Proximity system for baggage
First Claim
1. A luggage tracking system comprising:
- a luggage location unit having a transmitter for transmitting an identifying code in a transmit cycle including a intermittent sending interval and rest interval, and having a housing for carriage inside a unit of luggage within a fuselage of an aircraft; and
an indicator unit having a receiver for receiving said identifying code over a limited continuous reception time greater than said transmit cycle from within said fuselage and for indicating receipt of said identifying code to indicate a presence of said luggage location unit and thus the unit of luggage within which it is carried.
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Abstract
A communication system is provided which can be realized in a number of ways to facilitate baggage tracking and recovery. In the most rudimentary realization, the traveler receives a signal from transmitters placed in the baggage which can identify the presence of each item of baggage by a code number which may show either as the code number or as a user supplied personal designator for a particular item of luggage. The transmitter is inexpensive and low power but works well in the aircraft environment and causes no interference with aircraft control, communication or navigation equipment. Advanced versions of the invention include programmability and transponder control as well as enhanced audio signalling.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A luggage tracking system comprising:
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a luggage location unit having a transmitter for transmitting an identifying code in a transmit cycle including a intermittent sending interval and rest interval, and having a housing for carriage inside a unit of luggage within a fuselage of an aircraft; and
an indicator unit having a receiver for receiving said identifying code over a limited continuous reception time greater than said transmit cycle from within said fuselage and for indicating receipt of said identifying code to indicate a presence of said luggage location unit and thus the unit of luggage within which it is carried. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of luggage tracking comprising the steps of:
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turning on a first luggage location unit having at least a transmitter;
inserting said first luggage location unit inside a first unit of luggage;
turning on a second luggage location unit having at least a transmitter;
inserting said second luggage location unit inside a second unit of luggage;
presenting said first and said second unit of luggage to be carried by an airline on at least one aircraft;
taking an indicator unit having at least a receiver to the vicinity of a luggage retrieval point once said unit of luggage is taken off of said at least one aircraft; and
receiving a signal from said luggage location unit to independently verify a presence of said first and said second unit of luggage in the vicinity of said luggage retrieval point.
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Specification