Object control and tracking system with zonal transition detection
First Claim
1. A system for tracking the movement of objects in a predefined area, said system comprising:
- a central controller;
a readable tag on each object to be tracked, each readable tag storing a code identifying its corresponding object;
readers at preselected locations within said predefined area for reading the codes of said readable tags as the objects corresponding to said readable tags move past said readers;
a communications link between said readers and said central controller for communication of codes read by said readers to said central controller;
said controller being programmed to collect data from said readers for tracking the movement of objects within the predefined area.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved object tracking and control system is provided and is particularly suited to implementation at an automobile dealership. The system includes a Key Track system adapted to control access to and log the check out and check in of keys to vehicles on the lot. RFID tags are provided on the vehicles and tag readers are embedded at selected locations within the dealership parking lot to detect movement of vehicles. In one embodiment, the lot is subdivided into zones and the readers are located at transition regions between the zones. Information about the check out and check in of keys from the Key Track system is combined and integrated with information about the movement of vehicles about the lot to reach conclusions regarding authorized movement and to provide useful information to dealership management.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. A system for tracking the movement of objects in a predefined area, said system comprising:
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a central controller;
a readable tag on each object to be tracked, each readable tag storing a code identifying its corresponding object;
readers at preselected locations within said predefined area for reading the codes of said readable tags as the objects corresponding to said readable tags move past said readers;
a communications link between said readers and said central controller for communication of codes read by said readers to said central controller;
said controller being programmed to collect data from said readers for tracking the movement of objects within the predefined area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of tracking the movement of an object between predetermined zones within an area, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) establishing transition regions between the predetermined zones;
(b) detecting the object as the object traverses a transition region;
(c) identifying the object as it is detected traversing the transition region in step (b); and
(d) determining the zone in which the object is located based upon the detection and identification of the object in steps (b) and (c). - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A system for tracking and controlling the movement of objects in a predefined area comprising:
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a central controller;
an array of readers disposed at preselected locations in the predefined area, said readers being in communication with said central controller;
a readable tag on each of the objects, each readable tag storing a code identifying its corresponding object;
said codes of said readable tags being detected by said readers as objects move past said readers and being communicated to said central controller;
said central controller being programmed to determine the location of each object by analyzing the codes communicated by said readers. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. The system of claim i and wherein said central controller uses the integrated information to authorize movement of vehicles.
- 38. In a Key Track system for tracking the check out and check in of keys providing access to objects, the improvement comprising means for tracking movement of each object in the interim between check out of the key to the object and check in of the key to the object.
Specification