Method and system for securing movement of an object

• US 20090027207A1
• Filed: 07/27/2007
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Dunn, Paul M., Gold, Curtis, Shelton, Michael J., Shelton, Jerry
• Application Number:
  US11/881,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20090027207A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.400
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition

Abstract

A method for securing movement of an object through a secure area includes providing a first electronic tag for the object, the first tag having a first memory and a second electronic tag, having a second memory, for an individual. The first memory stores an attribute of object and information of an individual permitted to move the object. The second memory stores an identifying attribute of an individual and a type of biometric information of the individual. Identifying attributes of the individual stored in the second memory are compared with information of permitted individuals stored in the first memory. Biometric information is obtained from the individual and compared with biometric information stored in the second memory to validate the identity of the individual.

Claims

1. A method for securing movement of an object through a secure area, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a first electronic tag for the object, said first electronic tag comprising a first memory;

storing in said first memory of said first electronic tag at least one attribute of the object and information of at least one individual permitted to move the object;

providing a second electronic tag for an individual, said second electronic tag comprising a second memory, said second memory storing at least one identifying attribute of said individual and at least one type of biometric information of said individual;

scanning the secure area for presence of said first electronic tag;

if said first tag is detected in the secure area, then retrieving information regarding at least one permitted individual from said first electronic tag;

scanning the secure area for presence of said second electronic tag;

if said second tag is detected, then comparing said at least one identifying attribute of said individual stored in said second memory of said second tag assigned to the individual with the information of permitted individual stored in said first memory of said first tag;

obtaining biometric information from an individual present in said secure area, if said second electronic tag provided to said at least one permitted individual is detected in said first area;

comparing said obtained biometric information from the individual with said biometric information stored in said second memory of said second electronic tag to verify that the individual carrying said second electronic tag is the individual to whom said second electronic tag was provided.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of triggering a restrictive event if said second electronic tag provided to said at least one individual is not present in the secure area.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of triggering a restrictive event comprises triggering an alarm.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of triggering a restrictive event comprises blocking egress from the secure area.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of triggering a restrictive event if said obtained biometric information from the individual does not match with said biometric information stored in said second memory of said second electronic tag.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said step of triggering a restrictive event comprises triggering an alarm.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said step of triggering a restrictive event comprises blocking egress from the secure area.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of recording each instance when said first electronic tag is detected in the secure area.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of recording each instance when said second electronic tag is detected in the secure area.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of recording each instance when said obtained biometric information from the individual matches with said biometric information stored in said second memory of said second electronic tag.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of recording each instance when said obtained biometric information from the individual does not match with said biometric information stored in said second memory of said second electronic tag.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one biometric information is selected from one of the group consisting of fingerprint, retinal scan, voice print and heart sounds.

13. A system for securing movement of an object through a secure area, said method comprising:

a first electronic tag physically coupled to the object, said first electronic tag having a first memory, wherein said first memory stores at least one attribute of the object and information of at least one individual permitted to move the object;

a second electronic tag assigned to an individual, said second electronic tag having a second memory, wherein said second memory storing at least one identifying attribute of the individual and at least one type of biometric information of the individual;

a first scanner configured to detect the presence of said first electronic tag in the secure area, said first scanner having access to a third memory, wherein said third memory contains a first code for retrieving information regarding at least one permitted individual from said first electronic tag;

a second scanner configured to detect the presence of said second electronic tag in the secure area, said second scanner having access to a fourth memory, wherein said fourth memory contains a second code for retrieving information regarding the identifying attribute of the individual from said second electronic tag and a third code for comparing the information retrieved from said first electronic tag with the information retrieved from said second electronic tag; and

a biometric information scanner configured to receive at least one type of biometric information from the individual, said scanner having access to a fifth memory, wherein said fifth memory containing a fifth code for retrieving at least one type of biometric information stored in said second electronic tag and a sixth code for comparing the at least one type of biometric information received from the individual with the at least one type of biometric information stored in said second electronic tag, thereby verifying the identity of the individual carrying the second electronic tag.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a security alarm, wherein said security alarm is configured to trigger when no said second electronic tag is detected in the secure area.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising a security alarm, wherein said security alarm is configured to trigger when said obtained biometric information from the individual does not match with said at least one type of biometric information of the individual stored in said second electronic tag.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein said at least one biometric information stored in said second electronic tag is selected from the group consisting of fingerprint, retinal scan, voice print and heart sounds.

17. The system of claim 13, further comprising a database wherein an event is recorded, the event selected from the group consisting of:

detecting the presence of said first electronic tag in the secure area, detecting the presence of said second electronic tag in the secure area, failing to detect the presence of said second electronic tag in the secure area, successfully matching said obtained biometric information from said at least one individual with stored biometric information in said second memory of said second electronic tag, and failing to match said obtained biometric information from said at least one individual with stored biometric information in said second memory of said second electronic tag.