Method and system for the tracking of articles
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of determining whether an article is present in a predetermined three-dimensional volume at a particular time, comprising:
- defining a three-dimensional trajectory envelope, wherein the three-dimensional trajectory envelope is defined by X, Y, and Z coordinates, and wherein the X, Y, and Z coordinates defining the three-dimensional trajectory envelope comprise a width, length, and height, respectively, of the three-dimensional trajectory envelope;
determining a position of a first transducer associated with the article, at each of a plurality of successive instants preceding the particular time, the position of the first transducer comprising X, Y, and Z coordinates of the first transducer associated with the article;
determining a position of a second transducer associated with a coupler of a crane as the crane displaces the article between first and second locations, at each of a plurality of successive instants preceding the particular time, the coupler attaching the article to the crane, the position of the second transducer comprising X, Y, and Z coordinates of the second transducer;
determining, using a computer device, whether the X, Y, and Z coordinates of each successive position of the first transducer associated with the article, and of each successive position of the second transducer associated with the coupler of the crane, lie within the X, Y, and Z coordinates defining the three-dimensional trajectory envelope as the article is displaced by the crane between the first and second positions; and
in a case where all of the positions of the first and second transducers are determined to lie within the X, Y, and Z coordinates defining the three-dimensional trajectory envelope, registering the article as present in the predetermined three-dimensional volume.
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Abstract
Detecting whether an article has been loaded or unloaded for example from a ship by tracking the movements of a transducer such as an RFID tag attached to the article in space, and comparing the tracked movements with a trajectory envelope characterizing the movements associated with a load or unload action, and in the case where the movements of the article are found to comply with the trajectory envelope, registering the article as present in the predetermined volume.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of determining whether an article is present in a predetermined three-dimensional volume at a particular time, comprising:
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defining a three-dimensional trajectory envelope, wherein the three-dimensional trajectory envelope is defined by X, Y, and Z coordinates, and wherein the X, Y, and Z coordinates defining the three-dimensional trajectory envelope comprise a width, length, and height, respectively, of the three-dimensional trajectory envelope; determining a position of a first transducer associated with the article, at each of a plurality of successive instants preceding the particular time, the position of the first transducer comprising X, Y, and Z coordinates of the first transducer associated with the article; determining a position of a second transducer associated with a coupler of a crane as the crane displaces the article between first and second locations, at each of a plurality of successive instants preceding the particular time, the coupler attaching the article to the crane, the position of the second transducer comprising X, Y, and Z coordinates of the second transducer; determining, using a computer device, whether the X, Y, and Z coordinates of each successive position of the first transducer associated with the article, and of each successive position of the second transducer associated with the coupler of the crane, lie within the X, Y, and Z coordinates defining the three-dimensional trajectory envelope as the article is displaced by the crane between the first and second positions; and in a case where all of the positions of the first and second transducers are determined to lie within the X, Y, and Z coordinates defining the three-dimensional trajectory envelope, registering the article as present in the predetermined three-dimensional volume. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer program stored on a computer readable medium, which when executed, determines whether an article is present in a predetermined three-dimensional volume at a particular time, comprising program code for:
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defining a three-dimensional trajectory envelope, wherein the three-dimensional trajectory envelope is defined by X, Y, and Z coordinates, and wherein the X, Y, and Z coordinates defining the three-dimensional trajectory envelope comprise a width, length, and height, respectively, of the three-dimensional trajectory envelope; determining a position of a first transducer associated with the article, at each of a plurality of successive instants preceding the particular time, the position of the first transducer comprising X, Y, and Z coordinates of the first transducer associated with the article; determining a position of a second transducer associated with a coupler of a crane as the crane displaces the article between first and second locations, at each of a plurality of successive instants preceding the particular time, the coupler attaching the article to the crane, the position of the second transducer comprising X, Y, and Z coordinates of the second transducer; determining whether the X, Y, and Z coordinates of each successive position of the first transducer associated with the article, and of each successive position of the second transducer associated with the coupler of the crane, lie within the X, Y, and Z coordinates defining the three-dimensional trajectory envelope as the article is displaced by the crane between the first and second positions; and in a case where all of the positions of the first and second transducers are determined to lie within the X, Y, and Z coordinates defining the three-dimensional trajectory envelope, registering the article as present in the predetermined volume. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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15. A system for performing a method for determining whether an article is present in a predetermined three-dimensional volume at a particular time, the method comprising:
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defining a three-dimensional trajectory envelope, wherein the three-dimensional trajectory envelope is defined by X, Y, and Z coordinates, and wherein the X, Y, and Z coordinates defining the three-dimensional trajectory envelope comprise a width, length, and height, respectively, of the three-dimensional trajectory envelope; determining a position of a first transducer associated with the article, at each of a plurality of successive instants preceding the particular time, the position of the first transducer comprising X, Y, and Z coordinates of the first transducer associated with the article; determining a position of a second transducer associated with a coupler of a crane as the crane displaces the article between first and second locations, at each of a plurality of successive instants preceding the particular time, the coupler attaching the article to the crane, the position of the second transducer comprising X, Y, and Z coordinates of the second transducer; determining whether the X, Y, and Z coordinates of each successive position of the first transducer associated with the article, and of each successive position of the second transducer associated with the coupler of the crane, lie within the X, Y, and Z coordinates defining the three-dimensional trajectory envelope as the article is displaced by the crane between the first and second positions; and registering the article as present in the predetermined volume, in a case where all of the positions of the first and second transducers are determined to lie within the X, Y, and Z coordinates defining the three-dimensional trajectory envelope. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification