System and method for locating individuals and equipment, airline reservation system, communication system
First Claim
1. A reservation system comprising:
- a database configured to store information identifying customers who have purchased tickets for an event, information about the scheduled time for the event, and information identifying customers who have arrived;
a controller configured to operate on the database; and
an interrogator in communication with the controller, and an antenna coupled to the interrogator, the interrogator being configured to send wireless commands requesting wireless responses from portable identification devices, the portable identification devices being configured to transmit identifying data in response to receiving a command, the interrogator having a predetermined communications range and being configured to communicate with portable identification devices within the predetermined communications range, the controller being configured to modify the database to indicate that one of the customers who purchased a ticket has arrived, responsive to the interrogator receiving a response from the portable identification device associated with that customer, which response includes identifying data for that customer.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A reservation system includes a database configured to store information identifying customers who have purchased tickets for an event, information about the scheduled time for the event, and information identifying customers who have arrived; a controller configured to operate on the database; and an interrogator in communication with the controller, and an antenna coupled to the interrogator, the interrogator being configured to send wireless commands requesting wireless responses from portable identification devices, the portable identification devices being configured to transmit identifying data in response to receiving a command, the interrogator having a predetermined communications range and being configured to communicate with portable identification devices within the predetermined communications range, the controller being configured to modify the database to indicate that one of the customers who purchased a ticket has arrived, responsive to the interrogator receiving a response from the portable identification device associated with that customer, which response includes identifying data for that customer.
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Citations
56 Claims
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1. A reservation system comprising:
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a database configured to store information identifying customers who have purchased tickets for an event, information about the scheduled time for the event, and information identifying customers who have arrived; a controller configured to operate on the database; and an interrogator in communication with the controller, and an antenna coupled to the interrogator, the interrogator being configured to send wireless commands requesting wireless responses from portable identification devices, the portable identification devices being configured to transmit identifying data in response to receiving a command, the interrogator having a predetermined communications range and being configured to communicate with portable identification devices within the predetermined communications range, the controller being configured to modify the database to indicate that one of the customers who purchased a ticket has arrived, responsive to the interrogator receiving a response from the portable identification device associated with that customer, which response includes identifying data for that customer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A travel reservation system comprising:
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a computer configured to operate on a database having information identifying passengers who have made travel reservations, information about the scheduled departure, and information identifying passengers who have checked in; an interrogator in communication with the computer, and an antenna coupled to the interrogator, the interrogator being configured to send wireless commands requesting wireless responses from portable identification devices, the portable identification devices being configured to transmit identifying data in response to receiving a command, the interrogator having a predetermined communications range and being configured to communicate with portable identification devices within the predetermined communications range, the computer being configured to modify the database to indicate that one of the passengers who made travel reservations has checked in, responsive to the interrogator receiving a response from the portable identification device associated with that passenger, which response includes identifying data for that passenger; and a second antenna selectively alternately connected to the interrogator and configured to communicate with portable identification devices that have passed to a predetermined area indicating that a passenger has boarded a vessel, the computer being configured to modify the database to indicate that a passenger has boarded the vessel, in response to a portable identification device identifying a passenger communicating with the interrogator from the predetermined area. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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7. A system for communicating scheduling information to a customer,
the system comprising: -
a computer configured to operate on a database having information identifying customers who have purchased tickets, information identifying customers who have arrived, and information about scheduled event times; a monitor coupled to the computer; and an interrogator in communication with the computer and configured to send wireless commands requesting wireless responses from portable identification devices, the portable identification devices being configured to transmit identifying data in response to receiving a command, the interrogator having a range selected for communicating with portable identification devices proximate the monitor, the computer being programmed to cause information about a customer'"'"'s event to be automatically displayed on the monitor in response to the portable identification device coming within the selected range and communicating wirelessly with the interrogator, the information including an indication of whether or not the customer'"'"'s arrival has been noted. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A system for communicating travel information to a passenger, the system comprising:
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a computer configured to operate on a database having information identifying passengers who have purchased tickets, information identifying passengers who are checked in, and information about scheduled departures; a monitor coupled to the computer; and an interrogator in communication with the computer and configured to send wireless commands requesting wireless responses from portable identification devices, the portable identification devices being configured to transmit identifying data in response to receiving a command, the interrogator having a predetermined range for communicating only with portable identification devices within a desired distance from the monitor, the computer being programmed to cause information about a passenger'"'"'s departure to be automatically displayed on the monitor in response to any of the portable identification devices coming within the range; wherein if multiple passengers having portable identification devices are within the range, the computer causes the monitor to show information for all of the passengers who are within the range. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system, comprising:
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a computer system configured to access a database storing information identifying passengers who have purchased tickets for an airline flight, schedule information for the airline flight, and arrival information of the passengers of the airline flight; wherein the computer system is configured to operate on the database and to communicate with an interrogator coupled with an antenna, the interrogator to send wireless commands requesting wireless responses from portable identification devices affixed to baggage of passengers checking in for the airline flight, each of the portable identification devices being configured to transmit identifying data in response to receiving a wireless command, the interrogator having a predetermined communications range and being configured to communicate with portable identification devices within the predetermined communications range, the computer system configured to modify the database to indicate that a passenger of the airline flight who purchased a ticket has arrived, responsive to the interrogator receiving a response from a portable identification device associated with the passenger, the response including identifying data for the passenger. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method comprising:
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providing a computer system configured to access a database storing customer information for an event, schedule information for the event, and customer arrival information for the event; an interrogator, coupled with an antenna, communicating with the computer system, the interrogator to send wireless commands requesting wireless responses from portable identification devices, each of the portable identification devices to transmit identifying data in response to receiving a wireless command, the interrogator having a predetermined communications range and to communicate with portable identification devices within the predetermined communications range; and modifying, via the computer system, the database to indicate that a customer of the event has arrived, responsive to the interrogator receiving a response from a portable identification device associated with the customer, which response includes identifying data for the customer. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. A system comprising:
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a computer system configured to access a database storing passenger information for an airline flight and passenger check in information for the airline flight, the computer system configured to operate on the database; and an interrogator in communication with the computer system, and an antenna coupled to the interrogator, the interrogator being configured to send a wireless command requesting a wireless response from a portable identification device secured to baggage of a passenger, the portable identification device being configured to transmit identifying data of the passenger in response to receiving the command, the interrogator having a predetermined communications range and being configured to communicate with portable identification devices within the predetermined communications range, the computer system being configured to modify the database to indicate check in of the passenger, responsive to the interrogator receiving the response from the portable identification device, the response including the identifying data of the passenger. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method comprising:
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providing access to a computer system configured to access a database storing passenger information for an airline flight and passenger check in information for the airline flight; communicating, via an interrogator, with the computer system, the interrogator, coupled to an antenna, to send a wireless command requesting a wireless response from a portable identification device secured to baggage of a passenger, the portable identification device to transmit identifying information of the passenger in response to receiving the wireless command, the interrogator having a predetermined communications range and to communicate with portable identification devices within the predetermined communications range; and modifying, via the computer system, the database to indicate that the passenger has checked in, responsive to the interrogator receiving the response from the portable identification device, wherein the response includes the identifying information of the passenger. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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Specification