At present a device for keeping birds away is known and adopted, which is constituted by a casing generically containing a pulse sound and/or light emitter.

Said known device sends out sounds and/or light flashes at regular intervals and is generically positioned in the area that must be protected against birds.

The operation of the light and sound emitter takes place according to regular intervals that are predetermined during the production phase.

This device isn ! t very effective, since the birds memorize the time interval between successive sound or light signals, enter the area protected by the devices after a signal and leave it just before the successive one.

Even if the time interval is changed, after a while the birds memorize the new sequence, thus making the new adjustment useless.

Some devices are regulated or manufactured so that they emit sound and/or light signals continuously. These devices aren't very effective, either, because the birds, after a lapse of time during which they get used to these signals, become insensitive to sound and light emissions.

In order to overcome all the drawbacks mentioned above, a new device for keeping birds away having differential management functions has been designed and implemented.

The aim of the invention is to keep birds away by means of one or more devices, distributed on the area to be protected according to a modular and integrated network, in which light and sound signals are sent out with different and variable frequency, amplitude, modulation, rhythm and in which the behaviour of each point depends on what is determined by a control unit.

Another aim of the new device is to keep birds away by emitting sound and light signals from different sources according to predefined, random or pseudo-random sequences.

These and other direct and complementary aims have been achieved through the implementation of a new device for keeping birds away with differential management functions, comprising a control unit connected to a pilot system that in turn controls and pilots some emission units.

Each emission unit is constituted by a casing that may be provided with a servo controlled, opening protection cover. Inside the casing or the cover, if any, there are a control circuit, one or more light emitters and one or more sound emitters.

The control circuit provides for controlling the opening of the protection cover, if provided, and for controlling the sound and light emitters.

Said control circuit, furthermore, receives the operating instructions from the pilot system, controls the correct operation of all the components of the emission unit and also sends malfunction reports to the pilot system, when necessary.

Also the pilot system comprises a casing including an opening cover, a control circuit, one or more light emitters and one or more sound emitters.

The control circuit of the pilot system, besides controlling any sound and light emitters connected to it, is provided with a communicator for radio or wire communication with the control unit, receives from the control unit the operating configuration of all the emission units and transmits the relevant commands to each emission unit, finally it receives from each emission unit the relevant function or malfunction report and transmits it to the control unit.

The control unit, preferably comprising a computer with radio or wire communication system, makes it possible to monitor the correct operation of all the pilot and emission units continuously, to set the desired operating mode for each emission unit, to determine and vary the sequences and combinations of sound and light signals for groups of emission units or for each single emission unit, and also to develop the operating schdule of the whole system.

The characteristics of the new device for keeping birds away with differential management functions will be better highlighted by the following description of one among many possible applications of the invention, illustrated in the attached drawings.

Figures la and lb show two examples of implementation of an emission unit (E) provided with opening cover and without opening cover.

The emission unit (E) comprises a casing (E1) that may have a cover (E2), a control circuit (E3), one or more light emitters (E4) and one or more sound emitters (E5).

The casing (E1) and the relevant cover (E2) are such as to contain the control unit (E3), as well as the sound (E5) and light (E4) emitters, protecting them from weather agents. In particular, the 3

cover (E2) of the casing (El) is totally or partially connected to an electric mechanism (E22) that provides for opening or closing it, depending on whether the emission unit (E) is protected or not against weather agents.

Light (E4) and sound (E5) emitters are preferably housed inside the cover. When the cover is completely open, the light (E4) and sound (E5) emitters are directed upwards. When the cover is only partially open, to protect the inside from weather agents, the light (E4) and sound (E5) emitters are directed towards a preferably reflecting surface that also serves to protect the control circuit (E3). Inside the casing (E1) there are the control circuit (E3), the amplification unit, whose connection and operation are diagrammatically represented in Figure 2.

The light emitters (E4) are preferably constituted by one or more stroboscopic lights or similar lights inserted in the cover (E2).

The sound emitters (E5) are. preferably constituted by a set of loudspeakers or acoustic diffusers with high efficiency and high pass- band connected to a respective power amplifier. Said sound emitters (E5) are preferably inserted in the cover (E2).

The control circuit (E3) comprises a logic circuit for management, self-diagnosis and communication with the pilot system (P), as well as a noise generator.

The part of the control circuit (E3) relevant to the management, self- diagnosis and communication logic circuit provides for monitoring the correct operation of the entire emission unit (E), for transmitting the correct operation or malfunction report to the pilot system (P), for setting and operating the noise generator, for operating the light (E4) and sound (E5) emitters and the cover (E2) lifting mechanism.

The part of the control circuit (E3) relevant to the noise generator, diagrammatically represented in Figure 3, substantially comprises a 4

module generating variously modulated wave forms (E31), which can be piloted at random or in a deterministic manner, for example thorugh a complex algorithm, and a module generating predetermined sounds (E32), for example blasts, explosions, howls, bursts. Said two modules (E31, E32), are capable of producing signals with different types of modulation in a wide spectrum of audible and ultrasonic frequencies with emission level variation, both at random and piloted.

The two modules (E31, E32) can be used separately or together, by means of an apposite adder (AD2) and the relevant switches (SW4, SW5), for the production of more or less complex noise effects. The signals generated are sent to a suitable power amplifier that in turn is connected to the sound diffusers (E5).

The wave form generator (E31) is constituted by a frequency modulator (FM) followed by an adder (AD1) and by an amplitude modulator (AM). The three stages are powered by as many generators of modulating frequencies (MG1, MG2 and MG3) and by a carrier frequency generator (CG). The frequency and amplitude of each generator (MG1, MG2 and MG3) are variable within predefined limits and are piloted at random or in a deterministic manner, depending on the desired sound effect. It is possible to exclude one or more generators (MG1, MG2 and MG3) by means of apposite switches (SW1, SW2, SW3), in order to obtain different signal combinations.

The carrier (CG) and modulating frequency (MG1, MG2, MG3) generators are all of the frequency synthesis type and both their frequency and amplitude can be modified through the control circuit (E3).

The emission unit (E) constituted as described above is connected to the pilot system (P).

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The pilot system (P) is comprised more or less as the emission units (E), that is, it comprises a casing with or without an opening cover, a control circuit, an amplification unit, one or more light emitters and one or more sound emitters. Besides, said pilot system (P) is provided with suitable interfaces for connection to the various emission units (E) and with a radio connection module for connection to the control unit (C).

The various control units (C), pilot systems (P) and emission units (E) are connected to one another as diagrammatically shown in Figure 4 to protect an area (L), for example the strip of an airport.

The pilot system (P) substantially receives from the control unit (C) the operating configuration of all the emission units (E), sends the relevant commands to each emission unit (E), and it also receives from each emission unit (E) the relevant correct operation or malfunction report and transmits it to the control unit (C).

The control unit (C) is preferably constituted by a computer, with wire or radio communication system for connection to the pilot system (P), combined with dedicated software.

The control unit (C) makes it possible to constantly monitor the correct operation of all the pilot systems (P) and emission units (E), to set the operating mode for each emission unit (E), as well as to define the sequences and combinations of sound and light signals for groups of emission units or for single emission units (E).

The operation of the new device for keeping birds away with differential management functions requires that both the emission units (E) and each pilot system (P) have the possibility to operate individually or to be coordinated. In both cases management is carried out by the pilot system (P), duly piloted by the control unit (C). In every mode the time schedule and the characteristics of the sound and light signals will be determinated by the pilot system (P).

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For example, it will be possible to obtain the emission of independent random signals from each emission unit (E), wherein each unit will emit a different random signal, or of random signals depending on the pilot system (P), wherein all emission units (E) will emit the same random signal.

The emission units (E) can emit different or identical sounds in different sequences (linear sequence, alternate sequence, chessboard sequence, etc.).

For example, in the case of six emission units (E), some of the possible sequences may be the following : Ea, Ed, Eb, Ee, Ec, Ef; Ea Ee Ec together, Ed Eb Ef together; Ea, Eb, Ec, Ef, Ee, Ed; Ea Eb Ec together, Ed Ee Ef together; Ea, Eb, Ec, Ed, Ee, Ef; Ea Eb Ec Ed Ee Ef together; Ea Ed together, Eb Ee together, Ec Ef together.

The beginning, the duration, the sound characteristics of each stage can be varied from the pilot system (P) in a random, pseudo-random or deterministic manner.

Even when the operation of the emission units (E) is completely independent and randomized, it is possible to fix some parameters, for example the range of carrier and modulating frequencies emitted, the maximum and minimum duration of each stage, the minimum and maximum amplitude of each signal.

It is also possible to provide for partializations according to specific areas: for example Ec and Ef operate independently and at random, while Ea, Eb, Ed and Ee are actived in a piloted manner.

The new device for keeping birds away with differential management functions offers considerable advantages.

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There are no standardized time and/or frequency intervals between the emission of sound and/or light signals, and therefore the birds cannot know in advance when a given signal is going to start and/or to end.

There are no continouos acoustic signals and/or flashes that allow the birds to get used to them.

The possibility to modify the operating times, the emitted frequencies, the synchronism, succession or independence between the various units makes the sound and/or light emission by the set of emission units (E) completely unpredictable, which prevents the birds from memorizing the operating times and sequences of the various emission units (E).

The operation of each emission unit (E) in the self-diagnosis mode and the consequent report on its operating condition to the control unit (C) through the pilot system (P) make it possible to constantly verify the correct operation of all the emission units (E), thus allowing also the necessary maintenance operations and repairs to be carried out on the emission units (E) that may be functioning incorrectly and on the actually malfunctioning modules.

Therefore, with reference to the above description and the attached drawings, the following claims are put forth.