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FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a signal transmission apparatus.

In particular, the present invention concerns an apparatus suitable at least to transmit signals containing data, for example codes, in order to activate connections, applications, functions, services, multimedia contents or other, to mobile electronic devices, such as smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, calculators or mobile telephone devices in general.

The contents that can be activated can vary according to the established function or to the positioning of the mobile electronic devices inside a determinate space, whether it is a small shop, a supermarket, a shopping mall, a space used for a Fair or other.

The present invention also concerns a signal transmission architecture and a signal transmission method.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Signal transmission apparatuses are known, configured to transmit signals containing data to mobile electronic devices, such as smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, calculators or mobile telephone devices in general.

Known transmission apparatuses generally comprise transmission devices configured to transmit signals containing data to varying distances, for example from a few centimeters up to tens of meters, up to 60 meters for example. The signal transmission distance can be set by the programmer.

Such transmission devices are generally based on Bluetooth, NFC (Near Field Communication), or other wireless technologies.

The signal transmission distance varies depending on the transmission technology used. For example, using the most updated Bluetooth technologies, it is possible to transmit signals up to a distance of about 50 meters.

Transmission apparatuses exist in the state of the art, for example apparatuses known by the trade name "iBeacon", or more generally the Bluetooth chips BLE, suitable to transmit a code, for example a serial code, to one or more mobile electronic devices, present within a predefined area or space.

The serial code can be used by the electronic device as access command to activate connections, applications, functions, services, multimedia contents or other, accessible from a central unit, such as a server in the case of access from the net.

In particular, the mobile electronic devices interrogate the central unit about the code received from the transmission apparatus.

The central unit processes this code and, as a function thereof, generates and transmits a reply to the mobile electronic devices.

The reply consists of the activation of connections, applications, functions, services, multimedia contents or other content, directly on the mobile electronic devices of the users.

Users can for example receive on their own mobile electronic devices information concerning the timetables of the shops or their latest offers, the map of the place where they are, a research index of the various shops etc.

In the state of the art mobile electronic devices can transmit to the central unit, as well as said signal, also data relating to their position inside a determinate area or space.

In this case, the contents which can be activated by the central unit also vary depending on the specific position of the users, and therefore of the mobile electronic devices.

Users can for example receive on their mobile electronic device a welcoming message once they have entered the shopping mall and a goodbye message as soon as they leave the shopping mall, an interactive image with which they can monitor their position and their movements inside the mall etc.

It is also possible, for example, to transmit information concerning a determinate product in a determinate shop, as soon as the user is in close proximity to it.

The user, when approaching a product that he/she thinks is interesting, can instantly receive its technical characteristics on their mobile electronic device, a list of the prices for which it has been sold and a coupon with which it is possible to buy the product at a discounted price with respect to the list price. In places which use this type of transmission apparatus it is also possible to make automatic payments directly at the exit from such places, for example using prepaid cards, both quickly and automatically.

In the state of the art, transmission apparatuses are generally provided with an electric power device such as a battery.

The power device supplies electric energy to the transmission devices to feed the electric energy necessary for the transmission of the signals.

The batteries are integrated in the containing body of the transmission apparatuses and have a life comprised between two and twelve months, usually an average life of between three and four months.

When the battery is finished, in some models it is possible to substitute the battery, but this requires a great effort for replacing the battery and for positioning new, charged apparatuses. Given the high cost of substituting the battery, it is more economical to purchase a new transmission apparatus rather than replacing it.

There is therefore a need to be able to continue using transmission apparatuses for longer, avoiding the continuous waste caused by their replacement.

Moreover, known transmission apparatuses transmit signals substantially continuously in timed and automatic mode, both in the case where the signal is received from a central unit and also in the case where there is no central unit, for example, outside the reception field of the central unit.

This determines a reduction in usable life of the transmission apparatuses, and also considerable maintenance costs.

There is therefore a need to drive the transmission of data in a controlled way and only upon request, in order to reduce energy consumption and increase the usable life of the transmission apparatus.

One purpose of the present invention is therefore to produce a signal transmission apparatus that has a potentially unlimited usable life, eliminating waste and substitutions.

It is also a purpose of the present invention to produce a transmission apparatus that is both economical and simple to make. The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claim, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention or variants to the main inventive idea.

In accordance with the above purposes, an apparatus for transmitting signals containing data to mobile electronic devices comprises a transmission device configured to transmit in wireless mode at least one signal to the mobile electronic devices, and a feed device configured to electrically power at least the transmission device.

The feed device comprises a conversion member selectively drivable to convert at least one of either mechanical, thermal or light energy into electric energy.

According to the present invention, the conversion member is connected at least to the transmission device to power it electrically.

This particular configuration allows to avoid the use of integrated power batteries which deplete over time, allowing to obtain a signal transmission apparatus with a potentially unlimited life, with a low impact on the environment, and that does not require repeated maintenance interventions over time.

According to a possible variant form of embodiment, the conversion member is configured to convert mechanical energy into electric energy and is chosen from a group consisting of a motor, a piezoelectric element, a variable reluctance member. When the transmission of signals is required, this solution requires the operator to apply a mechanical stress to the transmission apparatus that is absorbed by the conversion member in order to produce electric energy. In this way, the transmission apparatus can be driven at the user's discretion only when a transmission of the signals is needed, and the electric energy needed to power at least the transmission member is generated and absorbed immediately at the moment of activation.

In accordance with a possible variant form of embodiment, the transmission apparatus comprises a first body and a second body connected to the first body and selectively moveable with respect to the latter. The conversion member is connected to the first body and to the second body and is configured to convert the movement of the latter two into electric energy.

According to a variant form of embodiment, the conversion member comprises a motor provided with a rotor part connected to the first body and a stator part connected to the second body.

The transmission apparatus comprises an amplification device connected to the conversion member, interposed between the first body and the second body, and configured to amplify the reciprocal movement of the first body with respect to the second body.

In accordance with the present invention, the amplification device comprises a revolution multiplier member interposed between the stator part and the rotor part of the motor.

According to the present invention, the transmission device uses Bluetooth, NFC (Near Field Communication), or other wireless technologies.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of some forms of embodiment, given as a non- restrictive example with reference to fig. 1 which shows a signal transmission apparatus according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME FORMS OF EMBODIMENT

We shall now refer in detail to the various forms of embodiment of the present invention, of which one or more examples are shown in the attached drawing. Each example is supplied by way of illustration of the invention and shall not be understood as a limitation thereof. For example, the characteristics shown or described insomuch as they are part of one form of embodiment can be adopted on, or in association with, other forms of embodiment to produce another form of embodiment. It is understood that the present invention shall include all such modifications and variants.

In accordance with the present invention, fig. 1 shows a signal transmission apparatus 10 configured to transmit in wireless mode at least one signal, containing data, to one or more mobile electronic devices 12. The signal can be chosen from a group comprising at least one of either a code, a serial number, a list of alphanumerical instructions or a plurality of commands.

The mobile electronic devices 12 can be chosen from a group comprising mobile telephone devices, such as smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, or mobile electronic devices, connectable in wireless mode to a central unit 14 for access to the serial code or other identifying code in order to determine the activation of contents, such as connections, applications, functions, services, multimedia contents or other.

In accordance with the present invention, the mobile electronic devices 12 can be provided with a graphical interface 35 with which a user can display said contents and through which he/she can interact with said contents, for example in the case of a touchscreen.

The contents which can be activated can also vary depending on the position of the mobile electronic devices 12 inside a determinate space. For example, this position can be detected in a small shop, a supermarket, a shopping mall, a space used for a Fair, or other.

In accordance with a possible form of embodiment, the central unit 14 can comprise a memory and a capacity for processing signals received by the mobile electronic device 12, or it can comprise an internet server, or other device for storing, managing and processing data, information, images, video.

The transmission apparatus 10, together with at least one mobile electronic device 12 and at least one central unit 14 allows to define a signal transmission architecture 40 in accordance with the present invention.

The transmission apparatus 10 comprises a transmission device 26 configured to transmit in wireless mode at least one signal to the mobile electronic devices

12.

The mobile electronic devices 12 send the signal received from the transmission device 26 to the central unit 14.

The central unit 14 processes the signal and, as a function thereof, generates and transmits to the mobile electronic devices 12 a reply signal consisting in the activation of one or more contents, connections, applications, functions, services, multimedia contents or other associated to the signal received from the transmission device 26.

In accordance with a possible variant form of embodiment, the central unit 14 transmits the informational contents to the mobile electronic device 12 in the form of sound signals.

Once the reply has been received, users can display and/or interact with the contextual contents activated on their mobile electronic device 12.

In a variant form of embodiment, the signal transmitted by the transmission apparatus 10 can be received and processed only by the central unit 14.

The processing of the central unit 14 can also provide only a step of memorizing the signal that has been transmitted.

In this variant form of embodiment the central unit 14 does not transmit signals to the mobile electronic device 12.

In accordance with the present invention, the transmission device 26 can use a wireless technology, Bluetooth BLE technology for example.

The use of recent Bluetooth BLE technologies advantageously allows to obtain a considerable energy saving compared with the technologies used in the state of the art, while keeping substantially the same quality and transmission range of known signals.

According to a variant form of embodiment of the present invention, the transmission device 26 can use other wireless transmission technologies, for example NFC (Near Field Communication), Wi-Fi or other.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the transmission apparatus 10 comprises a feed device 45 configured to electrically power at least the transmission device 26.

According to the present invention, the feed device 45 comprises an energy conversion member 50 selectively drivable to convert at least one of either mechanical, thermal or light energy into electric energy. The conversion member 50 is connected at least to the transmission device 26 to power it electrically and to allow the transmission of said signals.

In accordance with a variant form of embodiment, the feed device 45 is configured to convert mechanical energy into electric energy. In accordance with this possible variant form of embodiment, the feed device 45 is configured to exploit the mechanical energy deriving for example from pressure or traction, applied to the conversion member 50.

According to this variant form of embodiment, the feed device 45 is chosen from a group consisting of a motor, a piezoelectric transducer, a variable reluctance member, or a device that, by means of movement or action on a component, determines the generation of electric energy.

According to a possible variant form of embodiment, the feed device 45 is configured to convert thermal energy into electric energy. According to this form of embodiment, the feed device 45 is chosen from a group consisting of a thermocouple or a transducer with semiconductor. In accordance with this variant form of embodiment, the generation of thermal energy can also be supplied to the transmission apparatus 10 by the user him/herself, for example by rubbing together two parts and, by means of the friction acting on these two, to produce thermal energy, or for example by means of thermal energy supplied by the user him/herself, for example by rubbing his/her hands on a body of the transmission apparatus 10.

In accordance with another variant form of embodiment, the feed device 45 is configured to convert light energy into electric energy.

According to this form of embodiment, the feed device 45 is chosen from a group consisting of a photodiode, a phototransistor, a photovoltaic cell.

The use of the feed devices 45 cited heretofore allows to avoid the use of batteries, integrated in the transmission apparatuses 10, described in the state of the art.

This aspect advantageously allows to further reduce the costs of the transmission apparatuses 10.

This aspect also allows to considerably increase the usable life of the transmission apparatuses 10 and to prevent the considerable waste caused by the forced substitution of the transmission apparatuses 10.

In accordance with the form of embodiment shown in fig. 1, the conversion member 50 is configured to convert mechanical energy into electric energy.

According to this form of embodiment, the transmission apparatus 10 comprises a first body 18 and a second body 20 connected to the first body 18 and selectively moveable with respect to the latter. The conversion member 50 is connected to the first body 18 and to the second body 20 and is configured to convert the movement of the latter two into electric energy.

The first body 18 and the second body 20 can have a substantially cylindrical shape, even though other shapes or forms are not excluded. It can be provided for example that the first body 18 and/or the second body 20 are provided with gripping portions to allow the rotation of the latter.

In accordance with the form of embodiment shown in fig. 1 , the conversion member 50 comprises a motor M provided with a rotor part 22 connected to the first body 18 and a stator part 23 connected to the second body 20. In this way, in order to generate electric energy, the first body 18 and the second body 20 are made to rotate around an axis of rotation X corresponding to the axis around which the rotor part 22 is made to rotate with respect to the stator part 23.

According to one form of embodiment of the present invention, the motor M can be an electric motor.

In particular, the motor M can be an electric motor of the brushless type.

An advantageous aspect of the present invention derives from the combined use of the brushless electric motor M and recent wireless technologies, since in the absence of brushes in the motor M the noise generated by the latter is considerably reduced, allowing a greater reliability and safety in the transmission of the signals.

In accordance with the form of embodiment in fig. 1, the rotor part 22 comprises a drive shaft 52 keyed onto the first body 18, while the stator part 23 comprises a casing for the motor M attached to the second body 20.

According to a possible form of embodiment, the transmission apparatus 10, in particular the feed device 45, comprises an amplification device 28 associated to the conversion member 50 and configured to amplify the energy received at entry from the feed device 45 and supply it amplified to the conversion member 50.

In this way, a minimum amount of energy, whether it is mechanical, thermal, light or other type, can be converted to a form of energy more usable by the feed device 45, to be then used for the transmission of signals. In accordance with the form of embodiment described in fig. 1, the amplification device 28 can include for example a revolution multiplier member 32.

The revolution multiplier device 32 can for example multiply the number of rotations of the second body 20 with respect to the first body 18 in order to make the drive shaft 52 of the motor M rotate at a much greater speed than that of the reciprocal rotation of the first 18 and the second body 20.

The rotation multiplier device 32 can be interposed between the rotor part 22 and the stator part 23 of the motor M.

This aspect is particularly advantageous since it allows to drive the transmission of signals to the mobile electronic devices 12 in a controlled and simple way only when expressly desired by the user who has the transmission apparatus. This allows to eliminate known timer devices and consequently to considerably reduce the maintenance costs of the entire transmission apparatus 10.

The use of the revolution multiplier device 32 allows to facilitate the manual drive of the motor M by an operator acting manually on the second body 20.

Merely by way of example, the revolution multiplier device 32 can comprise an array of gears or kinematic transmission members between the first 18 and the second body 20.

According to a possible form of embodiment, the transmission apparatus 10 is provided with a regulator device 24 configured to regulate electric parameters of the feed device 45 and to supply at least electric energy to the transmission device 26 suitable to power it.

In particular, the regulator device 24 can modify the electric parameters of the energy produced by the motor M.

In accordance with the present invention, the regulator device 24 can be interposed and connected between the feed device 45 and the transmission device 26.

According to one form of embodiment of the present invention, the transmission apparatus 10 can be provided with a signaling device 30 configured to signal that the conversion member 50 has been driven and that one or more signals have been transmitted to the one or more mobile electronic devices 12. The signaling device 30 can provide a visual and/or acoustic signal.

Merely by way of example, the signaling device 30 can be chosen from a group comprising a light emission element, such as a LED, or a sound emission element like a buzzer.

According to a possible variant form of embodiment, the signaling device 30 can be connected to the feed device 45 to receive from the latter the electric energy needed to power it.

The present invention also concerns a signal transmission method, which comprises the transmission in wireless mode of a signal to a mobile electronic device 12 by means of a transmission device 26. The transmission device 26 is powered electrically by a feed device 45.

The method provides to selectively drive a conversion member 50 to convert at least one of either mechanical, thermal or light energy into electric energy.

The energy produced by the conversion member 50 is supplied to the transmission device 26 in order to power it electrically.

According to the present invention, depending on the signal, the mobile electronic device 12 transmits a request for access to informational contents provided in a central unit 14.

The central unit 14 transmits the informational contents to the mobile electronic device 12 in order to display them on a graphical interface 35 of the latter.

It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the transmission apparatus 10 as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention.

It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of transmission apparatus, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.