The present invention relates to a method and a system for detecting triggering of a trap for small animals, especially rodents, for example mice, rats, squirrels and beavers, and for other small animals, for example martens, raccoons and foxes.

State of the art

When placing a trap for small animals it should be assured that any animal that is caught in the trap is attended to in due time. If, however, the trap does not comprise any signaling device to call the attention of the person who placed the trap to the trapped animal, the person has to undertake an enormous effort when inspecting the trap at reasonable intervals.

In the state of the art there already exist traps giving a signal when triggered. For example, US 2009/0151221 A1 describes a rodent trap having a signal transmitting device including a motion triggered switch. The signal transmitting device is coupled to the trap such that upon triggering of the trap the motion triggered switch is activated.

DE 196 34 536 A1 describes a rodent trap comprising a cage and a contact sensor attached to the trap door, to an inner wall of the trap or to a bait placed inside the cage. When a rodent enters the cage the contact sensor triggers the alarm which can be an optical or an acoustical alarm, wherein the alarm can also be transmitted to a central monitoring unit by a wireless transmitter.

US 9,258,990 B1 describes a rodent trap comprising two contacts which alert an acoustical alarm when they are brought into contact upon triggering of the trap. In some embodiments the alarm can send an alert to the person who placed the trap via an Internet system or mobile phone system.

Object of the invention

It is an object of the invention to provide an alternative system and an alternative method for detecting triggering of a trap for small animals, wherein a preferably silent alarm is raised and brought to the attention of the person who placed the trap. It is a further object of the invention to provide a system and method for detecting triggering of a trap for small animals that is compatible with essentially every trap that is suitable for trapping small animals. It is a still further object of the invention to provide a preferably low-priced system and method for detecting triggering of a trap for small animals which produce as little environmental stress as possible and especially no environmental stress at all until the trap has been triggered.

General description of the invention

The invention achieves the aforementioned objects with the features of the claims and especially with a method for detecting triggering of a trap for small animals, wherein the method comprises the following steps:

a) providing a trap for small animals;

b) placing a transmitting device comprising a motion sensor either in direct contact or in close proximity to the trap;

c) detection of a triggering of the trap or of a movement of an animal in the trap by the motion sensor; d) transmitting a first signal via radio communication by the transmitting device to any mobile device within receiving range having installed a mobile app for receiving signals from the transmitting device, wherein the mobile app is configured to transmit a second signal to a server upon receipt of the first signal from the transmitting device;

e) transmitting the second signal from the mobile device to the server;

f) transmitting a third signal from the server to a recipient upon receipt of the second signal by the server.

With the method according to the invention small animals, especially rodents, can be caught in the trap, wherein the trap may also be configured as a life trap.

It is a particular advantage of the present invention that the method according to the invention can be carried out with every conventional trap and also with essentially every trap that is suitable for trapping small animals, thereby providing a great deal of flexibility to the person placing the trap in that traps that have already been bought and placed can be continued being used, possibly after a slight modification of the trap.

For the method of the present invention it is essential that a transmitting device comprising a motion sensor is placed either in direct contact or in close proximity to the trap. In case already existent traps which do not have a transmitting device comprising a motion sensor are to be used, such a transmitting device is to be obtained and can be placed either in direct contact or in close proximity to the trap, wherein the distance between the trap and the transmitting device must be chosen such that movements resulting from the activation (i.e. from the triggering) of the trap can be sensed by the motion sensor. Suitable motion sensors are for example magnetic sensors such as Hall sensors or Reed sensors, or sensors for detecting a vibration such as acceleration sensors or sensors for detecting a different kind of movement such as Gyro sensors.

A preferable distance between the trap and the transmitting device is in the range of few centimeters. Therein the trap may comprise or be placed on a base plate transferring movements and vibrations of the trap to the transmitting device and to the motion sensor, respectively. For the purpose of the invention, a movement of the trap may also be a movement (motion) of only a component of the trap, e.g. of a trigger or of a trapdoor.

Of course, the method of the invention can also be carried out using especially purpose-built traps. These traps comprise a transmitting device having a motion sensor, wherein the transmitting device is an integrated component of the trap. Therein, the transmitting device may be attached to any part of the trap, as upon triggering the whole trap vibrates such that the resulting motion will be sensed at whatever part of the trap the transmitting device and the motion sensor is placed, respectively. In a preferred embodiment the trap comprises a base plate to which the transmitting device is attached.

When the transmitting device comprising the motion sensor is placed in direct contact or in close proximity to the trap, vibrations or other motions are transferred to and detected by the motion sensor when the trap is being triggered. Upon detection of this activation by the motion sensor the transmitting device starts sending a first signal via radio communication which preferably contains information on the position of the transmitting device and on the position of the trap, respectively, and preferably also contains information on the time at which the trap has been triggered. Preferably, the first signal is transmitted via Bluetooth, especially Bluetooth Low Energy, or via WLAN or ZigBee.

According to the invention, the receiving device to which the first signal is transmitted is a mobile device within the receiving range, for example a smartphone, a tablet or a computer having a

Bluetooth interface, wherein the mobile device needs a mobile app to be installed for receiving the first signal from the transmitting device. Therein, it is a special advantage of the method according to the invention that the receiver of the first signal transmitted by the transmitting device is not a single selected device but may be any mobile device within receiving range having the app installed.

Accordingly, a plurality of mobile devices may serve as receiving devices.

The mobile app installed on the mobile device is not only configured to receive the first signal from the transmitting device but also to transmit a second signal to a server upon receipt of the first signal from the transmitting device. Therein, the transmission of the second signal from the mobile device having the installed mobile app to the server is via the Internet connection of the respective mobile device.

Upon receipt of the second signal the server transmits a third signal to a recipient, also via Internet. The recipient may be the person who placed the trap or any other person to whose attention the triggering of the trap is to be brought.

Accordingly, by the method of the invention a predetermined recipient may be notified of the triggering of the trap although he is not within the receiving range of the transmitting device. For example, the receiving range can be up to 300 meters, preferably up to 100 or 60 meters and more preferably up to 30 meters, always depending on which radio standard is used, whether the transmitting device is placed inside or outside and whether there are obstacles within the receiving range.

According to a preferred embodiment, the transmitting device is a beacon which is configured to transmit signals via Bluetooth, especially via Bluetooth Low Energy. While conventional beacons send their "I am here" signal round the clock, the beacon used in a preferred embodiment of the invention is in sleeping mode until the trap is being triggered and only upon triggering switches into active mode, i.e. only upon detection of a movement of the trap by the motion sensor the beacon starts sending the first signal.

Alternatively, the beacon can also be in passive mode until the trap has been triggered, wherein in passive mode it is configured to send keep-alive signals at specific intervals such that it is apparent that the beacon is working properly. Upon detection of a movement of the trap by the motion sensor the beacon switches into active mode and starts sending the first signal.

The first signal may comprise identification features by which the beacon may be identified undoubtedly, as in most cases the person who has placed the trap did not place only one but several traps and has to know which trap has been triggered. Optionally, the signal also contains information on the time at which the trap has been triggered. The signal may be transmitted at differing desired intervals, for example 1 signal/100 ms, 1 signal/s, 1 signal/10s, 1 signal/min or 1 signal/h.

As the transmitting device preferably is in sleeping mode until the trap has been triggered and only sends keep-alive signals (when in passive mode) or no signals (when in sleeping mode) before, the battery consumption as well as the environmental stress due to radiation is very low. Accordingly, a coin cell or a gold cap may be used as an energy source in the transmitting device. The first signal can be received by any mobile device within receiving range having installed a mobile app for receiving signals from the transmitting device. By implication that means that if no mobile device with such an app is within receiving range, the signal is not received by any device. If, however, a respective mobile device having the mobile app installed is brought within receiving range, the first signal is received by the mobile device which immediately transmits the second signal to the server, wherein the server immediately transmits the signal to the recipient. The method according to the invention is particularly suitable to be carried out in places, e.g. buildings, visited by a plurality of people carrying mobile phones or other portable devices, as each of these persons carrying a respective device may come within receiving range of the transmitting device and serve as a gateway for the transmission of the chain of signals from the transmitting device to the recipient.

The invention also relates to a system for detecting triggering of a trap for small animals, the system comprising a trap for small animals and a transmitting device comprising a motion sensor either in direct contact or in close proximity to the trap, wherein the motion sensor is disposed to detect a triggering of the trap,

wherein the transmitting device is disposed to transmit a first signal via radio communication to any mobile device within receiving range having installed a mobile app for receiving signals from the transmitting device,

wherein the mobile app is configured to transmit a second signal to a server upon receipt of the first signal from the transmitting device,

wherein the server is disposed to transmit a third signal to a recipient upon receipt of the second signal.

Preferably, the transmitting device used in the system according to the invention is a beacon, wherein the beacon is configured to transmit the first signal via Bluetooth technology, especially via Bluetooth Low Energy.

As the transmitting device or the beacon, respectively, is either in direct contact or in close proximity to the trap, movements resulting from a triggering of the trap are conducted to the motion sensor within the transmitting device, whereupon the transmitting device which until detection of the triggering was in a sleeping mode or passive mode, preferably, switches into active mode (also called alerting mode) and starts transmitting the first signal. The first signal may contain identification features of the transmitting device, e.g. an ID number and/or the specific location of the device.

The first signal is transmitted to any mobile device within receiving range, for example when the signal is being transmitted via Bluetooth within a receiving range up to 300 meters. The mobile device to which the first signal is transmitted preferably has an operating system installed which is selected from Apple iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Symbian OS and BlackBerry OS and further preferably has a Bluetooth interface. For example, the mobile device may be a smartphone, a tablet or a computer having a Bluetooth interface. In any case, for receiving the first signal from the transmitting device the mobile device needs to have a mobile app installed which is configured to receive a first signal from the transmitting device and to transmit a second signal to a server after having received the first signal. Preferably, the second signal may have the same content as the first signal, therein being practically a redirection of the first signal.

It is particularly advantageous that the first signal is not transmitted to only one specific mobile device but to a potential plurality of mobile devices, namely to each mobile device within receiving range having the respective app installed. In addition to the trap and to the transmitting device comprising the motion sensor the system according to the invention therefore also comprises at least one but preferably a plurality of mobile devices serving as potential receivers for the first signal.

Further, the system comprises a server to which the second signal is being transmitted and which is disposed to transmit a third signal to a recipient. In theory, the system would also work without a server, namely when the second signal is transmitted directly to the intended recipient. This, however, has the big disadvantage that in this case the signal could not be transmitted anonymously from the mobile device to the recipient, but the recipient would have to be notified, for example via email or SMS from the mobile device within the receiving range of the transmitting device, thereby also disclosing personal data such as the email address or phone number or the exact position of the person carrying the mobile device when that person comes within receiving range of the first signal emitted by the transmitting device. Therefore, in practice the server is indispensable.

In summary, it is a particular advantage of the method and the system of the present invention that upon triggering of the trap a signal is transmitted to a potential plurality of persons carrying mobile devices that may serve as a receiver and which after having received the signal directly and automatically transmit the signal to a server which transmits the signal to a desired recipient.

Accordingly, there is no need for a router/repeater or a gateway, respectively, as the mobile devices carried around in the vicinity of the trap serve as gateways. Furthermore, the person carrying the mobile device serving as a receiver for the first signal and as a transmitter for the second signal does not even have to be aware of the receiving and transmitting processes being carried out by his or her device. So, all that he or she has to do to help detecting the triggering of a trap is to install the respective mobile app on the portable mobile devices that he or she usually carries around.

However, according to a less preferred embodiment of the invention, the transmitting device may also be configured to transmit the first signal to a gateway from which it is transmitted to the server, although in practice the gateway is not necessary (as described above).

Detailed description of the invention

The present invention is now described in greater detail in conjunction with the figures, wherein: FIG. 1 schematically shows how to switch between the three preferred operation modes of the transmitting device; and FIG. 2 schematically shows the way of signal transmission between components of the system according to the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 , there is shown how to switch between different operation modes of the transmitting device. Preferably, the transmitting device 2 comprises three different operation modes. When the transmitting device 2 is bought - either separately or in combination with the trap 1 - it is in a connectable mode. In this mode the device may be configured before the method according to the invention is carried out. The configuration preferably comprises a configuration of the signal that is to be emitted by the transmitting device 2 upon detection of a triggering of the trap 1 by the motion sensor 3, i.e. for example an assignment of the transmitting device 2 to a specific trap 1 or to the location of the transmitting device 2 and/or of the trap 1 . Also, the motion sensor 3 within the transmitting device 2 has to be activated before the method of the invention can be carried out. This may be done in an easy way, for example by pressing a button 8 which is connected to the motion sensor 3 or by connecting it via mobile app over Bluetooth or by inserting a battery or removing the battery strap in order to start the device.

After configuration of the transmitting device 2 the device is brought into sleeping or passive mode, respectively, preferably also by pressing a button or via a mobile app 5. The sleeping mode is the default mode in which the transmitting device 2 does not send any signals. Accordingly, while in the sleeping mode, not only the battery consumption but also the environmental stress due to radiation are extremely low. Therefore, a coin cell 9 or a gold cap may be used as a preferred energy source of the transmitting device 2.

When the trap 1 has been triggered or an animal entered the station and the entering and activation / triggering, respectively, has been detected by the motion sensor 3, the transmitting device 2

automatically switches into the active mode. In this mode the transmitting device continuously transmits a first signal via radio communication, the signal preferably containing information on the specific location of the trap 1 and/or of the transmitting device 2 as well as information on the time at which the trap 1 has been triggered. Therein, the transmission of signals can be at preselected intervals, for example 1 signal/I s.

When the first signal has been received by a mobile device 4 in the vicinity of the trap 1 and the signal has been transmitted to the server 6 and to the recipient 7, the recipient is notified and may attend to the animal caught in the trap 1 . After the animal has been removed from the trap 1 and the trap 1 has been prepared anew, the transmitting device 2 may be reset and be brought into sleeping mode or passive mode again, respectively, e.g. by pressing a button 10 or via the mobile app 5.

In FIG. 2 there is depicted the chain of signal transmissions between components of the system according to the invention. If, for example in a mall or in a supermarket or in any other place that a lot of people attend or work in small animals are to be caught, this can be achieved easily using the method of the present invention. Therefore, at least one trap 1 but preferably more traps 1 has/have to be provided and placed at one or more desired locations from which it is believed that these are frequented by small animals, e.g. mice or rats. Each trap 1 therein has to be brought either in direct contact or in close proximity to a transmitting device 2 having a motion sensor 3. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the transmitting device 2 and the motion sensor 3 are integrated components of the trap 1 .

When a small animal is caught in the trap 1 or is present in the trap 1 , respectively, the movement resulting from the triggering of the trap 1 or the rodent in the trap 1 is detected by the motion sensor 3 in the transmitting device 2. Preferably, now the transmitting device 2 switches from sleeping mode / passive mode into active mode and starts transmitting signals at regular intervals, e.g. emitting 1 to 10 signals per time interval, wherein the time interval for example may be selected from 1 second, 5 seconds, 10 seconds or 1 minute. For the purpose of the invention, these signals are referred to as first signals which are transmitted via radio communication, preferably via Bluetooth. The receiving range of the first signal could be up to 300 meters.

According to the invention the first signal is transmitted to any mobile device 4, e.g. tablet 11 , smartphone 12, computer 13 or any other gateway, router or HUB, within receiving range of the transmitting device 2, as long as the mobile device 4 has installed a mobile app 5 for receiving signals from the transmitting device 2.

As nowadays practically everybody is carrying a smartphone 12 in his or her pocket it is very likely that the first signal is received by the smartphone 12 when this is brought within receiving range. In order to be able to receive the signal, the owner of the smartphone 12 only has to install the mobile app 5 and does not have to do anything else but carry the phone around as he or she usually does.

Referring once more to the above mentioned example in which small animals are to be trapped in a mall or a supermarket or in any other place that a lot of people attend or visit for work, the customers and the employees could install the mobile app 5 on their mobile devices 4 and therein serve as potential gateways 14 for the first signal. It is obvious that the more people have the mobile app 5 installed on their mobile devices 4, the higher is the probability that a triggering of a trap 1 is detected shortly after the animal has been caught.

The mobile app 5 installed on the mobile devices 4 is configured to transmit a second signal to a server 6 upon receipt of the first signal. Accordingly, the second signal is transmitted to the server 6 using the Internet connection of the mobile device 4. Thereupon, the server 6 transmits a third signal to a recipient 7, thereby informing the recipient 7, e.g. a store manager, that the trap 1 has been triggered. List of reference numerals:

1 trap

2 transmitting device

3 motion sensor

4 mobile device

5 mobile app

6 server

7 recipient

8 button

9 coin cell

10 button

1 1 tablet

12 smartphone

13 computer

14 gateway