Optical asset tracking system
First Claim
1. An optical asset tracking system comprising:
- a sensor having a plurality of pixels, each pixel configured to generate an electrical signal in response to an optical data signal emitted by an optical tag and incident on the pixel; and
a sensor processor in communication with the sensor, the sensor processor configured to generate an electrical data signal representative of the optical data signal incident on each pixel, the sensor processor generating asset data responsive to the electrical data signal for each pixel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Described are a system and a method for optical tracking of assets. The system includes a sensor having a plurality of pixels. Each pixel is adapted to produce an electrical signal responsive to an incident optical data signal emitted by an optical tag attached to an asset. The system also includes a sensor processor in communication with the sensor and configured to generate an electrical data signal based on optical data signals incident on the pixels. The sensor processor also generates asset data in response to the electrical data signals from the pixels. The sensor and sensor processor can be implemented as an optical communications imager in which each pixel generates a communication data signal based on incident light. Alternatively, the sensor can include a digital video camera or an analog video camera for lower bandwidth communications.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. An optical asset tracking system comprising:
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a sensor having a plurality of pixels, each pixel configured to generate an electrical signal in response to an optical data signal emitted by an optical tag and incident on the pixel; and
a sensor processor in communication with the sensor, the sensor processor configured to generate an electrical data signal representative of the optical data signal incident on each pixel, the sensor processor generating asset data responsive to the electrical data signal for each pixel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for real-time location of an asset having an optical tag, the method comprising:
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emitting an optical data signal from the optical tag, the optical data signal including asset data;
detecting, at a sensor comprising a plurality of pixels, the optical data signal at one or more of the pixels; and
determining the asset data in response to the detected optical data signal. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An optical asset tracking system comprising:
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a plurality of sensors each having a plurality of pixels, each pixel configured to generate an electrical signal in response to an optical data signal emitted by an optical tag and incident on the pixel; and
a plurality of sensor processors each in communication with a respective one of the sensors, each sensor processor configured to provide asset data in response to the communications data from the respective sensor. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An optical tag for generating an optical data signal having asset data, comprising:
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an optical modulator;
a memory module storing asset data; and
a tag processor in electrical communication with the optical modulator and the memory module, the tag processor generating a data signal responsive to the asset data, the optical modulator generating an optical data signal in response to the data signal. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification