Object monitoring device.

p0001The invention relates to a device for monitoring of objects according to the preamble of claim 1 and the use of such a device.

p0002For monitoring of objects, various devices and methods are known, depending on the intended use. For example, from DE-PS 27 48 584 an identification device for detecting the presence of reaching to a monitoring point persons, animals or objects known. In this case, the monitoring point is an RF transmitter and the in each case associated with the objects to be identified detection wafer as a signal transmitter, a tuned to the frequency of the RF transmitter resonance circuit, a generator for binary coded switch signals and an associated with the resonant circuit coupled to the switching member. Further, the received in the resonance circuit RF voltage on the one hand for controlling the generator for the binary-coded control signals, and on the other hand in known manner is rectified and filtered to produce the necessary for the generator and the switching member DC voltage used. This device has the advantage that it requires no battery for powering the circuitry in the detector plate. However, a disadvantage in this case, if there are a large number of objects to be detected in the range of such a monitoring body, because then report all of these objects simultaneously. According to DE-PS 29 46 942, this problem can be solved by a method by which a plurality of symbols related objects are also reliably identified. However, this solution requires a large amount of circuitry.

p0003The present invention has for its object to provide a device for monitoring objects that allows a separate power supply of the objects to uniquely identify each object, nevertheless the circuitry is simple.

p0004This object is achieved by the features specified in the characterizing part of patent claim 1.

p0005The main advantage of this erfindinngsgemäßen device is that for the activation of the object's associated transmitting unit, an energy storage is loaded as the operating voltage source wireless with electric energy and then starts the sending unit with the transmission of transmit signals with simultaneous discharging of the energy store. Thereafter, the transmission time of the transmission unit is limited in time and is put back into operation after a renewed charging of the energy storage. Therefore, it is an object whose energy store energy lack the operation of the associated transmission unit can no longer be maintained, not prevent the detection of another object.

p0006According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the transmitter unit starts immediately or only to send a delay after the charging phase.

p0007The means for wireless transfer of electrical energy preferably includes a charging circuit with an energy transmitter and an energy storage associated energy receiver. In particular, the energy transmitter is a tuned to a specific charging frequency, fed by an oscillator resonant circuit, wherein the energy receiver is constructed as a tuned to this charging frequency resonant circuit.

p0008According to a further embodiment of the invention, the resonant circuit of the energy receiver comprising a rectifier element is connected such that the power absorbed by the resonant circuit electrical energy is rectified and supplied to the energy storage.

p0009The electrical coupling between the energy transmitter and the energy receiver can optionally also take place inductively or capacitively.

p0010In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the energy receiver is arranged during charging of the energy storage in the direct spatial vicinity of the energy transmitter. This results in a particularly effective coupling yields with the result that only a short charging time is needed.

p0011Particularly advantageous is one such embodiment of the invention, wherein the signal receiving unit after the end of the charging phase immediately goes into operation. The article may be, after the energy storage device is charged, are immediately detected by the signal receiving unit.

p0012is particularly advantageous in a further embodiment of the invention, that the transmitter unit is controlled by a control unit and that this control unit is also electrically supplied by the energy storage. In particular, the transmitting unit of such a control unit is controlled in such a way that it generates pulsed transmission signals. Consequently, such a device has a low power consumption, while also addressing the energy storage needs to be dimensioned only for low energy consumption down.

p0013Furthermore, the control unit of such an embodiment of an astable multivibrator and a downstream differentiating stage may be constructed such that a signal generated by the astable multivibrator square-wave signal of the differentiator stage is supplied, and that finally a is controlled to clock the sending unit provided transistor switches from the output of the differentiating stage. This is where a simple concept for the clocking circuit.

p0014To be able to simultaneously locate more items is provided in a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention for the transmitter units a certain number of transmitting frequencies, where the factory formed groups of objects are each one of these transmitter frequencies are assigned such that the transmission units belonging to a group of objects each transmit on the same frequency and further comprising an identifier for identifying the transmitting frequency of each object. For this, the receiving frequencies of the signal receiving units can be set to this transmission frequencies.

p0015Further results for the simultaneous detection of multiple objects, a further advantageous embodiment of the invention in that the charging signals of the energy transmitter having a coding that a particular transmission frequency of the transmitter unit can be adjusted by this encoding, and that also the signal receiving unit on that particular transmission frequency is listening. A further development of this embodiment is that for decoding the coded charging signal and for setting the transmission frequency of the oscillator of the transmitting unit, a microprocessor is provided, which, in turn, a decoder, a programmable frequency divider and a PLL-circuit controls.

p0016According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the charging circuit and the signal receiving unit form a unit, being provided for controlling the same, a monostable flip-flop and active only during the unstable state of the monostable multivibrator of the energy transmitter and the signal receiving unit is inactive and vice versa only during the steady state this monostable trigger the signal receiving unit is ready to receive. This can be effected advantageously via a hand-held device, both the charging and the detecting.

p0017For locating an object, the evaluation circuit is a dependent on the field strength of the transmission signal signal to a display unit results in accordance of claim 18, wherein the value of this field strength associated with the orientation of one of the signal receiving unit antenna and its removal depends on the to be localized object.

p0018In particular, for better determination of the directivity of the signal receiving unit will be equipped with another advantageous development of the invention with a multi-antenna diversity system, according to a further development of this embodiment indicates the display unit regardless of the orientation of the antennas, the direction in which to be located the Property is located.

p0019Further, the display unit may be configured so that it emits optical and / or acoustic signals.

p0020In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the energy storage is a capacitor.

p0021The inventive device can advantageously for locating lost objects, especially those are from the recreational area used. Here at Free Flight, Aircraft, eg boomerangs to think. Also, the inventive apparatus for retrieving golf balls sly is suitable.

p0022Furthermore, the inventive device can be used as a monitoring system for objects in a production line with a plurality of signal reception units to identify at all times, at which point the production line to a particular object is at the moment.

p0023Finally, the device according to the invention can also be used for a temporary use authorization, that is, for a limited use of spaces in the sense of an access authorization or for the temporary use of facilities, such as car washes and cleaning systems for cars or closets in sports facilities.

p0024In the following the invention based on several embodiments will be explained in detail with reference to the drawings. It shows:<dl id="dl0001"><dt>figure 1</dt><dd>a block diagram of an embodiment of the device according to the invention,</dd><dt>figure 2</dt><dd>a block diagram of one embodiment of the monitored object circuitry associated with a transmission frequency setting,</dd><dt>figure 3</dt><dd>a block diagram of another embodiment of a circuit of figure 2 corresponding to a counter for precise limitation of the transmission period,</dd><dt>figure 4</dt><dd>a schematic diagram of an application example of the erfindinngsgemäßen device, and</dd><dt>figure 5</dt><dd>a block diagram of one embodiment of the signal receiving unit and charging circuit unit comprising the inventive device.</dd></dl>

p0025In the figures corresponding parts have the same reference numerals to each other.

p00261 shows a charging circuit 7, a circuit 18 with the transmitter unit 1 and a circuit 19 having a signal receiving unit 2. The charging circuit 7 includes a power transmitter 5, which is constructed as a parallel resonant circuit with a resonant circuit coil L1 and an oscillating circuit capacitor C1. The circuit arrangement 18 comprises, however, a built-up as a parallel resonant circuit comprising a coil L2 and a capacitor C2 energy receiver 4. The condenser C2 of the energy receiver 4 is connected via a diode D having a storage capacitor 3, which serves as an energy storage. The energy transmitter 5 is connected with an oscillator 8 and tuned to a specific charging frequency. The radiated from this energy transmitter energy is received by the energy receiver 4, rectified by the diode D and stored on the storage capacitor 3, which then as a source of operating voltage for the downstream component, in this case, a control unit 9 and a constant current source 12 is used. During the loading phase of the storage capacitor 3 of the power transmitter 5 and the energy receiver 4 are arranged spatially adjacent, as indicated in Figure 1 by a diagrammatically neighborhood of these two parallel circles. This results in reproducible loading conditions are obtained, with the result that the charging time over a monostable multivibrator 16 of the charging circuit 7 to a predetermined period of time is adjustable. This flip-flop 16 operates a transistor switch T2, in turn, the oscillator 8 with an operating voltage source U_B connects. Is now connected via a switch 22 the multivibrator 16 is activated, the flip-flop circuit 16 closes during their non-stable state of the transistor switch T2, so that in this way the oscillator starts to oscillate 8, so that the charge phase is limited to the duration of the non-stable state of the monostable multivibrator sixteenth

p0027Once the energy storage device is charged 3 to start the downstream components 9 and 12 and in particular the transmitter unit 1 to work, that is, through the antenna 15 of the transmitter unit 1 transmitting signals are radiated. The transmitting unit 1 is constructed from an oscillator 13, of a resonant circuit 14 consisting of a capacitor C3 and a coil L3 controls. The oscillator 13 is connected to the constant current source 12, which supplies in spite of decreasing the operating voltage of oscillator 13 with a constant current. The oscillator 13 is further connected via a transistor switch T1 to the storage capacitor 3, in order to generate a pulsed transmit signal for the purpose of energy saving. Therefore, the switching transistor T1 is driven by generated by the control unit 9 clock pulses. This control unit 9 comprises an astable multivibrator 10 and a connected downstream of the differentiator stage 11. The output of this differentiating stage 11 is connected to the transistor switch T1. For supplying energy to these flip-flop circuit 10 and the differentiating stage 11 is connected to the energy storage device 3, whereby the signal input of the astable multivibrator 10 is also connected with this storage capacitor 3rd At the output of the astable multivibrator 10 is a rectangular wave with a duty ratio of 1: 1 is available which is differentiated by the differentiating stage 11 for the generation of short pulses.

p0028The from the transmitting antenna 15 radiated clocked transmission signals are received by a receiving antenna 17 of the signal receiving unit 2 of the circuit arrangement 19 with a closed switch 22a. This signal reception unit 2 has a demodulator 16 and an evaluation unit connected downstream 6, wherein these mentioned components of an operating voltage U_B are supplied. The output of the evaluation circuit 6 leads to a relay 20 whose relay contact can make 21 more controllers. Corresponding applications are explained below.

p00292 shows a circuit arrangement 18 with a transmitting unit 1 with the possibility to set certain transmission frequencies to thereby detect different objects simultaneously. This is realized in that the load signal of the power transmitter 5 illustrates an encoded signal, for example PCM-modulated. This energy received by the receiver 4 according to the charging signal is tapped Figure 2 at the resonant circuit capacitor C2 and supplied via a coupling capacitor C4 to a decoder 23rd A microprocessor 24 evaluates the decoded signals and in turn controls a frequency divider 25 according to the encoded in the received charging signal frequency. The supplied from an oscillator 26 programmable frequency divider 25 drives a PLL circuit 27, which drives in turn, the voltage controlled oscillator 13 of the transmitting unit 1. FIG. The PLL circuit 27 is supplied by a quartz oscillator 28 having a reference frequency. For generating PCM signals modulated charging by the charging circuit 7 contains these respective circuit means to the skilled person per se known and therefore will not be further explained here. Similarly, the signal receiving unit 2 of the circuit arrangement contains 19 adjustment for the reception of different frequencies.

p00303 shows a circuit arrangement 18 is now presented with a transmitter unit 1, in which the transmitting unit 1 is an exactly defined period of time in operation. This defined time period is defined by a counter 29 according to FIG 3, which is for example a down-counter. After the charging phase, such a counter 29 starts its counting operation, during which a switch transistor T3 is turned on and thus the transmitter unit 1 is in operation. After the counting operation is completed, the switch transistor T3 is opened, whereby the transmitter unit 1 adjusts its operation. Such a counter 29 may be formed also programmable for various periods of time by a microprocessor 24 and drives the same for its part, the corresponding information about a decoder 23 according to the figure 3 is replaced. Also in this embodiment, the time period for the operation time of the transmitting unit 1 in the load signal of the power transmitter 5 is coded and supplied to the decoder 23 in the energy receiver 4 via a coupling capacitor C4.

p0031In the previously described embodiments according to Figures 1 to 3 the transmitting unit 1 of the circuit 18 starts immediately after the charging phase of the energy accumulator 3 before sending, so that these transmission signals can be detected immediately by the signal receiving unit 2 of the circuit arrangement 19th However, the circuit arrangement 18 can also be designed so that the transmitting unit 1 begins with a time delay after the end of the charging phase to the Send. For this purpose, the energy store is a time delay element 3 is connected directly downstream, which determines the period of time after which begins the transmission of transmit signals. Such a delay element may in turn be configured programmable using a microprocessor, again is present, the delay time in the charge signal and is supplied via a decoder to the microprocessor.

p00324 shows a use of the device according to the invention for a car wash. In order to use such a car washing machine 33 has a customer 34 includes a customer card in which a circuit arrangement 18, as described in Figures 1 to 3, is implemented, ie in the manner of an IC card. A vending machine 32 includes a charging circuit 7 in the manner described above, which charges the energy store 3 of the implemented in the IC card circuitry 18th Thus, the machine provides a charging device for the energy store. The washer 33 is a circuit 19 associated with a signal receiving unit 2, the washer releases upon receiving the radiation emitted by the IC card transmission signals for use. After the transmitting unit 1 of the circuit arrangement 18 has set its transmit mode again, the washer 33 can no longer be used. Another use is possible only if the client 34, the IC card by paying a fee at the vending machine 32 can recharge. With such an inventive device, as this example shows a simple and inexpensive way to create, to create a temporary use authorization for plants or for example an access authorization for rooms and buildings. With such an inventive device could, for example, the useful life of sports facilities, are controlled in particular for indoor pools by a "charged" IC card is also allowed both the access to sports facilities as well as the use of a wardrobe. If the useful life on the IC card defined expired, access to the wardrobe is no longer possible, but only when the simultaneous payment of a fee the energy storage of the IC card is recharged.

p0033The block diagram according to FIG 5 comprises a charging circuit 7 and a circuit arrangement 19 to the signal receiving unit 2 in a single unit 31. A circuit unit 31 may be housed for example in a portable hand-held device that is both for charging of the energy storage as well as for receiving from a transmission signals transmitting unit 1 produced is used. The structure of the charging circuit 7 and the configuration of the circuit assembly 19 corresponds to that of Figure 1 but wherein the evaluation circuit 6 of the circuit arrangement 19, a display unit 30, for example a measuring device actuates. In addition, the monostable multivibrator 16 controls the charging circuit 7 not only the transistor switch T2 but also a transistor switch T4 which then accurately the components of the circuit arrangement 19 to the operating voltage source U_B connects, if the charging phase has been completed.

p0034A hand-held device with a circuit arrangement 31 according to FIG 5 may be used with advantage for locating objects, which is shown in FIGS 1 18 assigned to 3, a circuit arrangement. For example, equipped with such a circuit arrangement 18 entflogene Planes or discarded boomerangs be located and thus recovered. Before each course, use of such objects in the energy storage must be recharged using the charging means-containing handset. The location of the lost object takes place in that the evaluation unit 6 of the circuit 19, a field strength-dependent signal passes to the display unit 30 and is displayed there. The receiving antenna 17 of the signal receiving unit 2 may be configured as a rod antenna, so that the received with this rod antenna field strength affects directional. The direction in which the lost object is to search, can thus be determined by aligning the rod antenna in different directions, namely where the highest value of the field strength is received. To better determine the directivity of the signals to be received, the signal receiving unit 2 may be equipped with a multi-antenna diversity system. To this end, three aligned in different directions rod or dipole antennas can be used instead of a single rod antenna 17, for example. For the evaluation of the received signals on different antennas, however, a microprocessor is provided which carries out in addition the calculation of the directional characteristics and their evaluation. In this case, a display unit is provided, which displays regardless of the orientation of the antennas, the direction in which the object to be located is situated.