Mobile object tracking system

• US 6,392,543 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2001
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Key Control Holding Incorporated (Reynolds & Reynolds Company)
• Original Assignee: Keytrak, Inc. (Reynolds & Reynolds Company)
• Inventors: Maloney, William C.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/782,070
• Publication Number:
  US 20010004235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539, 340/568.1, 340/571, 340/572.1, 340/572.2, 340/572.4, 340/572.7, 340/572.9, 340/568.2, 340/568.7, 235/383, 235/385
• US Class Current: 340/568.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/04 comprising devices to free a barrier, turnstile, or the like turnstiles with registering means G07C9/10; coin-freed aspects G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1454 Circuit arrangements thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1463 Physical arrangements, e.g. housings devices to prevent theft or loss of purses, luggage or hand carried bags A45C13/18
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2431 Tag circuit details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2434 Tag housing and attachment details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2448 Tag with at least dual detection means, e.g. combined inductive and ferromagnetic tags, dual frequencies within a single technology, tampering detection or signalling means on the tag
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2471 Antenna signal processing by receiver or emitter
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2474 Antenna or antenna activator geometry, arrangement or layout loop antennae H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2477 Antenna or antenna activator circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2482 EAS methods, e.g. description of flow chart of the detection procedure
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0227 System arrangements with a plurality of child units
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0286 Tampering or removal detection of the child unit from child or article
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0288 Attachment of child unit to child/article

Abstract

A mobile object tracking system is provided for tracking the removal and use of specific objects within a group checked out from storage between the time the objects are checked out and the replacement of the objects in the storage. The system includes a system controller and a storage unit that receive and store a series of object carriers therein. Each object carrier includes a series of object holders in which id tags for the group of objects checked out of the storage are received. The object carrier monitors the time each object is removed from the object carrier, which information is thereafter communicated to the system controller.

Claims

1. An object tracking system for tracking a collection of objects where a plurality of the objects are periodically removed as a group from, and later returned as a group to, the collection of objects, said object tracking system comprising:

a storage unit at a central location for receiving and storing the collection of objects;

a central controller coupled to said storage unit at the central location for tracking the removal and replacement of the collection of objects in said storage unit;

at least one portable carrier removably positionable in said storage unit, said carrier being carryable to a remote location when removed from said storage unit;

a plurality of object holders on said carrier for holding the plurality of objects to be removed as a group from the collection of objects in said storage unit;

means for tracking and saving a record of the removal of objects from and the replacement of objects in said carrier during the time when said carrier is removed from said storage unit; and

means for transferring the record to the central controller upon return of said carrier to said storage unit, the central controller updating a usage log to reflect the record of removal and replacement of objects from said carrier during the time when said carrier was removed from said storage unit.

2. An object tracking system as claimed in claim 1 and wherein said means for tracking and saving a record of removal of objects from and the replacement of objects in said carrier comprises a microprocessor on said carrier, sensors associated with each of said object holders for sensing the removal and replacement of objects in said object holders, and a communications link between said sensors and said microprocessor, said microprocessor being programmed to detect and save a record of the removal and replacement of objects in said object holders.

3. An object tracking system as claimed in claim 2 and further comprising an identification code associated with each of said objects, said sensors detecting the identification codes of objects disposed in said object holders, said identification codes being conveyed to said microprocessor over said communications link.

4. An object tracking system as claimed in claim 3 and wherein said identification codes are stored in an electronic memory on each of said objects.

5. An object tracking system as claimed in claim 4 and wherein said electronic memory on each of said objects comprises a touch memory device attached to each object, said sensors engaging the touch memory devices of objects disposed in said object holders for detecting the identification codes thereof.

6. An object tracking system as claimed in claim 4 and wherein said objects are key tags associated with keys to be tracked by said tracking system.

7. An object tracking system as claimed in claim 1 and wherein said means for tracking and saving a record of the removal of objects from and the replacement of objects in said carrier comprises a timer associated with each object, each of said timers reflecting the time that each object was in an object holder while the object carrier is removed from the storage unit, said means for transferring the record to the central controller upon return of said carrier to said to said storage unit comprising a communications link in said storage unit for transmitting the reflected times of each of said timers to said central controller upon return of said object carrier to said storage unit, said central controller being programmed to compare the reflected times to an elapsed time to determine which of the objects were removed from said object holders while said object carrier was removed from said storage unit.

8. An object tracking system as claimed in claim 7 and wherein said timers mark time while their respective objects are disposed in said object holders and do not mark time while their respective objects are removed from said object holders.

9. An object tracking system as claimed in claim 7 and wherein said timers mark time while their respective objects are removed from said object holders and do not mark time while their respective objects are disposed in said object holders.

10. An object tracking system as claimed in claim 1 and wherein said objects are key tags having keys attached thereto, said means for tracking and saving a record of the removal of objects from and the replacement of objects in said carrier during the time when said carrier is removed from said storage unit comprising a restraint on each of said key tags that renders its respective key unusable without visibly damaging said restraint, the record of the removal of objects from and the replacement of objects in said carrier being represented by the visible conditions of said restraints.

11. An object tracking system as claimed in claim 10 and further comprising an identification code associated with each of said restraints, said means for transferring the record to the central controller upon return of said carrier to said to said storage unit comprising at least one sensor for detecting the identification codes of undamaged restraints when said object carrier is returned to said storage unit, said central controller updating the usage log based upon the detected identification codes.

12. An object tracking system as claimed in claim 11 and wherein said restraints comprise a security ID strap on each of said key tags, said security ID straps surrounding and restraining the keys associated with said key tags such that the keys may not be positioned for use without breaking said straps.

13. An object tracking system as claimed in claim 12 and wherein said identification code associated with each of said restraints comprises an optical bar code on each security ID strap, said at least one sensor comprising an optical reader at the central location for reading the optical bar codes of undamaged straps when said object carrier is returned to said storage unit, said means for transferring the record to the central controller upon return of said carrier to said storage unit comprising a communications link between said optical reader and said central controller.

14. A method of tracking the use of a collection of objects at a central location where a plurality of the objects are periodically removed as a group from the collection of objects at the central location and carried to a remote location and later returned as a group to the collection of objects at the central location, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) at the central location, maintaining a master log of the presence and absence of objects within the collection of objects;

(b) maintaining a remote log of the use of objects within the removed group of objects during the time that the group of objects are removed from the central location; and

(c) updating the master log to reflect the use information contained in the remote log when the group of objects are returned to the central location.

15. The method of claim 14 and further comprising associating an identification code with each of the objects within the collection of objects and wherein step (a) comprises periodically reading the identification codes of objects located at the central location to determine which objects are present and which are absent from the central location and updating the master log accordingly.

16. The method of claim 14 and wherein step (b) comprises periodically detecting the identification codes of objects within the removed group of objects that are not in use and maintaining a remote log of the detected identification codes as a record of the use of objects within the group during the time that the group is removed from the collection of objects at the central location.

17. The method of claim 16 and wherein the step of associating an identification code with each of the objects comprises attaching an electronic memory module to each of the objects, each electronic memory module storing at least a unique identification code.

18. The method of claim 16 and wherein the step of associating an identification code with each of the objects comprises attaching a restraint to each of the objects, the restraint rendering the object non-usable without visibly defacing the restraint, and wherein the remote log of the use of objects in step (b) is reflected by the visible defacing of the restraints on objects used during the time that the group of objects is removed from the central location.

19. The method of claim 18 and wherein the step of associating an identification code with each of the objects comprises affixing an identification code to the restraints attached to the objects and wherein step (c) comprises detecting the identification codes of restraints not visibly defaced during the time that the group of objects was removed from the central location to determine which objects of the group were used and updating the master log to reflect said determination.

20. The method of claim 19 and wherein the objects are key tags each having at least one key attached thereto, the restraint on each key tag preventing use of the corresponding key without visibly defacing the restraint.

21. The method of claim 20 and wherein the restraints are security ID straps surrounding and preventing the use of keys without breaking the straps.

22. The method of claim 21 and wherein the step of affixing an identification code to the restraints comprises affixing an optical bar code to each of the restraints, step (c) further comprising optically scanning the optical bar codes on security ID straps that are not broken when the removed group of key tags is returned to the central location.

23. A key tracking and control system for tracking the use of keys where a group of keys are periodically removed for remote use from a larger collection of keys at a central location and later returned to the collection of keys, said system comprising:

a readable identification code associated with each of the keys of the collection of keys;

a computer controller at the central location for detecting the identification codes of keys located at the central location to monitor at least the presence and absence of keys at the central location and for maintaining a master log of at least the remote usage of keys in a group of keys removed from the central location;

at least one portable carrier removably stowable at the central location;

a plurality of key holders on said portable carrier for holding a group of keys to be removed for remote use from the central location;

means for maintaining a remote log of the use of keys within a removed group of keys during the time that the group is removed from the larger collection of keys at the central location; and

means for updating the master log of remote usage of keys maintained by the computer controller to incorporate the information reflected in the remote log upon return of said portable carrier and its group of keys to the larger collection of keys at the central location.

24. A key tracking and control system as claimed in claim 23 and wherein said readable identification codes are stored in electronic memories attached to respective keys of said collection of keys and further comprising a communications link connecting the electronic memory attached to each key to said computer controller when the key is located at the central location for transmitting the identification code associated with the key to the computer controller.

25. A key tracking and control system as claimed in claim 24 and wherein said electronic memories comprise touch memory devices.

26. A key tracking and control system as claimed in claim 24 and further comprising a microprocessor on said portable carrier and a communications link connecting the electronic memories of keys within said key holders to said microprocessor, said microprocessor being programmed to determine the removal and replacement of keys in said key holders and thereby to determine usage of the keys while said portable carrier is removed from the central location, and to maintain said remote log for updating said master log when said portable carrier is returned to said central location.

27. A key tracking and control system as claimed in claim 23 and further comprising a restraint associated with each key, each of said restraints preventing use of its corresponding key without visibly defacing said constraint, said identification codes being affixed to said restraints, said remote log of key usage being reflected by the conditions of said restraints upon return of said portable carrier to said central location.

28. A key tracking and control system as claimed in claim 27 and wherein said identification codes comprise optical bar codes affixed to said restraints.

29. A key tracking and control system as claimed in claim 28 and wherein said means for updating said master log comprises an optical bar code reader operatively coupled to said computer controller at said central location, said optical bar code reader for reading the identification codes from non-defaced restraints when said portable carrier is returned to the central location to identify the keys within the removed group that were used and transmitting this information to the computer controller for updating the master log.