Object detection system

Details Object detection system Object detection system

2001-08-08

2003-09-23

Tweel, John (Department: 2632)

Communications: electrical

Condition responsive indicating system

Specific condition

C340S573100, C340S573400

Reexamination Certificate

active

06624752

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a system and a method for detecting and identifying an object. More specifically the invention relates to a tag for attachment e.g. to luggage, the tag being adapted for transmission of an identifiable signal and a receiver for detecting and identifying the signal.
The present invention is concerned with the use of Bluetooth™ technology for detection of the object.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
In general, the detection and identification of objects relates to the problem of finding an object or to the problem of detecting the loss of an object. The object could be anything such as luggage, a car, a bicycle or even persons. The problem of finding the object could be the problem of finding a specific car in a car park or city, finding luggage on a luggage conveyer in an airport, finding a specific bike in a school yard or of finding a person such as a child in a school yard or in a shopping centre etc. The problem of detecting the loss of an object could be detecting whether the object is being stolen or whether the object has been forgotten.
Generally speaking, methods and devices for the identification and detection of objects exist. As an example, luggage is typically labeled with a hand written or a bar coded label indicating the identity of the owner of the luggage. However, the hand written label can be impossible to read either due to handwriting that is difficult to read or the label may be destroyed by humidity or by the transportation of the luggage. The hand written label does not by itself constitute a guarantee for the identity of the owner of the luggage, since it is easy to change the label or to write a label with a wrong name or address. Moreover the label does not alert the owner if the luggage is either forgotten or stolen. Air cargo and airport staff in general experience huge problems on luggage handling. As an example, it can be difficult to find owners of luggage that has been left or forgotten and it can be difficult to trace the place of sojourn of the traveler. A badly written luggage tag can cause that the luggage ends up in a wrong destination. For that reason, insurance companies as well as airline companies effect expenditures for compensation of lost luggage.
Similarly systems for identification of persons exist. As an example people are typically identified towards authorities e.g. in relation to inspection of tickets, for admittance control etc. In general the existing systems are related with the same mentioned drawbacks as the systems for luggage detection.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a tag that can be attached to objects such as luggage or persons and that reduces or eliminates the above mentioned problems.
According to the object, the present invention relates to a system for detecting objects, said system comprising:
at least one first transmitting unit to be located near the luggage, the first unit having an identity and being provided with a transmitter for transmitting a first signal representing the identity of the first transmitting unit, and
a receiving unit provided with a receiver for receiving the first signal, the receiving unit being adapted to generate a second signal in case the first signal represents the identity of one of said at least one first transmitting unit(s),
the receiving unit being adapted to receive the first signal when the distance between the first transmitting unit and the receiving unit is within a predetermined interval.
The objects may be luggage, e.g. to be handled through a number of destinations, e.g. through an airport. The objects may also be persons, e.g. children in a kinder garden or in a school, prisoners in a jailhouse. It could also be a car, or it may simply be a system for the identification of persons, e.g. to be used in connection with ticket inspection in a fun park or in a public transportation system or for verification of identity in connection with admittance control systems. As an example, the first transmitting unit may be used in connection with admittance control, e.g. in a skiing resort. The identification of the holder of the tag could be used for later payment.
In general the objects may be any people or item for whom or which a reliable detection and/or identification is requested. The transmitting unit could be integrated in a luggage tag of if the object is a human being such as a child the transmitting unit may be integrated in a bracelet, a wristwatch or in clothes. The transmitting unit could also be integrated in sports equipment, in a bicycle, in a car or even in tools so that stolen tools can be found. As an example, the transmitting unit may be integrated in the frame of the bike, so that the bike can be found amongst a number of bikes, e.g. in a schoolyard. As another example, the transmitting unit may be integrated e.g. in ski bindings, thus enabling the ski equipment to be found amongst the ski equipment left outside a restaurant of left in the ski-room in a hotel or so that the skier may be identified when using the lift system—the transmitting unit thus acting as a ski-pass. By means of yet another example the transmitting unit may be integrated in a wristband so that the presence of the person wearing the wristband easily can be detected or found. The transmitting unit could also be integrated in key-rings etc. thus enabling the retrieval of a lost key.
Preferably the first transmitting unit comprises an active transmitting unit, provided with power driven means for transmitting the first signal in the form of a radio signal. The transmitting unit may be provided with a power source, e.g. in the form of a battery or in the form of solar cells or kinetic cells capable of charging an electrical current upon shaking, vibrating or in any other way moving the transmitting unit.
The receiving unit may be integrated in phone devices, computers, cars etc. or the receiving unit may be installed in a residential property so as to detect and identify objects or persons, e.g. for the purpose of admittance control.
The first transmitting unit could be an electronic circuit capable of transmitting a signal that can identify the circuit and thus identify a bag or a person or item carrying the tag. As an example the circuit could be integrated in a tag to be fastened e.g. to luggage.
By means of the second signal generated by the receiver, the owner of the luggage can be notified e.g. when the luggage arrives to the luggage claim area in an airport. The predetermined distance indicates towards the owner, how far away the luggage is when the second signal is received.
When the owner wants to check if the luggage is within close range, the receiver is turned on. If the receiver detects a signal the owner is notified, e.g. by the receiver transmitting a second signal in the form of a ringing, beeping, flashing, vibration etc. The receiver may even transmit a radio signal or an infrared signal to another electronic device, the signal indicating that the luggage is within the predetermined interval. As will later be described the reverse function, namely that the second signal is transmitted as the luggage is moved out of the predetermined distance could also be implemented. This function will help people to remember objects and alert in case of theft. As an example the function will help travellers to remember their luggage or alert in case the luggage is stolen. Both functions could be activated, so that whenever an object is detected, the receiving unit will automatically alert, if the object is taken out of the pre-specified area.
The system could interact with existing legacy systems. These systems could be airline barcode baggage systems, RFID systems or airline tracking systems or other systems that could add valuable information to the technology like RFID or other short-range passive identification chips. By interacting with these existing systems and by allowing an owner of luggage with an identification unit if it is of one of the older passive types or if it is a uni

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Object detection system does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Object detection system, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Object detection system will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3109050