Smart wallet

Abstract

The present invention relates to a smart wallet integrating a permanently embedded electronic module that provides emergency communication, inductive wireless charging, and location tracking. The module comprises a printed circuit board assembly including a Bluetooth antenna for wireless data transmission, a low-power system-on-chip for managing communications and programmed functions, a piezoelectric sound element for acoustic alerts, an indicator light for status display, a multifunction push button, control circuitry, a battery management system, a rechargeable lithium-polymer battery, and an induction coil for wireless charging. The push button activates predefined sequences, including an emergency function that sends a call or text message with location data and optionally a photo to a preset number. The wallet supports global tracking through interoperable geolocation networks and local Bluetooth-based tracking for Android devices within a predetermined range, ensuring cross-platform compatibility, operational reliability, and enhanced personal security while preventing removal of the electronic module from the wallet structure.

Description

[0001] The smart wallet is a special wallet that, compared to those currently available on the market, integrates three innovative functions which, at the time of writing this patent description, are not found in other wallets available on the market.

[0002] The first innovative feature of the smart wallet is its ability to send an emergency request to a pre-set telephone number, either by making a phone call or by sending a text message requesting emergency assistance, accompanied by a photo of the location from which the emergency request originated. The second innovative feature of the smart wallet is its ability to recharge the battery using an induction system, which powers the electronic circuits inside the smart wallet. The third innovative feature of the smart wallet is its ability to track and locate its position when it is lost and / or stolen when linked to a mobile phone running on the Android operating system. By integrating the three innovative functions described above, the smart wallet is therefore more useful than those currently available on the market.

[0003] It is well known that there are wallets capable of holding a thin magnetic card that is larger in size and shape than those commonly found for standard electronic payment cards, which is inserted into the wallet in the compartment designed to hold such payment cards. This magnetic card in turn contains a device called a locator, which is an electronic element capable of transmitting its position to an external computer device associated with it, allowing it to be tracked.

[0004] However, this magnetic card is not integral with the wallet and can be easily removed, thus cancelling its function and tracking capability. It is also known that a wallet is available on the market that uses Bluetooth transmission protocol to connect to a mobile phone using a mobile application. By using the mobile phone's GPS signal, it only allows the various positions and the location of the wallet to be communicated to the database, showing its position through an icon on a map visible on the screen of the external computer device to which the wallet is linked, thus allowing it to be tracked and found. However, this tracking system is dependent on the effectiveness and availability of the GPS signal.

[0005] There is also a wallet manufactured by Apple Inc. available on the market that is able to communicate its location to the user in near real time. This is done through a mobile application developed by Apple Inc. itself, which is able to exploit a network of Apple-branded computer devices only, so that this tracking function is available and works exclusively for Apple-branded devices, as this tracking technology is not available for mobile phones that operate on the so-called "Android" operating system or any other operating system other than Apple Inc.'s iOS. Furthermore, unlike the smart wallet, the wallet designed and marketed by Apple Inc. does not have a button that allows you to send an emergency request to a pre-set number, nor does it contain a rechargeable battery.

[0006] The smart wallet described in this invention is therefore a wallet that incorporates and integrates three innovative capabilities / functions that, to the best of our knowledge, are not currently available on the market at the time of writing this patent description. These are listed as follows: 1) the capability / function of sending an emergency request that allows a telephone call to be made or, depending on the configuration of the telephone connected to the smart wallet, alternatively, sending an emergency text message with an attached photo of the surrounding environment and the location from which the emergency request was made;2) the ability / function of recharging the battery using an induction system; 3) the ability / function of tracking one's location locally, which allows it to be found even using a mobile phone with an Android operating system. The three innovative capabilities / functions of the smart wallet are achieved by means of an electronic module placed inside the seams of the smart wallet, as shown in the drawing reproduced in fig. 7 with the number '1', the components of which are described in detail below. 1) An electronic board marked with the number '1' in Fig. 1, which contains the electronic components described in paragraphs 2), 3), 4), 5), 6), 7), 8) and 9) below,10) and which in turn are connected and operate by means of a printed electronic circuit that allows them to be connected and which together form a printed and assembled electronic circuit board known as a "PCBA". 2) An antenna marked with the number "1" in Fig. 2 for electromagnetic transduction capable of receiving data sent to it via radio waves and converting it into electrical signals using the "Bluetooth" communication protocol. This is a short-range wireless communication and data exchange technology that allows the smart wallet to transmit data to compatible external devices from leading global brands such as Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi and Apple, within a distance of no more than 15 metres in an ideal environment free from architectural barriers or interference, for example. The range of Bluetooth depends not only on the physical distance but also on the performance of the external devices associated with the smart wallet. 3) A low-power integrated circuit on a card known as 'SoC', marked with the number '2' in Fig. 2, consisting of a processor capable of managing Bluetooth wireless communications and programmed by writing software whose code is available and configured to manage active processes consisting of sending the emergency request and locating the smart wallet, and passive processes consisting of receiving all signals from external IT devices, translating them into an acoustic and visual signal. 4) A piezoelectric sound element marked with the number '3' in Fig. 2, made by welding a circular metal foil with a diameter of approximately 15 mm, capable of vibrating when a voltage of approximately 1.5 volts is applied and which is in turn managed by an electronic component containing integrated circuits known as "chips", which, associated with a network of capacitors and resistors, is capable of regulating the electrical signal necessary for the operation of the sound element, which consists of an acoustic signal audible to the human ear, which the device is capable of generating and propagating in order to alert the user to the following activities: power on, power off, suspension, low battery or battery charging alerts, search and retrieval of the smart wallet in case of loss and / or fraudulent theft. 5) An indicator light marked in fig. 2 with the number '4' that lights up blue when the smart wallet is turned on, off or suspended, or red when the smart wallet is charging its battery. When the battery is fully charged, the indicator light turns green. 6) A button marked with the number "5" in fig. 2, capable of performing the following four functions when pressed with a finger: i) when the button is pressed with a finger at once, it turns on the electronic module when it is off; ii) when the button is pressed with a finger three times in succession, it switches off the electronic module when it is switched on; iii) when the button is pressed with a finger five times in succession, it resets the electronic module to factory settings; iv) when the button is pressed with a finger for at least 6 consecutive seconds, it activates the safety function that allows the owner of the smart wallet to send an emergency request to a pre-set number by sending a text message or making a phone call, depending on the features of the mobile phone to which the smart wallet is linked. 7) A control circuit marked with the number '6' in Fig. 2, consisting of a network of resistors and diodes that allows all the components of the electronic board to function correctly, as described in detail in paragraphs 2), 3), 4) and 5) above. It ensures the stabilisation, regulation and distribution of the various electrical signals transmitted to the electronic circuit. 8) A battery control system marked with the number "7" in Fig. 2, consisting of a network of resistors, diodes, capacitors and an electronic component containing integrated circuits known as "chips", which ensure the correct functioning of the battery's charge and discharge cycles. 9) The battery for powering the electrical circuit, marked with the number "1" in Fig. 3, consists of lithium polymers with the following technical specifications: 3.7 volts, 80 mAh, 0.296 Wh. 10) An electrical energy transmission coil marked with the number "1" in Fig. 4, commonly referred to as a "coil," which consists of a spiral copper circuit that allows energy to be transferred by means of induction charging. In particular, the electronic board indicated in the drawing reproduced in Fig. 5 with the number "1", as described in detail in the previous paragraph under 1), is superimposed on the battery indicated in the drawing reproduced in Fig. 5 with the number "2", as described in detail in the previous paragraph under 2), which in turn is superimposed on the electrical energy transmission coil indicated in the drawing reproduced in fig. 5 with the number "3", as described in detail in the previous paragraph under 3).

[0007] The three elements superimposed on each other form the electronic module and are securely positioned and locked into a groove approximately 3 mm thick, created inside the left-hand folding section of the smart wallet. The operation of the electronic module of the smart wallet is based, for mobile phones with Apple's "iOS" operating system, on the use of geo-location technology, which can be used globally, i.e. with almost real-time identification of the location of the smart wallet anywhere in the world. This is possible because all Apple-branded IT devices are able to communicate with each other via Bluetooth, so that each of them, using a function similar to a radio link, is able to send another Apple-branded device a signal relating to the location of the smart wallet when it is associated with one of the Apple IT devices, wherever it is in the world. The location of the smart wallet is displayed via a mobile application called 'Find My', which is pre-installed in Apple's iOS operating system.

[0008] This mobile application allows the user to view a world map on the screen of their computer device associated with the smart wallet, with the location of the wallet highlighted by a special icon on the map. It is known that this feature has already been made commercially available by the American company Apple Inc. and the company ESR. Unlike the wallets produced by the aforementioned companies, the smart wallet integrates the following unique, innovative and exclusive capabilities / features: i) charging of the battery that powers the electronic card by induction, without the use of cables, which avoids the need to replace the battery, thereby compromising the integrity of the wallet itself.

[0009] It is also known that a manufacturer called ESR has developed a non-induction charging system for the battery of a digital wallet using a specific, non-universal and non-replaceable power cable, manufactured by the company and supplied in the wallet packaging. ii)The electronic module of the smart wallet is capable of locating and tracking the wallet even for mobile phones with the 'Android' operating system, using geo-location technology at an exclusively local level, i.e. identifying the location of the smart wallet within a maximum distance of 15 metres.

[0010] These combined functions are not currently found on any digital wallet available on the market. The smart wallet can be linked to an Android mobile phone using Bluetooth data transmission protocol. The location of the smart wallet can also be viewed locally using a mobile application called 'FindingTag', which can be downloaded from www.techmadeblog.it / wallet. This application displays a map on the screen of the device paired with the smart wallet, with an icon indicating the location of the smart wallet.

[0011] The diagram in Fig. 6 summarises the operating diagram and IT architecture of the smart wallet's interaction with the various external IT devices paired with it. The smart wallet (Fig. 6 no. 1) associated with an external IT device, such as a mobile phone (Fig. 6 no. 2), is capable of sending the latter: i) an emergency request (Fig. 6 no. 3) consisting of a call or text message associated with a photo of the location from which the emergency request originated; ii) its location by sending a signal over the air, which the associated external device is able to translate into a geographical coordinate point that can be viewed by its user through an icon reproduced on a geographical map (fig. 6 no. 4). This is possible by using the 'FindingTag' computer application (fig. 6 no. 5).

[0012] The smart wallet is also capable, through the same mobile application, of reworking a signal received via the airwaves from the external computer device associated with it into a sound signal audible to the human ear (Fig. 6 no. 6), in order to allow its owner to find it.

Claims

1. Smart wallet equipped with digital multifunctionality, characterised by the fact that it includes an electronic module consisting of: - an electronic card as a processing device (fig. 1 no. 1); - an antenna as a means of reception and transmission via the airwaves (fig. 2 no. 1); - an integrated circuit as a means of pairing and interfacing (fig. 2 no. 2); - a piezoelectric sound element as a sound device (fig. 2 no. 3); - an indicator light as a means of display (fig. 2 no. 4); - a push button as a means of interfacing (fig. 2 no. 5); - electronic components as an internal means of operation and control (fig. 2 no. 6); - electronic components as a means of battery control (fig. 2 no. 7); - a battery as a power supply (fig. 3 no. 1); - an electrical transmission coil as a means of transferring electrical energy (fig. 4 no. 1).

2. Device according to claim 1), characterised in that all components of the electronic module include internal means of interaction capable of interacting with each other in order to exchange information, data and commands, either directly or via the airwaves, and wherein the internal means of interaction comprises analogue and / or digital systems implemented on a rigid support designed to be rigid that consists of analogue and digital physical media data transceivers.

3. Device according to claim 1), characterised in that the processing means comprise analogue and / or digital systems, wherein the processing means are implemented on rigid supports and in such a way as to be rigid and comprises control circuitry and / or a microprocessor (CPU).

4. Device according to claim 1), characterised in that the display means comprises analogue systems, and wherein the display means are made on a rigid support and designed to be rigid.

5. Device according to claim 1), characterised in that the means for receiving and transmitting data via the airwaves comprises analogue and digital data reception and transmission systems via the airwaves, and wherein the means for receiving and transmitting data via the airwaves comprises antennas and / or electrical and magnetic systems and / or means according to the Bluetooth protocol.

6. Device according to claims 1) and ), characterised in that the coupling and interfacing means comprise digital data systems via the airwaves, wherein the coupling and interfacing means are an electromagnetic system comprising analogue and / or digital systems; and wherein the coupling and interfacing means are implemented on a rigid support designed to be rigid.

7. Device according to claim 1), characterised in that the power supply means comprises devices for operating the device by means of a direct current battery and a rechargeable battery.

8. Device according to claim 1), characterised in that the electronic module is designed to interact with external devices.

9. Device according to claim 1), characterised in that there are two magnets for closing (fig. 1 no. 2) and / or a magnet for coupling to other devices (fig. 1 no. 3) and / or an integrated indicator light to show charge levels or low battery warnings.

10. Device according to claim 1), characterised in that the material with which it is made is suitable for protecting all functional electronic components.

11. Device according to claim 1), characterised by the fact that it is equipped with an inductive charging system that includes an electrical transmission coil (fig. 4 no. 1).

12. Device according to claim 1), characterised in that the battery, due to its particular technical construction characteristics, is rechargeable and does not need to be replaced, wherein the rechargeable battery is housed in an internal compartment protected against impact.

13. Device according to claim 1), characterised in that the communication module is configured to enable detection of the wallet when the distance between the wallet and the device exceeds a predetermined threshold.

14. Device according to claim 1), characterised in that there is a push button integrated into the main body of the wallet that sends commands to the card, wherein the integrated push button is configured to recognise a specific sequence of presses to prevent accidental activation.

15. Device according to claim 1), characterised in that the electronic module transmits an emergency request to the associated telephone.

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