Intelligent luggage tag

• US 7,916,025 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2007
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockwinn Technology
• Original Assignee: Lockwinn Technology
• Inventors: Locker, Howard J., Nguyen, Timothy Q.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham; Lam P
• Application Number:
  US11/836,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20090040048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,327 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.13, 340/539.22, 340/539.23, 340/571, 340/572.1, 340/573.1, 340/692, 340/539.11, 340/539.3, 340/573.41
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms

Abstract

An improved system for tracking luggage and other such objects. The system features a transmitter tag for attachment to an object to be tracked and a receiver. When the tag comes within range of the receiver, the receiver provides notification to the user both visually and audibly. Audible notification can occur through the receiver'"'"'s speaker, a wireless phone, a PDA, or an iPod or other portable music player. GPS capabilities allow the tag to store and transmit its exact coordinates to assist in locating the tag. Airport and airline security personnel can access the tag data with a dedicated interface device.

Claims

1. A system for tracking the location of an object, the system comprising:

an object tag comprising;

an RFID device capable of storing object identification data; and

a first RF transceiver device capable of accessing the stored object identification data and capable of establishing a network for the exchange of digital data with other object tags having same capabilities, wherein the networked object tags exchange at least a portion of the object identification data; and

an operator tracking device comprising,

a visible or audible notification device; and

a second RF transceiver capable of wirelessly interfacing with the object tag RFID device and the first RF transceiver device, wherein the interfaced device is sensitive to the proximity of the tracking device, causing a corresponding visible or audible notification of the object tag'"'"'s proximity to the tracking device;

wherein the RFID device is passive and the first RF transceiver device is active, wherein the operator tracking device detects the active RF transceiver device at a first distance from the object tag, and the operator tracking device detects the passive RFID device at a second distance from the object tag, the second distance being within the first distance;

wherein the network established between said object tags allows an operator using said operator tracking device to wirelessly interrogate an object tag attached to an object container to remotely examine the container'"'"'s contents.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

an interrogating receiver device having a third RF transceiver capable of wirelessly interfacing with the object tag RFID device or the first RF transceiver device, the interrogating receiver for use by a third party to obtain from the object tag at least a portion of the object identification data.

3. The system of claim 1, the object tag further comprising:

a GPS device for determining the GPS coordinates of the object tag, wherein the object identification data includes the GPS coordinates.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the object tag maintains its most recently obtained GPS coordinates and wherein these GPS coordinates are transmitted to the tracking receiver.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the object tag maintains its most recently obtained GPS coordinates and wherein these GPS coordinates are transmitted between similar object tags via an established network between the object tag and similar object tags, wherein the tracking receiver can locate an object tag by querying networked object tags.

6. The system of claim 3 further comprising:

an interrogating receiver having a third RF transceiver capable of wirelessly interfacing with the object tag RFID device or the first RF transceiver device, the interrogating receiver for use by a third party to obtain from the object tag at least a portion of the object identification data, wherein the object identification data includes a sequence of GPS coordinates for the object tag representing the physical travel path taken.

7. A method for tracking an object, the method comprising:

using a tracking device having an RF transceiver to wirelessly detect an object tag, the object tag having a passive RFID device capable of storing object identification data and an active first RF transceiver device, the tracking device first detecting the active first RF transceiver device at a first distance from the object tag and then detecting the passive RFID device at a second distance from the object tag, the second distance being shorter than the first distance; and

providing a visible or audible notification to a user relative to the distance between the tracking device and the object tag;

establishing a network for the exchange of digital data between the first transceiver device and other object tags having same capabilities of said object tag, wherein the networked object tags exchange at least a portion of the object identification data and wherein this data is shared with the tracking device for remotely obtaining an object inventory.