Radio frequency identification (RFID) material tracking method and apparatus in an airport environment

• US 20060086790A1
• Filed: 01/03/2005
• Published: 04/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Sloan, Michael, Solanki, Nilan, Adickes, Martin, Blue, Larry
• Granted Patent: US 7,195,159 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/384
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/368 Arrangements or installations for routing, distributing or loading baggage
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10445 the record carriers being fixed to further objects, e.g. RFIDs fixed to packages, luggage, mail-pieces or work-pieces transported on a conveyor belt
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for tracking items automatically are described. A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag is used with a material tracking system to enable the identification and locating of aviation assets in an airport environment. For example, passive (e.g., non-battery) RFID tags are attached to an aviation asset. Antennas are placed at locations where monitoring of assets is necessary. A local controller and RFID reader use the antennas to communicate with the passive RFID tags to determine the identity and location of the asset.

Claims

1. A tracking system for tracking objects, the objects each having a corresponding radio frequency identification (RFID) tag associated therewith, comprising:

at least one conveyor belt that transports the objects;

at least one antenna placed in a corresponding stationary coverage area associated with said at least one antenna, wherein said coverage area is arranged adjacent to said at least one conveyor belt;

a reader that is coupled to said at least one antenna, wherein a unit load device (ULD) is positioned adjacent to said at least one conveyor belt in said stationary coverage area of said at least one antenna, wherein said reader reads the tags in as the objects associated with the tags enter said coverage area;

an object management system (OMS) that receives information regarding read tags from said reader, and stores said information; and

an operator feedback unit (OFU) that enables an operator to interact with said reader.

2. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein the objects include baggage.

3. The tracking system of claim 2, wherein said at least one conveyor belt is used to route said baggage in an airport.

4. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein said at least one conveyor belt comprises a first conveyor belt and a second conveyor belt.

5. The tracking system of claim 4, wherein said first conveyor belt moves objects on said first conveyor belt in a first direction opposite from a second direction in which said second conveyor belt moves objects.

6. The tracking system of claim 4, wherein said first and second conveyor belts are positioned in a stacked configuration.

7. The tracking system of claim 4, wherein said first conveyor belt transports baggage from a baggage check-in area to the aircraft, and said second conveyor belt transports baggage from the aircraft to a baggage pick-up area.

8. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein the objects are loaded from the ULD onto said at least one conveyor belt.

9. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein the objects are loaded from the at least one conveyor belt into the ULD.

10. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein the reader is a fixed reader.

11. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein the reader is a movable reader.

12. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein said OMS uses said information to track location of the objects.

13. The tracking system of claim 2, wherein said OMS is a baggage management system (BMS).

14. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein said OFU comprises at least one indicator providing an indication related to operation of the reader to the operator.

15. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein said OFU comprises at least one input device that enables the operator to control operation of the reader.

16. The tracking system of claim 1, further comprises a plurality of antennas and a plurality of OFUs, each said OFU corresponding to a distinct antenna.

17. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein said reader is coupled to a plurality of antennas, wherein each of said plurality of antennas has a corresponding stationary coverage area, wherein a ULD is positioned in at least one of said coverage areas of said plurality of antennas, wherein said reader reads the tags as the objects associated with the tags enter said coverage area.

18. The tracking system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second reader that is coupled to a second antenna, wherein a second ULD is positioned in a coverage area of said second antenna, wherein said second reader reads the tags associated with the objects positioned in said coverage area of said second antenna;

wherein said OMS receives and stores information regarding read tags from said second reader.

19. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein said reader comprises:

an input/output module;

an Ethernet switch; and

a power unit.

20. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein said reader reads a tag of an object that the operator places into the ULD.

21. The tracking system of claim 20, wherein the operator places the object into the ULD from said at least one conveyor belt.

22. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein said reader reads a tag of an object that the operator places onto said at least one conveyor belt.

23. The tracking system of claim 22, wherein the operator places the object onto said at least one conveyor belt from the ULD.

24. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein said OMS associates an antenna with said ULD.

25. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein said OMS tracks which of the objects are associated with the ULD.

36. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein the reader automatically tracks the objects as the objects enter the stationary coverage area.

26. A method for tracking objects, the objects each having a corresponding radio frequency identification (RFID) tag associated therewith, comprising:

(a) selecting an object from an object carrier;

(b) analyzing a RFID tag associated with the object to determine a unit load device (ULD) to contain the object;

(c) positioning the object in the determined ULD;

(d) reading the RFID tag of the object;

(e) receiving an indicator output that indicates whether the determined ULD is the correct ULD for the object;

(f) if the indicator output indicates the determined ULD is not the correct ULD for the object;

(1) removing the object from the determined ULD, and

(2) returning to step (b) for the object,

(g) if the indicator output indicates the determined ULD is the correct ULD for the object;

(1) determining whether the object carrier has another object, and

(2) if the object carrier is determined to have another object, selecting the another object from the object carrier, and returning to step (b) for the another object.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the object carrier is a conveyor, wherein step (a) comprises:

selecting the object from the conveyor.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the object carrier is a cart, wherein step (a) comprises:

selecting the object from the cart.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein step (b) comprises:

scanning a bar code of the RFID tag.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein step (b) comprises:

reading text associated with the RFID tag.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein step (d) comprises:

(1) attempting to read the RFID tag;

(2) receiving an indicator output that indicates whether the RFID tag was successfully read; and

(3) if the indicator output indicates the RFID tag was not successfully read, adjusting a position of the object and returning to step (1) for the RFID tag.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein an RFID reader is used to read the RFID tag in step (d), the method further comprising:

(h) prior to step (a), activating the RFID reader.

33. The method of claim 32, the method further comprising:

(i) after step (g), deactivating the RFID reader.

34. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

(h) generating a manifest.

35. The method of claim 26, wherein the objects are baggage being transported in an airport, wherein step (a) comprises:

selecting a bag from the object carrier.