synthesis component (32) associated with means (37) memorizing series of synthetic data representative 1o each of a bird cry, said synthesis component being adapted to deliver a low frequency electrical signal corresponding to one of the data series stored synthetics ,.   - means (29) for amplifying the low frequency signal delivered by the speech synthesis component (32), - and means (25a, 25b) for conversion into waves   acoustic of the electrical signal delivered by the amplification means (29).