Luggage Tag With Bi-State Display

• US 20120098642A1
• Filed: 10/20/2011
• Published: 04/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tocreo Labs LLC
• Original Assignee: Tocreo Labs LLC
• Inventors: Krawczewicz, Mark Stanley, Steinmetz, Jay, Greene, Eric
• Application Number:
  US13/278,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20120098642A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07707 the visual interface being a display, e.g. LCD or electronic ink
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13095 PIN / Access code, authentication

Abstract

A batteryless luggage tag having UHF and RFID capabilities and a bi-state display. The luggage tag has a housing, a processor, a near-field antenna, a UHF antenna and a bi-state display. The processor and the bi-state display are powered by energy received through the near-field antenna.

Claims

1. A luggage tag comprising:

a housing;

a microcontroller in said housing;

a UHF antenna in said housing and connected to said microcontroller, wherein said microcontroller is power by energy received through said UHF antenna;

a secure processor in said housing;

a display driver in said housing and connected to said secure processor;

a bi-state display in said housing and connected to said display driver; and

a near-field antenna connected to said secure processor, wherein said secure processor and said bi-state display are powered by energy received through said near-field antenna.

2. A luggage tag according to claim 1, wherein a flight number is displayed on said bi-state display.

3. A luggage tag according to claim 1, wherein said bi-state display comprises an electrochromic display.

4. A luggage tag according to claim 1, wherein said housing comprises Teslin.

5. A luggage tag according to claim 4, wherein information is printed on at least one of a front side and a back side of said housing.

6. A luggage tag according to claim 1, further comprising a memory in said housing, wherein said memory stores a unique identification number.

7. A luggage tag according to claim 6, wherein said unique identification number is permanently associated with said luggage tag.

8. A luggage tag according to claim 6, wherein said unique identification number is associated with said luggage tag during a check-in procedure.

9. A luggage tag according to claim 1, wherein said tag is attached to a piece of luggage.

12. A luggage tag according to claim 1, further comprising means for securing said luggage tag to a piece of luggage.

13. A luggage tag according to claim 12, wherein said means for securing said luggage tag to a piece of luggage comprises an adhesive layer on said housing for securing said luggage tag to a piece of luggage.

14. A luggage tag according to claim 12, wherein said means for securing said luggage tag to a piece of luggage comprises a hole in said housing.

10. A luggage tracking system comprising:

a luggage tag comprising;

a housing;

a microcontroller in said housing;

a UHF antenna in said housing and connected to said microcontroller, wherein said microcontroller is powered by energy received through said UHF antenna;

a secure processor in said housing;

a display driver in said housing and connected to said secure processor;

a bi-state display in said housing and connected to said display driver; and

a near-field antenna connected to said secure processor, wherein said secure processor and said bi-state display are powered by energy received through said near-field antenna.

a near-field RFID reader for performing two-way communication with said luggage tag through said near-field antenna and making changes to said bi-state display in said luggage tag; and

a plurality of UHF readers positioned at dispersed locations within a facility for reading data from said luggage tag through said UHF antenna.

11. A method for tracking luggage with a luggage tag having a housing, a microcontroller in said housing, a UHF antenna in said housing and connected to said microcontroller, wherein said microcontroller is powered by energy received through said UHF antenna, a secure processor in said housing, a display driver in said housing and connected to said secure processor, a bi-state display in said housing and connected to said display driver;

and a near-field antenna connected to said secure processor, wherein said secure processor and said bi-state display are powered by energy received through said near-field antenna, the method comprising the steps of;

writing travel information to said luggage tag through said near-field antenna with a near-field reader;

changing said bi-state display to display selected travel information;

placing said luggage into an airport automated baggage routing system; and

tracking locations of said luggage in said airport automated baggage routing system with a plurality of UHF readers by reading data from said luggage tag through said UHF antenna.