Garment incorporating antenna for identifying articles to be sorted

• US 20040140897A1
• Filed: 12/11/2003
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neopost Technologies S.A. (Quadient SA)
• Original Assignee: Neopost Technologies S.A. (Quadient SA)
• Inventors: Fabre, Bruno, Venture, Guy
• Granted Patent: US 7,034,685 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.8
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10336 the antenna being of the near field type, inductive coil
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10346 the antenna being of the far field type, e.g. HF types or dipoles
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners

Abstract

This invention relates to an interrogator device for identifying articles each provided with a transponder, comprising radio-frequency (RF) interrogation means for obtaining identifying information on each of the articles, these RF interrogation means comprising an RF antenna coupled to an electronic module for processing the identifying information issuing from the transponders, and the RF antenna comprises two flat coils each incorporated on two opposite ends of a garment worn by an agent in charge of collecting the articles arranged. Loose over a storage area, and connected to the electronic module worn by the agent by communication lines incorporated in the garment, the electronic module comprising discrimination means for determining pertinent identifying information from a plurality of identifying information obtained from the transponders through said RF antenna.

Claims

1. Interrogator device for identifying articles each provided with a transponder, comprising radio-frequency (RF) interrogation means for obtaining identifying information on each of the articles, said RF interrogation means comprising an RF antenna coupled to an electronic module for processing the identifying information issuing from the transponders, wherein said RF antenna is incorporated on two opposite ends of a garment worn by an agent in charge of collecting said articles arranged loose over a storage area, and connected to said electronic module worn by the agent by communication lines incorporated in the garment, said electronic module comprising discrimination means for determining pertinent identifying information from the plurality of identifying information obtained from the transponders through said RF antenna.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said RF antenna comprises two flat coils woven on the cuffs of the garment.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said RF antenna comprises two flat coils woven on two gloves worn by the agent, the leads linking to the electronic module being disposed in a sheath passed underneath the agent'"'"'s garment.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the electronic module comprises comparison means for comparing the identifying information obtained from the transponders with references relative to the articles to be identified, and thus validating, as they are being collected, the articles read by the agent.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein said electronic module comprises memory means for storing said references relative to the articles to be identified.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein it further comprises visual and/or audible indication means for informing the agent of the result of the identification made by said comparison means.

7. The device of claim 4, wherein said electronic module further comprises short range emission/reception means for receiving said references relative to the articles to be identified, from a remote data-processing assembly.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said short range emission/reception means are of infrared type.

9. Garment incorporating antenna for identifying articles each provided with a transponder, comprising an RF antenna formed by two flat coils each incorporated on the two cuffs of the garment worn by an agent in charge of collecting the articles arranged loose over a storage area, and intended to be connected by communication lines incorporated in the garment to an electronic module for processing the identifying information issuing from the transponders carried by the agent, said electronic module comprising discrimination means for determining pertinent identifying information from a plurality of identifying information obtained from the transponders through said RF antenna.