System and method for locating individuals and equipment, airline reservation system, communication system

• US 20060061453A1
• Filed: 11/10/2005
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Inventors: Tuttle, John R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,570,151 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.600
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/74 Systems using reradiation of radio waves, e.g. secondary radar systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisious for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/1083 Pager locating systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 31/00 Predictive alarm systems characterised by extrapolation or other computation using updated historic data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber

Abstract

A system for locating an individual in a facility, the system comprising a portable wireless transponder device borne by the individual; an interrogator; and a plurality of antennas distributed in the facility, the antennas being selectively separately connected to the interrogator, the interrogator when connected to any of the antennas having a communications range covering less than the area of the entire facility, the interrogator being configured to repeatedly transmit a wireless command to the portable wireless transponder device using alternating antennas, the portable wireless transponder device being configured to transmit data identifying the portable wireless transponder device in response to a command if the portable wireless transponder device is within communications range of the antenna sending the command, the individual being locatable by determining with which antenna the interrogator was able to establish communications with the portable wireless transponder device.

Claims

1. A reservation system comprising:

a database configured to store information identifying customers who have purchased tickets for an event, information about the scheduled time for the event, and information identifying customers who have arrived;

a controller configured to operate on the database; and

a wireless transponder in communication with the controller, and an antenna coupled to the wireless transponder, the transponder being configured to periodically send wireless commands requesting wireless responses from portable identification devices, the portable identification devices being configured to transmit identifying data in response to receiving a command, the wireless transponder having a predetermined communications range and being configured to communicate with portable identification devices within the predetermined communications range, the controller being configured to modify the database to indicate that one of the customers who purchased a ticket has arrived, responsive to the wireless transponder receiving a response from the portable identification device associated with that customer, which response includes identifying data for that customer.

2. A system in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising at least one of the portable identification devices, including a housing, and battery, a transponder, and a microprocessor in the housing.

3. A system in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising at least one of the portable identification devices, including an integrated circuit having a transponder, a microprocessor, and a memory, and being configured to communicate with the wireless transponder at a microwave frequency.

4. A travel reservation system comprising:

a computer configured to operate on a database having information identifying passengers who have made travel reservations, information about the scheduled departure, and information identifying passengers who have checked in;

a wireless transponder in communication with the computer, and an antenna coupled to the wireless transponder, the transponder being configured to periodically send wireless commands requesting wireless responses from portable identification devices, the portable identification devices being configured to transmit identifying data in response to receiving a command, the wireless transponder having a predetermined communications range and being configured to communicate with portable identification devices within the predetermined communications range, the computer being configured to modify the database to indicate that one of the passengers who made travel reservations has checked in, responsive to the wireless transponder receiving a response from the portable identification device associated with that passenger, which response includes identifying data for that passenger; and

a second antenna selectively alternately connected to the wireless transponder and configured to communicate with portable identification devices that have passed to a predetermined area indicating that the passenger has boarded a vessel, the computer being configured to modify the database, to indicate that a passenger has boarded the vessel, in response to a portable identification device identifying a passenger communicating with the wireless transponder from the predetermined area.

5. A system in accordance with claim 4 and further comprising at least one of the portable identification devices, including a housing, and battery, a transponder, and a microprocessor in the housing.

6. A system in accordance with claim 4 and further comprising at least one of the portable identification devices, including an integrated circuit having a transponder, a microprocessor, and a memory, and being configured to communicate with the wireless transponder at a microwave frequency.

7. A system in accordance with claim 4 wherein the predetermined amount of time is one hour.

8. A system for communicating scheduling information to a customer, the system comprising:

a computer configured to operate on a database having information identifying customers who have purchased tickets, information identifying customers who have arrived, and information about scheduled event times;

a monitor coupled to the computer; and

a wireless transponder in communication with the computer and configured to periodically send wireless commands requesting wireless responses from portable identification devices, the portable identification devices being configured to transmit identifying data in response to receiving a command, the wireless transponder having a range selected for communicating with portable identification devices proximate the monitor, the computer being programmed to cause information about a customer'"'"'s event to be automatically displayed on the monitor in response to the portable identification device coming within the selected range and communicating wirelessly with the transponder, the information including an indication of whether or not the customer'"'"'s arrival has been noted.

9. A system in accordance with claim 8 wherein the information displayed on the monitor includes the customer'"'"'s name.

10. A system in accordance with claim 8 wherein the information displayed on the monitor includes a code identifying the customer.

11. A system for communicating travel information to a passenger, the system comprising:

a computer configured to operate on a database having information identifying passengers who have purchased tickets, information identifying passengers who are checked in, and information about scheduled departures;

a monitor coupled to the computer; and

a wireless transponder in communication with the computer and configured to periodically send wireless commands requesting wireless responses from portable identification devices, the portable identification devices being configured to transmit identifying data in response to receiving a command, the wireless transponder having a predetermined range for communicating only with portable identification devices within a desired distance from the monitor, the computer being programmed to cause information about a passenger'"'"'s departure to be automatically displayed on the monitor in response to any of the portable identification devices coming within the range;

wherein if multiple passengers having portable identification devices are within the range, the computer causes the monitor to show information for all of the passengers who are within the range.

12. A system in accordance with claim 11 wherein the information for a passenger is shown adjacent the passenger'"'"'s name.

13. A system in accordance with claim 12 wherein, if multiple passengers having portable identification devices are within the range, the information is sorted by passenger name.

14. A system in accordance with claim 11 wherein the information for a passenger is shown adjacent a code identifying the passenger.

15. A system in accordance with claim 11 and further comprising at least one of the portable identification devices, wherein the portable identification device includes an actuator, and wherein the travel information is shown on the display in response to the actuator being actuated.