METHOD FOR MONITORING ITEMS PASSING THROUGH AN ENTRY/EXIT OPENING IN A DELIMITED SPACE AND APPARATUS TO CARRY OUT SUCH METHOD
First Claim
1. Apparatus for monitoring items passing through an entry/exit opening in a delimited space, comprising:
- radio-frequency transmission means (2) adapted to communicate with a plurality of transponders associated with said items to detect the presence of the transponders in proximity of the opening, each transponder being adapted to transmit a specific identifier code, at least a pair of optoelectronic sensors (3, 4) arranged in series at said opening, each sensor (3, 4) being adapted to transmit a first signal identifying a condition of clear sensor, in which said sensor (3, 4) detects the opening as being clear, and a second signal identifying a condition of locked-on, i.e. engaged sensor, in which said sensor (3, 4) detects an item passing through said opening, characterized in that control means (5) are provided to continuously store and/or update the time-based detection events of the transponders and the time-based variation events of the signal transmitted by the sensors (3, 4), said control means (5) being adapted to compare said timebased signal-variation events to determine an opening passing-through time interval (T), and to compare the time-based detection events of the transponders with said passing-through time interval (T) to determine the transponders that have passed through the opening completely.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for monitoring items passing through an entry/exit opening in a delimited space, comprising:
- radio-frequency transmission means (2) adapted to communicate with a plurality of transponders associated with said items to detect the presence of the transponders in proximity of the opening, each transponder being adapted to transmit a specific identifier code,
- at least a pair of optoelectronic sensors (3, 4) arranged in series at said opening, each sensor (3, 4) being adapted to transmit a first signal identifying a condition of clear sensor, in which said sensor (3, 4) detects the opening as being clear, and a second signal identifying a condition of locked-on, i.e. engaged sensor, in which said sensor (3, 4) detects an item passing through said opening.
Control means (5) are provided to continuously store and/or update the time-based detection events of the transponders and the time-based variation events of the signal transmitted by the sensors (3, 4), said control means (5) being adapted to compare said time-based signal-variation events to determine an opening passing-through time interval (T), and to compare the time-based detection events of the transponders with the passing-through time interval (T) to determine the transponders that have passed through the opening.
12 Citations
20 Claims
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1. Apparatus for monitoring items passing through an entry/exit opening in a delimited space, comprising:
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radio-frequency transmission means (2) adapted to communicate with a plurality of transponders associated with said items to detect the presence of the transponders in proximity of the opening, each transponder being adapted to transmit a specific identifier code, at least a pair of optoelectronic sensors (3, 4) arranged in series at said opening, each sensor (3, 4) being adapted to transmit a first signal identifying a condition of clear sensor, in which said sensor (3, 4) detects the opening as being clear, and a second signal identifying a condition of locked-on, i.e. engaged sensor, in which said sensor (3, 4) detects an item passing through said opening, characterized in that control means (5) are provided to continuously store and/or update the time-based detection events of the transponders and the time-based variation events of the signal transmitted by the sensors (3, 4), said control means (5) being adapted to compare said timebased signal-variation events to determine an opening passing-through time interval (T), and to compare the time-based detection events of the transponders with said passing-through time interval (T) to determine the transponders that have passed through the opening completely. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. Method for monitoring items passing through an entry/exit opening in a delimited space, comprising:
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providing radio-frequency transmission means (2) adapted to communicate with a plurality of transponders associated with said items to detect the presence of the transponders in proximity of the opening, each transponder being adapted to transmit a specific identifier code, providing at least a pair of optoelectronic sensors (3, 4) arranged in series at said opening and adapted to transmit a first signal identifying a condition of clear sensor, in which said sensor (3, 4) detects the opening as being clear, and a second signal identifying a condition of locked-on, i.e. engaged sensor, in which said sensor (3, 4) detects an item passing through said opening, characterized in that it further comprises the steps of;
continuously storing and/or updating the time-based detection events of the transponders, the variations in the signal being transmitted by the sensors (3, 4) and the time-based events of said variations, comparing the variations in the signals transmitted by the sensors (3, 4) to check such variations for consistency with items really passing through the entry/exit opening, and to determine a direction in which said items pass through said opening, comparing the time-based variation events of the signal transmitted by the sensors (3, 4) to determine a passing-through time interval (T) in which the items have completely moved through said opening, comparing the time-based detection events of the transponders with said passing-through time interval (T), determining the transponders whose time-based detection events fall within said passing-through time interval (T) to determine the items that have passed through the opening completely. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification