Method and apparatus for ensuring reliable loading of materials on aricraft and other vehicles
First Claim
1. A system, comprising a radio frequency identification (RFID) system having one or more antennas coupled to an interrogator associated with a baggage loading/unloading device, at least a first one of the antennas being located at a position on the loading/unloading device so that when an item is being loaded to or unloaded from an adjacent vehicle the first antenna is capable of detecting information transmitted from at least one of one or more identity RFID tags located on the adjacent vehicle being loaded or unloaded, or information transmitted from a baggage RFID tag located on the item being loaded on or unloaded from the adjacent vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A radio frequency identification (RFID) system includes an antenna located so that when baggage is being loaded on a vehicle, the antenna is capable of detecting information transmitted from at least one identity RFID tag located on the vehicle as well as information transmitted from a baggage RFID tag located on an item being loaded on or unloaded from the vehicle (though not necessarily simultaneously). A computer system is configured to compare the information transmitted from the identity RFID tag with expected vehicle information for the item loaded on or unloaded from the vehicle. An alarm condition may be generated if the results of the comparison indicate that the item is loaded on a vehicle other than that which was expected. The computer system may also provide notification to passengers or others regarding successful loading of the item on the vehicle. Similar processes may be used during unloading operations.
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Citations
47 Claims
- 1. A system, comprising a radio frequency identification (RFID) system having one or more antennas coupled to an interrogator associated with a baggage loading/unloading device, at least a first one of the antennas being located at a position on the loading/unloading device so that when an item is being loaded to or unloaded from an adjacent vehicle the first antenna is capable of detecting information transmitted from at least one of one or more identity RFID tags located on the adjacent vehicle being loaded or unloaded, or information transmitted from a baggage RFID tag located on the item being loaded on or unloaded from the adjacent vehicle.
- 23. A computer-implemented method, comprising comparing for an item loaded on/unloaded from a vehicle, identity information received from an RFID tag affixed to the vehicle with expected vehicle information indicating the vehicle on/from which the item was to have been loaded/unloaded and generating an alarm condition or not, according to the outcome of the comparison.
- 36. A baggage cart comprising a conveyor belt and an antenna configured for use with an RFID system affixed to the baggage cart in an area near one end of the conveyor belt and situated so as to be capable of scanning RFID tags affixed to vehicles from which baggage will be loaded or unloaded using the baggage cart.
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40. A method comprising:
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scanning a first RFID tag associated with a vehicle to obtain vehicle identification information; scanning a second RFID tag associated with a item being loaded onto or unloaded from the vehicle to obtain item information; and associating the vehicle identification information with the item information in a computer accessible record. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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Specification