SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ELECTRONIC ARTICLE SURVEILLANCE
First Claim
1. A system for monitoring the movement of entities from a first location to a second location via a plurality of zones, the system including:
- means for detecting passage of an entity from one zone to another zone;
data storage means for storing, in real-time, data comprising an identity of each zone a particular entity has occupied, a sequence in which each zone has been occupied, and a time at which the entity moves from one zone to another;
means for calculating and storing an average transit time of entities through bottleneck zones based on the stored data;
means for inputting and storing an average transit time of entities through non-bottleneck zones;
means for calculating, based on the stored data, an estimated completion time of an entity, which is the time to travel between the zone in which an entity is located and the second location of the entity;
means for calculating, based on said estimated completion time, an estimated time of arrival of an entity at the second location of the entity;
means for periodically recalculating the estimated completion time of an entity;
and means for providing an alert in the event an entity is predicted to arrive at the second location of the entity beyond a predetermined critical arrival time of the entity.
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Abstract
There is disclosed a system and method for electronic article surveillance wherein the time taken for articles to move from a starting point to a destination point by way of a series of zones is monitored in real time, taking into account bottleneck and non-bottleneck zones. A set of simple rules is applied so as to give estimated times of arrival for any given article. When it is calculated that an article will arrive after a predetermined critical time, an alert is triggered and remedial action may be taken. Various attributes of each zone may additionally be monitored, for example the number of articles in the zone or the temperature of the zone. The system and method may be applied to passengers in an airport, a warehouse or distribution centre, or any other application where articles are being moved from one place to another.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A system for monitoring the movement of entities from a first location to a second location via a plurality of zones, the system including:
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means for detecting passage of an entity from one zone to another zone;
data storage means for storing, in real-time, data comprising an identity of each zone a particular entity has occupied, a sequence in which each zone has been occupied, and a time at which the entity moves from one zone to another;
means for calculating and storing an average transit time of entities through bottleneck zones based on the stored data;
means for inputting and storing an average transit time of entities through non-bottleneck zones;
means for calculating, based on the stored data, an estimated completion time of an entity, which is the time to travel between the zone in which an entity is located and the second location of the entity;
means for calculating, based on said estimated completion time, an estimated time of arrival of an entity at the second location of the entity;
means for periodically recalculating the estimated completion time of an entity;
and means for providing an alert in the event an entity is predicted to arrive at the second location of the entity beyond a predetermined critical arrival time of the entity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for monitoring the movement of entities from a first location to a second location via a plurality of zones, the method including the steps of:
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detecting passage of an entity from one zone to another zone;
storing, in real-time, data comprising an identity of each zone a particular entity has occupied, a sequence in which each zone has been occupied, and a time at which the entity moves from one zone to another;
calculating and storing an average transit time of entities through bottleneck zones based on the stored data;
inputting and storing an average transit time of entities through non-bottleneck zones;
calculating, based on the stored data, an estimated completion time of an entity, which is the time to travel between the zone in which an entity is located and the second location of the entity;
calculating, based on said estimated completion time, an estimated time of arrival of an entity at the second location of the entity;
periodically recalculating the estimated completion time of an entity;
and providing an alert in the event an entity is predicted to arrive at the second location of the entity beyond a predetermined critical arrival time of the entity. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification