System and method for locating individuals and equipment, airline reservation system, communication system

• US 6,509,829 B1
• Filed: 07/26/2000
• Issued: 01/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Tuttle, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHIMIZU, MATSUICHIRO
• Application Number:
  US09/628,876
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 705/5, 701/201, 701/208, 701/211, 340/990, 340/10.5, 340/3.1, 340/573.1, 455/88, 455/95, 455/100, 379/106.11
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/74 Systems using reradiation of radio waves, e.g. secondary radar systems; Analogous systems
• 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: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisions for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/1083 Pager locating systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 31/00 Predictive alarm systems characterised by extrapolation or other computation using updated historic data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber

Abstract

A system for locating an individual in a facility, the system comprising a portable wireless transponder device borne by the individual; an interrogator; and a plurality of antennas distributed in the facility, the antennas being selectively separately connected to the interrogator, the interrogator when connected to any of the antennas having a communications range covering less than the area of the entire facility, the interrogator being configured to repeatedly transmit a wireless command to the portable wireless transponder device using alternating antennas, the portable wireless transponder device being configured to transmit data identifying the portable wireless transponder device in response to a command if the portable wireless transponder device is within communications range of the antenna sending the command, the individual being locatable by determining with which antenna the interrogator was able to establish communications with the portable wireless transponder device.

Claims

1. A travel reservation system comprising:

a database configured to store information identifying passengers who have purchased tickets for a voyage, information about the scheduled departure for the voyage, and information identifying passengers who have checked in for the voyage;

a controller configured to operate on the database; and

a wireless transponder in communication with the controller, and an antenna coupled to the wireless transponder, the transponder being configured to periodically send wireless commands requesting wireless responses from portable identification devices, the portable identification devices being configured to transmit identifying data in response to receiving a command, the wireless transponder having a predetermined communications range and being configured to communicate with portable identification devices within the predetermined communications range, the controller being configured to modify the database to indicate that one of the passengers who purchased a ticket has checked in, responsive to the wireless transponder receiving a response from the portable identification device associated with that passenger, which response includes identifying data for that passenger, provided that the scheduled departure is less than a predetermined amount of time away.

2. A system in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising at least one of the portable identification devices, including a housing, and battery, a transponder, and a microprocessor in the housing.

3. A system in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising at least one of the portable identification devices, including an integrated circuit having a transponder, a microprocessor, and a memory, and being configured to communicate with the wireless transponder at a microwave frequency.

4. A travel reservation system comprising:

a computer configured to operate on a database having information identifying passengers who have purchased tickets for a voyage, information about the scheduled departure for the voyage, and information identifying passengers who have checked in for the voyage;

a wireless transponder in communication with the computer, and an antenna coupled to the wireless transponder, the transponder being configured to periodically send wireless commands requesting wireless responses from portable identification devices, the portable identification devices being configured to transmit identifying data in response to receiving a command, the wireless transponder having a predetermined communications range and being configured to communicate with portable identification devices within the predetermined communications range, the computer being configured to modify the database to indicate that one of the passengers who purchased a ticket has checked in, responsive to the wireless transponder receiving a response from the portable identification device associated with that passenger, which response includes identifying data for that passenger, provided that the scheduled departure is scheduled for a time less than a predetermined amount of time in the future; and

a second antenna selectively alternately connected to the wireless transponder and configured to communicate with portable identification devices that have passed to a predetermined area indicating that the passenger has boarded a vessel, the computer being configured to modify the database, to indicate that a passenger has boarded the vessel, in response to a portable identification device identifying a passenger communicating with the wireless transponder from the predetermined area.

5. A system in accordance with claim 4 and further comprising at least one of the portable identification devices, including a housing, and battery, a transponder, and a microprocessor in the housing.

6. A system in accordance with claim 4 and further comprising at least one of the portable identification devices, including an integrated circuit having a transponder, a microprocessor, and a memory, and being configured to communicate with the wireless transponder at a microwave frequency.

7. A system in accordance with claim 4 wherein the predetermined amount of time is one hour.

8. A system for communicating custom flight information to a passenger, the system comprising:

a computer configured to operate on a database having information identifying passengers who have purchased tickets for a flight, information identifying passengers who have checked in for a flight, and information about scheduled departures for flights;

a monitor coupled to the computer,

a wireless transponder in communication with the computer, and an antenna coupled to the wireless transponder, the wireless transponder being configured to periodically send wireless commands requesting responses from portable identification devices, the portable identification devices being configured to transmit wireless identifying data in response to receiving a command, the wireless transponder having a communications range for communicating with portable identification devices, the antenna being located within a predetermined distance from the monitor, the computer being configured to cause flight information about a passengers flight to be displayed on the monitor in response to the wireless transponder receiving a response from one of the portable identification devices using the antenna, the flight information including departure time information for the passenger'"'"'s flight; and

a second antenna selectively alternately connected to the wireless transponder and configured to communicate with portable identification devices in a predetermined area the computer being configured to modify the database, to indicate that a passenger has checked in for a flight, in response to a receiving a response, using the second antenna, from the portable identification device associated with that passenger.

9. A system in accordance with claim 8 wherein the flight information to be displayed on the monitor includes an indication of whether the passenger has successfully checked in using the portable identification device.

10. PA system in accordance with claim 8 wherein the flight information to be displayed on the monitor includes the passenger'"'"'s destination.

11. A system in accordance with claim 8 wherein the flight information to be displayed on the monitor includes the passengers name.

12. A system in accordance with claim 8 wherein the flight information to be displayed on the monitor includes the gate for the flight.

13. A system in accordance with claim 8 wherein if multiple passengers having portable identification devices are within the range, the computer causes the monitor to show flight information for a plurality of the passengers within the range, with the flight information for a passenger being shown adjacent the passengers name.

14. A system in accordance with claim 9 wherein the computer is configured to modify the database to indicate that one of the passengers who purchased a ticket has checked in, responsive to the wireless transponder receiving a response from the portable identification device associated with that passenger, provided that the scheduled departure time for that passenger'"'"'s flight is less than a predetermined amount of time in the future.

15. A system for communicating travel information to a passenger, the system comprising:

a computer configured to operate on a database having information identifying passengers who have purchased tickets, information identifying passengers who are checked in, and information about scheduled departures;

a monitor coupled to the computer; and

a wireless transponder in communication with the computer and configured to periodically send wireless commands requesting wireless responses from portable identification devices, the portable identification devices being configured to transmit identifying data in response to receiving a command, the wireless transponder having a range for communicating with portable identification devices within a desired distance from the monitor, the computer being programmed to cause information about a passenger'"'"'s departure to be displayed on the monitor in response to the wireless transponder receiving a response from one of the portable identification devices within the range, the information including an indication of whether or not the passenger is checked in.

16. A system in accordance with claim 15 wherein the information displayed on the monitor includes the passenger'"'"'s destination.

17. A system in accordance with claim 15 wherein the information displayed on the monitor includes the passenger'"'"'s name.

18. A system in accordance with claim 15 wherein the information displayed on the monitor includes a code identifying the passenger.

19. A system in accordance with claim 15 wherein the information displayed on the monitor includes a gate for the departure.

20. A system for communicating travel information to a passenger, the system comprising:

a computer configured to operate on a database having information identifying passengers who have purchased tickets, information identifying passengers who are checked in, and information about scheduled departures;

a monitor coupled to the computer; and

a wireless transponder in communication with the computer and configured to periodically send wireless commands requesting wireless responses from portable identification devices, the portable identification devices being configured to transmit identifying data in response to receiving a command, the wireless transponder having a range for communicating with portable identification devices within a desired distance from the monitor, the computer being programmed to cause information about a passenger'"'"'s departure to be displayed on the monitor in response to the wireless transponder receiving a response from one of the portable identification devices within the range;

wherein if multiple passengers having portable identification devices are within the range, the computer causes the monitor to show flight information for a plurality of the passengers within the range.

21. A system in accordance with claim 20 wherein the information for a passenger is shown adjacent the passenger'"'"'s name.

22. A system in accordance with claim 20 wherein the information for a passenger is shown adjacent a code identifying the passenger.

23. A system in accordance with claim 20 and further comprising at least one of the portable identification devices, wherein the portable identification device includes an actuator, and wherein the travel information is shown on the display in response to the actuator being actuated.

24. A system in accordance with claim 21 wherein, if multiple passengers having portable identification devices are within the range, the information is sorted by passenger name.

25. A system for communicating travel information to a passenger, the system comprising:

a computer configured to operate on a database having information identifying passengers who have purchased tickets, information identifying passengers who are checked in, and information about scheduled departures;

a monitor coupled to the computer, and

a plurality of wireless transponders in communication with the computer and configured to periodically send wireless commands requesting wireless responses from portable identification devices, the portable identification devices being configured to transmit identifying data in response to receiving a command, each portable identification device being associated with a passenger and being configured to be borne by that passenger, the wireless transponders having a range for communicating with portable identification devices within a desired distance from the monitor, the computer being programmed to cause information about all passengers whose portable transponders are within range of the monitor to be displayed, the information including details of a passenger'"'"'s departure and an indication of whether or not the passenger is checked in.