METHOD AND DEVICE FOR INFLUENCING INSECTS

Abstract

In a method and device for influencing insects by means of electromagnetic radiation, a transmitter generates a time-based progression of an antenna feed with pulses, which is emitted via an antenna as electromagnetic radiation having corresponding pulses. The antenna feed comprises bursts, or packets or salvoes, of pulses, wherein the time interval between directly successive pulses of a burst is in the range from 5 to 9 and the time expansion of the burst is at least 0.1 ms. Because of the intensity gradients that arise in a radial direction around an antenna, a movement leading towards the antenna is, for insects, directly associated with an increase in perception intensity and a movement leading away is associated with a decrease. The insects perceive the gradient and tend to move such that the irritating perception decreases for them.

Claims

1. A method for influencing insects by means of electromagnetic radiation, in which method a time-based course of an antenna supply with pulses is generated by a transmitter and is radiated via an antenna as electromagnetic radiation with corresponding pulses, wherein the antenna supply comprises bursts, or packets or salvoes, of pulses, wherein the time interval between directly successive pulses of a burst is in the range from 5 s to 9 s and the time extension of the bursts is at least 0.1 ms.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the time extension of the bursts is at least 1 ms, and preferably lies in the range from 1 to 4 ms, in particular 2 ms.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the time extension of the burst is at least 3 ms.

4. The method according to claims 1, wherein the time intervals between bursts following one another at short intervals are at least 50 ms and preferably lie in the range from 70 ms to 100 ms.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the number of bursts following one another at short intervals is at least three, but preferably in the range of three to ten, in particular four.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the time interval between successive series of bursts following one another at short intervals is at least 1 s, but preferably in the range from 1 s to 3 s, in particular 2 s.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein all pulses of a burst, preferably also all pulses of a series of bursts following one another at short intervals, are formed of the same positive or negative type and preferably a predetermined proportion of the pulses of a burst reaches a predetermined pulse height.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter generates a modulated signal, preferably by means of amplitude modulation, using a carrier frequency in the range from 10 MHz to 24 GHz, preferably from 300 to 450 MHz, in particular from 433 MHz.

9. A device for influencing insects by means of electromagnetic radiation, having a transmitter and an antenna, wherein the transmitter is able to generate a time-based progression of an antenna supply with pulses and to radiate this via the antenna as electromagnetic radiation with corresponding pulses, wherein the transmitter uses bursts, or packets or salvoes, of pulses, such that the time interval between directly successive pulses of a burst is in the range from 5s to9 s, and the time extension of the burst is at least 0.1 ms, preferably at least 1 ms, optionally at least 3 ms.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the antenna is integrated in the print or is designed in the form of an air-core coil which preferably consists of a copper wire with a diameter in the range from 0.04 to 0.08 mm and an internal resistance of 20 to 30 ohms and wherein the air-core coil comprises, for example, at least 40, in particular 85, turns which are optionally formed in a rectangular shape, in particular with side lengths in the range from 10 mm to 30 mm.

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein the device comprises a microcontroller which makes a control signal supplyable to the transmitter, wherein the transmitter preferably generates a modulated signal, in particular by means of amplitude modulation, using a carrier frequency in the range from 10 MHz to 24 GHz, preferably from 300 to 450 MHz, in particular from 433 MHz.

12. The device according to claim 9, wherein the transmitter makes the antenna supply producible in such a way that the time intervals between bursts following one another at short intervals are at least 50 ms and preferably lie in the range from 70 ms to 100 ms.

13. The device according to claim 7, wherein the transmitter makes the antenna supply producible in such a way that the number of bursts following one another at short intervals is at least three, but preferably in the range from three to ten, in particular four.

14. The device according to claim 7, wherein the transmitter makes it possible to generate the antenna supply in such a way that the time interval between successive series of bursts following one another at short intervals is at least 1 s, but preferably lies in the range from 1 s to 3 s, in particular at 2 s.

15. A computer program product, which causes a method according to claim 1 to be performed on a program-controlled device.

Description

[0020] The drawings explain the invention using an embodiment example to which it is not restricted, wherein:

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a perspective representation of a transmitter module,

[0022] FIG. 2 shows a perspective exploded view of a wristband with transmitter module and cover,

[0023] FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of the transmitter module structure and,

[0024] FIG. 4 shows an example of a time-based progression of the antenna signal.

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a transmitter module 2 for a wristband 1 shown in FIG. 2. The transmitter module 2 is arranged on a printed circuit board 7 and comprises a battery 10 which can be supplied via a socket 8. To allow the socket 8 to be inserted tightly into a socket opening 5 of the wristband 1, the socket 8 comprises a sealing element 9. According to FIG. 2, the transmitter module 2 is inserted into a housing 3 of the wristband 1 and the socket 8 is pressed tightly into the socket opening 5. The housing 3 is then sealed tightly with a cover 4. Wristband 1 has closure elements 6.

[0026] FIG. 3 shows the schematic structure of the transmitter module 2, which is arranged on the printed circuit board 7. The transmitter module 2 comprises a microcontroller 12, which supplies the necessary control signal to a transmitter 13. The transmitter 13 preferably generates a modulated signal, in particular by means of amplitude modulation, using a carrier frequency in the range from 10 MHz to 24 GHz, in particular from 300 to 450 MHz, wherein 433 MHz is particularly suitable in terms of radius of action and energy requirement. The output stage of the transmitter 13 comprises a transistor which supplies the antenna signal to an antenna 14 via its collector output. The operating voltage is supplied by a Li-Polymer battery 10, which includes protection and monitoring electronics 11. For charging the battery 10, socket 8 and a charging chip 16 are used, wherein the charging chip 16 monitors the battery voltage during the charging process and switches off the charging process when full charge is reached. LEDs 17, 18 and 19 provide information on the operating status and the battery. A voltage stabilizer 15 is inserted between the battery 10 and the microcontroller 12 as well as the transmitter 13 and one side of the antenna 14.

[0027] The antenna 14 is designed as an air-core coil with 85 turns, wherein the turns are arranged in a rectangular form around a coil axis. The rectangular side lengths are adapted to the dimensions of the electronics housing or to the circumferential edge of a printed circuit board 7 and are, for example, 17.3 mm and 26.0 mm. The copper wire used for the air-core coil, for example, has a diameter of 0.06 mm and an internal resistance of 23.6 ohms. One end of the air-core coil or the loop antenna integrated in the print is connected to the output stage of the transmitter 13 and the other end to a stabilized system voltage of the voltage stabilizer 15.

[0028] FIG. 4 schematically shows an example of a time-based progression of the antenna signal with bursts 23, or packets or salvoes, each comprising short pulses 24. For the pulses 24 of each burst 23, the time interval between consecutive pulses 24 is in the range of 5 s to 9 s, preferably in the range of 5.8 s to 7.7 s, especially in the range of 6.0 s to 7.3 s. The pulses 24 in the embodiment shown are designed as positive pulses 24. The pulses 24 of a burst 23 are of the same type and have essentially the same pulse height. For the pulses 24 to affect insects, each burst 23 must include a minimum number of pulses of 24. In order to amplify the influence, the number of pulses 24 of a burst 23 and/or the number of bursts 23 emitted in short time intervals can be increased.

[0029] The number of pulses 24 of a burst 23 and the respective time interval between directly successive pulses 24 give the time extension of the burst 23. Experiments have shown that it is advantageous if the time extension of each burst 23 is at least 0.1 ms, optionally at least 3 ms, but preferably in the range from 1 ms to 16 ms, in particular in the range from 1 ms to 4 ms, with good results being achieved with 2 ms. Bursts 23 of 2 ms time extension with pulses 24 with intervals of 6.7 s show very good results with mosquitoes. In the embodiment shown, the short time intervals 22 between successive bursts 23 are at least 50 ms, preferably in the range of 70 ms to 100 ms. The number of bursts 23 in short intervals should be at least two, especially at least three. In the embodiment shown, this number is four. The large time interval 20 between successive series of bursts 23 consecutive at short intervals is at least 1 s, preferably in the range from 1 s to 3 s, in particular at 2 s. The time extension 21 corresponds to the time taken to provide a number of bursts 21 at shorter intervals in succession.