METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MONITORING AND MANAGING STATUS OF LUGGAGES IN AN AIRPORT USING RFID

• US 20080309492A1
• Filed: 06/12/2008
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tarik Mihoubi
• Original Assignee: Tarik Mihoubi
• Inventors: Mihoubi, Tarik
• Application Number:
  US12/137,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20080309492A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of monitoring and intercepting a suspect object in an airport using RFID, the method comprising associating a RFID tag with the object, transmitting an inquiry signal associated with the RFID tag, where the RFID tag is adapted to receive the inquiry signal and to transmit a response signal associated with the RFID tag, receiving the response signal transmitted by the RFID tag, determining a status of the object using the response signal, and transmitting an alert signal associated with the object as a function of the determined status, if requested.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring status of items, the method comprising:

a) tagging said items with a detectable tag containing information related to said item;

b) updating said status based on information acquired at one or more check point; and

c) providing status update to a user.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising detecting said tag at one or more check point.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of tagging comprises incorporating said information in said tag.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said step of detecting comprises reading said tag with a reader operated automatically or by a user.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein said reader is identified and has information associated therewith.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said updating is performed automatically by registering the information associated with the reader with the items.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said updating is performed by a user whereby said user provides information that is associated with the item.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said items are luggages or containers.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said luggages or containers are monitored in an airport or port.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said acquiring said information and said updating said status comprises accessing a database using a universal interface (Aerosoft) adapted to access any existing type of database used in any airport in the world.

11. A system for managing of items, said system comprising:

a) remotely detectable information containing tags to tag said items;

b) a detector/reader to read said tags;

c) data storage means to store information detected by said detector/reader; and

d) a display to display said information to a user.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11, further comprising means to notify a user of status of said items.

13. The system as claimed in claim 11, further comprising means to encode information on said tag.

14. The system as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a universal interface (Aerosoft) adapted to access any existing type of database used in any airport in the world.

15. A method of monitoring and intercepting a suspect object in an airport using RFID, the method comprising:

a) associating a RFID tag with said object;

b) transmitting an inquiry signal associated with said RFID tag, where said RFID tag is adapted to receive said inquiry signal and to transmit a response signal associated with said RFID tag;

c) receiving said response signal transmitted by said RFID tag;

d) determining a status of said object using said response signal; and

e) transmitting an alert signal associated with said object as a function of said determined status, if requested.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising storing security information in connection with said object, wherein said determining a status of said object is carried out as a function of said security information.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein said RFID tag has a memory, said storing said security information comprises storing said security information in said memory, said transmitted response signal comprises said security information, and said receiving said response signal comprises reading said security information transmitted by said response signal.

18. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein said RFID tag has a memory comprising a unique identification code associated with said object, said storing security information comprises storing said security information in a security database, said transmitted response signal comprises said unique identification code, said receiving said response signal comprises reading said unique identification code transmitted by said response signal and, said determining a status of said object comprises using said unique identification code to extract said security information from said security database.

19. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein said determined status indicates that said object is suspect, said method further comprising intercepting said object.

20. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein said object is a luggage, and said associating an RFID tag with said object comprises placing said RFID tag on said luggage.

21. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein said placing said RFID tag on said luggage is carried out within a first passenger check point area in said airport, and said inquiry and response signals are received exclusively within a second passenger check point area in said airport.

22. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein said object is a passenger.

23. A method of monitoring an object between two passenger check point areas in an airport using RFID, the method comprising:

a) associating a RFID tag with said object;

b) transmitting a first inquiry signal associated with said RFID tag, where said RFID tag is adapted to receive said first inquiry signal and to transmit a first response signal, where said first inquiry signal is received exclusively within a first passenger check point area in said airport;

c) determining a first location of said object using said first response signal;

d) transmitting a second inquiry signal associated with said RFID tag, where said RFID tag is adapted to receive said second inquiry signal and to transmit a second response signal, where said second inquiry signal is received exclusively within a second passenger check point area in said airport;

e) determining a second location of said object as a function of reception of said second response signal or lack thereof,

f) determining a status of said object using said determined first and second locations; and

g) transmitting an alert signal associated with said object as a function of said determined status, if requested.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein said RFID tag has a memory, said method further comprising storing location data in connection with said first and second determined locations in said memory, said transmitted response signals comprise said location data, and said determining a status of said object comprises extracting said location data from said response signal.

25. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein said RFID tag has a memory comprising a unique identification code associated with said object, said method further comprising storing location data in connection with said first and second determined locations in a security database, said transmitted response signal comprises said unique identification code, said receiving said response signal comprises reading said unique identification code transmitted by said response signal and, said determining a status of said object comprises using said unique identification code to extract said location data from said security database.

26. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein said object is a luggage, and said associating an RFID tag with said object comprises placing said RFID tag on said luggage.

27. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein said object is a passenger.

28. A system for sharing data between a plurality of airport database management systems, the system comprising:

a) a network;

b) a server;

c) a first module connected to said network for receiving first data having a first database data format communicated by a first airport database management system, said first module being connected to said server for storing in said server said first data according to said first database data format;

d) a conversion module connected to said server for receiving said first data and converting said first data having said first database data format into a converted data having a second database data format, said conversion module being connected to said server for storing in said server said converted data; and

e) a second module connected to said server for extracting said converted data from said server and transmitting said converted data to a second airport database management system.

29. A system as claimed in claim 28, further comprising:

a) RFID tags adapted to be associated to objects in an airport;

b) a RFID transmitter for transmitting inquiry signals associated with said RFID tags, where said RFID tags are adapted to receive said inquiry signals and to transmit response signals associated with said RFID tags; and

c) a RFID receiver for receiving said response signals transmitted by said RFID tags, said receiver comprising a demodulation module connected to said first database management system for demodulating said response signals into said first data and storing said first data into said first database management system.