System and methodology for tracking objects using visually sensible indicators

• US 7,262,792 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2003
• Issued: 08/28/2007
• 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:
  US10/501,776
• Publication Number:
  US 20050162274A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,685 Days
• Field of Search: 348/169, 340/5.92, 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/521, 340/522, 340/573.1, 340/691.6, 340/586, 340/601, 340/602, 340/689, 340/5.8, 340/825.49, 340/870.16, 340/870.17, 340/588, 340/870, 283/74, 283/81, 235/435, 235/487, 235/494, 235/462.11, 235/462.04, 235/462.41, 235/462, 235/385, 235/469, 705/22, 705/28
• 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 for tracking objects including visually sensible indicators on objects being tracked, at least one imager capturing images of the objects being tracked which images also show the visually sensible indicators and at least one image processor receiving outputs of the at least one imager and extracting from the outputs coded information indicated by the visually sensible indicators.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring objects comprising:

imaging together a plurality of objects to be monitored to provide an at least partial image of said plurality of said objects, each of said plurality of objects having at least one dynamic identifier affixed thereto, each of said dynamic identifiers comprising coded indications of at least the identity of said object and a variable parameter relating to said object; and

processing said at least partial image to provide said coded indications relating to said identity of at least one of said plurality of objects and said variable parameter relating thereto.

2. The method as in claim 1 wherein said at least one dynamic identifier changes its visual display in real time in accordance with said variable parameter.

3. The method as in claim 2 wherein said variable parameter comprises the environment history of said object.

4. The method as in claim 3 wherein said variable parameter comprises the location of said object.

5. The method as in claim 4 further comprising generating a tracking indication based on the identity and location of said object.

6. The method as in claim 5 further comprising storing said tracking indication.

7. The method as in claim 5 further comprising communicating to a remote location at least one of said tracking indication and said at least partial image.

8. The method as in claim 3 wherein the environment history of said object comprises at least one of the following:

object maximum temperature history, object maximum humidity history, object minimum temperature history, object minimum humidity history, object tilt history and object G-force history.

9. An object monitoring system comprising:

an imager for imaging together a plurality of objects to be monitored to provide an at least partial image of said plurality of said objects, each of said plurality of objects having at least one dynamic identifier affixed thereto, each of said dynamic identifiers comprising coded indications of at least the identity of said object and a variable parameter relating to said object; and

a processor coupled to said imager and configured to process said at least partial image to provide said coded indications relating to said identity of at least one of said plurality of objects and said variable parameter relating thereto.

10. The system as in claim 9 wherein said imager is a color imager.

11. The system as in claim 9 wherein said at least one dynamic identifier changes its visual display in real time in accordance with said variable parameter.

12. The system as in claim 9 wherein said variable parameter comprises the environment history of said object.

13. The system as in claim 12 wherein said variable parameter comprises the location of said object.

14. The system as in claim 13 wherein said processor is further configured to generate a tracking indication based on the identity and location of said object.

15. The system as in claim 14 wherein said processor is further configured to store said tracking indication.

16. The system as in claim 14 wherein said processor is further configured to communicate to a remote location at least one of said tracking indication and said at least partial image.

17. The system as in claim 12 wherein said object environment history comprises at least one of the following parameters:

object maximum temperature history;

object maximum humidity history;

object minimum temperature history;

object minimum humidity history;

object tilt history and object G-force history.

18. The system as in claim 9 wherein said imager comprises a first plurality of imaging units and said processor comprises a second plurality of processing units, wherein said first plurality is greater than said second plurality.

19. The system as in claim 9 wherein said imager comprises at least one scanning imager.

20. The system as in claim 9 wherein said processor is further configured to process images captured at plural locations.

21. A system for monitoring objects having a plurality of sensors associated therewith and visually sensible indicators associated with each of said objects, the indicators receiving sensor outputs of said plurality of sensors and providing visually sensible indications of said sensor outputs, the system comprising:

at least one imager to capture images of said visually sensible indicators; and

at least one image processor to receive image outputs of said at least one imager and to extract from said image outputs coded information indicated by said visually sensible indicators.

22. The system as in claim 21 further comprising at least one display device receiving and displaying said coded information from said image processor.

23. The system as in claim 22 wherein said at least one display device is remotely located from said objects.

24. The system as in claim 21 wherein said coded information comprises at least the identity of said object and a variable parameter relating to said object.

25. The system as in claim 24 wherein said variable parameter comprises the environment history of said object.

26. The system as in claim 25 wherein said variable parameter comprises the location of said object.

27. The system as in claim 25 wherein said environment history of the object comprises at least one of the following:

object maximum temperature history;

object maximum humidity history;

object minimum temperature history;

object minimum humidity history;

object tilt history and object G-force history.

28. The system as in claim 21 wherein said at least one imager comprises a plurality of imagers, which plurality is greater than the number of said at least one image processor.

29. The system as in claim 21 wherein said at least one imager comprises at least one scanning imager.

30. A method comprising:

providing a plurality of sensors being associated with objects being monitored;

providing visually sensible indicators associated with each of said objects;

providing sensor outputs of said plurality of sensors to said visually sensible indicators;

operating said visually sensible indicators to provide visually sensible indications of said sensor outputs;

providing at least one imager to capture images of said visually sensible indicators; and

providing at least one image processor to receive image outputs of said at least one imager and extract from said image outputs coded information indicated by said visually sensible indicators.

31. The method as in claim 30 further comprising remotely receiving and displaying at least one of said coded information and said images of said objects.

32. The method as in claim 30 wherein said coded information comprises at least the identity of said abject and a variable parameter relating to said object.

33. The method as in claim 32 wherein said variable parameter comprises the environment history of said object.

34. The method as in claim 33 wherein said variable parameter comprises the location of said object.

35. The method as in claim 34 wherein the environment history of said object includes at least one of the following:

object maximum temperature history, object maximum humidity history;

object minimum temperature history;

object minimum humidity history;

object tilt history and object G-force history.

36. The method as in claim 30 further comprising processing images captured at plural locations.

37. A visually sensible indicator mountable on an object, the indicator comprising:

a coded indication of object identification;

a coded indication of object location; and

a coded indication of object environment history.

38. The indicator as in claim 37 wherein said object environment history is at least one of the following:

object maximum temperature history, object maximum humidity history, object minimum temperature history, object minimum humidity history, object tilt history and object G-force history.