Luggage collection installation

• US 7,232,065 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2005
• Issued: 06/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Moosa Eisa Al Amri
• Original Assignee: Moosa Eisa Al Amri
• Inventors: Al Amri, Moosa Eisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo; Lisa M.
• Application Number:
  US11/268,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20060049247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/384, 705 5- 6, 705/13, 198/370.07, 198/358, 198/349, 198/349.5, 198/349.8, 198/350
• US Class Current: 235/384
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/04 characterised by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/08 using markings of different kinds or more than one marking of the same kind in the same record carrier, e.g. one marking being sensed by optical and the other by magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/12 Card verification
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/122 Online card verification

Abstract

A luggage collection installation, located at a place of arrival where passengers disembark from an aircraft or other means of transportation with passenger coupon parts (31) of boarding passes, is arranged to facilitate luggage delivery. The passenger coupon parts (63) contain encoded luggage identification corresponding to identification data on transported luggage. The installation comprises at least one reader/writer (5) for the passenger coupon parts (63) and means (4) for reading luggage identification data carried by luggage to be collected on a conveyor (2), and which corresponds to encoded luggage identification data stored in the passenger coupon part (63) of the boarding passes. A plurality of luggage outlets (3) are each associated with a reader/writer with a slot (5) for the passenger coupon parts, and arranged for removing luggage or for allowing removal of luggage from the luggage collection installation when the luggage identification data associated with the luggage corresponds to that on the passenger coupon part (63) of a boarding pass inserted in the reader/writer slot (5).

Claims

1. A luggage collection installation located at a place of arrival where passengers disembark from an aircraft or other means of transportation in which passengers and thier luggage are transported, the disembarked passengers having with them passenger coupon parts of boarding passes, which passenger coupon parts contain encoded luggage identification corresponding to identification data on transported luggage, the installation comprising:

a principal conveyor belt that receives luggage unloaded from said aircraft or other means of transportation;

plurality of luggage outlets each comprising a subsidiary conveyor belt located outwardly of different locations of the principal conveyor belt, for delivering luggage to locations where passengers can wait for their luggage to be delivered;

each subsidiary conveyor belt being associated with a reader with a slot for entering the passenger coupon part of a boarding pass, each reader being situated adjacent to a location of its subsidiary conveyor belt where the subsidiary conveyor belt delivers luggage to waiting passengers;

means for reading luggage identification data carried by luggage to be collected on the principal conveyor belt, which luggage identification data corresponds to encoded luggage identification data stored in the passenger coupon part of the boarding passes; and

control means, that connect the readers associated with the subsidiary conveyor belts and said reading means of the principal conveyor belt, for diverting luggage from the principal conveyor belt onto a subsidiary conveyor belt when the luggage identification data associated with the luggage corresponds to that on the passenger coupon part of a boarding pass inserted in the reader of the subsidiary conveyor belt.

2. The installation of claim 1, wherein at least one of said readers for the passenger coupon parts of the boarding cards is arranged to receive and store luggage identification data from several successively introduced passenger coupon parts.

3. The installation of claim 1, comprising a reader/writer for reading luggage identification data carried by magnetic tapes, bar codes, zebra codes or proximity-detectable storage chips associated with the pieces of luggage.

4. A method of processing a boarding pass of which a passenger coupon part contains encoded luggage identification data corresponding to identification data on transported luggage, for the collection of transported luggage at a destination or transit point equipped with a luggage collection installation according to claim 1, wherein the passenger coupon part of the boarding pass is passed through a reader at the luggage collection installation, and luggage is diverted from the principal conveyor belt onto the subsidiary conveyor belt associated with said luggage outlet when the identification data associated with the luggage corresponds to that on the passenger coupon part of a boarding pass read by the reader.

5. A method of processing a boarding pass of which a passenger coupon part contains encoded luggage identification data corresponding to identification data on transported luggage, using a luggage collection installation of claim 1, wherein if transported luggage is missing at a destination or transit point, the passenger coupon part of the boarding pass is passed through a reader/writer connected via a communications system to a luggage tracing system for inputting identification data of luggage in transit and determining the location of the luggage.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said reader/writer at the destination or transit point is associated with a printer and/or a screen for providing a print-out and/or a display of information relative to the luggage and its location.

7. The installation of claim 1, wherein said principal conveyor belt is an endless belt arranged as a loop.

8. The installation of claim 7, comprising a luggage delivery entrance where luggage unloaded from said aircraft or other means of transportation is delivered onto said principal conveyor belt.

9. The installation of claim 1, wherein said luggage outlets where passengers can wait for their luggage to be delivered are separated from said principal conveyor by a partition.

10. The installation of claim 9, wherein said partition has openings corresponding to the subsidiary conveyors and through which the subsidiary conveyors pass, said openings being equipped with curtains through which the delivered luggage passes.

11. The installation of claim 1, wherein each of said readers associated with the subsidiary conveyor belts has a slot for receiving the passenger coupon part of a boarding pass.

12. A system for facilitating the collection of luggage at a place of arrival where passengers disembark from an aircraft or other means of transportation in which passengers and their luggage are transported, the disembarked passengers having with them passenger coupon parts of boarding passes, which passenger coupon parts contain encoded luggage identification corresponding to identification data on transported luggage, the system comprising:

1) at a point of departure, means for encoding in passenger coupon parts of the boarding cards encoded luggage identification data corresponding to luggage identification data associated with pieces of luggage checked by the passengers; and

2) at a place of arrival, a luggage collection installation comprising;

a principal conveyor belt that receives luggage unloaded from said aircraft or other means of transportation;

a plurality of luggage outlets each comprising a subsidiary conveyor belt located outwardly of different locations of the principal conveyor belt, for delivering luggage to locations where passengers can wait;

each subsidiary conveyor belt being associated with a reader with a slot for entering the passenger coupon part of a boarding pass, each reader being situated adjacent to a location of its subsidiary conveyor belt where the subsidiary conveyor belt delivers luggage to waiting passengers;

means for reading luggage identification data carried by luggage to be collected on the principal conveyor belt, which luggage identification data corresponds to encoded luggage identification data stored in the passenger coupon part of the boarding passes; and

control means, that connect the readers associated with the subsidiary conveyor belts and said reading means of the principal conveyor belt, for diverting luggage from the principal conveyor belt onto a subsidiary conveyor belt when the luggage identification data associated with the luggage corresponds to that on the passenger coupon part of a boarding pass inserted in the reader of the subsidiary conveyor belt.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the luggage identification data associated with pieces of luggage is carried by magnetic tapes, bar codes, zebra codes or proximity-detectable storage chips associated with the pieces of luggage.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the luggage collection installation comprises at least one reader for the passenger coupon parts of the boarding cards that is arranged to receive and store luggage identification data from several successively introduced passenger coupon parts.