METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATICALLY DEPOSITING OBJECTS FOR THE PURPOSE OF THEIR TRANSPORTATION

• US 20120022684A1
• Filed: 04/03/2009
• Published: 01/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IER Inc.
• Original Assignee: IER Inc.
• Inventors: Hernot, Alexis
• Granted Patent: US 9,159,181 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/225
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/368 Arrangements or installations for routing, distributing or loading baggage
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0636 in which the trolleys or carts are kept in a restricted zone such as a coral-like enclosure, or are passing a gate before use is possible

Abstract

A method for automatically depositing objects for transport, including a phase of user storing transport data in a storage element, the data relating to: the user associated with the object; the total number of objects declared by the user; the destination, the route and the time of the transport; a depositing phase, including: a user applying a first electromagnetic identification tag onto an object to be transported; placing, by the user, the object to be transported on a conveyance device; reading an identification data, by first reading device, from the first electromagnetic identification tag, storing identification data read in the storage element in association with previously stored transport data; a phase of conveying the object for transport; the depositing phase including a measurement of the weight and/or dimensions of the object and/or storing, in the storage element, of the weight and/or the dimensions in association with the transport data.

Claims

1. A method for automatically depositing objects for the purpose of the transport of said objects, said method comprising:

a prior phase of storing by a user of data relating to the transport in storage means, said data comprising;

data relating to the user with whom the object is associated;

data relating to the total number of objects declared by said user; and

data relating to the destination, the route and the time of the transport;

a depositing phase, comprising the following steps;

applying, by a user, a first electromagnetic identification tag onto an object to be transported;

placing, by said user, said object to be transported on means of conveyance;

reading an identification data, by first reading means, from said first electromagnetic identification tag, and

storing said identification data read in storage means in association with previously stored data relating to said transport;

a phase of conveying said object for the purpose of its transport;

said depositing phase comprising moreover a measurement of the weight and/or dimensions of the object and/or storing, in storage means, of said weight and/or said dimensions in association with the data relating to the transport.

2. The method according to claim 1, further including, before the phase of conveying said object for the purpose of its transport:

a phase of conveying said object to second reading means; and

a processing phase, performed out of reach of said user and comprising the following steps;

automatic reading of the identification data from the first identification tag, by said second reading means;

reading, on a second identification tag, of at least a part of the data relating to said transport associated with said read identification data; and

placing said second identification tag on said object.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the depositing phase comprises, before the step of automatic reading of the first identification tag by the first reading means, an identification of the user depositing the object to be transported.

4. The method according to claim 1, further including:

during the depositing phase, reading or taking a biometric data of the user;

during a boarding phase;

reading or taking the same biometric data; and

comparison of said taken or read biometric data with the one taken or read during the depositing phase.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the first electromagnetic identification tag is an RFID tag.

6. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the second identification tag is an RFID tag.

7. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the second identification tag is a barcode label.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the storage means are accessible by an information system of a company responsible for the transport of the object.

9. Use of the method according to claim 1, for automatically depositing baggage items at an airport for the purpose of the air transport of said baggage items.

10. Use of the method according to claim 1, for automatically depositing packages to be transported at a place such as a post office.

11. A system for automatically depositing objects for the purpose of the transport of said objects, said system comprising:

means of storing by a user of data relating to the transport in storage means;

first means of reading an electromagnetic identification data from a first identification tag arranged by a user on an object to be transported;

storage means, communicating with said first reading means, provided for storing said identification data in association with previously stored data relating to said transport;

means of conveyance provided for conveying said object placed by said user on said means of conveyance, for the purpose of the transport of said object; and

means of measurement of the weight and/or the dimensions of the object, incorporated into the means of conveying the object.

12. The system according to claim 11, further including:

means of conveyance of the object, from the first reading means to second reading means;

second reading means of the identification data from the first electromagnetic identification tag, said second reading means being arranged out of reach of the user; and

means of writing, on a second identification tag, of data relating to said transport associated with said identification data read by said second reading means, said second identification tag being provided in order to be arranged on said object.

13. The system according to claim 11, characterized in that the means of conveyance comprise at least one conveyor.

14. The system according to claim 11, characterized in that the storage means communicate with a centralized information system of a company responsible for the transport.

15. The system according to claim 11, characterized in that the first identification tag is a tag of the RFID type, the first and second reading means comprising RFID antennas provided for reading said RFID identification tag.

16. The system according to claim 15, characterized in that the first reading means and/or the second reading means comprise at least one antenna arranged on at least one support forming, when idle, a barrier or a curtain with respect to the passage of the objects, and which, on contact with the latter, is capable of moving to a retracted position.

17. The system according to claim 11, characterized in that it comprises:

means for reading or taking a biometric data of the user during the depositing phase;

means for reading or taking the same biometric data during a boarding phase; and

means of comparison of said taken or read biometric data during the boarding phase with the one taken or read during the depositing phase.

18. The system according to claim 11, implemented for automatically depositing baggage items at an airport for the purpose of the air transport of said baggage items.

19. The system according to claim 11, implemented for automatically depositing packages at a post office for the purpose of the transport of said packages.