Patent Description:
Cycle and motorcycle rental services, which can be managed through a software application which can be downloaded to a mobile device, such as a smartphone, are increasingly widespread, especially in cities. As is known, at the end of the rental the user must put the helmet back in the top box the cycle or motorcycle is provided with. Only after delivery of the helmet can the rental service be ended and the duration of the rental service on the basis of which the user must make the payment can therefore be calculated.

To check that the helmet is inserted in the top box at the end of the rental, it is known to provide the top box with helmet presence sensors. Examples of such sensors currently used are load cells and photocells. Unfortunately, these sensors are not sufficiently safe and helmet theft episodes frequently occur. For example, in the case of a load cell it is sufficient to insert an object, for example a stone, having a weight comparable to that of the helmet in the top box.

The document <CIT> shows the features of the preamble of claim <NUM>.

The object of the present invention is to propose a top box, a system and a method for managing a rental service capable of overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks of the devices for detecting the presence of the helmets inside the top box.

Such object is achieved with a top box according to claim <NUM>, with a helmet according to claim <NUM>, with a rental service management system according to claim <NUM> and with a management method according to claim <NUM>. The dependent claims describe preferred or advantageous embodiments of the invention.

The features and the advantages of the top box, of the helmet, of the system and of the method according to the invention shall be made readily apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof, provided purely by way of a non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:.

In said drawings, reference numeral <NUM> indicates a top box for cycles and motorcycles. The top box <NUM> is suitable to contain two helmets <NUM>.

In a general embodiment, the top box <NUM> comprises a top box body <NUM> defining a compartment <NUM> suitable to accommodate at least two helmets <NUM>, <NUM>'.

In the continuation of the description, for greater clarity, reference will be made to a top box for bicycles or motorcycles, for example scooters, suitable to accommodate two helmets. It is clear that the technical solutions described below can also be applied to the case of more than two helmets, for example if it is a top box for Quads or other vehicles which can be provided with larger top boxes than that of a bicycle, scooter or motorcycle.

According to an aspect of the invention, two first components <NUM>, <NUM>' of a pair of components <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>'-<NUM>' of a short-range wireless transceiver system, in particular a radio frequency system, are fastened in the top box body <NUM>.

The second component <NUM>, <NUM>' of each pair of components <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>'-<NUM>' is fastened to the respective helmet <NUM>, <NUM>'.

Each first component <NUM>, <NUM>' is configured to transmit a helmet-present signal to a processing unit <NUM> when it detects the presence of a helmet <NUM>; <NUM>' provided with a second component <NUM>; <NUM>'.

In other words, a first component <NUM>; <NUM>' sends a helmet-present signal to the processing unit <NUM> when a helmet <NUM>, <NUM>' is stored in the compartment <NUM>, in a position such that a second component <NUM>; <NUM>' is detected by the first component <NUM>; <NUM>'.

In one embodiment, the processing unit <NUM> is or forms part of the cycle' or motorcycle's electronic control unit.

Furthermore, in one embodiment, each first component <NUM>, <NUM>' is suitable to be powered by the cycle or motorcycle battery.

Therefore, in one embodiment, each first component <NUM>, <NUM>' is provided with means for connection to the electronic control unit and to the battery of the cycle or motorcycle.

In one embodiment, the short-range wireless transceiver system is a bidirectional system, wherein one of the two components emits a query signal which is received by the other of the two components, which in turn sends a response signal which is received by the first component.

In one embodiment, the first component <NUM>, <NUM>', when powered, emits the query signal; the second component <NUM>, <NUM>' is configured to be activated by the received query signal so as to generate a response signal which is detected by the first component <NUM>, <NUM>'.

In one embodiment, the two first components <NUM>, <NUM>' are identical to each other.

In one embodiment, the communication between the first component <NUM>; <NUM>' and the second component <NUM>; <NUM>' is calibrated in such a way that a second component <NUM>; <NUM>' can be detected by only one of the two or more first components <NUM>; <NUM>' fastened to a top box, in particular by the first component <NUM>, <NUM>' which is spatially closer to the second component <NUM>, <NUM>' when the helmet <NUM>; <NUM>' is stored in the top box.

For this purpose, as exemplified in <FIG>, the top box <NUM> can be provided with graphic indications <NUM> or other guide elements suitable to indicate to the user in which position a helmet <NUM>, <NUM>' should be placed with respect to a first component <NUM>, <NUM>' so that the first component <NUM>, <NUM>' detects the presence of a second component <NUM>, <NUM>'.

In a preferred embodiment, the transceiver system uses RFID or NFC technology.

In a preferred embodiment, each first component <NUM>, <NUM>' is an RFID reader, also called "controller". In this case, the second component <NUM>, <NUM>' is an RFID tag or label attached to the helmet <NUM>, <NUM>'.

In one embodiment, the two first components <NUM>, <NUM>' are fixed side by side to a bottom wall <NUM> of the top box <NUM>.

In one embodiment, each RFID reader comprises an electronic printed circuit board <NUM> and an antenna <NUM> for RFID reception. The board <NUM> and the antenna <NUM> are accommodated in a fastening base <NUM> positioned on the bottom wall <NUM>. A protective cover <NUM> is fastened over the base <NUM>. For example, the base <NUM> and the cover <NUM> are made of plastic material.

Therefore, the electronic components of the RFID reader are kept inside a housing formed by the base <NUM>, suitable to contact the bottom wall <NUM> of the top box <NUM> and the protective cover <NUM>.

In one embodiment, the bases <NUM> and the respective covers <NUM> are connected to each other and to the bottom wall <NUM> of the top box <NUM> by fixing screws.

In one embodiment, the first component <NUM> is provided with a light signaling device <NUM> which turns on when a communication is established between the first component <NUM>, <NUM>' and the respective second component <NUM>, <NUM>' of the transceiver system. Such light signal is positioned in such a way as to be visible to the user.

According to an aspect of the invention, the two first components <NUM>, <NUM>' are operatively connected to each other and configured in such a way that only one at a time of the two first components <NUM>, <NUM>', alternately with the other, can establish communication with a second component <NUM>, <NUM>'. In fact, it has been experimented that when the first two components <NUM>, <NUM>' work simultaneously, i.e. they both send a query signal suitable to be received by a second component <NUM>, <NUM>', electromagnetic interference is generated which disturbs the communication between a first component <NUM>, <NUM>' and a second component <NUM>, <NUM>'.

In other words, the two first components <NUM>, <NUM>' do not simultaneously emit a query signal for a second component <NUM>, <NUM>'.

In a preferred embodiment, the two first components <NUM>, <NUM>' emit, alternately according to a predetermined switching frequency, a query signal suitable to be received by the respective second components <NUM>, <NUM>'. The switching frequency is high enough not to be perceived by the user while placing one or both helmets in the top box.

In one embodiment, the two electronic boards <NUM> of the two first components <NUM>, <NUM>' are connected to each other, for example by a cable <NUM>, so as to exchange a control signal which enables the alternate operation of the two electronic boards <NUM>.

In one embodiment, each electronic board <NUM> comprises control means, for example implemented with firmware, configured in such a way that, when they detect the connection, for example by means of the cable <NUM>, to another first component <NUM>; <NUM>', they enter a synchronized control mode in which they synchronize with the control means of the other first component <NUM>; <NUM>' so as to control the emission of the query signal alternately, for example at a predetermined switching frequency.

In one embodiment, when instead only one first component <NUM>; <NUM>' is installed in a top box <NUM>, this first component <NUM>; <NUM>' is controlled to emit a query signal as soon as it is switched on.

In one embodiment, the compartment <NUM> of the top box <NUM> is configured to accommodate the helmets <NUM>, <NUM>' only in a predetermined orientation which allows the second component <NUM>, <NUM>' to be positioned at a minimum distance from the first component <NUM>, <NUM>'.

A cycle or motorcycle rental management system is also an object of the invention. The system comprises a top box <NUM> and two helmets <NUM>, <NUM>' as described above, a processing unit <NUM> operatively connected to the first components <NUM>, <NUM>'.

The processing unit <NUM>, which, as mentioned above, can be integrated into the cycle or motorcycle control unit, is configured to receive and process a helmet-present signal transmitted by a first component <NUM>, <NUM>' and to send a processed helmet-present signal to a remote server.

The system also comprises a software application distributed on the remote server <NUM> and on a mobile device <NUM> of a user, wherein the software application resident on the mobile device comprises a user interface configured to request the remote server to activate a rental service and to communicate the end of the rental service to the remote server. The application residing on the remote server is configured to receive the processed helmet-present signal from the processing unit <NUM> and to authorize the conclusion of the rental service requested by the user only in the presence of the processed helmet-present signal.

Therefore, at the end of the rental, the user inserts the helmet or helmets used in the top box so as to activate the communication between the components of the short-range wireless transceiver system.

In one embodiment, through the mobile device, for example a smartphone on which a software application for managing the rental service is stored, the user sends the remote server a request for termination of the rental to the remote server.

In other embodiments, the rental service is automatically terminated by the remote server when it receives a helmet-present signal in the top box, without the user sending a rental termination request.

If a first component detects the presence of a second component of the transceiver system, the light signal <NUM> can be activated. The first component <NUM>, <NUM>' sends a helmet-present signal to the processing unit <NUM>.

When the processing unit <NUM> has received a helmet-present signal from the first component of the helmet or helmets used, it sends a processed helmet-present signal to the remote server.

The latter, upon receipt of the helmet-present signal processed, authorizes the conclusion of the rental service.

In some embodiments, the RFID tag present on the helmet can also provide the respective RFID reader with additional information, for example data that uniquely identifies the helmet.

Below is an example of managing a motorcycle rental service using the system described above, in an embodiment which uses RFID technology.

The customer approaches an available vehicle and requests the start of the rental via a dedicated application ("app"). Following appropriate checks by the rental service server, the service is activated.

The reader devices <NUM>, <NUM>' are switched on and controlled to emit a query signal of the tags <NUM>, <NUM>'. If the top box <NUM> contains both helmets <NUM>, <NUM>', the helmet-present signals are sent to the processing unit <NUM> and this information is recorded.

The customer is now enabled to open the top box, remove the helmet and drive. In the driving step, the reader devices <NUM>, <NUM>' can be switched off.

At the end of the rental, for example following the closure of the top box cover, the reader devices <NUM>, <NUM>' are again switched on and controlled to send, in the manner described above, the query signal of the tags <NUM>, <NUM>'. The result of the query is sent to the processing unit <NUM> and recorded.

The data obtained at the end of the rental is then compared with the data recorded at the beginning of the rental.

The control unit <NUM> of the vehicle can then communicate to the server <NUM> of the rental company that all the conditions for the interruption of the rental are met (the top box is closed and all the helmets are inside it). The server <NUM> can authorize the termination of the rental service.

The customer, through the app, can now request the interruption of the rental service and then make the payment.

The reader devices <NUM>, <NUM>' can therefore be switched off and the vehicle parked.

The comparison step between the helmet-present signals at the end of the rental and the helmet-present signals at the beginning of the rental therefore allows understanding whether the vehicle has been left by the end user in the same conditions in which he/she found it.

It should be noted that the recording of the condition of the top box at the beginning and end of the rental, associated with the user who has requested and terminated the rental, allows the culprit of a possible theft of one or more helmets to be identified without necessarily preventing the next customer (who can still use the vehicle, if he/she finds at least one helmet in the top box) from using it.

Otherwise, if the theft occurs with the vehicle off, it will be immediately clear to the renter what happened as there will be both helmets at the end of the last rental but not at the beginning of the next one. The customer will not be able to drive and will be forced to send a report to close the start of the rental.

It should be noted that, in some embodiments and when the rental step requires it, electricity is sent to all the reader devices mounted in the top box. In fact, there is no distinction between the two reader devices on the same top box and, alternately, both emit the query signal.

Claim 1:
A top box for cycles and motorcycles, comprising a top box body (<NUM>) defining a compartment (<NUM>) suitable to accommodate at least two helmets (<NUM>, <NUM>'), wherein at least two first components (<NUM>, <NUM>') of a pair of components (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>'-<NUM>') of a transceiver system are fastened in the top box body, the second (<NUM>, <NUM>') of said pair of components being able to be fastened to a respective helmet, each first component (<NUM>, <NUM>') being configured to transmit a helmet-present signal to a processing unit (<NUM>) when it detects the presence of a helmet (<NUM>; <NUM>') provided with a second component (<NUM>; <NUM>'), wherein the two first components (<NUM>, <NUM>') are operatively connected to each other, characterised in that the transceiver system is a short-range wireless transceiver system and that the two first components are configured so that only one at a time can alternately establish a communication with a second component (<NUM>, <NUM>').