Luggage management system

• US 6,036,348 A
• Filed: 05/30/1995
• Issued: 03/14/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Miura, Okimi
• Primary Examiner(s): RUGGIERO, JOSEPH F
• Application Number:
  US08/453,081
• Time in Patent Office: 1,750 Days
• Field of Search: 364/478, 364/401, 364/402, 364/403, 364/407, 364/478.13, 364/478.14, 364/478.15, 364/478.07, 364/478.01, 235/384, 235/375, 235/380, 235/382, 235/385, 395/213, 395/228
• US Class Current: 700/225
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33192 Radio link, wireless
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37137 Encoder combined with barcode label, reader
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

A luggage management system arranged so as to improve the efficiency of parcel collection, parcel examining and parcel delivery, to save the labor of operators, to accurately manage parcels, and to improve the efficiency and accuracy of parcel tracing operation is provided. When a parcel checker examining a parcel being conveyed depresses an "examine" switch, an examine result signal is transmitted from an examine part to an electronic tab through an antenna. When this signal is received by a loop antenna, an electronic tab control circuit is activated, and parcel information stored beforehand in a memory is modulated into a signal having a predetermined frequency to be transmitted from a transmitter to the exterior of the system through the loop antenna. This parcel information is received by the antenna, and the parcel information of each parcel is read in the examine part which carries out collation of data with that stored already for confirmation together with parcel sorting and management.

Claims

1. A luggage management system comprising an electronic tab in which luggage information regarding delivery of luggage is written beforehand, and a portable convenient terminal for transmitting a luggage information request signal to said electronic tab, said electronic tab transmitting the luggage information to said portable convenient terminal and also displaying the luggage information in response to the request signal, and said portable convenient terminal comparing the received luggage information with information stored therein to detect whether or not the received luggage information coincides with said information stored therein, wherein said portable convenient terminal comprises information issue means for writing luggage information in said electronic tab and issuing said electronic tab, keyboard means for inputting the luggage information, memory means for storing the luggage information, data transmission means for transmitting a data signal to and receiving a data signal from said electronic tab, control means for transmitting the luggage information request signal to said electronic tab by said data transmission means thereby receiving the luggage information written in said electronic tab, examine means for examining whether or not the luggage information received through said data transmission means coincides with the luggage information stored in said memory means, display means for displaying both the luggage information stored in said memory means and the result of examining by said examine means, and safeguard means for ensuring the operation of all the components of said system when an identification key number is inputted from said keyboard means.

2. A luggage management system according to claim 1, wherein said electronic tab comprises input means for inputting the luggage information supplied from said portable convenient terminal, memory means for storing the luggage information, transmitter/receiver means for transmitting and receiving information to and from said portable convenient terminal, control means for controlling said electronic tab to transmit the luggage information stored in said memory means to said portable convenient terminal when said transmitter/receiver means receives the information request signal from said portable convenient terminal, and display means for displaying the luggage information stored in said memory means when said transmitter/receiver means receives a display request signal from said portable convenient terminal.

3. A luggage management system according to claim 2, wherein said electronic tab further comprises an incident light sensor sensing an incident optical signal, and a photoelectric cell activating the means composing the system when said light sensor senses the incident optical signal.