Luggage bag comprising a geolocation module associated with a communication module

• US 9,424,723 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Franck Albert Dubarry
• Original Assignee: Franck Albert Dubarry
• Inventors: Dubarry, Franck Albert
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNNINGS, TRAVIS R
• Application Number:
  US13/826,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20140139334A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.61, 340/539.1, 340/539.13, 340/539.32, 340/568.7, 340/571, 340/572.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/18 Devices to prevent theft or loss of purses, luggage or hand carried bags
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 15/00 Purses, bags, luggage or other receptacles covered by groups A45C1/00 - A45C11/00, combined with other objects or articles A45C1/08, A45C3/14, A45C11/321, A45C13/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2005/037 with a hard shell, i.e. rigid shell as volume creating element
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 5/03 Suitcases
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0018 Transmission from mobile station to base station
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/02 Mechanical actuation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00

Abstract

A luggage bag is disclosed which comprises electronic circuits comprising a geolocation module and a communication module that are designed such that an information item relating to the position of the luggage bag may be remotely accessible to a user, the communication module exhibiting a switch-off device allowing its deactivation by the user independently of the remainder of the electronic circuits. The electronic circuits comprise a detection module, designed to take measurements of at least one physical quantity and to identify conditions corresponding to the landing of an aircraft. They can also be programmed to operate in an aircraft mode in which, after deactivation of the communication module in response to an action of the user, the detection module performs measurements staggered over time, the electronic circuits being designed to automatically reactivate the communication module subsequent to the identification of conditions corresponding to the landing of an aircraft.

Claims

1. A luggage bag comprising an envelope, defining a loading volume and bearing electronic circuits comprising in particular a geolocation module and a communication module that are designed in such a way that an information item relating to the position of the luggage bag may be remotely accessible to a user, said communication module comprising a switch-off device allowing its deactivation by the user independently of the remainder of said electronic circuits, wherein

said electronic circuits furthermore comprise a detection module, designed to take measurements of at least one physical quantity and to identify conditions corresponding to the landing of an aircraft on the basis of the measurements,

said electronic circuits are capable of functioning in an aircraft mode, which mode can exclusively be activated:

in response to a suitable action of the user on said electronic circuits, or

as a result of a suitable programming of said electronic circuits by the user prior to transport of the luggage bag by aircraft, based on at least one expected takeoff time,

said electronic circuits being designed to deactivate said communication module in said aircraft mode and to control said detection module so that it performs the measurements staggered over time, said electronic circuits also being designed to automatically reactivate said communication module subsequent to the identification of conditions corresponding to the landing of an aircraft on the basis of said measurements.

2. The luggage bag of claim 1, wherein said electronic circuits comprise at least one input, to allow a user to transmit data to them, as well as a storage memory, intended to store information items relating in particular to the dates and times of takeoff of one or more scheduled flights, and said electronic circuits are designed to deactivate said communication module by action on its switch-off device at an instant t1 preceding the takeoff time of the next scheduled flight by a predefined duration Δ

t1.

3. The luggage bag of claim 2, wherein said detection module is also designed to identify conditions corresponding to the takeoff of an aircraft, at an instant t2, in said aircraft mode, by performing measurements staggered over time, after said instant t1, said electronic circuits being designed to momentarily reactivate said communication module if, after a predefined duration Δ

t2 following the envisaged takeoff time for the next scheduled flight, no takeoff has been identified on the basis of the measurements performed by said detection module, so as to render accessible, to a remote user, an information item relating to the position of the luggage bag.

4. The luggage bag of claim 3, wherein said electronic circuits are designed to momentarily reactivate said communication module periodically, after expiry of said duration Δ

t2 and until a takeoff is identified, so as to render periodically accessible, to a remote user, an information item relating to the position of the luggage bag.

5. The luggage bag of claim 3, wherein said storage memory is also intended to store information items relating to the dates and times of landing of one or more scheduled flights, and said electronic circuits are designed to place said detection module in a standby mode after identification of a takeoff and until an instant t3 preceding by a predefined duration Δ

t3 the envisaged time, such as stored in said storage memory, for the following landing, on the basis of which said electronic circuits release said detection module from its standby mode so that the latter performs measurements making it possible to identify conditions corresponding to the landing of the aircraft.

6. The luggage bag of claim 4, wherein said storage memory is also intended to store information items relating to the dates and times of landing of one or more scheduled flights, and said electronic circuits are designed to place said detection module in a standby mode after identification of a takeoff and until an instant t3 preceding by a predefined duration Δ

t3 the envisaged time, such as stored in said storage memory, for the following landing, on the basis of which said electronic circuits release said detection module from its standby mode so that the latter performs measurements making it possible to identify conditions corresponding to the landing of the aircraft.

7. The luggage bag of claim 3, wherein said electronic circuits are designed to store the value of the instant t2 at which a takeoff is identified, in said storage memory, and to calculate the difference between said instant t2 and the expected value such as stored by a user in said storage memory, and to perform an estimation of a modified time for the landing of the aircraft, with reference to the landing time such as stored by the user in said storage memory.

8. The luggage bag of claim 4, wherein said electronic circuits are designed to store the value of the instant t2 at which a takeoff is identified, in said storage memory, and to calculate the difference between said instant t2 and the expected value such as stored by a user in said storage memory, and to perform an estimation of a modified time for the landing of the aircraft, with reference to the landing time such as stored by the user in said storage memory.

9. The luggage bag of claim 6, wherein said electronic circuits are designed to store the value of the instant t2 at which a takeoff is identified, in said storage memory, and to calculate the difference between said instant t2 and the expected value such as stored by a user in said storage memory, and to perform an estimation of a modified time for the landing of the aircraft, with reference to the landing time such as stored by the user in said storage memory.

10. The luggage bag of claim 6, wherein said electronic circuits are designed to adapt said instant t3 of exit from the standby mode of said detection module by taking into account said estimation of a modified time for the landing of the aircraft.

11. The luggage bag of claim 10, wherein said detection module is furnished with at least one sensor or with a combination of sensors taken from the group comprising a pressure sensor, an accelerometer, a satellite-based position sensor, a temperature sensor.

12. The luggage bag of claim 1, furthermore comprising a break-in detection system, said electronic circuits being designed in such a way that an information item relating to a break-in or attempted break-in of the luggage bag may be remotely accessible to a user, either right from the detection of the break-in or the attempted break-in if said electronic circuits are in a mode of operation other than said aircraft mode, or right from reactivation of said communication module if the break-in or the attempted break-in occurs while said electronic circuits are in aircraft mode.

13. The luggage bag of claim 1, wherein said communication module is able to transmit messages via a telephone network of GSM type.

14. The luggage bag of claim 12, wherein said communication module is able to transmit messages via a telephone network of GSM type, said electronic circuits further being designed so that said communication module emits a message destined for a predefined number subsequent to a break-in or attempted break-in.

15. The luggage bag of claim 1, comprising a support linked in a removable manner to the said envelope and carrying the assembly of said electronic circuits as well as an electrical energy source intended to ensure the operation of said electronic circuits, the link between said support and said envelope being locked by an electronic key.

16. The luggage bag of claim 6, comprising a support linked in a removable manner to the said envelope and carrying the assembly of said electronic circuits as well as an electrical energy source intended to ensure the operation of said electronic circuits, the link between said support and said envelope being locked by an electronic key.

17. A method for tracking an aircraft flight for a luggage bag comprising an envelope, defining a loading volume and bearing electronic circuits comprising in particular a geolocation module and a communication module that are designed in such a way that an information item relating to the position of the luggage bag may be remotely accessible to a user, said communication module exhibiting a switch-off device allowing its deactivation by the user independently of the remainder of said electronic circuits, said electronic circuits furthermore comprising a detection module, designed to take measurements of at least one physical quantity and to identify conditions corresponding to the landing of an aircraft on the basis of these measurements, as well as at least one input, to allow a user to transmit data to them, and a storage memory, intended to store information items relating in particular to the dates and times of takeoff of one or more scheduled flights, the method comprising the steps:

a) deactivating said communication module, by action on said switch-off device, prior to a scheduled flight,

b) placing said electronic circuits in an aircraft mode in which said detection module performs measurements staggered over time with the aim of identifying conditions corresponding to the landing of an aircraft on the basis of said measurements, wherein the aircraft mode is exclusively activated;

in response to a suitable action of the user on said electronic circuits, or

as a result of a suitable programming of said electronic circuits by the user prior to transport of the luggage bag by aircraft, based on at least one expected takeoff time, and

c) automatically reactivating said communication module subsequent to the identification of conditions corresponding to the landing of an aircraft on the basis of said measurements.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said detection module also being designed to identify conditions corresponding to the takeoff of an aircraft in said aircraft mode, the method further comprising:

performing measurements staggered over time, on the basis of an instant t1 preceding the takeoff time of the next scheduled flight by a predefined duration Δ

t1, so as to determine the instant t2 of the actual takeoff.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising;

momentarily reactivating said communication module periodically, after expiry of said duration Δ

t2 and until a takeoff is identified, so as to render periodically accessible, to a remote user, an information item relating to the position of the luggage bag.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising;

momentarily reactivating said communication module periodically, after expiry of said duration Δ

t2 and until a takeoff is identified, so as to render periodically accessible, to a remote user, an information item relating to the position of the luggage bag.