DESCRIPTION

Technical field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a real-time identification and tracking system and method for hidden products, in particular for cablings or pipelines undergrounded or walled. The present invention also relates to a product to be hidden for a real-time identification and tracking system and method.

Prior art

As known, the so-called subservices form a network of utilities and infrastructures which crowd more and more the urban and extraurban subsoil.

Also indoor, even in private homes, a crowd of subservices are walled or undergrounded and include at least electrical cables, optical cables, clear water pipes, sewer pipes and gas pipes.

Such crowding of hidden products may imply that the subservices previously laid underground or walled are often damaged during the excavation for the installation of a new subservice or during maintenance and repair of currently existing subservices.

Usually there is lack of cartographic or other tracking documentation that exactly represents the map of the subservices installed in the subsoil or walled inside a building.

The outcoming material damage is considerable and often cannot be calculated as a whole.

In addition to the direct cost of repair damages, there is also the problem to identify which product has been installed, when it has been installed, who installed it and if the product/installation is certified by the company who performed it. Current management of most subservices installations only consists of a design drawing after sales and installation, and confirmation and management of actual installation is not being performed at all.

In other words, it may be impossible to accurately and reliably check and track information on products related to subservices such as production dates, manufacturers, installers, maintainers, buried depth, installation/maintenance conditions, and also no one except a person who purchased the products may be able to know whether or not the products used during installation are new products, recycled products or used products.

To date, a number of systems for the identification of hidden products like undergrounded or walled cablings or pipelines are known.

These methods exploit color codes, identification numbers, barcodes, QR codes, ad hoc abbreviations, etc. in order to uniquely identify the product (i.e. the subservice).

The unique identification allows manufacturers to identify the produced goods; generally, the identification is limited to the production step.

Generally, the products are transported to a deposit of goods, from which are then distributed to wholesalers and/or retailers to finally reach installers or maintainers.

A major drawback is that, once the products leave the place in which they were individually "identified", there is no more widespread control on actual delivery, installation, maintenance and term conditions of them; in fact, if a service supplier claims that the subservice to be installed will last and be certified for e.g. 50 years, there is no system that can detect an occurred tampering or fraud or defect.

Another method of tracking subservices includes use of colored tapes being laid on top of any subservice undergrounded in order to prevent any rupture when new dig works are been performed. The concept would that first the tape would be hit before hitting any subservice or piping. With the above known tape system no information is being given, the tape is passive and digging or construction break down still is needed to find it.

It is evident from the drawbacks highlighted above the criticality of the identification of the hidden products both for the identification of the physical characteristics of the product itself, and for tracking the subsequent installation and further maintenance or repairing, so as to track in a reliable manner all the chain together with a certified level of service.

In view of all the drawbacks shown, an object of the present invention is to improve or overcome one or more aspects of the prior art techniques. Another object of the present invention is to provide a system/method which allows to detect cablings or pipelines without any digging.

Another object of the present invention, is to provide instantly and reliable all the installation information from the cabling or piping underneath or walled as well as all the needed certifications and any further information. Another object of the system and method according to the present invention is to provide real time tracking of the progress of big construction works and the respecting of the agreed timings and level of services.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an efficient system/ method of identification and tracking of hidden products to overcome the problems of the known techniques.

Another purpose is to provide a method / system for the identification and tracking of subservices which also allows a simple tracking.

Another object of the present invention is to detect with accuracy the position and the type of piping or any other cabling. This information will be stored in the cloud and can be instantly requested.

Another object of the present invention is to link to installed products certified information for security and insurance purposes.

A further object of the present invention is to track down the certifications, timing when the installation was done, the constructor of the installation, the kind of installation and any eventual other remarks. Summary of the Invention

The present invention relates to a real-time identification and tracking system for hidden products as defined in the enclosed claim 1 and by its preferred embodiments disclosed in the dependent claims 2 to 12.

It is also an object of the present invention a method of real-time identification and tracking of hidden products as defined in the enclosed claim 13 and in the preferred embodiment described in the dependent claim 14.

A further object of the present invention is a computer program as defined in the enclosed claim 15.

The Applicant has perceived that the real-time identification and tracking system and method according to the present invention has the following advantages:

it allows monitoring of the information of the hidden product buried underneath or walled, without requiring excavations or works to access the product;

it allows tracking the information of company and workers who performed the installation, maintenance and/or repair;

it allows to track certified information with a warranted level of service.

Brief description of drawings

Additional features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment and the variants thereof, provided by way of example with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a general functional block diagram related to a possible architecture of the system according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows a detail of the transaction record according to the invention;

Figure 3 shows a block diagram of a wireless communication system according to the invention; - Figures 4 and 5 show different embodiments of the identification tape according to the invention.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the Invention

It should be observed that in the following description, identical or analogous blocks, components or modules are indicated in the figures with the same numerical references even where they are illustrated in different embodiments of the invention.

With reference to the cited figures, the real-time identification and tracking system for hidden products according to the invention is overall indicated with the reference number 1 in the block diagram of figure 1 .

For the purposes of explaining the invention, it is assumed hereinafter that the hidden products are cablings or pipelines undergrounded (indoor and/or outdoor) or walled, but the invention is also applicable to other types of products, such as for example cable covers, tubes or pipelines of any kind.

The real-time identification and tracking system 1 comprises:

- an identification tape 2 comprising a plurality of electronic identification means 3;

- a handheld electronic detector 4;

- a monitoring tape system 10.

The identification tape 2 is coupled to a product to be walled or undergrounded and comprises a plurality of electronic identification means 3 embedded within variable intervals.

Optionally, the embedding intervals can also be fixed.

The variability of the distance between two adjacent embedded identification means 3 depends on the specific product to be tracked and the accuracy of identification and tracking process.

The identification tape 2 can be remotely detected by a suitable reader or detector 4 without digging any hole or breaking any wall.

The electronic identification means 3 are adapted to store (inside a local memory) and transmit a unique tag identifier TID and to be interrogated after the identification tape 2 has been walled or undergrounded coupled to the hidden product.

Preferably, the identification tape 2 is laid above the pipeline or the cabling during undergrounding.

The identification tape 2 is usually made out of PET, PVC, or any other material which is not deteriorating over time and comprises said electronic identification means 3 embedded within regular or variable intervals.

The electronic identification means 3 are preferably passive (without batteries) transponders (or markers) and have a memory that can be write only once. Therefore, the memory is configured to store in it the unique tag identifier TID only once, i.e. it cannot be re-wrote or changed after its production, pairing and subsequent tape embedding.

More in detail, the electronic identification means 3 consists of an electronic circuit capable of being supplied by inductive power coupling even if it is deeply laid underground, i.e. is of the passive type (it does not require to be supplied with local power).

Preferably, said electronic identification means 3 comprise a tag RFID, Bluetooth, NFC, UWB or similar technology.

The handheld electronic detector or reader 4 is configured to detect and read the unique tag identifier TID stored in the memory of the electronic identification means 3.

Moreover, the reader 4 is configured to supply the power for feeding the electronic identification means 3 by inductive coupling.

Preferably, the handheld electronic detector or reader 4 is configured to generate an acoustic signal, e.g. by a beeper, and/or by a visualization on the display whenever an electronic identification means 3 is detected and to display the information detected.

The location is performed based on a unique tag identifier TID of the electronic identification means 3; the Reader warns when it detects the searched transponder.

It is emphasized that this system can be used for the tracking of objects, location at Latitude and Longitude, Equipment Maintenance, stock logistics and location of buried objects.

Figure 3 is a block diagram of a wireless communication system showing an electronic identification means or tag 3 embedded in the identification tape 2 for placement on a hidden product and an associated reader or detector 4. The electronic identification means or tag 3 communicates via wireless electronic signals, such as radio frequency (RF) signals, with the reader 4. Radio frequency signals, including microwave signals, are used for communications in a preferred embodiment.

The preferred operating frequency is 915 MHz, but the operation can be advantageously performed in the range from 13.5 MHz to 2.45 GHz.

The handheld electronic detector 4 includes an antenna 4a coupled to the reader 4.

Ideally, the monitoring tape system 10 at least comprises:

- a second memory unit 12;

- a third memory unit 13; and

- a processing unit 20 configured to identify and track the hidden products.

The second memory unit 12 comprises one or more among at least:

- data of registered products (DRP);

- data of registered operators (DRO); and

- data of registered services (DRS).

But the system will also function with a unique number (algorithm, number or alphanumeric) that is making each tag unique and the above (DRP, DPO, DRS) info can be logged in DataBase or Cloud.

Preferably, data of registered products DRP comprises at least: product manufacturer, product name and type, date of manufacturing, manufacturing serial number, factory location, product material and similar. Additional data is the certification date, time and location of the installation as well as the surrounding info from the location where it is installed and details of the project. Preferably, data of registered operators DRO comprises at least: operator name, location, certifications, type of services offered.

Preferably, data of registered services DRS comprises a list of possible services offered, such as manufacturing, installing, repairing, maintaining or similar.

Additional products, operators and services can be added, changed or deleted from the second memory unit 12 by an authorized and certified agent.

The third memory unit 13 comprises transaction records (TREC), each of the transaction records TREC comprises a field with said unique tag identifier TID as shown in figure 2.

The processing unit 20 is configured to identify and track said hidden products and comprises:

- an input module 21 configured to receive said tag identifier TID, e.g. from said handheld electronic detector 4;

- a retrieving module 22 configured to retrieve a transaction record TREC with said tag identifier TID received by the input module 21 ;

- a first control module 23 configured to control the writing of additional data, in further fields of said transaction record TREC, thereby generating an identified/certified service.

The additional data that can be wrote in the transaction record TREC comprises at least one specific item of each of the abovementioned data of registered products (DRP), data of registered operators (DRO) and data of registered services (DRS).

Further information, after production and matching/pairing of the identification tape 2, can be stored in further fields of the same transaction record TREC.

Alternatively, the information is stored in different transaction records TREC so as that the transaction records TREC represents a single block in a chain of correlated information. In this alternative, each of block comprises a field comprising the unique tag identifier TID and one or more fields with the relevant information. In the latter alternative situation, there always will be a first block in the chain comprising the unique tag identifier TID matched with the product/manufacturer information after pairing. At each transaction, i.e. purchasing, installation, maintenance and/or repair, one block will be created, each block with the unique tag identifier TID and the relevant information.

The handheld electronic device 4 or similar comprises transmission means, not shown in the figures, configured for receiving and transmitting the unique tag identifier TID to the input module 21 .

The monitoring tape system 10 further comprises transmission means 14 configured for receiving and transmitting said transaction record TREC to at least one or more of:

- a central processor 100;

- at least one blockchain node 101 , 102, 103; or

- a distributed ledger database.

Advantageously, a telecommunications network 30 is interposed between the transmission module means 14 and the at least one or more of a central processor 100, at least one blockchain node 101 , 102, 103 or a distributed ledger database. The telecommunications network 30 has the function of bidirectionally connecting the system’s transmission module 14 to the at least one or more of a central processor 100, at least one blockchain node 101 , 102, 103 or a distributed ledger database by means of a data communication channel.

The telecommunications network 4 can be of the fixed, mobile or mixed fixed/mobile type.

Therefore, the system and method according to the present invention, allows to track down the certifications, timing when the installation was done, the constructor of the installation, the kind of installation and any eventual other remarks into a cloud base repository with different level of access.

The processing unit 20 further comprises a validation module configured to validate the transaction record TREC and the unique tag identifier TID via a distributed ledger so as to verify at least one of an author of the transaction record TREC or an origin of the particular lot of identification tape 2 and at each addition of further data to add to said transaction record TREC, generate a transaction to the distributed ledger indicating a result of the validation of the origin of the at least one of a build file or a material identifier and/or special terms and conditions.

Preferably, the distributed ledger is a blockchain ledger.

The system 1 comprise pairing or matching means 5 comprising a control module 6 configured to control the writing (only once) of said unique tag identifier TID in a first field of the transaction record TREC and subsequently locking said first field with said unique tag identifier TID stored in it so as to forbid and prevent further writing, thereby generating an identified product.

Preferably, the pairing means 5 are configured to write the memory of said electronic identification means 3 only one time, e.g. on manufacturing or installation, solely by an authorized and certified agent.

Since the memory of the electronic identification means 3 is of the type write once and read only, the unique tag identifier TID stored in it cannot be modified or tampered after the pairing process.

In other words, the writing of the unique tag identifier TID happens only once, during manufacturing or installation or subsequent operations. The pairing process generates an identified product. Preferably, an Electronic Product Code (EPC) stored.

Each electronic identification means 3 is configured to be supplied for its operation with induction power both from the pairing means 5 and from the handheld electronic device 4.

The identification of the hidden product is thus being carried out on the basis of said unique tag identifier (TID) and/or the Electronic Product Code. According to a possible embodiment of the invention, the pairing means select the unique tag identifier TID from a first memory unit 1 1 comprising a list of unique tag identifiers TID managed by a certification authority or body.

The identification of said product is carried out on the basis of the unique tag identifier TID.

According to a possible embodiment of the invention, the identification tape 2 is preferably laid above the pipeline or the cabling during walling or undergrounding.

According to a possible embodiment of the invention, the handheld electronic detector 4 comprises a localization device, such as a receiver of the geographical position on earth of the detector 4, for example of the GPS satellite-type (Global Positioning System): in this case the monitoring tape system 10 has the further function (in addition to the access control explained previously) of tracking the exact position of the identification means 3 embedded in the identification tape 2.

This exact position can be stored in a field of the transaction record, together with or additional information such as time of installation/maintenance and/or repair.

According to a possible embodiment of the invention, the first parameters P1 comprise the location coordinates of the hidden product stored in the transaction record TREC.

According to another possible embodiment of the invention, the handheld electronic detector 4 comprises a radar detection module, so as to physically track the depth at which the identification tape 2 is buried or taped.

Alternatively, the burial depth of the hidden product can be measured during installation and/or maintenance and/or repair and stored in the transaction record TREC.

Preferably, the handheld electronic device 4 is internally provided with a radio frequency module, an input module, a data storage module, a data processing module, an information display module, and a data transfer and communication module.

In general, it should be noted that in the present context and in the subsequent claims, the processing unit 20 is considered to be split into distinct functional modules (storage modules or operating modules) for the sole purpose of describing its functionalities clearly and completely.

Such processing unit can comprise a single electronic device, appropriately programmed to perform the functionalities described, and the different modules can correspond to hardware entities and/or routine software that are part of the programmed device.

Alteratively or additionally, such functions may be performed by a plurality of electronic devices over which the aforesaid functional modules can be distributed.

The processing unit 20 can also make use of one or more processors for executing the instructions contained in the storage modules.

The aforementioned functional modules can also be distributed on different local or remote computers, depending on the architecture of the network in which they reside.

According to a possible embodiment, the data stored in said electronic identification means 3 and/or in said transaction record TREC is encrypted and the handheld reader is configured to read said encrypted data. Only the authorized agent or body can decrypt said data.

According to a possible embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a computer-implemented method of real-time identification and tracking of hidden products, wherein said hidden products are cablings or pipelines undergrounded or walled, the method comprising the steps:

- coupling an identification tape 2 to a hidden product, the identification tape 2 comprising a plurality of electronic identification means 3 embedded within variable intervals, the electronic identification means 3 being adapted to store and transmit a unique tag identifier TID and to be interrogated after the identification tape 2 has been walled or undergrounded coupled to the hidden product;

detecting and reading the unique tag identifier TID stored in the electronic identification means 3 using a handheld electronic detector

4;

receiving said unique tag identifier TID;

retrieving a transaction record TREC with said unique tag identifier TID; controlling the writing of additional data, in further fields of said transaction record TREC, thereby generating an identified/certified service.

According to a possible embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a step of controlling the writing of a unique tag identifier TID in said first field of said transaction record TREC and subsequently locking said field with said unique tag identifier TID stored therein, so as to generate an identified product.

According to a possible embodiment of the invention, the identification tape 2 can have a semi-cylindrical shape, as that shown in figure 4, in order to partially cover and protect the cabling or piping.

According to another possible embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a product (like cablings or pipings) to be hidden (i.e. walled or undergrounded) to be used in the real-time system and/or method as above, comprising a plurality of electronic identification means 3 embedded within variable intervals of an external surface of it, the electronic identification means 3 being adapted to store and transmit a unique tag identifier TID and to be interrogated after the identification tape 2 has been walled or undergrounded coupled to the hidden product.

The system and method according to the present invention is not limited to hidden products such cablings or pipelines undergrounded or walled, but can also easily be suitable for identify and track road signs and for all safety and road maintenance systems. According to this further aspect of the invention, there is provided a realtime identification and tracking system 1 for road signs, comprising:

- an identification tape 2 coupled to a road sign comprising a plurality of electronic identification means 3 embedded within variable intervals, the electronic identification means 3 being adapted to store and transmit a unique tag identifier TID and to be interrogated after the identification tape 2 has been coupled to the road sign;

- a handheld electronic detector 4 configured to detect and read the unique tag identifier TID stored in the electronic identification means 3;

- a monitoring tape system 10 comprising:

- a second memory unit 12 comprising first parameters P1 representative of said road signs;

- a third memory unit 13 comprising transaction records TREC, each of said transaction records TREC comprising a first field with said unique tag identifier TID;

- a processing unit 20 configured to identify and track said road signs comprising:

o an input module 21 configured to receive said tag identifier TID; o a retrieving module 22 configured to retrieve a transaction record TREC with said tag identifier TID received by the input module 21 ; o a first control module 23 configured to control the writing of additional data, in further fields of said transaction record TREC, thereby generating an identified/certified service.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer program comprising software code portions adapted to perform the steps of the method, when said program is run on at least one computer.

Advantageously, therefore, according to the invention, the method for the identification and tracking provided allows to realize a precise and reliable tracking of hidden products safely recording and detecting the information necessary for the identification and all the passages between the purchasing, the installation and maintenance and/or repair making it very difficult an undetectable to counterfeit and enabling rapid identification of the part of the transaction where a fault has occurred to trace with greater certainty the person responsible.

Another technical advantages of the present invention include at least: quick and easy identification and location of a hidden pipeline or cabling; performing real-time measurement and display of the current buried depth; displaying certified information about the product installation and guarantee the accuracy of the installation;

simpler and secure than other prior art systems and methods;

providing instant information around the progress of work and certification; guarantee security, transparency, decentralization and data immutability.Accordingly, this disclosure includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above- described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the disclosure unless otherwise indicated herein.

Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, the reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, neither the reference signs nor their absence have any limiting effect on the technical features as described above or on the scope of any claim elements.

One skilled in the art will realize the disclosure may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the disclosure or essential characteristics thereof. The foregoing embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects illustrative rather than limiting of the disclosure described herein. Scope of the invention is thus indicated by the appended claims, rather than the foregoing description, and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalence of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.