GATE SYSTEM FOR INVENTORY CONTROL AND THEFT PREVENTION

• US 20160189093A1
• Filed: 03/04/2016
• Published: 06/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Surgere, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Surgere, Inc.
• Inventors: Wappler, William J., Horvat, David J.
• Application Number:
  US15/060,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20160189093A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a gate system which uses overlapping radiation patterns to deduce when an item is entering a warehouse and when an item is leaving a warehouse, for example, for loading onto a truck. The present disclosure stores information relating to the direction the item moved and actuates an alarm if the item is moved in an unexpected direction. The radiation patterns of the gates are angled such that one radiation pattern from a first antenna is directed towards the loading dock, while another radiation pattern from a second antenna is directed towards the interior of the building. Overlapping the radiation patterns allows the logic circuitry to account for the item as it moves from one side of the gate system to the other.

Claims

1-1. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

overlapping a first radiation pattern of the first antenna with a second radiation pattern of the second antenna;

directing the first radiation pattern towards the opening; and

directing the second radiation pattern away from the opening.

11. A method of tracking inventory, the method comprising the steps of:

positioning both a first antenna and a second antenna near an opening formed in a wall of a building structure;

overlapping a first radiation pattern of the first antenna with a second radiation pattern of the second antenna;

determining a first time when an item moves through the first radiation pattern and storing the first time;

determining a second time when the item moves through the second radiation pattern and storing the second time; and

determining the direction the item is traveling by comparing the first time and the second time, wherein if the first time is before the second time then the item is entering the structure through the opening, and wherein if the first time is after the second time then item is exiting the structure through the opening.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

expecting the item to be traveling in an expected direction;

determining whether the direction the item is traveling is the expected direction; and

actuating an alarm system if the direction the item is traveling is not the expected direction.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

storing a variable representing the expected direction in a database system; and

determining whether the direction the item is traveling is the expected direction by comparing the direction with the variable in the database.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

disposing the first antenna and the second antenna inside the building structure, wherein the wall is an exterior wall such that the building defines a building interior and a building exterior;

directing the first radiation pattern towards the building interior, and orienting the first antenna at an angle in a range from 25 and 35 degrees relative to the wall; and

directing the second radiation pattern towards the building exterior.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

emitting a signal from the item;

sensing the signal by the first antenna to determine when the item moves through the first radiation pattern; and

sensing the signal by the second antenna to determine when the item moves through the second radiation pattern.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

measuring repeatedly by the first antenna the power present in the signal as the item moves through the first radiation pattern;

setting the first time equal to when the first antenna determines the power present in the signal is the greatest as the item moves through the first radiation pattern;

measuring repeatedly by the second antenna the power present in the signal as the item moves through the second radiation pattern; and

setting the second time equal to when the second antenna determines the power present in the signal is the greatest as the item moves through the second radiation pattern.

17. An apparatus adapted to track an item of inventory, the apparatus comprising:

a first antenna having a first radiation pattern, wherein the antenna is configured to sense when the item moves through the first radiation pattern and store a first time associated with a peak power of the item in the first radiation pattern;

a second antenna having a second radiation pattern, wherein the antenna is configured to sense when the item moves through the second radiation pattern and store a second time associated with a peak power of the item in the second radiation pattern;

a server in communication with the first antenna and the second antenna, wherein the server determines an actual direction the item passes by the first antenna and the second antenna, wherein if the first time is before the second time then the actual direction of the item is entering a building structure through an opening, and wherein if the first time is after the second time then the actual direction of the item is exiting the structure through the opening;

a database in communication with the server, the database comprising an record containing an expected direction for the item to pass by the first antenna and the second antenna; and

an alarm system in communication with the server, wherein the server actuates the alarm system when the server determines the actual direction of the item does not match the expected direction.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

a signal generated by the item;

a first power sensor module disposed in the first antenna and configured to determine a first time when the power present in the signal is the greatest as the item moves through the first radiation pattern;

a second power sensor module disposed in the second antenna and configured to determine a second time when the power present in the signal is the greatest as the item moves through the second radiation pattern;

wherein the first antenna communicates the first time to the server;

wherein the second antenna communicates the second time to the server; and

wherein the server compares the first time and the second time to determine the actual direction.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the apparatus is implemented in the building structure comprising an exterior wall forming the opening, the wall defining a building exterior and a building interior;

and

the first antenna is positioned within the building interior oriented at a 25 and 35 degree angle relative to the exterior wall.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

bumpers protecting the first and second antennas; and

non-metallic shields proximate the first and second antennas.