METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SORTING PACKAGES AND THE LIKE

• US 3,720,940 A
• Filed: 09/29/1970
• Issued: 03/13/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Henry L. Fox, Mark Hubelbank
• Original Assignee: Henry L. Fox, Mark Hubelbank
• Inventors: Fox, Henry L., Hubelbank, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Hubler, Malcolm F.
• Application Number:
  US05/076,359
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: 343/6R,6.5R,6.5LC,6.5SS 340/258R,258B,280
• US Class Current: 342/44
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/12 using electric or electronic detecting means B07C3/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/49 without bodily contact between article or load carrier and automatic control device , e.g. the destination marks being electrically or electronically detected
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/753 using frequency selective elements, e.g. resonator
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0672 with resonating marks
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/086 sensing passive circuit, e.g. resonant circuit transponders

Abstract

A method and apparatus for detecting the presence of an electrical element responsive to a particular electrical signal and suitable for use, for example, in sorting luggage and the like. In the preferred embodiment, a reradiator responsive to a particular frequency is secured to a tag attached to a piece of luggage. A signal generator is oriented in proximity with the passage of luggage in a baggage conveying system. A circuit is provided which includes a threshold detector for generating a signal when the reradiator responsive to a predetermined frequency passes in proximity to a signal from the signal generator. The circuit includes a digital decoder network for generating an error signal when misdirected luggage intercepts the signal from the signal generator. A package detector unit, including a photoelectric network is included with the circuit to provide an indication that a package was missed when a predetermined combination of input signals was not received by the circuit within a predetermined time after the passage of the package.

Claims

1. A circuit for distinguishing articles comprising:

electrical means secured to an article which are capable of being detected by said circuit under predetermined conditions;

signal generating means for generating a signal;

signal receiving means for receiving said signal and providing an output signal indicative of the presence of predetermined characteristics of said electrical circuit mean;

package detection means for detecting the presence of an article and generating a detection signal indicative thereof; and

decoding means responsive to both said output signal and said detection signal for decoding said output signal to provide an indication of whether an article is detected and is included within the class of articles covered by said predetermined conditions and wherein said output signal indicates the absence of said predetermined conditions.

2. The circuit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said electrical means comprises an insulating material including a capacitor and an inductor tuned to a predetermined frequency, said predetermined frequency being said predetermined characteristics so that said signal output means provides an output signal only upon receipt of a signal having a frequency at about said predetermined frequency.

3. The circuit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said electrical means comprises a reradiator.

4. The circuit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said package detection means includes a source of light and photo-responsive circuit means for receiving at least a portion of said light for providing said detection signal when an article intercepts said portion of said light.

5. The circuit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said circuit is positioned relative to a luggage conveying system and said electrical means is secured to said luggage so that said decoding means providEs a signal indicating that a piece of luggage is not included within the class of luggage intended for a predetermined destination.

6. The circuit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said signal generating means is a circuit for providing an audio-modulated FM signal tuned to a predetermined frequency.

7. The circuit as set forth in claim 6 wherein said signal receiving means includes a circuit for receiving said signal which is responsive to said predetermined frequency to provide a distinguishable signal having a component indicating the presence of said predetermined frequency and means for distinguishing said component to provide a digital signal indicative of the presence of a predetermined magnitude of said component.

8. The circuit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said signal generating means include a plurality of signal generators;

said signal receiving means includes a plurality of signal receivers each of which is in circuit with a detector circuit wherein each of said detector circuits provides a digital output signal indicative of the presence of determined characteristics of said electrical circuit means.

9. The circuit as set forth in claim 8 wherein said decoding means includes switch means capable of being selectively set to receive signals from a first signal source to provide a first output signal and from the remainder of a plurality of sources to provide a second output signal.

10. The circuit as set forth in claim 9 wherein said decoding means includes a plurality of gate circuits connected to receive said first signal and said second signal to provide said indication of whether an article is included within the class of articles covered by said predetermined conditions.

11. The circuit as set forth in claim 10 wherein said decoding means includes means for generating a signal indicating that an article has been missed.

12. A method for distinguishing articles comprising the steps of:

providing electrical means in combination with an article wherein said electrical means are capable of being detected by an electrical circuit under predetermined conditions, generating an electrical signal, receiving said signal and providing an output signal which denotes the presence of predetermined characteristics of said electrical circuit means, detecting the presence of said article, generating a detection signal indicative of the presence of said article, and decoding said output signal and said detection signal to provide an indication of whether an article is included within the class of articles covered by said predetermined conditions.

13. The method as set forth in claim 12 wherein the step of providing electrical means is further defined in that said electrical means is a reradiator.

14. The method as set forth in claim 12 wherein the step of detecting is further defined by the steps of providing a source of light, and receiving said source of light in such a manner that said detection signal is generated when an article intercepts said source of light.

15. The method as set forth in claim 12 wherein the step of providing electrical means is further defined in that said electrical means comprises a circuit tuned to a predetermined frequency and the step of receiving is characterized in that an output signal is produced only upon receipt of a signal having a frequency at about said predetermined frequency.

16. The method as set forth in claim 15 is further defined in that the step of providing electrical means is characterized in that said electrical means are provided in combination with luggage to be conveyed in a luggage conveying system.

17. The method as set forth in claim 16 wherein the steps of generating and receiving are performed in proximity with said luggage conveying system.