WO2015145058A1

WO2015145058A1 - Stand-alone, communicating geopositioning device

Info

Publication number: WO2015145058A1
Application number: PCT/FR2015/050735
Authority: WO
Inventors: Patrice GATTEL; Paul-Vincent BONZOM
Original assignee: Amesys Sas
Priority date: 2014-03-26
Filing date: 2015-03-24
Publication date: 2015-10-01
Also published as: WO2015145061A1; BR112016022002A2; FR3019309A1; FR3019309B1; EP3123202A1; MX2016012404A

Abstract

The invention relates to a stand-alone, communicating geopositioning device characterised in that it comprises: geopositioning means; low-consumption communication means using a long-range radio link; low-consumption processing means, said processing means comprising at least one input interface connected to means for producing a signal; means for transmitting a geopositioning message produced by the geopositioning means and comprising at least geopositioning data; means for transmitting a message according to the result of the processing, by the processing means, of a signal received via the input interface, said transmission taking place via the long-range communication means.

Description

Autonomous geolocation device communicating

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an autonomous geolocation device communicating.

Standalone means, in the context of this description, the fact that the device is equipped with its own source of electrical power. It does not need to be connected to a power distribution network in order to operate.

The field of the invention is that of geolocation. More particularly, the field of the invention is that of intelligent geolocation.

STATE OF THE PRIOR ART

In the state of the art the number of communicating objects increases rapidly. We are talking about the Internet of Things. Most of the current communicating objects have been planned for this communication. They therefore include all the means required for these communications. However, we would like to be able to communicate older objects that do not have the required means. We would also like to make communicating objects that are not originally intended for.

To do this we know at least a first solution that is to equip existing objects with an embedded system capable of transmitting data at a very low rate. It is a self-powered device that transmits, at regular intervals, a message with about ten bytes. Such a message can be sent approximately 1 0 times a day to guarantee:

The non-collision of messages transmitted by different identical devices;

The range of the device, the flow rate is low, at most 100 bits per second, the signal level required for reception can be particularly low, which increases the range of the transmitter; The duration of activity of the device, the device being little active to emit little data, it consumes all the less. Between two broadcasts the device is dormant.

However, all these compromises have disadvantages. They make geolocation impossible, because of the optimization of consumption. In fact, these devices are used on fixed devices, which makes the need for geolocation unnecessary. Likewise if these devices can emit, they are unable to receive, if only because he spends most of their time in a sleep mode. These compromises, however, allow to obtain a device whose autonomy can reach twenty years if nothing comes to alter it during this period.

In the state of the art a second solution is to equip an object, for example a vehicle, with a dedicated mobile phone. The dedicated mobile phone is then powered and recharged by the vehicle battery which guarantees its autonomy. From there it is possible to implement any type of application in the dedicated phone, all functions of a mobile phone is available.

The disadvantages of the second solution are at least:

It is unsuitable for objects of small size or when clutter is an important factor;

It is unsuitable without a constant supply of energy;

It has a very short range, a few hundred meters maximum, which makes it unusable, for example, in maritime or rural areas.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention aims to remedy all or part of the disadvantages of the state of the art identified above, and in particular to provide means to allow to perform a geolocation of devices not initially provided for and this on great distances without having to worry about the autonomy of the device.

The invention also provides a generic device capable of adapting to a large number of situations. In this purpose, one aspect of the invention relates to an autonomous device for communicating geolocation characterized in that it comprises:

Geolocation means,

Low-power communication means over a long-range radio link,

Low consumption processing means, these processing means comprising at least one incoming interface connected to means for producing a signal,

Means for transmitting a geolocation message including at least geolocation data produced by the geolocation means;

Means for transmitting a message according to the result of a processing, carried out by the processing means, on a signal received via the incoming interface, transmission made via the long-range communication means;

it has a memory for storing a unique identifier of the device;

the processing means are reprogrammable.

In addition to the main features which have just been mentioned in the preceding paragraph, the method / device according to the invention may have one or more additional characteristics among the following, considered individually or according to the technically possible combinations:

an incoming interface of the processing means is connected to an outgoing interface of the communication means;

an incoming interface of the processing means is connected to a signal producer external to said processing device;

the geolocation means are on-board means processing signals emitted by a constellation of satellites;

the geolocation means are instruction codes causing the broadcasting, by the autonomous device, via the communication means of a message comprising an identifier of said autonomous device; the geolocation means are implemented at regular interval (140.1);

the communication means are adapted to operate in a frequency band of 800 to 900 MHz;

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge on reading the description which follows, with reference to the appended figures, which illustrate:

- Figure 1, an element illustration of a device according to the invention; FIG. 2 is a step illustration of a method for implementing a device according to the invention.

For clarity, identical or similar elements are identified by identical reference signs throughout the figures.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows and the examination of the figures that accompany it. These are presented as an indication and in no way limitative of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT

When an action is taken to a device it is actually performed by a microprocessor of the device controlled by instruction codes stored in a memory of the device. If an action is taken to an application, it is actually performed by a microprocessor of the device in a memory of which the instruction codes corresponding to the application are recorded.

Figure 1 shows a device 1 00 autonomous geolocation according to the invention. FIG. 1 shows that the autonomous geolocation device 1 00 comprises:

A microprocessor 1 1 0,

- Communication means comprising at least:

A demodulator modulator or modem 1 20,

An antenna 1 30 connected to the modem 1 20

140 storage means, Means 1 50 for supplying an electric power, means 1 70 for geolocation.

[0017] FIG. 1 shows that:

Microprocessor 1 1 0 of the autonomous geolocation device,

- Modem 1 20 of the autonomous geolocation device,

Means 140 for storing the autonomous geolocation device, means 1 50 for supplying an electric power,

Means 1 70 of geolocation,

are interconnected via a bus 1 60.

Figure 1 shows only the components of direct interest for the invention. In particular, FIG. 1 does not show a working memory in which the data and instruction codes processed by the microprocessor 1 1 0 of the autonomous geolocation device are loaded.

In a preferred embodiment, all the components of the autonomous geolocation device are so-called low power components.

In particular, the modem 1 20 is a low power electronic component, that is to say a component whose consumption is of the order of 1 0 μΑ standby, 1 0mA reception and 1 00mA emission . One such component is, for example, the electronic component Semtech SX1 272 as described in its technical data sheet for its revision 1 of June 201 3. Other examples are the Texas Instrument CC1000 component, the ST Microelectronics SPI RIT1 component or the NORDIC component nRF905. This enumeration is not exhaustive.

By long range is meant a range exceeding ten kilometers. For example, the LoRa (registered trademark) modulation is used, but other modulations such as FSK, GFSK, MSK, GMSK or OOK can also be used. The list is not exhaustive. This range is not measured between the sending device of the message and the final recipient of the message, but between the sender of the message and the first equipment to which the transmitting device is connected.

The use of these modulations allows to achieve speeds of the order of 100 kbps and thus to ensure a fast transmission that limits the risk of collisions during the transmission of messages. Figure 1 shows that the microprocessor 1 00 comprises an input pin 1 00.1 corresponding to an incoming interface, that is to say an input port of the microprocessor. This input port is either digital or analog. In the invention this pin is connected to means for producing a signal. Such means are, for example:

An accelerometer capable of detecting a sudden deceleration, a reversing sensor such as those used in reversing lights in the navy, the reversal closing a circuit causing the passage of a signal,

A manual switch closing a circuit causing the passage of a signal,

An output pin, that is to say an outgoing interface, long-range communications means thus making the autonomous geolocation device able to receive as well as transmit,

A clock to wake up the device at regular intervals, A power management component,

... The list is not exhaustive.

In the invention the storage means 140 are an electronic component of mass memory for example: an EEPROM (Programmable Erasable Electrical Read Only Memory), a flash memory or even a low power RAM memory. . It is these storage means 140 of the autonomous geolocation device 1 00 which comprise instruction codes corresponding to at least:

A processing producing a result, i.e. data, as a function of a signal received via the incoming interface of the microprocessor 1 1 0 of the autonomous geolocation device 100;

At the emission of a geolocation message comprising at least one location produced by the geolocation means.

The microprocessor 1 1 0 and the storage means 140 of the autonomous geolocation device together form processing means. Such a microprocessor is, for example, a microprocessor of the Microchip (registered trademark) range which offers microprocessors 8, 1 6 and 32 bits at ultra low consumption with announced autonomies of 1 5 to 20 years on standard battery.

The storage means 140 are reprogrammable. The same device can be used, in time, for different applications, or can be updated to take into account a change in context of use. The autonomous geolocation device is therefore configurable.

The geolocation means are, for example, a GPS component or equivalent, such as for example Galileo. We are talking about a GPS variant. These means comprise a signal processing circuit received via at least one antenna. These received signals are emitted by satellites.

In the GPS variant, the means for transmitting a geolocation message comprises instruction codes which, at regular intervals or in a triggered manner, produce a message comprising at least two fields:

- A GPS coordinated field having a latitude and a longitude produced by the means of geolocalization

An identifier field comprising a unique identifier of the autonomous geolocation device.

In the GPS variant, once the geolocation message produced, it is transmitted via the communication means of the autonomous geolocation device to a geolocation server.

In all variants, the unique identifier of the device is read in a memory 1 80 identifier connected to the bus 1 70 of the autonomous geolocation device. Such a memory is either an independent zone of one of the components or an area of the storage means. As unique identifier we can use, for example:

A GUI D (Globally Unique Identifier)

An address I PV6,

A serial number of one of the components of the autonomous geolocation device,

... The list is not exhaustive.

In practice, the unique identifier is parameterized at the time of manufacture of the autonomous geolocation device. As for the unique identifier, an address of the geolocation server is obtained via a parameterization memory. A parameter memory is, for example, an area of the storage means 140.

According to the variants of the invention the geolocation message is issued, for example:

According to a protocol with acknowledgment, for example TCP / I P,

According to a protocol without acknowledgment, for example UDP or a specific protocol.

Note that the use of a protocol with acknowledgment limits the loss of data related to collisions. In a preferred implementation the protocol used is 6L0WPAN for the PV6 LoW Power Wireless Area Networks (Wireless LAN Low Power Area I PV6).

These protocols are usable because the corresponding instruction codes are recorded in the storage means and as the autonomous devices connect to the Internet via a relay station acting as an access point. In the invention, the autonomous geolocation device can be used on a territory equipped with base stations enabling it to communicate. Such a network is comparable to a mobile network, we speak of cellular network. The mesh of such a network in the context of the invention is, however, less dense than in the case of mobile telephony, because the scope of the modems is much more important in the context of the invention. A base station is also called a hub.

In another variant of the invention, the autonomous geolocation device does not include a GPS component. In this variant, the autonomous geolocation device transmits at regular intervals a message comprising its unique identifier. This message is received by all base stations in the neighborhood. This allows base stations, or a device connected to these base stations, to geolocate the transmitting device using the U-TDOA method (Uplink Time Difference Of Arrival), arrival date difference on uplink link ). Once the geolocation is done, the result is sent to the geolocation server. In this case, the geolocation means are instruction codes recorded in the storage means 140. We are talking about U-TDOA variant. The geolocation server may, by receiving the geolocation messages, feed a database with records comprising:

a unique device identifier,

a date, for example the date the geolocation message was received by the server or a date included in the message by its issuer, and

a location.

Such a database can reconstruct the path of a given device knowing its identifier. You can also have access to the speed of movement.

The means 1 50 for supplying electrical power are, for example:

One or more button cell,

- a rechargeable battery,

An electric photo converter,

A rechargeable battery coupled to an electric photo converter for recharging the battery.

In the case of the implementation of an electric photo converter is obtained a device whose autonomy is virtually infinite.

The combination of power supply means and low consumption means of the autonomous geolocation device ensures a device autonomy greater than one year.

The low consumption, and therefore the duration of activity of the device, is increased by a relevant choice of a wake-up frequency during which the autonomous geolocation device performs its geolocation / communication operations. As the device according to the invention is not permanently connected to the network of reception operations are in "pull mode". That is to say that when one wishes to send a message to a device according to the invention must know its identifier. Then sends a message with at least this identifier to a message server. When the device according to the invention sends a geolocation message it also performs a connection to the message server to recover a possible new message. If necessary, the device according to the invention produces and emits one or more responses before returning to standby mode. This is a comparable operation to that of a POP plus SMTP mail. The address of the message server is known by configuration.

Sleep and wake up components of the device are made through a not shown power management component which is responsible for starting the various components of the device according to the invention. It is either a dedicated component or integrated means to one of the components already described.

In one embodiment of the invention these operations are performed 1 time per minute.

In another embodiment of the invention these operations are performed once every 10 minutes.

In another embodiment of the invention, the geolocation operations and the message reception operations have different periods.

The periods specified are indicative. In practice, the operating time of the device is of the order of ten milliseconds, depending on the intended uses. It is therefore quite possible to have periods, between two successive revivals, of the order of the second.

In a variant, this interval is recorded in an area 140.1 wakeup interval means 140 for storing the autonomous geolocation device.

The communications means are preferably configured to operate in the frequency range of 900MHz to 1000MHz or in the band 800MHz to 1100MHz. The interest of these frequency bands is not only that they are free, but also that they have already been studied during phases of deployment of the first generation mobile telephony. The implementation of base stations, and in particular the choice of their location to obtain an optimal coverage of a territory has already been made. This saves a lot of time.

For the description the various components of the device have been shown in an exploded manner. In practice, all or part of these components can be integrated on a single chip. In particular, the processing means can be integrated in the modem component.

Figure 2 shows implementation steps of the device according to the invention. Figure 2 shows a waiting step 201 in which the device is in sleep mode. In step 201 the device waits:

the time of waking determined by the waking interval, or the appearance of a signal on the incoming interface of the processing means.

Depending on the reason for the alarm we go either to a step 202 of normal operation, or to a step 203 of the signal management.

Step 202 of normal operation is broken down into 2 sub-steps:

A step 2021 for transmitting geolocation information, A step 2022 for querying a message server

If necessary production and issue responses, or launching a treatment corresponding to the content of a received message.

An example of a received message is, for example, an update message of an area of the storage means 140 of the autonomous geolocation device. This makes it possible to update the device.

Another example of message received is a message comprising an instruction code whose interpretation causes the production of a signal on an output pin of the processing means. This makes the device according to the invention active from the point of view of its environment.

It should be noted that the triggering of the normal operation step 203 is comparable to a triggering performed by the reception of a clock signal.

Note that in normal operation the amount of data transmitted is very low, which contributes to the low consumption of the device.

The signal management step 203 depends on the nature of the signal and instruction codes that have previously been recorded in the storage means 140 of the autonomous geolocation device.

The implementation of the teaching of the invention provides an autonomous geolocation programmable device according to specific needs. In addition, the device obtained is active in transmission and reception.

Claims

1. Autonomous device of communicating geolocation characterized in that it comprises:

- Means (170, 140) of geolocation,

Means (120, 130) for low-power communication over a long-range radio link,

Means (1 10, 140) for low-power processing, said processing means comprising at least one incoming interface (1 10.1) connected to means for producing a signal,

Means (140) for transmitting a geolocation message comprising at least geolocation data produced by the geolocation means,

Means (140, 1 10.1) for transmitting a message according to the result of a processing, performed by the processing means, on a signal received via the incoming interface, transmission made via the long-range communication means.

2. autonomous communicating geolocation device according to claim 1, characterized in that an incoming interface of the processing means is connected to an outgoing interface of the communication means.

An autonomous communicating geolocation device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an incoming interface of the processing means is connected to a signal producer external to said processing device.

4. Autonomous device for geolocation communicating according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the geolocation means are onboard means processing signals emitted by a constellation of satellites.

5. Autonomous device of geolocation communicating according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the geolocation means are instruction codes causing the diffusion, by the autonomous device, via the communication means of a message comprising an identifier of said autonomous device.

6. Autonomous device for geolocation communicating according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the geolocation means are implemented at regular interval (140.1).

7. autonomous geolocation device according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that the communication means are adapted to operate in a frequency band of 800 to 900 MHz.

8. autonomous geolocation device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a memory (180) for recording a unique identifier of the device.

9. autonomous geolocation device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the processing means are reprogrammable.