GR20170200088U - Electronic identity of beehive's accessories and application suited for the handling thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

Novelty: an electronic identity applicable to the beehive’s accessories and an application meant for the handling thereof is disclosed. Purpose: the invention is an efficient weapon in saving the bees of the planet. Technical features: the invented electronic identity is a near field communication technology -NFC chip which, being adhered to a precise concealed point of the beehive, can be programmed with a unique NFC code (tag unique ID) either during manufacture or a posteriori by a NFC cellular phone or other compatible device. Operation mode: the beekeeper is connected to the beehive via the NFC chip applied to the accessories of the beehive via a cellular phone compatible to the NFC technology. The handling of the electronic accessories of the beehive is carried out via an application connected to an internet database comprising all information entered or modified by the beekeepers during their visit to the beehive (e.g. potential diseases, food, active, inactive or stolen beehives, detection of pesticides etc).

Description

Electronic Identification of beekeeping components

and Application of their management

Introduction

As you know, every professional beekeeper is required to inscribe his beekeeping code on his hives and frames, which is usually done by fire-sealing and is a laborious process, which requires the purchase and use of a relatively expensive fire-seal component. With this code, if someone consults the register of beekeepers held by the Ministry, the identity of the beekeeper can be recognized.

As technology evolves, there are NFC (near field communication) electronic micro-sensors (chips) on the market, which have the ability to carry a unique code by manufacture or by programming, which can be recognized by compatible mobile phones of the latest technology . The good thing about these chips is that they work without the need to be connected to a power source, but when a compatible device such as a compatible mobile phone comes within close range, then the required electricity is transferred wirelessly and the code is built into them. or by programming them, can be read. Easily, with an application, the code carried by these chips can be recognized and the beekeeper can be identified immediately and on the spot.

These chips are very cheap and can be easily integrated into all beekeeping components such as hives and frames, whether they are wooden or plastic, after purchase or during construction. In the case where we have wooden/metal hives, there are self-adhesive chips that can be pasted and painted, while in the case of plastic hives, they can either be stuck on, or included by construction inside the plastic and it is impossible to remove them.

The integration of an electronic code through NFC (near field communication) technology in beekeeping components can be a modern way of identifying them, with the possibility of immediate information extraction using the latest technology mobile phones. At the same time, they enable the development of applications for the management of beekeeping colonies via mobile phones, where all the basic information can be updated on the spot by each beekeeper during his visit to his apiary. Gathering all the information in a database on the internet can give us information about the number of bees on the planet, about the diseases that are circulating and where exactly they appear and whether a hive is stolen or not.

This is how global beekeeping can grow and be ready to face new challenges, in order to save the bee on the planet.

Description

1. Placement of NFC (near field communication) microcontroller (chip) in beekeeping components

The placement of the microcontroller, which from now on we will refer to as NFC chip for convenience, depends on the material of the beekeeping equipment for which it is intended.

For wooden or metal hives, an adhesive chip with 3M adhesive tape can be selected and placed externally or internally on the individual pieces that make up a hive, which are the bottom, floor, lid and frames. After sticking it using the 3M adhesive tape it has, the chip can be painted on the outside without losing its properties, so it is not visible. Its location can be specific so that it can be easily recognized after approaching a state-of-the-art mobile phone within 1-5 cm, or hidden to prevent third parties from removing it. It can also be placed inside the hive in place of the screen located on the lid of the cell or on the bottom and floors of the cell in a corresponding hole that can be made and a screen or thin plastic cap added, so that it can communicate with an external mobile phone, but not easily detached unless the cell is tampered with.

For plastic hives, it can be pasted exactly as in wooden hives, or a special place with a lid can be made which will be screwed with screws inside, so that it cannot be removed if the hive is not tampered with and at the same time communicate externally with a mobile phone, due to of the small thickness of the lid (about 3-8 mm). By design, the chip may be inside the plastic material, such as in laminated credit cards, so that it cannot be removed without damaging the beekeeping component. And in this case his position may be specific or secret. If its location is specific and it is observed that the chip is missing with an obvious violation, then it is theft.

2. NFC Microcontroller Electronic Code (chip).

Each NFC (near field communication) microcontroller (chip) has a unique NFC tag unique ED code from its construction, or we can set a unique code for it from construction, or we can program a code for it after construction with the mobile our phone and use a special application.

All three cases above have their pros and cons. A combination of all three aforementioned ways of using a code is possible and may be the best.

The unique NFC tag unique ID code contained in the chips cannot be changed after its manufacture, but it does not give us information about its owner. In this case we have to connect the unique NFC tag unique ID with the legal owner of the chip in a database and build an application that will access the database to show us the legal owner. Of course, this is convenient for the easy management of the chipakis and the owners. So for example we have the chips in our hands and before we sell them to an owner we activate them in the database, while if the owner wants to sell his beekeeping equipment then we can easily change the owner's information through the database.

In the event that we want to program the rightful owner's code from the factory into the chip, then again this code cannot be changed after its manufacture and can be recognized via a mobile phone, without the need for a special application. The disadvantage of this code is that it is not convenient to manufacture small quantities with a specific code and it is time-consuming, nor can it be changed in case of resale of the beekeeping equipment. So, for example, if a beekeeper wants a chip with its code programmed from the factory, then a specific order must be made for specific pieces, which will be delivered in 10 days from the manufacturer, while if the legal owner wants to sell the beekeeper of the equipment, then it will not be able to be changed with the new owner's details.

Finally, we can program the chips after they are manufactured with the rightful owner's code, so again there is no need for a special app installed on the mobile to read the chip's details, but in this case someone can change its details chipakiou, just as it happened the first time by us, using a mobile phone.

Therefore, the Electronic Identity of Beekeeping Components can be the unique NFC tag unique ID that each NFC chip has by manufacture, which is unique and cannot be changed, while by registering it in a Database in combination with the other two codes and the use of a Mobile application, electronic IDs of Beekeeping Accessories can be easily managed.

3. Electronic Identity Management Application for Beekeeping Components and by extension Beekeeping Flocks for mobile phones

To manage Electronic Identities of Beekeeping Components and by extension Beekeeping Colonies through an application for mobile phones, we will need an NFC (near field communication) microcontroller (chip), an application installed on our mobile phone, a database and a web page.

We place the microcontroller in our cell or buy a cell that has an NFC chip pre-installed. We program the NFC chip with the details (name, surname, beekeeping code, email, mobile phone, cell serial number) of the legal owner of the beekeeping accessory that the chip is inserted through our mobile phone.

We are creating a database on the internet, where each NFC chip based on the unique NFC tag unique ID code is connected to a legal owner and his details (name, surname, beekeeping code, email, mobile phone, cell serial number).

We are creating an application for mobile phones which, once installed on the mobile phone and the mobile phone comes close to the NFC chip (which is placed on a beekeeping accessory) within 1-5cm, can read the unique NFC tag unique ID code from the NFC chip and the data that the NFC chip is programmed with.

When the mobile phone is connected to the NFC chip, the application records the time, date and location of the connection via GPS. The application connects online to the database or offline with data stored in the mobile storage and starts.

If after checking the database of the NFC tag unique ID that has the NFC chip and the mobile phone it is installed on, the cell DOES NOT BELONG to the owner of that mobile phone, then only the basic information of the cell owner is displayed, such as the beekeeper's code. At the same time, after checking the location where the connection was made and the one stored in the database by the legal owner of the cell during his last visit, it is established that the cell remains in the same position or that it has changed position without the approval of the legal owner, who can state if one of his cells is stolen in the database. In this case the rightful owner is automatically emailed with the location details of their stolen cell

If after checking the NFC tag unique ID database of the NFC chip and the mobile phone it is installed on, the cell BELONGS to the owner of that mobile phone, then the cell's previous state, as updated by a previous visit of the beekeeper.

The information we are interested in is the time, date and position of the hive which are automatically found when the mobile phone is connected to the NFC chip and by extension the hive that is installed, how many frames in the hive have bees-brood-pollen , how many boxes in the hive have honey, how many boxes in the hive are empty, and the number of boxes. We also care if the beekeeper has noticed any disease and what it is if he knows it, if dead bees have been observed due to pesticides and if our bee has food and a queen, which the beekeeper can note through our application in each of his visit.

All these data are collected on one web page by all the beekeepers who work on the application, so it is easy to get information at any time about the number of hives that are active, from where and how much honey they produce, which diseases have been observed and what they are and what pesticides have been observed. Visualizations can be done in a user-friendly way using the Google Maps application.

Finally, if the rightful owner notices that a specific cell with a specific unique NFC tag unique ID has been stolen and someone connects to the application with the cell, then a report is sent about the location of the stolen cell, and that person may be a way to prevent theft of cells that have an electronic identity via NFC tag unique ID.

Claims (7)

Claims 1. The Electronic Identification of Beekeeping Components is an NFC (near field communication) technology chip, which is placed on the components that make up a beekeeping hive, such as the movable bottom, floors, lid and frames, either in a visible and specific place for each component to facilitate quick connection to a mobile phone with NFC technology either in an inconspicuous and secret position so that no one can find it and remove it, outside the cell or internally facilitating external wireless access and has the peculiarity that it can to be integrated into the beekeeping components by construction and not be able to be removed later without obvious violation and destruction of the beekeeping component or to be attached afterwards with self-adhesive tape. 2. The Electronic Identity of Beekeeping Accessories is an NFC (near field communication) technology chip, which is placed on the beekeeping accessories according to postulate 1, it has the peculiarity of being able to connect wirelessly with NFC technology mobile phones or any other compatible NFC technology device that approach it at a close distance (usually 1-5cm) and read its code and data externally without having to open the hive or after opening the hive for internal beekeeping components such as frames and give us information about the legal owner of the beekeeping accessory. 3. The Electronic Identity of Beekeeping Components, which is a chip (near field communication) that is placed on the beekeeping components according to principle 1 and can be connected to mobile phones with NFC technology according to principle 2, which by its construction is programmed a unique electronic code NFC tag unique ID that identifies the chip, it can be programmed from its manufacture with data that certifies its legal owner, the type and the serial number of the beekeeping component that is integrated or for which it is intended and can programmed after its manufacture by a mobile phone with NFC technology or other compatible device with NFC technology with information such as the details of its legal owner, the type and serial number of the beekeeping accessory that is integrated or for which it is intended, has the peculiarity that it can specify precisely the beekeeping component in which is embedded or affixed, as well as its legal owner, while the codes and data that are programmed from construction cannot be changed (erased or modified) after its construction, while the data that is programmed after its construction they can only be changed by an authorized NFC technology mobile phone or other authorized NFC technology compatible device. 4. The Electronic Identities of Beekeeping Components according to postulates 1, 2, 3 and all legal owners of beekeeping components that have an electronic identity are stored in an online Database that has the peculiarity that each component that has an electronic identity is connected to a and only legal owner within the Database, while access to the Database to change or add new electronic identities is only available to the administrator or another authorized user. 5. The management of Electronic Identities of Beekeeping Components, which are chips placed on the beekeeping components according to premise 1, can be connected with NFC technology mobile phone according to premise 2, carry unique codes and data according to premise 3 that are registered in a Database according to postulate 4, is done through an Application installed on the mobile phone and can work with an internet connection and communication with the Database or without, with data stored in its internal memory mobile phone, which has the peculiarity that once the mobile phone is connected to an NFC technology chip, it stores the time, date and location (via GPS) of the connection, to identify the beekeeping component from the codes and data it has mortgaged the chip, to give access to the legal owner of the apiary of attached component to record/update information about it (such as bees-brood-pollen boxes, honey boxes, empty boxes, presence of queen and food or not, possible disease and what, pesticide detection, if its hive is active /decommissioned or stolen) and store the latest information in the Database in the mobile phone's storage, and once connected to the Internet upload the new information to the Internet Database. 6. The management of Electronic Identities of beekeeping components according to claims 1, 2, 3, which is done through an Application according to claim 5, which is connected to a Database according to claim 4, once connected to the chip of a beekeeper component saves the time, date and location (via GPS) that the connection was made, checks if this location is the same as the one registered in the database and if it is different and the legal owner of the beekeeping component has declared it to be clamped, has the peculiarity of sending a message to the rightful owner of the cell about the location of the lost cell. 7. The Web page that can be connected to the database that has recorded all the electronic identities of beekeeping components and all their legal owners, but also all the data uploaded by beekeepers during their visit to their hives, has the peculiarity that it can display data such as observed diseases, pesticides, honey, how many active hives it controls, stolen hives observed, in a user-friendly way through interactive maps of the Google Maps application, but also allows any legal owner of beekeeping equipment to get information for his apiary.