Wireless data transmitting device and method for wireless data transmission

• US 10,645,556 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2016
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Rittner, Ulrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsvey, Gennadiy
• Application Number:
  US15/378,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20170180919A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,238 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10178 including auxiliary means for focusing, repeating or boosting the electromagnetic interrogation field comparable booster antennas integrated on the record carrier itself G06K19/07794
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/44 for aircrafts
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A wireless data transmitting device comprising a first antenna unit for receiving energy from an alternating electromagnetic field and for converting the energy into an alternating current energy signal and a rectifying unit for converting the alternating current energy signal into a direct current signal. The wireless data transmitting device further comprises a data transmitting unit configured to receive the direct current signal and to generate an aircraft related wireless data signal and a second antenna unit configured to output the aircraft related wireless data signal. Further, a system for wireless data transmission, an aircraft, and a method for wireless data transmission are presented.

Claims

1. A system for wireless data transmission, comprising:

a wireless data transmitting device, wherein the wireless data transmitting device comprises no battery, the wireless data transmitting device comprising;

a first antenna unit configured to be the only external energy reception interface and to receive energy from an alternating electromagnetic field and to convert the energy into an alternating current energy signal;

a rectifying unit configured to convert the alternating current energy signal into a direct current signal;

a data transmitting unit directly connected to the rectifying unit and configured to be powered by the direct current signal, and configured to receive the direct current signal and to generate an aircraft related wireless data signal, wherein the wireless data signal comprises information indicative of an identifier and a location of the wireless data transmitting device within an aircraft, wherein the location comprises GPS coordinates; and

a second antenna unit configured to output the aircraft related wireless data signal; and

a plurality of field generating devices configured to generate the alternating electromagnetic field, each of the plurality of field generating devices comprising an RFID reader,

wherein the field generating devices are disposed in different locations of the aircraft and configured to be powered by a board power supply of the aircraft,

wherein the wireless data transmitting device is provided in a form of a tag that is configured to be attached to an item to be tracked within the aircraft.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless data signal is a Bluetooth low energy data signal.

3. The system according to claim 1,

wherein the wireless data transmitting device further comprises:

a memory unit configured to output data stored therein, and

wherein the data transmitting unit is configured to receive the data stored in the memory unit and wherein the wireless data signal is indicative of the data stored in the memory unit.

4. The system according to claim 1,

wherein the wireless data transmitting device further comprises:

a data input interface configured to receive aircraft related data from an external device comprising a sensor, wherein the aircraft related data comprises data indicating measured or sensed properties from the sensor, and

wherein the data transmitting unit is configured to receive the aircraft related data from the data input interface and wherein the wireless data signal is indicative of the aircraft related data received at the data input interface.

5. The system according to claim 1,

wherein the wireless data transmitting device further comprises a Radio-frequency identification (RFID) unit configured to receive energy from the alternating electromagnetic field, to be powered by the received energy, and to wirelessly transmit predefined data.

6. An aircraft comprising the system of claim 1.

7. The aircraft according to claim 6, wherein the field generating devices are fixed to the aircraft.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the alternating electromagnetic field has a frequency selected from the group consisting of 868 MHz, 915 MHz, 13 MHz, and 4.2 GHz.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the alternating electromagnetic field has a frequency of substantially 4.2 GHz.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the tag is a sticker.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the location of the wireless transmitting device comprises a row number and/or a seat number of a seat within the aircraft.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless data signal further comprises a web or server address.

13. The system according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of wireless data transmitting devices are provided in separate rooms of the aircraft or separated by barriers in the aircraft.

14. The system according to claim 13,

wherein at least one of the plurality of wireless data transmitting devices is disposed outside of the aircraft.

15. A system for wireless data transmission, comprising:

at least one wireless data transmitting device, wherein the at least one wireless data transmitting device comprises no battery, the at least one wireless data transmitting device comprising;

a first antenna unit configured to be the only external energy reception interface and to receive energy from an alternating electromagnetic field and to convert the energy into an alternating current energy signal;

a rectifying unit configured to convert the alternating current energy signal into a direct current signal;

a data transmitting unit directly connected to the rectifying unit and configured to be powered by the direct current signal, and configured to receive the direct current signal and to generate an aircraft related wireless data signal, wherein the wireless data signal comprises information indicative of an identifier and a location of the wireless data transmitting device within an aircraft, wherein the location comprises GPS coordinates, and wherein the wireless data transmitting device is provided in a form of a tag that is configured to be attached to an item to be tracked within the aircraft; and

a second antenna unit configured to output the aircraft related wireless data signal;

a plurality of field generating devices configured to generate the alternating electromagnetic field, each of the plurality of field generating devices comprising an RFID reader, wherein the field generating devices are disposed in different locations of the aircraft and configured to be powered by a board power supply of the aircraft; and

a mobile user device configured to receive the wireless data signal; and

the mobile user device is configured to display a map indicating the location of the wireless data transmitting device.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the alternating electromagnetic field has a frequency of substantially 4.2 GHz.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein the tag is a sticker.

18. The system according to claim 15, wherein the location of the wireless transmitting device comprises a row number and/or a seat number of a seat within the aircraft.

19. The system according to claim 15, wherein the wireless data signal further comprises a web or server address.

20. The system according to claim 15,

wherein the at least one wireless data transmitting device further comprises:

a data input interface configured to receive aircraft related data from an external device comprising a sensor, wherein the aircraft related data comprises data indicating measured or sensed properties from the sensor, and wherein

the data transmitting unit is configured to receive the aircraft related data from the data input interface and wherein the wireless data signal is indicative of the aircraft related data received at the data input interface.