Queue management system
First Claim
1. A queue management system for managing at least one queue of people, the system comprising:
- a plurality of portable modules, each portable module being arranged to be carried by a person and including a memory means for containing a unique identification code, indicator means for indicating to said person when it is time to join the queue, a signal receiver means for receiving signals to cause said indicator means to be operative, a transmitter means for transmitting said identification code over a short range to confine the transmitted identification code to a local region around said person, and a docking means for downloading said identification code when said portable module is docked;
at least one docking station, each docking station being adapted to co-operate with said docking means of a said portable module for registering said person in a queue sequence for a respective queue by downloading said identification code from said portable module when docked;
a queue manager for maintaining the queue sequence for each queue and including a first communication means for receiving the downloaded code;
a signal transmitting means associated with said queue manager for transmitting said signals to each portable module to instruct said person carrying said portable module to join the queue;
at least one module detector for detecting any portable modules in a vicinity of the module detector by detecting any transmitted identification codes, said module detector being arranged at a location of the queue to detect when the person carrying said portable module joins the queue; and
a second communication means arranged between said queue manager and the module detector to communicate any detected identification codes to said queue manager;
said queue manager being adapted to update each queue sequence using the detected identification code and the downloaded identification code to remove the detected identification code from a front of the respective queue sequence and to add the downloaded identification code to a back of the respective queue sequence.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A queue management system comprises a plurality of portable modules, at least one docking station, a queue manager, signal transmitting means, at least one module detector and a communication means. Each portable module includes a memory means containing a unique identification code, an indicator means, transmitter means for transmitting the identification code over a short range, and docking means for downloading the identification code. The docking station registers the person in a queue by downloading the identification code for the portable module when docked. The queue manager maintains the queue sequence for each queue and includes a communication means for receiving the downloaded code. The signal transmitting means is associated with the queue manager for transmitting the signals to each portable module to instruct the person carrying the portable module to join the queue. The module detector detects transmitted identification codes from any portable module in its vicinity. The module detector is arranged at the queue to detect when the person carrying the portable module joins the queue. Finally, the communication means is arranged between the queue manager and the module detector to communicate any detected identification code to the queue manager.
200 Citations
44 Claims
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1. A queue management system for managing at least one queue of people, the system comprising:
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a plurality of portable modules, each portable module being arranged to be carried by a person and including a memory means for containing a unique identification code, indicator means for indicating to said person when it is time to join the queue, a signal receiver means for receiving signals to cause said indicator means to be operative, a transmitter means for transmitting said identification code over a short range to confine the transmitted identification code to a local region around said person, and a docking means for downloading said identification code when said portable module is docked;
at least one docking station, each docking station being adapted to co-operate with said docking means of a said portable module for registering said person in a queue sequence for a respective queue by downloading said identification code from said portable module when docked;
a queue manager for maintaining the queue sequence for each queue and including a first communication means for receiving the downloaded code;
a signal transmitting means associated with said queue manager for transmitting said signals to each portable module to instruct said person carrying said portable module to join the queue;
at least one module detector for detecting any portable modules in a vicinity of the module detector by detecting any transmitted identification codes, said module detector being arranged at a location of the queue to detect when the person carrying said portable module joins the queue; and
a second communication means arranged between said queue manager and the module detector to communicate any detected identification codes to said queue manager;
said queue manager being adapted to update each queue sequence using the detected identification code and the downloaded identification code to remove the detected identification code from a front of the respective queue sequence and to add the downloaded identification code to a back of the respective queue sequence. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification