EP4460205B1 - Briefcase comprising an opening authorisation system depending on the mode of transport - Google Patents

Description

The field of the invention is that of the design and manufacture of luggage.

The invention applies to any type of luggage, such as suitcases, and in particular to “attache-case” type briefcases.

Attaché-cases allow you to transport documents or other objects easily and safely.

In the field of the invention, it is conventional to provide for the implementation of locking devices on the cases, authorizing or not the opening of the opening relative to the container. Such a locking device may be simply mechanical and intended to be operated manually. It may also be electromechanical and be triggered without contact, for example by means of a remote control or a computer application loaded on a smartphone.

More recently, cases have been proposed with one or more electromechanical actuators mounted between the opening and the container, and intended to be triggered to generate mobility of the opening relative to the container. The triggering of these electromechanical actuators can for example be obtained by means of an opening request button accessible from the outside of the case and connected to the electromechanical actuators.

Furthermore, it has become classic to make objects smart and connected. Briefcases are no exception to this trend and can now regularly be equipped with an on-board computer unit capable of receiving and processing different digital data, for example, those provided by geolocation means, by different sensors of weight, temperature, pressure, brightness (indoor or outdoor environment), acoustic vibrations (microphone)..., or those provided by an accelerometer, and in particular by a three-axis accelerometer. Such briefcases are for example known from EP 2736004 A1 , US 2017/176570 A1 as well as US 2017/220040 A1 .

In any event, the user of such a case may be tempted to open the case in various circumstances, including in certain conditions in which opening the case may be accompanied by spillage of its contents and possibly damage to the contents following their fall.

To avoid this, one solution would be to use data from an inclinometer and/or an accelerometer (or more generally any sensor that can estimate the orientation of the briefcase) to anticipate risky situations in which it is preferable to avoid opening the briefcase. In other words, it would be possible to only allow the briefcase to be opened if it is in a flat position and is potentially static.

However, it would result in such restrictions on opening the briefcase not allowing rapid and/or urgent access to the contents when the briefcase is tilted and/or in motion. However, in certain circumstances, as might be the case in an aircraft in flight or on a moving train, the briefcase may be tilted (and therefore in motion) while being in a position controlled by the user (for example placed on his knees), in order to consult or access certain documents, for example transport tickets.

The invention aims in particular to overcome this drawback of the prior art.

More specifically, the invention aims to propose a case of the type including electromagnetic actuators for opening/closing the case, capable of being triggered by an opening request button, which limits the authorized opening cases while avoiding being too restrictive on these limitations.

The invention also aims to provide such a case which is easy to use for the person wishing to open it.

• au moins un actionneur électromécanique monté entre l'ouvrant et le contenant, destiné à être déclenché pour autoriser une mobilité de l'ouvrant vers sa position d'ouverture,
• au moins un bouton de demande d'ouverture accessible de l'extérieur de la mallette et relié à ou aux actionneurs électromécaniques pour le ou les déclencher,
• au moins un accéléromètre trois axes,
• une unité informatique embarquée apte à recevoir et traiter des données procurées par l'accéléromètre,

• caractérisée en ce que la mallette intègre un inclinomètre, en ce que l'unité informatique intègre une base de données représentatives de différents modes de transport de la mallette, chaque mode de transport étant associé dans la base de données à une catégorisation positive, autorisant une ouverture de la mallette, ou négative, bloquant l'ouverture de la mallette,
• et en ce que l'unité informatique est paramétrée pour :
  • collecter des données procurées par l'accéléromètre ;
  • collecter des données procurées par l'inclinomètre;
  • effectuer une comparaison des données procurées par l'accéléromètre avec les données de la base de données représentatives de différents modes de transport ;
  • déterminer un mode de transport en cours à l'aide de ladite comparaison et collecter la catégorisation dudit mode de transport en cours ;
  • autoriser ou non, après un premier actionnement du bouton de demande d'ouverture, un déclenchement du ou des actionneurs électromécaniques en fonction de la catégorisation et des données procurées par l'inclinomètre.

These objectives, as well as others which will appear subsequently, are achieved by means of a case composed of a container and an opening mounted movably on the container between an open position providing access to an internal volume delimited by the container and a closed position of the container, further comprising:

• at least one electromechanical actuator mounted between the opening and the container, intended to be triggered to allow mobility of the opening towards its open position,
• at least one opening request button accessible from outside the case and connected to the electromechanical actuator(s) to trigger it(them),
• at least one three-axis accelerometer,
• an on-board computer unit capable of receiving and processing data provided by the accelerometer,

• characterized in that the case incorporates an inclinometer, in that the computer unit incorporates a database representative of different modes of transport of the case, each mode of transport being associated in the database has a positive categorization, allowing the briefcase to be opened, or a negative categorization, blocking the briefcase from being opened,
• and in that the computer unit is configured to:
  • collect data provided by the accelerometer;
  • collect data provided by the inclinometer;
  • carry out a comparison of the data provided by the accelerometer with the data from the database representative of different modes of transport;
  • determining a current mode of transportation using said comparison and collecting the categorization of said current mode of transportation;
  • authorize or not, after an initial actuation of the opening request button, a triggering of the electromechanical actuator(s) depending on the categorization and the data provided by the inclinometer.

Thus, thanks to the invention, it is possible to differentiate the modes of transport of the case in order to authorize or not its opening, this possibly by distinguishing the cases where it is theoretically badly oriented to be opened (at the risk of deploring a spillage of its contents) but transported according to a mode which can tolerate this opening despite the bad orientation of the case.

For example, a person who wants to open the briefcase while walking may be forced to stop walking to open it rather than risk opening the briefcase and possibly spilling its contents.

According to an advantageous solution, the computer unit is configured to trigger a request for confirmation of an opening request.

In this way, the user of the briefcase is led to carefully consider the situation in which he finds himself in order to confirm the opening request.

In this case, the case includes a vibrating element that can be triggered by the computer unit in the event of a request for confirmation of an opening request.

Such a confirmation request method is clearly perceptible to the user and, again, allows them additional time to assess the conditions for opening the case.

According to a particular embodiment, the computer unit is configured to detect a second actuation of the opening request button as confirmation of an opening request.

This way, the user does not have to ask himself any questions about the action to be carried out to confirm the opening request, which happens to be the same as that carried out for the initial opening request.

According to a preferred solution, the database representative of different modes of transport of the case includes digital characteristics including digital characteristics of means of transport and/or transport uses.

In this case, the digital characteristics are time and/or frequency data, and preferably include frequencies characteristic of a mode of transport as well as the harmonic frequencies of the characteristic frequencies.

Alternatively, the numerical characteristics include characteristic frequencies of a means of transport including an oscillation frequency of the sprung masses and the oscillation frequency of the unsprung masses.

Such a particular embodiment refers in particular to a road or rolling vehicle, for which the vibration modes as well as the associated frequencies are known to those skilled in the art.

According to a first conceivable embodiment, the electromagnetic actuator(s) are means for locking the opening in the closed position. According to a second conceivable embodiment, the electromagnetic actuator(s) are means for driving the opening from its closed position to its open position.

According to the invention, the case incorporates an inclinometer and the computer unit is configured to collect data provided by the inclinometer and to authorize or not, after a first actuation of the opening request button, a triggering of the electromagnetic actuator(s) according to the data provided by the inclinometer.

Thus, not only is the method of transport of the case taken into consideration to authorize or not its opening, but this data on the method of transport is combined with the data on the inclination of the case to authorize or not its opening.

In other words, it is possible to authorize the opening of the case even if it is in transit using a mode of transport associated with a negative categorization, if its inclination is considered safe for opening the case. Conversely, it is possible not to authorize the opening of the case that is in transit using a mode of transport associated with a positive categorization, if the inclination of the case is considered unsafe for opening.

• la figure 1 illustre schématiquement une mallette selon l'invention ;
• la figure 2 illustre de façon schématique le processus d'acquisition et de traitement de données relatives à un mode de transport par une unité informatique d'une mallette selon l'invention.

Other characteristics and advantages of the art will appear more clearly on reading the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, given as a simple illustrative and non-limiting example, and the appended drawings among which:

• there figure 1 schematically illustrates a case according to the invention;
• there figure 2 schematically illustrates the process of acquiring and processing data relating to a mode of transport by a computer unit of a case according to the invention.

As it appears on the figure 1 , a case according to the invention is conventionally composed of a container 1 and an opening 2 mounted movably on the container between an open position providing access to an internal volume V delimited by the container 1, and a closed position of the container, the opening being in this case mounted movably in pivoting on the container 1.

• un ou plusieurs actionneurs électromécaniques 3 montés entre l'ouvrant 2 et le contenant 1, et destinés à être déclenchés pour autoriser une mobilité de l'ouvrant vers sa position d'ouverture,
• au moins un bouton 4 de demande d'ouverture accessible de l'extérieur de la mallette, et relié aux actionneurs électromécaniques 3 pour les déclencher,
• au moins un accéléromètre 5 trois axes,
• une unité informatique 6 embarquée, apte à recevoir et traiter les données procurées par l'accéléromètre 5.

Such a case also includes:

• one or more electromechanical actuators 3 mounted between the opening 2 and the container 1, and intended to be triggered to allow mobility of the opening towards its open position,
• at least one opening request button 4 accessible from outside the case, and connected to the electromechanical actuators 3 to trigger them,
• at least one 5-axis three-axis accelerometer,
• an on-board computer unit 6, capable of receiving and processing the data provided by the accelerometer 5.

As illustrated by the figure 1 , the case comprises two electromechanical actuators capable of causing the opening 2 to pivot relative to the container 1, to bring it from its closed position to its open position, or vice versa.

According to another conceivable embodiment, the electromechanical actuator(s) may constitute locking/unlocking actuators which, when triggered by the opening control button, unlock the opening element 2 from its closed position relative to the container, then allowing manual driving of the opening element to its open position.

According to the principle of the invention, the computer unit 6 integrates a database 60, in which the data are representative of different modes of transport of the case. In addition, in this database 60, each identified mode of transport is associated with a categorization. This categorization is said to be positive to identify a mode of transport as authorizing opening of the case. Conversely, the categorization is said to be negative to generate an instruction to block the opening of the case or, at the very least, an absence of an opening and/or unlocking instruction.

• l'unité informatique est connectée au bouton 4 pour recevoir de ce dernier un signal de demande d'ouverture ;
• une unité informatique est connectée aux actionneurs électromécaniques 3 de façon à leur transmettre un signal de déclenchement ;
• l'unité informatique est connectée à l'accéléromètre 5 pour recevoir des données procurées par l'accéléromètre.

The computer unit 6 is connected to the various components of the case to carry out the acquisition of data and the processing thereof in the manner described below, namely:

• the computer unit is connected to button 4 to receive from the latter an opening request signal;
• a computer unit is connected to the electromechanical actuators 3 so as to transmit a trigger signal to them;
• the computer unit is connected to the accelerometer 5 to receive data provided by the accelerometer.

• collecter des données procurées par l'accéléromètre 5 ;
• traiter, voire filtrer, en « temps » et en « espace », les données dont le résultat sera un ensemble fini de variables d'état caractéristiques de la scène courante ; il est noter que ces variables d'état caractéristiques peuvent être utilisées pour former tout ou partie du jeu de coordonnées de la base de données ;
• effectuer une comparaison des données procurées par l'accéléromètre (ou plus généralement des états caractéristiques identifiés) avec les données de la base de données 60 incluant des données représentatives de différents modes de transport ;
• déterminer un mode de transport en cours à l'aide de ladite comparaison et collecter la catégorisation du mode de transport en cours, la comparaison effectuée par l'unité informatique permettant de corréler des données de l'accéléromètre avec des données d'un mode de transport de la base de données et, en conséquence, d'extraire la catégorisation du mode de transport corrélé ;
• autoriser ou non, après un premier actionnement du bouton 4 de demande d'ouverture, un déclenchement des actionneurs électromécaniques en fonction de la catégorisation.

In this context, the computer unit is configured according to the invention to:

• collect data provided by the accelerometer 5;
• process, or even filter, in “time” and “space”, the data, the result of which will be a finite set of state variables characteristic of the current scene; it should be noted that these characteristic state variables can be used to form all or part of the set of coordinates of the database;
• carry out a comparison of the data provided by the accelerometer (or more generally of the identified characteristic states) with the data from the database 60 including data representative of different modes of transport;
• determining a current mode of transport using said comparison and collecting the categorization of the current mode of transport, the comparison performed by the computing unit making it possible to correlate data from the accelerometer with data of a mode of transport from the database and, as a result, to extract the categorization of the correlated mode of transport;
• authorize or not, after an initial actuation of the opening request button 4, a triggering of the electromechanical actuators depending on the categorization.

As previously stated, the computer unit authorizes the triggering of the electromechanical actuators if the identified mode of transport is associated with a positive categorization and, conversely, does not trigger the electromechanical actuators if the categorization associated with the identified mode of transport is negative.

To do this, the computer unit 6 collects at a predetermined sampling frequency according to a fixed period window, the acceleration measurements obtained by the accelerometer.

Furthermore, the computer unit can further be configured to trigger a request for confirmation of an opening request. In this case, the case can comprise a vibrating element 7 connected to the computer unit 6 and capable of being triggered by the latter in the event of a request for confirmation of an opening request.

In addition, the computer unit can then be configured to detect a second actuation of the open request button as confirmation of an open request.

According to the invention, the case integrates an inclinometer 8 connected to the computer unit 6, so that the latter can receive data provided by the inclinometer. Then, the fixed computer unit is configured to authorize or not a first actuation of the opening request button 4, a triggering of the electromechanical actuator(s) depending on the data provided by the inclinometer.

Of course, this data is cross-referenced with that provided by the accelerometer and the computer unit is configured to authorize or not the opening of the case according to different predetermined scenarios and providing for cases of inclination of the case in the context of different means of transport and/or use.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the database 60 including data representative of different modes of transport comprises digital characteristics among which digital characteristics of means of transport and/or use of transport, constituted in particular by temporal and/or frequency data (or more generally characteristic states identified for the current scene).

Thus, the digital characteristics may include a characteristic frequency of a mode of transport as well as the harmonic frequencies of the characteristic frequency.

These digital characteristics may also include characteristic frequencies of a means of transport (in particular a road vehicle) including an oscillation frequency of the sprung masses and an oscillation frequency of the unsprung masses.

The computer unit can also be configured to receive and process data from other sensors integrated into the case, such as a microphone, a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a brightness sensor, etc.

In reference to the figure 2 , the process of acquiring and processing data by the computer unit 6 of a case according to the invention is described.

The data captured by the three-axis accelerometer 5 are those illustrated by a graph 20, in which the signals captured along a Z axis (curve 200), along an X axis (curve 201) and along a Y axis (curve 202) are represented.

From these signals, time data are extracted as illustrated by graph 21 and frequency data as illustrated by graph 22.

In the time domain, the modulus, mean, standard deviation, minimum, maximum, energy, autoregression coefficients, kurtosis and skewness of the accelerometer signals according to the given time window are calculated by the computing unit 6.

In the frequency domain (after a discrete Fourier transform), the characteristic vibrational frequencies corresponding to the frequencies with the highest magnitudes or mechanical powers are extracted from the spectrum.

For example, in the case where the briefcase is carried by hand, the characteristic frequencies are the walking rhythm (1.8 Hz) and its harmonics (3.6, 5.4, 7.2, ... Hz). In the case where the briefcase is transported in a road vehicle, two frequencies characterize the system, i.e. the oscillation frequency of the suspended masses (2 to 4 Hz) and the frequency of the unsprung masses (12 to 14 Hz).

Previously, the database 60 of the computer unit is informed using a trained expert system (of the vector classifier type, neural network, parametric model, etc.). Thus, different modes of transport are classified and listed as illustrated by graph 23.

Using reference recordings taken from different means of transport (car, train, plane, etc.), or in different locations (escalator, elevator, etc.) or according to use (carried by hand, rolled, etc.), the expert system is trained using so-called iterative methods well known to those skilled in the art.

Depending on all the time and frequency variables collected by the computer unit 6, the current transport and/or use situation of the case as well as the confidence level are calculated. The computer unit 6 of the case is configured according to the recognized situation and the confidence level, so that the authorization to unlock or open the opening is given or not.

If the trust level is too low, a user may be asked for confirmation to open.

Claims (9)

1. A briefcase composed of a container (1) and of an opening frame (2) movably mounted on the container between an open position providing access to an internal volume (V) delimited by the container and a closed position of the container, further comprising:

   - at least one electromechanical actuator (3) mounted between the opening frame and the container, intended to be triggered to allow mobility of the opening frame to its open position,

   - at least one opening request button (4) accessible from outside the briefcase and connected to the electromechanical actuator(s) (3) to trigger it or them,

   - at least one three-axis accelerometer (5),

   - an on-board computer unit (6) able to receive and process data provided by the accelerometer,

   characterized in that the briefcase integrates an inclinometer (8), in that the computer unit (6) integrates a database (60) representative of different transport modes of the briefcase, each transport mode being associated in the database with a positive categorization authorizing an opening of the briefcase, or a negative categorization blocking the opening of the briefcase, in that the database (60) representative of different transport modes of the briefcase comprises digital characteristics including digital characteristics of transport means and/or transport usages, and in that the computer unit (6) is parameterized:

   - to collect data provided by the accelerometer (5);

   - to collect data provided by the inclinometer (8);

   - to perform a comparison of the data provided by the accelerometer (5) with the data in the database (60) representative of different transport modes;

   - to determine a current transport mode using said comparison and collect the categorization of said current transport mode;

   - to authorize or not to authorize, after a first actuation of the opening request button (4), a triggering of the electromechanical actuator(s) (3) depending on the categorization and on the data provided by the inclinometer.
2. The briefcase according to claim 1, characterized in that the computer unit (6) is parameterized to trigger a request for confirmation of an opening request.
3. The briefcase according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a vibrating element (7) capable of being triggered by the computer unit (6) in case of a request for confirmation of an opening request.
4. The briefcase according to any of claims 2 and 3, characterized in that the computer unit (6) is parameterized to detect a second actuation of the opening request button (4) as a confirmation of an opening request.
5. The briefcase according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the digital characteristics are time and/or frequency data.
6. The briefcase according to claim 5, characterized in that the digital characteristics comprise frequencies characteristic of a transport mode and the harmonic frequencies of the characteristic frequencies.
7. The briefcase according to claim 5, characterized in that the digital characteristics comprise frequencies characteristic of a transport means including an oscillation frequency of the sprung masses and an oscillation frequency of the unsprung masses.
8. The briefcase according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electromechanical actuator(s) are means for locking the opening frame in the closed position.
9. The briefcase according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the electromechanical actuator(s) (3) are means for driving the opening frame from its closed position to its open position.