System and Method for Tracking Items by Means of Longwave, Magnetic Signal Tagging

• US 20140239061A1
• Filed: 02/25/2013
• Published: 08/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ideal Innovations, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ideal Innovations, Inc.
• Inventors: Smith, Michael, Ferrell, David, Wilson, Elizabeth
• Granted Patent: US 8,967,469 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/376
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking

Abstract

The invention relates to a system and method for tracking items of interest using one or more signal tags, configured to receive information and transmit information using a longwave frequency in the magnetic field. Additional components include one or more data entry devices; one or more tag readers; and one or more database components, configured to transmit information to and receive information from the one or more data entry devices and the one or more tag readers.

Claims

1. A system for tracking items, comprising

one or more signal tag components, configured to receive information and transmit information using a longwave frequency in a magnetic field;

one or more data entry device components, configured to receive information from and transmit information to the one or more signal tags using a longwave frequency in a magnetic field and configured to receive information from and transmit information to at least one other component using one or more other transmission methods;

one or more tag reader components, configured to receive information from the one or more signal tags using a longwave frequency in a magnetic field and configured to receive information from and transmit information to at least one other component using one or more other transmission methods; and

one or more database components, configured to transmit information to and receive information from the one or more data entry device components and the one or more tag reader components.

2. The system of claim one, wherein the data entry device component is a tablet computer.

3. The system of claim one, wherein the other transmission methods are selected from the group consisting of WiFi, Bluetooth, UHF, VHF, and wired connections.

4. The system of claim one, wherein the system is a chain-of-custody system for human remains and at least one of the one or more signal tag components is co-located with human remains.

5. The system of claim one, wherein the signal tag components are further comprised of crystal, a battery, and static memory.

6. The system of claim one, wherein the signal tag components operate at approximately 131 kHz.

7. The system of claim one, wherein a first signal tag component updates the information stored in a second signal tag component automatically using a longwave frequency in a magnetic field.

8. A method for tracking an item, comprising the steps of

Monitoring one or more signal tags, configured to receive information and transmit information using a longwave frequency in a magnetic field;

Determining whether a tag is present;

Determining, if a tag is present, whether the tag is associated with a record;

Creating, if the tag is not associated with a record, a record for the tag;

Determining, if the tag is associated with a record, whether circumstances at the time of detecting the tag are consistent with the information contained in the record associated with the tag;

Sending a notification to a database component, if the circumstances are inconsistent with the information contained in the record associated with the tag; and

Updating the record associated with the tag, if the circumstances are consistent with the information contained in the record associated with the tag.

9. The method of claim eight, wherein the method is practiced in a chain-of-custody system for human remains and at least one of the one or more signal tags is co-located with human remains.

10. The method of claim eight, wherein the signal tags are comprised of crystal, a battery, and static memory.

11. The method of claim eight, wherein the signal tags operate at approximately 131 kHz.

12. The method of claim eight, wherein a first signal tag component updates the information stored in a second signal tag automatically using a longwave frequency in a magnetic field.

13. A system for tracking items, comprising

one or more longwave, magnetic signal tags;

one or more devices configured to read longwave, magnetic signals and operatively connected to the one or more tags;

a database component operatively connected to the one or more devices configured to read longwave, magnetic signals;

a processor operatively connected to the one or more devices and the database component; and

a machine-readable storage medium encoded with computer program code operatively connected to the processor, and configured such that, when the computer program code is executed by the processor, the processor performs a method comprising the steps of

Monitoring the one or more tags;

Determining whether a tag is present;

Determining, if a tag is present, whether the tag is associated with a record;

Creating, if the tag is not associated with a record, a record for the tag;

Determining, if the tag is associated with a record, whether circumstances at the time of detecting the tag are consistent with the information contained in the record associated with the tag;

Sending a notification to a database component, if the circumstances are inconsistent with the information contained in the record associated with the tag; and

Updating the record associated with the tag, if the circumstances are consistent with the information contained in the record associated with the tag.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor and machine-readable storage medium are housed in the one or more devices configured to read longwave, magnetic signals.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the one or more devices is a tablet computer.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the system is a chain-of-custody system for human remains and at least one of the one or more signal tag components is co-located with human remains.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the signal tag components are further comprised of a crystal, a battery, and static memory.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the signal tag components operate at approximately 131 kHz.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein a first signal tag component updates the information stored in a second signal tag component automatically using a longwave frequency in a magnetic field.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more devices and the database component are operatively connected by transmission methods selected from the group consisting of WiFi, Bluetooth, UHF, VHF, and wired connections.