INTELLIGENT TRAP AND CONSUMABLES

Abstract

A system may include a trap and a consumable. The trap may include a data capture mechanism configured to capture data and send the data to a system operator. The consumable may include a device having an associated electronic identification code. A status-determining mechanism may be configured to determine a status of the consumable, which status may be readable via the data capture mechanism. The consumable may include a sensor configured to detect flying insects via mutual capacitance sensing. The sensor may be configured to provide a directional fringe field responsive to a flying insect. The sensor may include a plurality of sensor triplets arranged in a grid array. Each sensor triplet may include a sensor conductor and two electrically conductive un-grounded conductors. The two un-grounded conductors may be disposed one on either side of the sensor conductor to form the sensor triplet.

Claims

1. A system, comprising: a trap including a data capture mechanism configured to capture data and send the data to a system operator; at least one consumables, including a device having an associated electronic identification code; and a status-determining mechanism configured to determine a status of the consumable, the status readable via the data capture mechanism and relayable to the system operator; wherein the at least one consumable is a glue board and includes a sensor disposed in close proximity to a back face of the glue board, the sensor configured to detect flying insects via mutual capacitance sensing; wherein the sensor includes a plurality of sensor triplets arranged in a grid array including a plurality of rows; wherein each sensor triplet of the plurality of sensor triplets includes a sensor conductor, which is configured as a transmit electrode, and two electrically conductive un-grounded conductors, which are configured as receive electrodes, the two un-grounded conductors disposed one on either side of the sensor conductor to form the sensor triplet; wherein the sensor conductor and the two un-grounded conductors are supported on an un-grounded conductive substrate, which is electrically isolated therefrom via an electrical insulator acting as at least one of a shield and a guard; wherein the sensor conductor and the two un-grounded conductors are each of a width and a thickness, and are disposed spaced apart from one another and the un-grounded conductive substrate at a distance such that the sensor is configured to provide a directional fringe field responsive to a flying insect.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device is a RFID tag.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the RFID tag is a near field sensing tag.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data capture mechanism is a RFID reader.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the glue board includes a plurality of grid lines marked thereon defining a regular area.

6. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the glue board includes differentially coloured grid areas.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising wherein an adhesive covering a capture surface on a front surface of the glue board.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each row of the plurality of rows includes a common multiple “E” shaped electrode string.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each row of the plurality of rows includes a plurality of “C” shaped electrodes.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the sensor is configured such that a change in fringe is detected on either side of each arm of at least one “C” shaped electrode of the plurality of “C” shaped electrodes.

11. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a fringe modifying electrode disposed behind the receive electrodes and the transmit electrode, the fringe modifying electrode structured and arranged to modify a projection of the fringe field provided by the sensor.

12. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a light bulb.

13. A glue board, comprising: a back face; a capture surface including an adhesive disposed thereon; a sensor arranged in close proximity to the back face, the sensor configured to detect flying insects via mutual capacitance sensing the sensor including a plurality of sensor triplets arranged in a grid array having a plurality of rows; each sensor triplet of the plurality of sensor triplets including a sensor conductor, which is configured as a transmit electrode, and two electrically conductive un-grounded conductors, which are configured as receive electrodes, the two un-grounded conductors disposed one on either side of the sensor conductor to form the sensor triplet; the sensor conductor and the two un-grounded conductors supported on an un-grounded conductive substrate, which is electrically isolated therefrom via an electrical insulator acting as at least one of a shield and a guard; and wherein the sensor conductor and the two un-grounded conductors are each of a width and a thickness, and are disposed spaced apart from one another and the un-grounded conductive substrate at a distance such that the sensor is configured to provide a directional fringe field responsive to a flying insect.

14. An insect trap, comprising the glue board as claimed in claim 13.

15. The glue board as claimed in claim 13, wherein each row of the plurality of rows includes a common multiple “E” shaped electrode string.

16. The glue board as claimed in claim 15, wherein each row of the plurality of rows further includes a plurality of “C” shaped electrodes.

17. The glue board as claimed in claim 16, wherein the sensor is configured such that a change in fringe is detected on either side of each arm of at least one “C” shaped electrode of the plurality of “C” shaped electrodes.

18. The glue board as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a fringe modifying electrode disposed behind the receive electrodes and the transmit electrode, the fringe modifying electrode structured and arranged to modify a projection of the fringe field provided by the sensor.

19. A method of reporting to a system operator whether a consumable of a trap needs replacing, the method comprising: capturing data relating to status information of the consumable; communicating with a device disposed on the consumable via a data capture mechanism disposed on the trap, the device having an associated electronic identification code; and iii) relaying the data to a system operator; wherein the consumable is a glue board and includes a sensor disposed in close proximity to a back face of the glue board, the sensor configured to detect flying insects via mutual capacitance sensing, wherein the sensor includes a plurality of sensor triplets arranged in a grid array including a plurality of rows; wherein each sensor triplet of the plurality of sensor triplets includes a sensor conductor, which is configured as a transmit electrode, and two electrically conductive un-grounded conductors, which are configured as receive electrodes, the two un-grounded conductors disposed one on either side of the sensor conductor to form the sensor triplet; wherein the sensor conductor and the two un-grounded conductors are supported on an un-grounded conductive substrate, which is electrically isolated therefrom via an electrical insulator to acting as at least one of a shield and a guard; wherein the sensor conductor and the two un-grounded conductors are each of a width and a thickness, and are disposed spaced apart from one another and the ungrounded conductive substrate at a distance such that the sensor is configured to provide a directional fringe field responsive to a flying insect.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein: the consumable is a light bulb; and relaying the data to the system operator includes reporting at least one of (i) that the light bulb has failed, (ii) that the light bulb is performing at an ineffective level, and (iii) that the light bulb requires servicing.

21. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein: the consumable is a glue board; and relaying the data to the system operator includes reporting at least one of (i) that the glue board has captured a pre-set number of flying insects, (ii) that the glue board is performing at an ineffective level, and (iii) that the glue board requires servicing.

22. A method for determining a fly catch on an insect capture board, comprising: providing a glue board including a sensor disposed in close proximity to a back face of the glue board, the sensor including a plurality of sensor triplets arranged in a grid array having a plurality of rows, each sensor triplet of the plurality of sensor triplets including a sensor conductor, which is configured as a transmit electrode, and two electrically conductive un-grounded conductors, which are configured as receive electrodes, the two un-grounded conductors disposed one on either side of the sensor conductor to form the sensor triplet, the sensor conductor and the two un-grounded conductors supported on an un-grounded conductive substrate, which is electrically isolated therefrom via an electrical insulator acting as at least one of a shield and a guard; generating a directional fringe field with the sensor, the sensor conductor and the two un-grounded conductors each having a width and a thickness, and disposed spaced apart from one another and the un-grounded conductive substrate at a distance such that the directional fringe field generated by the sensor is responsive to a flying insect; detecting at least one flying insect via mutual capacitance sensing using the sensor; counting a number of flies captured using the sensor; and reporting catch data to a system operator.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0063] Embodiments of the invention are further described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0064] FIG. 1 is a system diagram according to a first aspect of the invention;

[0065] FIG. 2 is a light trap modified as part of a system according to a first aspect of the invention,

[0066] FIG. 3 is a view from the front of a glue board modified as part of a system according to a first aspect of the invention,

[0067] FIG. 4 is a basic fringe capacitance sensor of a type which may be affixed to, placed against, or integrated into the back of a glue board as illustrated in FIG. 3 or a trap as illustrated in FIG. 2; and

[0068] FIG. 5 illustrates a favoured fringe capacitance sensor array arrangement for use in the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0069] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustrating the relationship between a trap (20), consumables (30) and the data (50) which is read by, for example, a RFID reader (40) provided on and powered by the trap and obtained from, for example a RFID tag (70) provided on the consumable (30) which may, for example be a UV emitting light bulb (31) or a glue board (32). The data (50) obtained from the RFID tag will include an identification reference (80) specific to the consumable and this can be associated with, for example, a performance characteristic (90), relating to the consumables(30). The data (50), or an instruction based on the data (50*), is then transmitted to a data centre or operative (60). Thus, in for example the case of a UV light bulb (31) the data (50) may be a performance characteristic indicator such as a change in current/resistance or time since fitting which determines that the bulb (31) is broken, is performing in a significant non-optimal way, or has reached the end of its recommended life span. In the case of a glue board (32) the data (50) may be a performance characteristic indicator e.g. insect count or time since fitting, indicating that it needs to be replaced.

[0070] The system (10) facilitates communication between a trap (20) and a consumable (30). Thus, the trap (20) is provided with a means (40), such as an RFID reader for capturing data (50) relating to the consumable and a characteristic or performance measure associated therewith and sends the data (50) or an instruction (50*) based on interpretation of the data to a system operator (60). To facilitate this the one or more consumables (30), e.g. UV light bulb (31) or glue board (32) is provided with a device (70), for example, an RFID tag, which has an electronic identification code (80). The reader (40) can determine a characteristic or performance measure (90) that is tied to the consumables (30) performance. The associated data (50) or an output (50*) is then relayed back to a data centre or the system operator (60).

[0071] Where an RFID tag is used it is most preferably a near field sensing tag.

[0072] The system (10) may comprise a flying insect trap (20) as illustrated in FIG. 2 comprising consumables (30) in the form of UV light emitting bulbs (31) and a glue board (32). It may have a sensor (100) fitted there to.

[0073] The trap (20) includes a RFID reader (40) which is powered and can read a RFID tag (70) on the consumable and a unique ID (80) associated therewith. It can also determine, via computing capabilities associated therewith, performance characteristics and signal failure or failings (90).

[0074] In a preferred embodiment there is provided a “smart” glue board (32) having a sensor (100 see FIG. 4) fitted to or integrated with the back (or rear) face (35) thereof. The glue board has grid lines (33) marked thereon defining a regular area (34). The glue board may comprise differentially coloured grid areas, such as dark or light square areas, which facilitate the identification of different species.

[0075] The front face (38) of the glue board comprises a capture surface (37) covered with an adhesive (36).

[0076] The sensor (100) which is attached to the rear (35) of the glue board (32) preferably comprises a capacitance sensor and detects change (Δ) in fringe capacitance (Δ).

[0077] The capacitance sensor takes the basic form described in WO2017/208068, and as described in FIG. 4 detects flying insects by mutual capacitance sensing. In essence it comprises a sensor conductor (12) which is a transmit electrode (Tx), and two electrically conductive un-grounded conductors (14a; 14b) which are receive electrodes (Rx) which are disposed one on either side of the sensor conductor (12) to form a triplet (14a-12-14b), said conductors (12, 14a, 114b) being supported on an un-grounded conductive substrate (18) which is electrically isolated by an electrical insulator (16) from said conductors (12, 14a, 14b) to act as a shield or guard, wherein each conductor (14a,12;14b) is of a width, and thickness, and is spaced by a distance from another and the ungrounded conductive substrate (18) such that the sensor is designed and configured to generate a directional fringe field which is responsive to the flying insect.

[0078] Turning to FIG. 5, and in contrast to the arrangements disclosed in WO2017/208068, there is provided a grid array (200) of sensor triplets comprising a plurality of rows (210, 220, 230 etc).

[0079] Each row comprises a common multiple “E” shaped electrode string (212, 222, 232 etc) and a plurality of “C” shaped electrodes (214, 224, 234 etc).

[0080] The arm down turn of each “C” constitutes a transmit electrode (Tx) and the arm upturns of the “E” on either side constitute the receive electrodes (Rx) such that each “E-C” couplet comprises two triplets sharing a common (middle arm) receive electrode.

[0081] Thus, in practice a change in fringe is detected on either side of each arm of the “C” shaped electrodes.

[0082] Furthermore, to control the extent to which the fringe field extends outwards, perpendicular to the front face (38) of the glue-board, a fringe modifying electrode (Fx) is placed behind the receive (Rx) and transmit (Tx) electrodes.

[0083] The invention further teaches a method of reporting to a system operator (60) whether a trap (20) consumable (30) needs replacing. The method comprises the steps of:

[0084] capturing data (50) relating to a consumables' (30) status information (90);

[0085] utilising a means (40) provided on the trap (20) to communicate with a device (70) provided on the consumable (30) which has associated therewith an electronic identification code (80); and

[0086] relaying the data (50), or an instruction (50*) based on interpretation of the data, back to a system operator (60).

[0087] In one embodiment the consumable is a light bulb (31) and in another embodiment is a glue board (32)

[0088] Where the consumable is a light bulb it reports that the bulb has failed, is performing at an ineffective level, or requires servicing.

[0089] Where the consumable is a glue board it reports that the glue board has captured a pre-set number of flying insects, is performing at an ineffective level or requires servicing.

[0090] The invention further describes a method for determining a fly catch on a glue board comprising counting the number of flies captured using a sensor (100) associated with the glue board (32) and reporting catch data back to a system operator (60).

[0091] The sensor is not a camera.