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EP-4742092-A1 - TRACKING DEVICE FOR SATELLITE COMMUNICATION

EP4742092A1EP 4742092 A1EP4742092 A1EP 4742092A1EP-4742092-A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a tracking device for satellite communication comprising a flexible Printed Circuit Board (PCB) configured to communicate with a satellite, and a power control module configured to supply power to the flexible PCB. The flexible PCB comprises a microcontroller, a communication module, a satellite antenna, and an RFID antenna. The power control module comprises an energy-storage module and an energy-harvesting module, wherein the energy-harvesting module is configured to generate energy and provide it to the energy-storage module.

Inventors

  • RANC, EMMANUEL

Assignees

  • Linxens Holding

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241112

Claims (18)

  1. A tracking device for satellite communication (100) comprising: - a flexible Printed Circuit Board "PCB" (110) configured to communicate with a satellite, the flexible PCB (110) comprising a microcontroller, a communication module, a satellite antenna, and an RFID antenna; and - a power control module (120) configured to supply power to the flexible PCB (110), wherein the power control module (120) comprises an energy-storage module (122) and an energy-harvesting module (124), the energy-harvesting module (124) being configured to generate energy and provide it to the energy-storage module (122).
  2. The tracking device of claim 1, wherein the energy-storage module (122) comprises a battery and/or a storage capacitor.
  3. The tracking device (100) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the energy-harvesting module (124) comprises a solar panel and/or a harvesting module based on vibration technology.
  4. The tracking device (100) of any of previous claims, wherein the flexible PCB (110) further comprises one or more sensors for measuring temperature, vibration, and/or humidity.
  5. The tracking device (100) of any of previous claims, wherein the microcontroller and/or the communication module are low power consumption components, preferably having a working current in Serial Line Internet Protocol (SLIP) mode equal to or less than 30 mA, even more preferably equal to or less than 25 mA, even more preferably equal to or less than 20 mA.
  6. The tracking device (100) of any of previous claims, wherein the microcontroller and/or the communication module are low power consumption components, preferably having a working current in Programmable Interface Controller (PIC) mode equal to or less than 350 mA.
  7. The tracking device (100) of any of previous claims, further comprising an adhesive layer (130) suitable for reversibly attaching the tracking device (100) to an object, for example an object to be tracked.
  8. The tracking device (100) of claim 7, wherein the adhesive layer (130) comprises a sub-layer of paper or plastic material, such as bio-based plastic, and a sub-layer of glue.
  9. The tracking device (100) of any of previous claims, further comprising a cover layer (140) attached to a side of the PCB (110).
  10. The tracking device (100) of claim 9, wherein the energy-harvesting module (124) comprises a solar panel and the cover layer (140) is provided with a window of transparent material for enabling sunlight to reach the solar panel.
  11. The tracking device (100) of any of previous claims having a thickness of less than 20 mm, preferably less than 10 mm, even more preferably less than 5 mm.
  12. The tracking device (100) of any of previous claims, wherein the tracking device (100) is a layered-structure.
  13. The tracking device (100) of any of previous claims, wherein the tracking device (100) is flexible, for example it is configured to be bent up to 60°.
  14. A method for producing a tracking device for satellite communication, the method comprising the following steps: a) Providing a flexible PCB (110) with a microcontroller, a communication module, a satellite antenna, and an RFID antenna; b) Attaching a layer with a power control module (120) to a side of the flexible PCB (110), the power control module (120) being configured to supply power to the flexible PCB (110), wherein the power control module (120) comprises an energy-storage module (122) and an energy-harvesting module (124), the energy-harvesting module (124) being configured to generate energy and provide it to the energy-storage module (122).
  15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the following step: c) Attaching an adhesive layer (130) to the side of the flexible PCB (110) opposite to the layer with the power control module (120) to enable attachment of the tracking device (100) to an object (300).
  16. The method of claim 14 or 15, further comprising the following step: d) Attaching a cover layer (140) to the side of the power control module (120) opposite to the flexible PCB (110).
  17. The method of any of claims 14 to 16, wherein the method is carried out by a reel-to-reel process.
  18. A method for operating the tracking device for satellite communication (100) of any of claims 1 to 13, the method comprising the following steps: i) Attaching the tracking device for satellite communication (100) to an object (300) to be tracked, such as a package, or a container; ii) Measuring the position of the object (300) and, optionally, the environmental parameters of the object (300); iii) Transmitting a signal containing the data of the object position and, optionally, of the environmental parameters to a satellite (200) via a network (210); iv) Transmitting a communication signal from the satellite (200) to the internet cloud (220) and/or to local applications areas to display said data.

Description

Technical field The present invention relates to the field of tracking devices for satellite communication. In particular, the present invention relates to the field of energetically autonomous tracking devices for satellite communication. State of the art Satellite devices are used to send and receive signals via satellites orbiting the Earth. These devices enable long-distance communication by transmitting data to satellites, which then relay the signals back to other satellite devices, ground stations, or even directly to other user devices in remote areas. These devices are commonly used as trackers for tracking, monitoring, and locating objects by using GPS and simplex satellite devices. However, the signal coverage and the precision of the satellite devices known at the state of the art are not optimal, and their design is not adapted to the usage. Summary According to an aspect of the present invention, a tracking device for satellite communication is provided, as set out in claim 1. The advantage of this configuration is that it enables tracking a position of an object, such as a package or a container, around the world by using satellite communication. The device also enables collecting sensitive external environment data and inventorying a number of objects in a predefined area. Moreover, the device for satellite communication is completely autonomous regarding energy-harvesting because it relies on solar energy, without the need of external batteries, such as lithium batteries. Finally, the device is re-usable. The device according to the invention comprises a flexible Printed Circuit Board (PCB) and a power control module configured to supply energy to the flexible PCB. The PCB is configured to communicate with a pre-existing satellite constellation. Preferably, the pre-existing satellite constellation is a geostationary constellation. The satellite constellation may then transmit a communication signal to the internet cloud and send it to local applications areas to display the position of the device and also parameters of travel. The PCB comprises a microcontroller, a communication module, a satellite antenna, and an RFID antenna, which may be produced according to technologies known at the state of the art. Preferably, the microcontroller and/or the communication module are low power consumption components, for example, the power is equal to or less than 30mA in Serial Line Internet Protocol (SLIP) mode, more preferably equal to or less than 25 mA in SLIP mode, even more preferably equal to or less than 20 mA in SLIP mode. Preferably, the microcontroller and/or the communication module are low power consumption components, for example, the power is equal to or less than 350 mA in Programmable Interface Controller (PIC) mode. Due to optimization of power consumption in the power control module, the features of the microcontroller and/or the communication module can be optimized. Preferably, the communication module may rely on existing network adapted to satellites and may be based on Long-Range communication technology. In this way, the communication module can send messages with short intervals, for example under 15 minutes, to transfer data from the device to the satellite. It is hence possible to ensure a duration life of the device of more than three months. The power control module is based on solar panels technology and/or mechanical-vibration sensors and is configured to capture and use energy. In other words, the power control module is configured to exploit the solar energy and/or the mechanical energy generated by movement or vibration to power the PCB components, such as small electronics or sensors, autonomously. Since the PCB components are low-power consumption components, the tracking device has a long lifetime and is energetically autonomous. For example, the mechanical-vibration sensors may be piezo-electric sensors, accelerometers and/or gyroscopes. In the present disclosure, it is to be understood that vibration technology refers to any technology that converts vibrational and/or mechanical energy into electrical energy. The power control module comprises at least one of the following combination of components: a battery and an energy-harvesting module; a battery and a solar panel; and/or a harvesting module and a storage capacitor. Preferably, the tracking device is configured as a layered-structure, wherein the layers of the power control module and of the flexible PCB are stacked on each other. Preferably, the tracking device may further comprise an adhesive layer, a cover layer, and/or compensation layers attached to the stacked structure of the flexible PCB and the power control module. Preferably, the tracking device is flexible, for instance it may be configured to be bent up to 60°. Preferably, the device has a thickness of less than 20 mm, preferably less than 10 mm, even more preferably equal to or less than 5 mm. This configuration is advantageous because the dev