Electronic system, components and method for tracking files
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A file tracking system comprising:
- a database for maintaining file location and unique file addresses for a plurality of files;
a processor for interfacing with said database and issuing control signals;
a bus connected to said processor;
a folder retainer connected to said processor by said bus;
a plurality of file folders, each file folder including an addressable device adapted to be electrically connected to said bus when the file folder is placed in said folder retainer, each addressable device being responsive to a control signal including the unique address associated with the addressable device to transmit a signal back to said processor so that said processor may maintain the file location of each file in said database wherein each of said file folders further include;
a surface;
a first conductor on said surface for providing control signals to said addressable device when the file folder is placed in said folder retainer; and
a second conductor on said surface for providing a ground to said addressable device, wherein said first and second conductors are strips of conductive tape provided on said surface of the file folders.
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Abstract
A file tracking system including a processor, which maintains and interfaces with a database, a plurality of file folder retainers, and a plurality of file folders. The file tracking system actively maintains and updates the database, which includes file information, file location, and unique file address for the plurality of files, by providing interactive communication between the processor, the folder retainers, and the file folders. Each file folder may include an indicator light, such as an LED, which a user may cause to blink when trying to locating the file folder at a location accessed from the database.
178 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A file tracking system comprising:
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a database for maintaining file location and unique file addresses for a plurality of files; a processor for interfacing with said database and issuing control signals; a bus connected to said processor; a folder retainer connected to said processor by said bus; a plurality of file folders, each file folder including an addressable device adapted to be electrically connected to said bus when the file folder is placed in said folder retainer, each addressable device being responsive to a control signal including the unique address associated with the addressable device to transmit a signal back to said processor so that said processor may maintain the file location of each file in said database wherein each of said file folders further include; a surface; a first conductor on said surface for providing control signals to said addressable device when the file folder is placed in said folder retainer; and a second conductor on said surface for providing a ground to said addressable device, wherein said first and second conductors are strips of conductive tape provided on said surface of the file folders.
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2. A file tracking system comprising:
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a database for maintaining file folder information including file location, and a unique address of each file; a processor for interfacing with said database and issuing control signals; and a plurality of file folders, each file folder including an addressable switch and an indicator, said indicator is activated when said addressable switch receives a control signal from said processor including the unique address corresponding to the file folder, wherein said processor is adapted to periodically poll said file folders to obtain information from each file folder, detect differences between the obtained information and the file folder information stored in said database, and to update said database when said processor detects a difference between the file folder information stored in said database and the polled information. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. In a file tracking system including a processor and a plurality of files each having a unique identification code associated therewith and communicatively connected to the processor, a method of maintaining a database including file location, and the identification code of each of the plurality of files, the method comprising the steps of:
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periodically polling each of the plurality of files by transmitting a control signal from the processor to a file to be polled; determining the identification code corresponding to the polled file from the polled file to the processor when the polled file detects the control signal; verifying the file location in the database corresponding to the identification code of the polled file received in the reply signal; and updating the database to indicate a new file location for the polled file when the location from which the reply signal was transmitted is different from the file location previously stored in the database. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A file tracking system comprising:
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a database for maintaining file location and unique file addresses for a plurality of files; a processor for interfacing with said database to obtain the unique file address of a specified file, and for issuing a control signal including the unique file address obtained from said database for the specified file; a bus connected to said processor; a folder retainer connected to said processor by said bus; and a plurality of file folders, each file folder including an addressable device adapted to be electrically connected to said bus when the file folder is placed in said folder retainer, each addressable device being responsive to the unique address associated with the file contained within the corresponding file folder that is included in a control signal received from said processor. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A file tracking system comprising:
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a database for maintaining file location and unique file addresses for a plurality of files, said database further maintains user identification data for a plurality of files indicating which user last accessed the file; a processor for interfacing with said database and issuing control signals; a bus connected to said processor; a folder retainer connected to said processor by said bus; and a plurality of file folders, each file folder including an addressable device adapted to be electrically connected to said bus when the file folder is placed in said folder retainer. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification