Evidence tracking

• US 8,013,741 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2011
• Issued: 09/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Visible Assets Incorporated (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visible Assets Incorporated (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: Waterhouse, Paul, Stevens, John K., August, Jason, Olson, Jessica L.
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US13/004,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20110108321A1
• Time in Patent Office: 238 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/573.3, 340/572.7, 340/539.13, 340/10.1, 340/10.2, 235/375, 235/385
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• 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

Abstract

A system uses a large loop antenna, connected with a transceiver operating below 1 MHz. The loop antenna is deployed from a spool to surround a crime scene, and may carry indicia communicating that it is a crime scene boundary. The system interrogates devices, including evidence bags and badged personnel, as they enter and leave the scene. The system can optionally log the time of salient events. A second loop antenna can log evidence bags as they enter a vehicle. The devices can be silenced by the transceiver and thus collisions can be reduced and avoided among responses from devices. The system performs “area reads” that would not be possible if higher RF frequencies were employed.

Claims

1. A combination of an electrically conductive line, and a transceiver operating at a frequency of less than 1 MHZ,

wherein the electrically conductive line comprises a tape bearing printed indicia visible from a distance, the indicia comprising the words “

CRIME SCENE”

, the line being at least 20 feet in length, and

wherein the conductive line is connected to the transceiver as an antenna.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein the transceiver operates at a frequency of 133 kHz.

3. The combination of claim 1, wherein the transceiver operates at a frequency of 65 KHz.