Apparatus and system for identifying infant-mother match

• US 7,071,827 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2001
• Issued: 07/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Secure Care Products, LLC
• Original Assignee: Secure Care Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Carroll, Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T.
• Application Number:
  US09/883,703
• Publication Number:
  US 20020021214A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,842 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/573.4, 340/691.1, 340/691.4, 340/691.5, 340/692, 340/326, 340/331, 340/332, 340/539, 340/5.8, 340/572.1, 340/568.1, 340/825.49, 340/539.12
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• 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: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer

Abstract

An identification system including at least one transmitter configured to transmit a signal comprising an associated identification code. A receiver is configured to receive the signal and establish a comparison indication based on comparison of the identification code with a reference code. The comparison indication is positive if the identification code matches the reference code. A method of transmitting an identification code, receiving the identification code, and comparing it to a reference code is also provided.

Claims

1. An identification system comprising:

a plurality of transmitters, each said transmitter being configured to transmit only a single unique signal comprising a unique identification code corresponding only to said transmitter, and

a plurality of receivers, each said receiver being configured to receive only one said signal whereby to establish a comparison indication based on comparison of said unique identification code with a unique reference code;

wherein each said receiver is programmed to respond positively to said unique identification code that matches said receiver with only one said transmitter, and

wherein each said receiver comprises programmable memory for storing said unique reference code, and for holding information regarding the location of said receiver, and each said receiver includes a user interface configured to program said memory.

2. The identification system of claim 1, wherein said comparison indication is positive if said unique identification code matches said unique reference code.

3. The identification system of claim 1, wherein said comparison indication is negative if said unique identification code does not match said unique reference code.

4. The identification system of claim 1, wherein each of said receivers further comprises a controller and an indicator, said controller being configured to communicate with said indicator, wherein said indicator provides said comparison indication based on comparison of said unique identification code with said unique reference code stored in said memory.

5. The identification system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said receivers is mounted to a fixed structure.

6. The identification system of claim 5, wherein said fixed structure is a wall.

7. The identification system of claim 1, wherein said unique reference code is the same as said unique identification code.

8. AN apparatus for identifying an infant-mother match from amongst several matches, comprising:

a plurality of transmitters, each said transmitter being configured to transmit only a single unique signal comprising a unique associated identification code for a specific infant, and

a plurality of receivers, each said receiver being configured to receive only one said signal whereby to establish a comparison indication based on comparison of said unique identification code with a unique reference code;

wherein each said receiver is programmed to respond positively to said unique identification code that matches said receiver with only one said transmitter, and

wherein each said receiver comprises programmable memory for storing said unique reference code, and for holding information regarding the location of said receiver, and each said receiver includes a user interface configured to program said memory.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein at least one of said transmitters is coupled to an identification band, which identification band is in turn coupled to said associated infant.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said comparison indication is positive if said unique identification code for said associated infant matches said unique reference code for a mother of said infant.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said comparison indication is negative if said unique identification code for said associated infant does not match said unique reference code for a mother of said infant.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein each of said receivers further comprises a controller and an indicator, said controller configured to communicate with said indicator, wherein said indicator provides said comparison indication based on comparison of said identification code with said reference code stored in said memory.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein at least one of said receivers is mounted to a fixed structure.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said fixed structure is a wall.