Object identification and attribute information acquisition and linking computer system

• US 6,918,541 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2002
• Issued: 07/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Knowles, C. Harry, Ghosh, Sankar, Defoney, Shawn, Skypala, Edward, Schmidt, Mark C.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US10/091,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20030034387A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 23546201-46248, 235/472.01, 235/472.02, 235/472.03, 235/454, 235/455, 235/470, 235/494
• US Class Current: 235/462.01
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0014 at least one surface having optical power
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0052 the light source comprising a laser diode coupling into light guides using intermediate optical elements G02B6/4204; semiconductor lasers having optical devices external to the laser cavity H01S5/005
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0085 for use with both a detector and a source , e.g. in a transceiver, G02B19/009, G02B19/0095 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/009 for use with infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0095 for use with ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/10 Scanning systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/095 Refractive optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/48 Laser speckle optics
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10 by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10594 Beam path
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10732 Light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/146 the method including quality enhancement steps
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/62 Text, e.g. of license plates, overlay texts or captions on TV images
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/144 using a slot moved over the image; using discrete sensing elements at predetermined points; using automatic curve following means
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/005 Optical components external to the laser cavity, specially adapted therefor, e.g. for homogenisation or merging of the beams or for manipulating laser pulses, e.g. pulse shaping H01S5/026, H01S5/18388 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02325 Mechanically integrated components on mount members or optical micro-benches
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4025 Array arrangements, e.g. constituted by discrete laser diodes or laser bar H01S5/42 takes precedence

Abstract

An object identification and attribute information tracking and linking computer system for connection to the communication medium of a data communication network. The object identification and attribute information tracking and linking computer system comprises a housing; a first set of programmable data input ports, which is provided through the exterior of the housing, for connection to one or more object identification data generating sources and capable of receiving object identity data elements from the one or more of object identification data generating sources using a networking protocol, wherein the object identification data generating source is disposed external to the housing; a second set of programmable data input ports which is provided through the exterior of the housing, for connection to one or more object attribute data generating sources and is capable of receiving object attribute data elements from one or more object attribute data generating sources using the networking protocol; and a data element queuing, handling, processing and linking mechanism, which is provided in operable association with the first and second programmable data input ports, for enabling the automatic queuing, handling, processing, linking and transporting each input object identification data element, and one or more object attribute data elements linked thereto, to a database subsystem operably connected to the data communication network for storage and subsequent retrieval.

Claims

1. An object identification and attribute information tracking and linking computer system having a stand-alone form factor, and capable of being connected to the communication medium of a data communication network, said object identification and attribute information tracking and linking computer system comprising:

a housing;

a first set of data input port connectors mounted on the exterior of said housing, for connection to one or more object identification data generating sources and capable of receiving object identity data elements from said one or more object identification data generating sources using a networking protocol, wherein said object identification data generating sources are disposed external to said housing;

a second set of data input part connectors mounted on the exterior of said housing, for connection to one or more object attribute data generating sources and capable of receiving object attribute data elements from said one or more object attribute data generating sources using said networking protocol; and

a data element queuing, handling, processing and linking mechanism operably connected to said first and second data input ports, for enabling the automatic queuing, handling, processing, and linking of each input object identification data element, with one or more object attribute data elements linked thereto, to produce a combined data element and transporting each combined data element to a database subsystem operably connected to said data communication network for storage and subsequent retrieval.

2. The object identification and attribute information tracking and linking computer system of claim 1, which further comprises:

a computing platform including a microprocessor, system bus, an associated memory architecture and operating system software, and networking software;

a network controller card operably connected to said microprocessor for supporting high-speed data communications using one or more networking protocols;

a network connection port for establishing a network connection between said network controller card and said communication medium to which said object identification and attribute information tracking and linking computer system is connected; and

a networking hub operably connected to said first and second sets of data input port connectors, said network connection port, and said network controller card, so that all data input port connectors connected through said networking hub can send and receive data packets and support high-speed digital data communications.

3. The object identification and attribute information tracking and linking computer system of claim 2, wherein said associated memory architecture comprises a hard-drive, RAM, ROM and cache memory.

4. The object identification and attribute information tracking and linking computer system of claim 2, wherein said one or more networking protocols are selected from the group consisting of Ethernet, Firewire, and USB.

5. The object identification and attribute information tracking and linking computer system of claim 1, wherein said object identification data generating device is selected from the group consisting of a bar code reader and an RFID reader.

6. The object identification and attribute information tracking and linking computer system of claim 1, wherein said object attribute data generating source is selected from the group consisting of an LDIP Subsystem, a PLIIM-based imager, an x-ray scanner, a neutron beam scanner, a MRI scanner and a QRA scanner.

7. The object identification and attribute information tracking and linking computer system of claim 2, which further comprises:

a visual display panel integrated with said housing, and interfaced with said computing platform; and

a manually-actuatable keypad integrated with said housing and interfaced with said computing platform.

8. The object identification and attribute information tracking and linking computer system of claim 1, wherein said object identity data elements comprises passenger identification data inputs;

and wherein said object attribute data comprises passenger attribute data elements and baggage attribute data elements.

9. An object identification and attribute information tracking and linking computer system for connection to the communication medium of a data communication network, said object identification and attribute information tracking and linking computer system comprising:

a housing;

a computing platform including a microprocessor, system bus, an associated memory architecture and operating system software, and networking software;

a network controller card operably connected to said microprocessor for supporting high-speed data communications using one or more networking protocols;

a first set of data input port connectors mounted on the exterior of said housing, for connection to one or more object identification data generating sources and capable of receiving object identity data elements from said one or more object identification data generating sources using a networking protocol, wherein said object identification data generating sources are disposed external to said housing;

a second set of data input port connectors mounted on the exterior of said housing, for connection to one or more object attribute data generating sources and capable of receiving object attribute data elements from said one or more object attribute data generating sources using said networking protocol;

a network connection port for establishing a network connection between said network controller card and said communication medium to which said object identification and attribute information tracking and linking computer system is connected;

data element queuing, handling, processing and linking software stored on said associated memory architecture, for enabling the automatic queuing, handling, processing, linking and transporting each input object identification data element, and one or more object attribute data elements linked thereto, to a database subsystem operably connected to said data communication network for storage and subsequent retrieval; and

a networking hub operably connected to said first and second sets of data input port connectors, said network connection port, and said network controller card, so that all data input port connectors connected trough said networking hub can send and receive data packets and support high-speed digital data communications.

10. the object identification and attribute information tracking and linking computer system of claim 9, wherein said associated memory architecture comprises a hard-drive, RAM, ROM and cache memory.

11. The object identification and attribute information tracking and linking computer system of claim 9, wherein said one or more networking protocols are selected from the group consisting of Ethernet, Firewire, and USB.

12. The object identification and attribute information tracking and linking computer system of claim 9, wherein said object identification data generating device is selected from the group consisting of a bar code reader and an RFID reader.

13. The object identification and attribute information tracking and linking computer system of claim 9, wherein said object attribute data generating source is selected from the group consisting of an LDIP Subsystem, a PLIIM-based imager, an x-ray scanner, a neutron beam scanner, a MRI scanner and a QRA scanner.

14. The object identification and attribute information tracking and linking computer system of claim 9, which further comprises:

a visual display panel integrated with said housing, and interfaced with said computing platform; and

a manually-actuatable keypad integrated with said housing and interfaced with said computing platform.

15. The object identification and attribute information tracking and linking computer system of claim 9, wherein said object identity data elements comprises passenger identification data inputs;

and wherein said object attribute data comprises passenger attribute data elements and baggage attribute data elements.

16. An object identification and attribute information tracking and linking computer system for connection to the communication medium of a data communication network, said object identification and attribute information tracking and linking computer system comprising:

a housing;

a first set of programmable data input ports provided through the exterior of said housing, for connection to one or more object identification data generating sources and capable of receiving object identity data elements from said one or more object identification data generating sources using a networking protocol, wherein said object identification data generating sources are disposed external to said housing;

a second set of programmable data input ports provided through the exterior of said housing, for connection to one or more object attribute data generating sources and capable of receiving object attribute data elements from said one or more object attribute data generating sources using said networking protocol; and

a data element queuing, handling, processing and linking mechanism, in operable association with said first and second programmable data input ports, for enabling the automatic queuing, handling, processing, linking and transporting of each input object identification data element, and one or more object attribute data elements linked thereto, to a database subsystem operably connected to said data communication network for storage and subsequent retrieval.

17. The object identification and attribute information tracking and linking computer system of claim 16, which further comprises:

a computing platform including a microprocessor, system bus, an associated memory architecture and operating system software, and networking software;

a network controller card operably connected to said microprocessor for supporting high-speed data communications using one or more networking protocols;

a network connection port for establishing a network connection between said network controller card and said communication medium to which said object identification and attribute information tracking and linking computer system is connected; and

a networking hub operably connected to said first and second sets of data input port connectors, said network connection port, and said network controller card, so that all data input port connectors connected through said networking hub can send and receive data packets and support high-speed digital data communications.

18. The object identification and attribute information tracking and linking computer system of claim 17, wherein said associated memory architecture comprises a hard-drive, RAM, ROM and cache memory.

19. The object identification and attribute information tracking and linking computer system of claim 17, wherein said one or more networking protocols are selected from the group consisting of Ethernet, Firewire, and USB.

20. The object identification and attribute information tracking and linking computer system of claim 16, wherein said object identification data generating device is selected from the group consisting of a bar code reader and an RFID reader.

21. The object indentification and attribute information tracking and linking computer system of claim 16, wherein said object attribute data generating source is selected from the group consisting of an LDIP Subsystem, a PLIIM-based imager, an x-ray scanner, a neutron beam scanner, a MRI scanner and a QRA scanner.