System comprising controlled-supply bluetooth communication module, radio communication assembly, methods and readers

• US 20070015465A1
• Filed: 02/13/2004
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Baracoda
• Original Assignee: Baracoda
• Inventors: Serval, Thomas, Giroud, Olivier
• Application Number:
  US10/545,444
• Publication Number:
  US 20070015465A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.200
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0705 the battery being connected to a power saving arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An equipment control system, with a stand-alone power supply source, contains a command reception and detection unit, the electromagnetic radio waves complying with a voice or data radio communication standard in a radio frequency band, the standard providing at least one function causing, the transmission of a data packet corresponding to a set temporal structure pattern containing transmission moments of a frequency and/or phase modulated radio-frequency signal separated by absence-of-transmission moments. The invention, the set temporal structure pattern is transmitted by an electromagnetic generator and the reception and detection unit is a reception circuit, in the determined radio frequency band, and a detector for an amplitude modulation with a detection output, the detector not being sensitive to the frequency and/or phase modulation, the level of the detection output toggling when the set temporal structure pattern is received and detected.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a piece of equipment by electromagnetic radio waves, the system containing a command reception and detection unit independent of the equipment, the electromagnetic radio waves complying with a voice or data radio communication standard in a radio frequency band, the standard providing at least one function causing, in a transmitter according to the standard, the transmission of a data packet corresponding to a set temporal structure pattern containing transmission moments of a frequency and/or phase modulated radio-frequency signal separated by absence-of-transmission moments,

characterised in that the set temporal structure pattern is transmitted by an electromagnetic generator (6) according to the standard and external to the system and in that the reception and detection unit is a reception circuit, in the radio frequency band determined, and a circuit for detecting an amplitude modulation (ASK) with a detection output, the detector not being sensitive to the frequency and/or phase modulation, the level of the detection output toggling when the set temporal structure pattern is received and detected.

2. A system according to claim 1, characterised in that the standard is selected among the BLUETOOTH®

, Wi-Fi®

or GSM/GPRS®

protocols and,

in the case of the BLUETOOTH®

standard, the radio frequency band is the ISM band 2.4 GHz to 2.48 GHz, the function is an identification function and the data packet is an identity packet pattern (ID_packet),

and in the case of the GSM/GPRS®

standard, the function is a handshake function and the data packet is a channel random access packet pattern (<

<

random access channel>

>

or RACH).

3. A system according to claim 2, characterised in that it is intended for switching the electric power supply of the equipment and that the detection output of the reception and detection unit is connected to a command input of a controlled circuit (15, 22) for switching the power supply of the equipment so that when the detection output toggles, the equipment is power supplied.

4. A system according to claim 3, characterised in that the equipment is a Bluetooth®

communication module (18) containing a stand-alone power supply source (16), the communication module being power supply-controlled, the electromagnetic wave reception and detection unit (10) is according to the amplitude modulation (ASK) for detecting an identity packet (ID_Packet) of DAC or IAC type transmitted by the external electromagnetic generator (6) according to the BLUETOOTH®

standard, the detection output of the reception and detection unit being connected to the command input of the power supply-controlled switching circuit so that, when the electromagnetic radio wave of the identification packet transmission function (ID_packet) is received and detected by the unit, the Bluetooth®

communication module is powered by the stand-alone power supply source.

5. A system according to claim 1, characterised in that the reception and detection unit is a passive electronic tag (10), the power supply of the tag being provided by the electromagnetic generator, the electromagnetic waves of the electromagnetic generator being used for the power supply of the tag.

6. A system according to claim 1, characterised in that the reception and detection unit is an active electronic tag (10), the power supply of the tag being provided (17) by a stand-alone power supply source (16) of the equipment.

7. A system according to claim 3, characterised in that the power supply-controlled switching circuit includes moreover a time-delay means operatable by the command input and enabling to keep for a predetermined holding time the power supply of said equipment upon completed detection of the electromagnetic wave, the power supply of the equipment being switched off upon expiry of the predetermined holding time regardless whether there have been new detections or not during said holding time.

8. A system according to claim 3, characterised in that the power supply-controlled switching circuit includes moreover a time-delay means (23) operatable by the command input and enabling to keep for a predetermined initial holding time the power supply of said equipment upon completed detection of the electromagnetic wave, the power supply of the equipment being switched off upon expiry of the predetermined holding time failing any new detection during said holding time, the detection of the electromagnetic wave during the holding sequence extending the holding sequence during the detection and the holding sequence during the predetermined holding time at the expiry of the detection.

9. A system according to claim 7, characterised in that the equipment includes a power supply control output (24′

) connected to a second command input of the power supply switching-controlled circuit, the equipment being thus capable of controlling directly its power supply once power-supplied further to the detection of electromagnetic waves.

10. A system according to claim 9, characterised in that it includes a watchdog for monitoring the power supply, the power supply-controlled switching circuit containing the time-delay means operatable by the command input with detection of the electromagnetic wave during the holding time extending the holding sequence for a new predetermined holding time, the time-delay means is moreover operatable by the second command input of the power supply switching-controlled circuit, said second input being active on a transition, whereby the equipment should regularly send said transitions via its power supply control output in order to maintain the power supply thereof.

11. A system according to claim 9, characterised in that the time-delay means operatable is replaced with a flip-flop logic with at least one function R/S and with

a set input (S),

an reset input (R),

the set input being connected to the output of the detector and the reset input being connected to a power supply control output.

12. An operating method of a system for controlling a piece of equipment by electromagnetic radio waves, the system containing a command reception and detection unit independent of the equipment, the electromagnetic radio waves complying with a voice or data radio communication standard in a radio frequency band, the standard providing at least one function causing, in a transmitter according to the standard, the transmission of a data packet corresponding to a set temporal structure pattern containing transmission moments of a frequency and/or phase modulated radio-frequency signal separated by absence-of-transmission moments,

characterised in that with a system according to any of the previous claims, the set temporal structure pattern is transmitted via an electromagnetic generator (6) according to the standard and external to the system and in that a command reception and detection unit is implemented which is a reception circuit, in the determined radio frequency band, and is a detector for an amplitude modulation (ASK) with a detection output, the detector not being sensitive to the frequency and/or phase modulation, the level of the detection output toggling when the set temporal structure pattern is received and detected.

13. A method according to claim 12, characterised in that a piece of equipment is implemented which is a Bluetooth®

communication module (18) with stand-alone power supply source (16), and that the power supply of the module is controlled relative to the reception and detection of electromagnetic waves transmitted by the electromagnetic generator according to the BLUETOOTH®

standard with a controlled circuit (15) for switching the power supply of said communication module (18) containing a command input, the detection output having been connected to the command input of the power supply-controlled switching circuit so that when the detection output toggles, the Bluetooth®

communication module is power supplied, the external generator operating in the 2.4 GHz to 2.48 GHz ISM radio frequency band with a function which is an identification function and a data packet which is an identity packet pattern (ID_packet).

14. A radio communication assembly containing at least one system for controlling a piece of equipment by electromagnetic radio waves and at least one electromagnetic generator physically independent of the system, the system containing a command reception and detection unit independent of the equipment, the electromagnetic radio waves complying with a voice or data radio communication standard in a determined radio frequency band, the standard providing at least one function causing, in a transmitter according to the standard, the transmission of a data packet corresponding to a set temporal structure pattern containing transmission moments of a frequency and/or phase modulated radio-frequency signal separated by absence-of-transmission moments,

characterised in that it includes a system according to claim 1, the command reception and detection unit being a reception circuit, in the determined radio frequency band, and being a detector for an amplitude modulation (ASK) with a detection output, the detector not being sensitive to the frequency and/or phase modulation, the level of the detection output toggling when the set temporal structure pattern is received and detected, and in that the temporal structure pattern is transmitted by an electromagnetic generator (6) according to the standard.

15. A radio communication assembly according to claim 14, characterised in that the electromagnetic wave reception and detection unit (10) is an electronic tag and in that the generator (10) is an electronic tag reader (6).

16. A radio communication assembly according to claim 15, characterised in that the equipment is a Bluetooth®

communication module (18) containing a stand-alone power supply source (16), the communication module being power supply-controlled, the system being intended for switching the electric power supply of the communication module and the detection output of the tag being connected to a command input of a controlled circuit (15, 22) for switching the power supply of the communication module so that when the detection output toggles, the communication module is power supplied, and in that the electronic tag reader includes moreover a Bluetooth®

radio communication device capable of making it communicate with a base station and the module (18) of the system.

17. A radio communication assembly according to claim 15, characterised in that the equipment is a Bluetooth®

communication module (18) containing a stand-alone power supply source (16), the communication module being power supply-controlled, the system being intended for switching the electric power supply of the communication module and the detection output of the tag being connected to a command input of a controlled circuit (15, 22) for switching the power supply of the communication module so that when the detection output toggles, the communication module is power supplied, and in that the electromagnetic generator of the electronic tag reader operates in the 2.4 GHz to 2.48 GHz ISM radio frequency band with a function which is an identification function and a data packet which is an identity packet pattern (ID_packet).

18. An implementation method of the radio communication assembly of claim 16, characterised in that in:

a first step, the electronic tag reader (6) is actuated in order to generate electromagnetic waves enabling the reception and detection unit (10) to control the power supply of the Bluetooth®

module (18) and feed said module (18),

a second step, at least one data exchange is conducted between the Bluetooth®

module and the Bluetooth®

radio communication device of the electronic tag reader,

a third step, the Bluetooth®

module (18) controls the switching-off of its own power supply.

19. An electronic tag reader (6) for generating electromagnetic radio waves intended to operate a system containing a command reception and detection unit independent of the equipment, the electromagnetic radio waves complying with a voice or data radio communication standard in a determined radio frequency band, the standard providing at least one function causing, in a transmitter according to the standard, the transmission of a data packet corresponding to a set temporal structure pattern containing transmission moments of a frequency and/or phase modulated radio-frequency signal separated by absence-of-transmission moments,

characterised in that the system complies with claim 1, that the reception and detection unit is a reception circuit, in the determined radio frequency band, and is a detector for an amplitude modulation (ASK) with a detection output, the detector not being sensitive to the frequency and/or phase modulation, the level of the detection output toggling when the set temporal structure pattern is received and detected, said reception and detection unit (10) being an electronic tag and the set temporal structure pattern being transmitted by the electromagnetic generator (6) of the tag reader according to the standard, the tag reader containing moreover a Bluetooth®

radio communication device which may cause the reader (6) to communicate with a base station and the module (18) of the system.

20. An electronic tag reader (6) for generating electromagnetic radio waves intended to operate a system containing a command reception and detection unit independent of the equipment, the electromagnetic radio waves complying with a voice or data radio communication standard in a radio frequency band, the standard providing at least one function causing, in a transmitter according to the standard, the transmission of a data packet corresponding to a set temporal structure pattern containing transmission moments of a frequency and/or phase modulated radio-frequency signal separated by absence-of-transmission moments,

characterised in that the system complies with claim 1, the command reception and detection unit being a reception circuit, in the determined radio frequency band, and being a detector for an amplitude modulation (ASK) with a detection output, the detector not being sensitive to the frequency and/or phase modulation, the level of the detection output toggling when the set temporal structure pattern is received and detected, in that the reception and detection unit (10) is an electronic tag intended for receiving and detecting electromagnetic waves according to the BLUETOOTH®

standard, and the electronic tag reader (6) includes an electromagnetic generator which is a radio communication device transmitting according to the BLUETOOTH®

standard, the radio frequency band being the 2.4 GHz to 2.48 GHz ISM band, the function being an identification function and the data packet being an identity packet pattern (ID_packet).