Intelligent Item Containers for Sensing, Monitoring, Remembering and Tracking Container Contents

• US 20160110975A1
• Filed: 12/28/2015
• Published: 04/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ImagiStar LLC
• Original Assignee: ImagiStar LLC
• Inventors: Oppenheimer, Steven Charles
• Granted Patent: US 10,373,462 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3419 by assessing time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3438 monitoring of user actions tracking the activity of the user H04L67/535
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/50 Monitoring users, programs or devices to maintain the integrity of platforms, e.g. of processors, firmware or operating systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/022 Processes or apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/041 Constructional details G06K19/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2007/10504 Data fields affixed to objects or articles
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10009 sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10099 the directional field being used for pinpointing the location of the record carrier, e.g. for finding or locating an RFID tag amongst a plurality of RFID tags, each RFID tag being associated with an object, e.g. for physically locating the RFID tagged object in a warehouse
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10326 the antenna being of the very-near field type, e.g. capacitive
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/08 Learning methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/02 Knowledge representation; Symbolic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1436 with motion detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2428 Tag details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0275 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS] tag technology used for parent or child unit, e.g. same transmission technology, magnetic tag, RF tag, RFID
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 : Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0226 : sounding signals per se
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 : Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 : Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 : for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 : for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

An intelligent electronic system for use with an item container/carrier, such as a suitcase, briefcase, backpack, car trunk, purse, wallet, storage compartment, storage facility, locker, or similar. The system is used with item containers/carriers that contain portable items which can be identified by electronic, optical, or similar means. For example, the portable items may be outfitted with portable item reporting devices (BIRDS) which provide item monitoring and signaling; or the portable items may be identified via RFID tags. The system includes a sensor to identify portable items in the container/carrier via their BIRD signals, RFID signatures, or optical signature. The system includes memory to store identifications of portable items. The system can store one or more lists of specified portable items which are expected to be present within the containers/carriers, possibly with different lists being applicable in different contexts. The system can scan the container to identify items which should be present, but are missing. The system can scan the container to establish a current list of present items, to be saved for future content assessments. The intelligent electronic system may be integrated into the structure of the container or carrier, making the container or carrier an intelligent container.

Claims

1. A container configured to contain, carry, transport, store or enclose a plurality of portable items, comprising:

an enclosure structure which is configured to receive and contain the plurality of portable items and to allow for the addition and removal of portable items;

an item sensor which is coupled to the enclosure structure and which is configured to detect unique item signatures, each unique item signature associated with a respective specific portable item of the plurality of portable items;

a memory which is configured to store an expected item signature of an expected portable item which is expected to be in substantial proximity to the container during a contents assessment activity; and

a hardware processor which is communicatively coupled to the item sensor and to the memory, and which is configured to;

receive from the item sensor any portable item signatures detected by the item sensor during the contents assessment activity;

compare the any portable item signatures received from the item sensor during the contents assessment activity with the stored, expected item signature of the expected portable item; and

assess based on the comparison that an expected portable item is in substantial proximity to the container or is not in substantial proximity to the container during the contents assessment activity.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the hardware processor is further configured to assess:

that the expected portable item is in substantial proximity to the container if a portable item signature detected by the item sensor during the contents assessment activity matches the stored expected item signature; and

that the expected portable item is not in substantial proximity to the container if either;

during the contents assessment activity no item signature of any detected portable item matches the stored expected item signature;

or

during the content assessment activity no portable item signatures were detected by the item sensor.

3. The container of claim 1, wherein the item sensor is configured to detect the item signature by detecting at least one of:

a signature which is generated electrically (i) by a portable item of the one or more portable items or (ii) by an electronic tag which is coupled with the portable item of the one or more portable items;

an RFID tag signature;

an image of the portable item of the one or more portable items; and

the presence of a portable item within a designated internal compartment of the enclosure structure.

9. The container of claim 1, wherein the memory is further configured to store an expected contents list of one or more portable items which are expected to be contained in the container during said contents assessment activity, wherein:

said expected contents list comprises at least the item signatures of the portable items expected to be contained in the container during the contents assessment activity; and

said processor is configured to determine, during said content assessment activity, at least one of;

which portables items of said contents list are in substantial proximity to the container; and

which portables items of said contents list are not in substantial proximity to the container.

10. The container of claim 9, wherein the hardware processor is further configured to generate the expected contents list of one or more portable items which are expected to be in substantial proximity to the container during the contents assessment activity, wherein:

the item sensor detects the item signatures of one or more portable items in substantial proximity to the container at a first time;

the processor stores in the memory, as the expected contents list, the received item signatures detected at the first time; and

the processor is configured to perform the contents assessment activity at a second time which is later than the first time.

11. The container of claim 9, wherein the hardware processor is further configured to store in the memory the expected contents based on a list of item signatures received via at least one of a user interface of the container and a communications link of the container.

12. The container of claim 1, wherein the hardware processor is further configured to:

identify as an unexpected item the item signature of a portable item which is in substantial proximity to the container but which is not stored in the memory as an expected item signature for the contents assessment activity.

13. The container of claim 1, wherein the hardware processor is further configured to determine at least one of:

a first probability that a portable item should be removed from the container when the portable item is in interior to the container, and

a second probability that the portable item should be placed within the container when the portable item is exterior to the container; and

based on the determination of the at least one of the first probability and the second probability, the hardware processor is configured to present at least one of;

a respective first alert that the interior portable item should be removed from the container; and

a respective second alert that a portable item which is exterior to the contain should be moved to be interior to the container.

14. The container of claim 1, further comprising a container state sensor configured to monitor a state of said container, said state comprising at least one of an open state of said container, a closed state of said container, a locked state of said container, an unlocked state of said container, a state of motion of said container, a location of said container, and a time of use of said container;

wherein;

said processor is configured to initiate, based on a designated state of said container, at least one of;

the contents assessment activity;

the creation of a list of current contents of the container; and

an assessment of a state of a portable item contained interior to the container.

15. The container of claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to obtain a status condition of a portable item stored within said container, said status condition comprising at least one of:

an internal operational status of said stored portable item;

an activity state of said stored personal item; and

a power state of said stored portable item;

wherein said processor is configured to determine, based on said status condition, a desired operating condition or operating state for said stored portable item;

and wherein the container further comprises an item control element configured to set the stored portable item to the desired operating condition or operating state.

4. The container of item 1, wherein the container is configured to distinguish:

a first possible relative position of a portable item as contents being contained interior to the enclosure structure, from

a second possible relative position of the portable item as being in substantial proximity to the container but being exterior to the enclosure structure and not being contents.

5. The container of claim 4, wherein:

at least one of;

(i) the item sensor, or

(ii) an antenna communicatively coupled to the item sensor or to the processor, is configured and arranged to be interior to the enclosure structure; and

the enclosure structure comprises a shielding material configured either to limit or to block the detection, by the interior item sensor or the interior antenna, of an item signature which originates exterior to the enclosure structure, wherein;

the container is configured to analyze a received signature of the portable item to determine that portable item is located at the first relative position interior to the enclosed structure or to determine that the portable item is located as the second relative position exterior to the enclosed structure.

6. The container of claim 5, further comprising at least one of:

a second item sensor which is arranged and configured on the exterior of the enclosure structure and is configured to detect the portable item as being at the second possible relative position exterior to the enclosure structure; and

a second item antenna coupled to the at least one of the item sensor and the hardware processor, and which is arranged and configured on the exterior of the enclosure structure and is configured to detect the portable item as being at the second possible relative position exterior to the enclosure structure.

7. The container of claim 4, wherein the container is configured to identify a portable item which is:

expected to be interior to the container during the contents assessment activity; and

is in substantial proximity to the container but exterior to the container during the contents assessment activity.

8. The container of claim 4, further comprising:

at least one of;

(i) a plurality of item sensors and (ii) a plurality of antennas coupled to at least one of the item sensor or to the hardware microprocessor, wherein;

at least one of the hardware processor or the item sensor is configured to distinguish, based on a signal received from at least one of the plurality of item sensors or the plurality of antennas;

an item signature received from a portable item which is interior to the enclosure structure, and

an item signature received from a portable item which is in substantial proximity to the container but which is exterior to the enclosure structure.

16. An electronic system, said electronic system configured to be coupled with and to be operable with a container which is configured to contain, carry, transport, store or enclose one or more portable items, said electronic system comprising:

an item sensor which is configured to detect unique item signatures, each unique item signature associated with a respective specific portable item of the plurality of portable items;

a memory which is configured to store an expected item signature of an expected portable item which is expected to be in substantial proximity to the container during a contents assessment activity; and

a hardware processor communicatively coupled with the item sensor and with the memory, and which is configured to;

receive from the item sensor any portable item signatures detected by the item sensor during the contents assessment activity;

compare the any portable item signatures received from the item sensor during the contents assessment activity with the stored, expected item signature of the expected portable item; and

assess based on the comparison that an expected portable item is in substantial proximity to the container or is not in substantial proximity to the container during the contents assessment activity.

17. The electronic system of claim 16, wherein the hardware processor is further configured to assess that:

the expected portable item is in substantial proximity to the container if a portable item signature detected by the item sensor during the contents assessment activity matches the stored expected item signature; and

the expected portable item is not in substantial proximity to the container if either;

during the contents assessment activity no item signature of any detected portable item matches the stored expected item signature;

or

during the content assessment activity no portable item signatures were detected by the item sensor.

18. The electronic system of claim 16, wherein the item sensor is configured to detect at least one of:

a signature which is generated electrically (i) by a portable item of the one or more portable items or (ii) by an electronic tag which is coupled with the portable item of the one or more portable items;

an RFID tag signature;

an image of the portable item of the one or more portable items; and

the presence of a portable item within a designated internal compartment of the container.

19. The electronic system of claim 16, wherein at least one of the item sensor and the hardware processor are configured to distinguish:

a first possible relative position of a portable item as being contained interior to the container as contents, from

a second possible relative position of the portable item as being in substantial proximity to the container but being exterior to the container and not contents.

20. The electronic system of claim 19, wherein the electronic system is configured to identify a portable item which:

is expected to be interior to the container during the contents assessment activity; and

is in substantial proximity to the container but is exterior to the container during the contents assessment activity.

21. The electronic system of claim 19, wherein:

said electronic system is configured to be operable with a container which comprises a shielding material which is configured either to limit or to block the detection, by an interior item sensor or an interior antenna, of an item signature which originates exterior to the container;

at least one of the item sensor or an antenna communicatively coupled to the item sensor is configured and arranged to be positioned interior to the container; and

at least one of the interior item sensor and the hardware processor is configured to distinguish a received signature of the portable item as indicating that portable item is located at the first relative location interior to the enclosure structure.

22. The electronic system of claim 21, further comprising at least one of:

a second item sensor which is arranged and configured to be positioned exterior to said shielding material of the container, and is configured to detect the portable item as being at the second possible relative position exterior to the enclosure structure; and

a second item antenna coupled to the item sensor, and which is arranged and configured to be positioned exterior to said shielding material of the container, and is configured to detect the portable item as being at the second possible relative position exterior to the enclosure structure.

23. The electronic system of claim 19, further comprising:

at least one of a plurality of item sensors and a plurality of antennas coupled to the item sensor, wherein the processor is configured to distinguish, based on a detection data received from either plurality;

an item signature received from a portable item which is interior to the container, from

an item signature received from a portable item which is in substantial proximity to the container but which is exterior to the container.

24. The electronic system of claim 16, wherein the memory is further configured to store an expected contents list of one or more portable items which are expected to be contained in the container during said contents assessment activity, wherein:

said expected contents list comprises at least the item signatures of the portable items expected to be contained in the container during the contents assessment activity; and

said processor is configured to determine, during said content assessments activity, at least one of;

which portables items of said contents list are in substantial proximity to the container; and

which portables items of said contents list are not in substantial proximity to the container.

25. The electronic system of claim 24, wherein the hardware processor is further configured to generate a contents list of item signatures of one or more portable items which are expected to be in substantial proximity to the container during the contents assessment activity, wherein:

the item sensor detects the item signatures of one or more portable items contained within the container at a first time;

the processor stores in the memory, as the expected contents list, the received item signatures detected at the first time; and

the processor is configured to perform the contents assessment activity at a second time which is later than the first time.

26. The electronic system of claim 24, wherein the hardware processor is further configured to store in the memory the expected contents list based on a list of item signatures received via at least one of a user interface of the electronic device and a communications link of the electronic device.

27. The electronic system of claim 16, wherein the hardware processor is further configured to:

identify as an unexpected item the item signature of a portable item which is in substantial proximity to the container but which is not stored in the memory as an expected item signature for the contents assessment activity.

28. The electronic system of claim 16, wherein the hardware processor is further configured to determine at least one of:

a first probability that a portable item which is interior to the container should be removed from the container, and

a second probability that a portable item which is exterior to the container should be placed within the container; and

based on the determination of the at least one of the first probability and the second probability, the hardware processor is configured present at least one of;

a respective first alert that the interior portable item should be removed from the container; and

a respective second alert that the exterior portable item should be placed within the container.

29. The electronic system of claim 16, further comprising a container state sensor configured to monitor a state of said container, said state comprising at least one of an open state of said container, a closed state of said container, a locked state of said container, an unlocked state of said container, a state of motion of said container, a location of said container, and a time of use of said container;

wherein;

at least one of said container state sensor and said processor is configured to initiate, based on a designated state of said container, at least one of;

the contents assessment activity;

the creation of a list of current contents of the container; and

an assessment of a state of a portable item stored within the container.

30. The electronic system of claim 16, further comprising a sensor configured to obtain a status condition of a portable item stored within said container, said status condition comprising at least one of:

an internal operational status of said stored portable item;

an activity state of said stored personal item; and

a power state of said stored portable item;

wherein said hardware processor is configured to determine, based on the status condition, a desired operational condition or operating state of said portable item; and

the electronic system further comprises an item control element configured to set the stored portable item to the desired operating condition or operating state.

31. A computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a hardware processor associated with and coupled to a container, said container configured to receive and contain a plurality of portable items and to enable the addition and removal of portable items, causes the hardware processor to execute a method for monitoring the contents of the container, the method comprising:

causing an item sensor, which is coupled with the container and communicatively coupled with the hardware processor, to detect unique item signatures, each unique item signature associated with a respective specific portable item of the plurality of portable items;

receiving at the hardware processor, from a memory which is communicatively coupled with the hardware processor, a stored item signature of an expected item signature of an expected portable item which is expected to be in substantial proximity to the container during a contents assessment activity;

receiving at the hardware processor, from the item sensor, any portable item signatures detected by the item sensor during the contents assessment activity;

comparing via the hardware processor any portable item signatures received from the item sensor during the contents assessment activity with the stored, expected item signature of the expected portable item; and

assessing by the hardware processor, based on the comparison, that an expected portable item is in substantial proximity to the container or is not in substantial proximity to the container during the contents assessment activity.

32. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 31, wherein the method further comprises assessing by the hardware processor that:

the expected portable item is in substantial proximity to the container if a portable item signature detected by the item sensor during the contents assessment activity matches the stored expected item signature; and

the expected portable item is not in substantial proximity to the container if either;

during the contents assessment activity no item signature of any detected portable item matches the stored, expected item signature;

or

during the content assessment activity no portable item signatures were detected by the item sensor.

33. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 31, wherein the step of detecting, by the item sensor, the unique item signatures further comprises detecting at least one of:

a signature which is generated electrically (i) by a portable item of the one or more portable items or (ii) by an electronic tag which is coupled with the portable item of the one or more portable items;

an RFID tag signature;

an image of the portable item of the one or more portable items; and

the presence of a portable item within a designated internal compartment of the container.

34. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 31, wherein the method further comprises:

distinguishing (i) a first possible relative position of a portable item as being contained interior to the container as contents, from (ii) a second possible relative position of the portable item as being in substantial proximity to the container but being exterior to the container and not contents.

35. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 34, wherein the method further comprises identifying a portable item which is:

expected to be interior to the container during the contents assessment activity;

is in substantial proximity to the container but is exterior to the container during the contents assessment activity.

36. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 31, wherein the method further comprises:

causing the memory to store an expected contents list of one or more portable items which are expected to be contained within the container during said contents assessment activity, wherein said expected contents list comprises at least the item signatures of the one or more portable items expected to be in the container; and

determining, via the processor during said content assessment activity, at least one of;

which portables items of said expected contents list are in substantial proximity to the container; and

which portables items of said expected contents list are not in substantial proximity to the container.

37. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 36, wherein the method further comprises:

detecting at a first time, via the item sensor, the item signatures of one or more portable items contained within the container at the first time; and

storing in the memory, as the expected contents list, the received item signatures detected at the first time;

wherein;

the processor is configured to perform the contents assessment activity at a second time which is later than the first time.

38. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 36, wherein the method further comprises:

presenting via a user-interface-element of the electronic device a user interface configured to at least one of (i) receive the expected contents list or (ii) edit the expected contents list.

39. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 31, wherein the method further comprises:

identifying as an unexpected item the item signature of a portable item which is in substantial proximity to the container but which is not stored in the memory as an expected item signature for the contents assessment activity.

40. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 31, wherein the method further comprises determining at least one of:

a first probability that a portable item which is interior to the container should be removed from the container, and

a second probability that a portable item which is exterior to the container should be placed within the container; and

based on the determination of the at least one of the first probability and the second probability, presenting at least one of;

a respective first alert that the interior portable item should be removed from the container; and

a respective second alert that the exterior portable item should be placed within the container.

41. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 31, wherein:

said container further comprises a container state sensor configured to monitor a state of said container, said state comprising at least one of an open state of said container, a closed state of said container, a locked state of said container, and an unlocked state of said container; and

wherein;

the method further comprises initiating, based on a designated state of said container, at least one of;

the contents assessment activity;

the creation of a list of current contents of the container; and

an assessment of a state of a portable item stored within the container.

42. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 31, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, from a sensor configured to obtain a status condition of a portable item stored within said container, a status condition comprising at least one of;

an internal operational status of said stored portable item;

an activity state of said stored personal item; and

a power state of said stored portable item; and

establishing, via an item control element of the container, said desired operating condition or operating state of the stored portable item.