Portal system for a controlled space

• US 7,337,963 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2004
• Issued: 03/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stanley Industrial & Automotive, LLC (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Winware Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: DeNise, Derry Thomas, Harper, Lawrence Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, UYEN CHAU N
• Application Number:
  US10/990,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20050240495A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• Field of Search: 235/381, 235/383, 235/385, 705/22, 705/28
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods are provided for monitoring and tracking an item in a controlled space. In one embodiment, a portal system that monitors the controlled space includes a radio frequency tag that is attached to inventory and a portal device, which includes a computing device, a receiver and a locking door. The receiver is configured to receive a signal from radio frequency tag, and send the signal to the computing device. The locking door is coupled to the computing device. The computing device is configured to verify whether the user is authorized to be taking inventory in and out of the controlled space through the locking door based on the received signal, and to unlock the locking door based on the received signal. The computing device has a database that includes the total value of the inventory that the user has taken out of the controlled space. The computing device determines whether the user have exceeded a threshold value of inventory based on the total value of inventory that the user has taken out of the controlled space, and provides a notification signal to an administrator based on the total value of inventory.

Claims

1. A portal device associated with a controlled space comprising:

a computing device having a user database that includes information associated with inventory, each inventory being assigned an inventory value that is calculated based on a purchase price of the inventory, the user database further including the total value of inventory that the user has taken out of the controlled space, the total value of inventory being calculated based on the inventory value, the computing device being configured for receiving signals from a user, the computing device being configured to determine whether the user has exceeded a threshold value of inventory based on the total value of inventory that the user has taken out of the controlled space, the computing device being further configured to provide a notification signal to an administrator based on the total value of inventory that the user has taken out of the controlled space; and

a locking door being coupled to the computing device, the computing device being configured to unlock the locking door based on the received signals from the user.

2. The portal device as defined in claim 1, wherein the computing device comprises a cost centers database that includes the total value of the inventory assessed to one of cost centers, wherein the cost centers database facilitates the computing device to determine whether the user has exceeded a threshold value of inventory based on the total value of inventory that the user has taken out of the controlled space, wherein the cost centers database facilitates the computing device to provide a notification signal to an administrator based on the total value of inventory that the user has taken out of the controlled space.

3. The portal device as defined in claim 1, wherein the computing device comprises

a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface being located outside the controlled space;

and

wherein the computing device is configured to unlock the locking door based on code inputted by a user through the graphical user interface upon entering and exiting the controlled space.

4. The portal device as defined in claim 3, wherein the computing device determines whether the user is authorized to enter the controlled space based on the first signal and/or code entered by the user through the graphical user interface.

5. The portal device as defined in claim 1, wherein the controlled space contains inventory, the portal device further comprising:

a receiver being configured to receive a first signal from a first radio frequency tag and a second signal from a second radio frequency tag, the receiver being configured to send the first and second signals to the computing device, the first radio frequency tag being attached to the user and the second radio frequency tag being attached to the inventory; and

wherein the computing device is configured to lock and unlock the locking door based on the first signal from the first radio frequency tag, the computing device being configured to link the inventory to the user and track the inventory and the user via the first and second signals as the user takes the inventory in and out of the controlled space through the locking door.

6. The portal device as defined in claim 5, wherein the computing device comprises a user database that facilitates the computing device to determine whether the user is authorized to enter the controlled space based on the first signal.

7. The portal device as defined in claim 1, further comprising a presence sensing mat that detects the user exiting and entering the controlled space, the presence sensing mat being coupled to the computing device and configured to transmit a motion signal indicating whether the user is exiting or entering the controlled space.

8. The portal device as defined in claim 1, further comprising an unlock button that automatically unlocks the locking door, wherein the unlock button is located inside the controlled space.

9. A portal system for use in connection with a controlled space comprising:

inventory;

a portal device comprising;

a computing device having a user database that includes information associated with inventory, each inventory being assigned an inventory value that is calculated based on a purchase price of the inventory, the user database further including the total value of inventory that the user has taken out of the controlled space, the total value of inventory being calculated based on the inventory value, the computing device being capable-of configured for receiving signals from a user, the computing device being configured to determine whether the user has exceeded a threshold value of inventory based on the total value of inventory that the user has taken out of the controlled space, the computing device being further configured to provide a notification signal to an administrator based on the total value of inventory that the user has taken out of the controlled space; and

a locking door being coupled to the computing device, the computing device being configured to unlock the locking door based on the received signals from the user.

10. The portal system of claim 9, wherein the computing device comprises a cost centers database that includes the total value of the inventory assessed to one of cost centers, wherein the cost center database facilitates the computing device to determine whether the user has exceeded a threshold value of inventory based on the total value of inventory that the user has taken out of the controlled space, wherein the cost centers database facilitates the computing device to provide a notification signal to an administrator based on the total value of inventory associated to the one of the cost centers.

11. The portal system of claim 9, wherein the portal device comprises:

a receiver being configured to receive a signal from a first radio frequency tag, and send the signal to the computing device; and

an inventory manager linking the first radio frequency tag to a specific inventory item in the inventory.

12. The portal system as defined in claim 11, further comprising a second radio frequency tag that is attached to a user, wherein the receiver is configured to receive a signal from the second radio frequency tag and send the signal to the computing device, wherein the computing device is configured to unlock the locking door based on the signal from the second radio frequency tag, the computing device being configured to link the inventory to the user and track the user and inventory via the signals as the user takes the inventory in and out of the controlled space through the locking door.

13. The portal system as defined in claim 9, further comprising a presence sensing mat that monitors the user exiting and entering the controlled space, the presence sensing mat being coupled to the computing device and configured to transmit a motion signal indicating whether the user is exiting or entering the controlled space.

14. The portal system as defined in claim 13, wherein the portal device further comprises a user database that facilitates the computing device to determine whether the user has exceeded a threshold value of inventory based on the total value of inventory that the user has taken out of the controlled space, wherein the user database facilitates the computing device to provide a notification signal to an administrator based on the total value of inventory that the user has taken out of the controlled space.

15. The portal system as defined in claim 13, wherein the portal device further comprises the computing device that determines whether the user is authorized to enter the controlled space based on the second signal and/or code entered by the user through a graphical user interface.

16. The portal system as defined in claim 9, wherein the portal device further comprises an unlock button that automatically unlocks the locking door, wherein the unlock button is located inside the controlled space.

17. A method of monitoring a controlled space, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving data from a user that identifies the user;

associating the user with a total value of inventory that the user has taken out of the controlled space, each inventory being assigned an inventory value that is calculated based on a purchase price of the inventory, the total value of inventory being calculated based on the inventory value;

determining whether the user is authorized to unlock a locking door based on the received data;

determining whether the user has exceeded a threshold value of inventory based on the total value of inventory;

unlocking the locking door based on the received data; and

providing a notification signal to an administrator based on the total value of inventory.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

associating the total value of inventory that the user has taken out of the controlled space to a cost center;

determining whether the cost center has exceeded a threshold value of inventory based on the total value of inventory; and

providing a notification signal to an administrator based on the total value of inventory associated to the cost center.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving data from the user via a graphical user interface located outside of the controlled space.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising tracking inventory based on the received data when the user enters and exits the controlled space.

21. The method as defined in claim 17, further comprising:

receiving signals from multiple radio frequency tags, respectively;

a radio frequency tag being attached to a user and a radio frequency tag being attached to the inventory;

locking and unlocking the locking door based on the signal from the radio frequency tag that is attached to the user;

linking the inventory to the user; and

tracking the inventory and the user as the user takes the inventory in and out of the controlled space through the locking door.

22. The method as defined in claim 17, further comprising monitoring the user exiting and entering the controlled space via a presence sensing mat, the presence sensing mat being configured to transmit a motion signal indicating whether the user is exiting or entering the controlled space.

23. The method as defined in claim 17, further comprising determining whether provide a notification signal based on a cost centers database.

24. The method as defined in claim 17, further comprising determining whether the user is authorized to enter the controlled space based on the signal and/or code entered by the user through the graphical user interface.

25. The method as defined in claim 17, further comprising automatically unlocking the locking door via an unlock button, wherein the unlock button is located inside the controlled space.