Method for automatic identification and data capture

• US 6,801,245 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2002
• Issued: 10/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Metaform Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ImageID Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nemet, Yaron, Sali, Erez, Shniberg, Moti
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US10/052,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20030136833A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/573.1, 340/521, 340/522, 340/691.6, 340/5.92, 705/22, 705/28, 235/385, 235/487, 235/494, 235/454, 235/469, 235/462.01, 235/462.03, 235/462.04, 235/462.11, 235/462.41, 348/86, 348/91, 348/94, 348/96, 348/161, 348/169, 348/195, 250/555, 250/559.07, 250/559.08, 382/181, 382/224, 382/100, 382/141, 382/103
• US Class Current: 348/169
• 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 19/06009 with optically detectable marking G06K19/063, G06K19/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06046 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1095 the scanner comprising adaptations for scanning a record carrier that is displayed on a display-screen or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence

Abstract

A system and methodology for tracking objects including affixing at least one imagable identifier onto each of a multiplicity of objects to be tracked, imaging at least a portion of at least one of the multiplicity of objects at a known location to provide an at least partial image of the at least one of the multiplicity of objects, containing the at least one imagable identifier and employing the at least partial image of the object containing the at least one imagable identifier to provide an output indication of the location of the at least one of the multiplicity of objects.

Claims

1. A methodology for tracking objects comprising:

imaging together at a known location a plurality of objects to be tracked, each object having at least one imagable identifier affixed thereto to provide an at least partial image of said pluarlity of said objects, said at least partial image including at least each of said at least one imagable identifiers;

employing said at least partial image to determine an identification code for each of said plurality of objects; and

associating each identification code with a known location code.

2. The methodology as in claim 1 further comprising communicating said at least partial image and its associated identification and location codes to a remote location.

3. The methodology as in claim 1 and also comprising storing said at least partial image and its associated identification and location codes.

4. The methodology as in claim 1 wherein said imaging is color imaging.

5. The methodology as in claim 1 wherein said at least one imaginable identifier comprises a multi-color identifier.

6. The methodology as in claim 1 wherein said at least one imagable identifier comprises a multi-segment, multi-color identifier.

7. The methodology as in claim 6 wherein said identifier is capable of identifying and distinguishing a plurality of objects at least equal to approximately:

8. The methodology as in claim 7 wherein said identifier has an inherent orientation.

9. The methodology as in claim 1 wherein said imaging comprises sequentially imaging different pluralities of objects passing a given imaging location.

10. The methodology as in claim 1 wherein said at least one imagable identifier comprises a plurality of imagable identifiers arranged in at least predetermined propinquity to each other.

11. The methodology as in claim 1 wherein said employing comprises extracting said identification code from said at least partial image.

12. The methodology as in claim 1 wherein said identifier has an inherent orientation.

13. An object tracking system comprising:

an imager to image together at a known location a plurality of objects to be tracked each one of said objects having at least one imagable identifier affixed thereto and to provide an at least partial image of said plurality of said objects, said image including at least each of said at least one imagable identifiers;

a processor employing said at least partial image to determine an identification code for each of said plurality of objects and to associate each identification code with a known location code.

14. The system as in claim 13 further comprising a communication unit to communicate said at least partial image and its associated identification and location codes to a remote location.

15. The system as in claim 13 wherein said at least one imagable identifier comprises a multi-color identifier.

16. The system as in claim 13 wherein said at least one imagable identifier comprises a multi-segment, multi-color identifier.

17. The methodology as in claim 16 wherein said multi-segment, multi-color identifier is capable of identifying and distinguishing a plurality of objects at least equal to approximately:

18. The methodology as in claim 17 wherein said multi-segment, multi-color identifier has an inherent orientation.

19. The system as in claim 13 and also comprising a storage unit to store said at least partial image and its associated identification and location codes.

20. The system as in claim 13 and wherein said imager is a color imager.

21. The system as in claim 13 wherein said at least one imagable identifier comprises a plurality of imagable identifiers arranged in at least predetermined propinquity to each other.

22. The system as in claim 13 wherein said identifier has an inherent orientation.

23. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a methodology for tracking a multiplicity of objects, each of which has an imagable identifier affixed thereto, comprising:

imaging together at a known location a plurality of said objects to provide an t least partial image of said plurality of said of said objects, said image including said imagable identifier on each of said plurality of objects;

employing at least partial image to determine an identification code for each of said plurality of said objects; and

associating each identification code with a known location code.

24. The computer-readable medium as in claim 23 further comprising communicating said at least partial image and its associated identification and location codes to a remote location.

25. The computer-readable medium as in claim 23 wherein said at least one imagable identifier comprises a multi-color identifier.

26. The computer-readable medium as in claim 23 wherein said at least one imagable identifier comprises a multi-segment, multi-color identifier.

27. The computer-readable medium as in claim 26 wherein said multi-segment, multi-color identifier is capable of identifying and distinguishing a plurality of objects at least equal to approximately:

28. The computer-readable medium as in claim 26 wherein said multi-segment, multi-color identifier has an inherent orientation.

29. The computer-readable medium as in claim 26 wherein said imaging comprises sequentially imaging a plurality of said objects passing a given imaging location.

30. The computer-readable medium as in claim 23 wherein said at least one imagable identifier comprises a plurality of imagable identifiers arranged in at least predetermined propinquity of each other.

31. The computer-readable medium as in claim 23 and also comprising storing said at least partial image and its associated identification and location codes.

32. The computer-readable medium as in claim 23 and wherein said imaging is color imaging.

33. The computer-readable medium as in claim 23 wherein said identifier has an inherent orientation.

34. A methodology for tracking objects comprising:

imaging a first plurality of objects together at a first known location to provide a first at least partial image of said plurality of said objects, each of said objects having at least one imagable identifier affixed thereto with said first image including at least each of said at least one imagable identifiers;

employing said first at least partial image to determine a first set of identification codes for each of said first plurality of objects;

associating each of said identification codes of said first set of identification codes with a first known location code;

imaging a second plurality of objects together at a second known location to provide a second at least partial image of second plurality of said objects, said second image including at least each of said at least one imagable identifiers;

employing said second at least partial image to determine a second set of identification codes one for each of said second plurality of objects; and

associating each of said identification codes of said second set of identification codes with a second known location code.

35. The methodology as in claim 34 wherein said imaging of said first plurality of said objects and said imaging of said second plurality of said objects occur at different times.

36. The methodology as in claim 35 wherein an object in said first plurality of objects is also in said second plurality of objects and said associated identification and location codes with respect to said object are first stored and the updated.

37. The methodology as in claim 34 further comprising communicating at least one of said at least partial image and its associated said identification and location codes to a remote location.

38. The methodology as in claim 34 wherein said at least one imagable identifier comprises a multi-color identifier.

39. The methodology as in claim 34 wherein said at least one imagable identifier comprises a multi-segment, multi-color identifier.

40. The methodology as in claim 39 wherein said multi-segment, multi-color identifier is capable of identifying and distinguishing a plurality of objects at least equal to approximately:

41. The methodology as in claim 39 wherein said multi-segment, multi-color identifier has an inherent orientation.

42. The methodology as in claim 34 wherein said imaging comprises sequentially imaging a plurality of said objects passing a given imaging location.

43. The methodology as in claim 34 wherein said at least one imagable identifier comprises a plurality of imagable identifiers arranged in at least predetermined propinquity to each other.

44. The methodology as in claim 34 wherein said imaging is color imaging.

45. A method comprising:

generating an image of at least one pallet of objects, each of said objects having at least one imagable identifier affixed thereto; and

identifying identification codes embodied in said at least one imagable identifiers from said image.

46. The method according to claim 45 and wherein said imaging occurs at a known location and also comprising generating a tracking indication comprising said identification code and a known location code.

47. The method as in claim 46 and also comprising storing said tracking indication and said image.

48. The method according to claim 46 further comprising communicating at least one of said tracking indication and said image to a remote location.

49. The method as in claim 45 and wherein said imaging is color imaging.

50. The method according to claim 45 wherein said at least one imagable identifier comprises a multi-color identifier.

51. The method according to claim 45 wherein said at least one imagable identifier comprises a multi-color, multi-segment identifier.

52. The method according to claim 45 wherein said at least one imagable identifier has an inherent orientation.

53. The method according to claim 45 and also comprising sequentially imaging different pluralities of objects passing a given imaging location.

54. A method comprising:

having an imaging system with a field of view wide enough to view at least one pallet of objects, each of said objects having associated with it at least one imagable identifier;

imaging said at least one pallet of objects with said imaging system; and

using the output of said imaging, identifying identification codes embodied in said at least one imagable identifier.

55. The method according to claim 54 and wherein said imaging occurs at a known location and also comprising generating a tracking indication comprising said identification code and a known location code.

56. The method as in claim 55 and also comprising storing said tracking indication and an at least partial image produced from said imaging.

57. The method according to claim 56 further comprising communicating at least one of said tracking indication and said at least partial image to a remote location.

58. The method as in claim 54 and wherein said imaging is color imaging.

59. The method according to claim 54 wherein said at least one imagable identifier comprises a multi-color identifier.

60. The method according to claim 54 wherein said at least one imagable identifier comprises a multi-color, multi-segment identifier.

61. The method according to claim 54 wherein said at least one imagable identifier has an inherent orientation.

62. The method according to claim 54 and also comprising sequentially imaging different pluralities of objects passing a given imaging location.

63. A bar-code system comprising:

an imaging system with a field of view wide enough to view at least one pallet of objects; and

a bar code identification unit operative on an image taken by said imaging system to identify at least a portion of said objects by the bar codes affixed thereon.

64. A system according to claim 63 and wherein said imaging system has a known location and said bar code identification unit comprises a unit to generate a tracking indication comprising said bar code and a known location code.

65. The system according to claim 64 further comprising a communication system to transmit at least one of said tracking indication and said image to a remote location.

66. The system as in claim 64 and also comprising a storage unit to store said tracking indication and said image.

67. The system as in claim 63 and wherein said imaging system is a color imaging system.

68. A bar code reader comprising:

an imager; and

an optical system associated with said imager with a field of view wide enough to view at least one pallet of objects, each of said objects having at least one bar codes affixed thereto.

69. The reader according to claim 68 wherein each said at least one bar code comprises a multi-color identifier.

70. The reader according to claim 68 wherein each said at least one bar code comprises a multi-color, multi-segment identifier.

71. The reader according to claim 68 wherein each said at least one bar code has an inherent orientation.

72. The reader as in claim 68 and wherein said imager is a color imager.