Physical item security: tracking device activation

• US 8,502,644 B1
• Filed: 01/29/2009
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Original Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Inventors: Newman, Kurt D., O'Hagan, Michael J., Ghosh, Debashis, Joa, David, Bendel, Timothy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jiang, Yong Hang
• Application Number:
  US12/362,313
• Time in Patent Office: 1,650 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1, 340/539.32, 340/8.1, 340/825.49, 340/5.73, 340/5.7
• US Class Current: 340/8.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods for tracking an item by concealing a tracking device in the item and activating the tracking device when the item is relocated or accessed without authorization. In particular, according to some embodiments, a system is provided for tracking the geographic location of a physical item that is stored in a controlled area and then later removed from the controlled area. An exemplary system comprises: an inner sensor located proximate to a perimeter of the controlled area; an outer sensor located between the perimeter and the inner sensor; and a tracking device associated with the physical item, wherein the tracking device is triggered when the physical item passes by the inner sensor and then the outer sensor.

Claims

1. A system for tracking the geographic location of a physical item that is stored in a controlled area and then later removed from the controlled area, the system comprising:

the controlled area comprising;

a perimeter;

an inner opening formed in said perimeter;

an entrance comprising an elongated body, wherein one end of said elongated body is connected to the inner opening and an opposing end of said elongated body has an outer opening;

an inner sensor located at a position adjacent to the inner opening and on an opposite side of said inner opening than said entrance;

an outer sensor located inside the elongated body of the entrance and on an opposite side of said inner opening than said inner sensor such that said inner sensor and said outer sensor are located on opposite sides of said inner opening; and

a tracking device associated with the physical item, wherein the tracking device is triggered when the physical item passes by the inner sensor first and then the outer sensor second indicating that the physical item is being removed from the controlled area via the entrance,

wherein the controlled area is at least one of a drop box, safe, vault, and safe box.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the tracking device is configured to activate immediately after being triggered.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the tracking device, after being triggered, is configured to delay a period of time before activating.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising:

a deactivation sensor configured to prevent the tracking device that has already been triggered, but has yet to activate, from activating.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a deactivation sensor configured to deactivate the tracking device in the event the tracking device has already been activated.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the tracking device is not triggered when the physical item is deposited into the controlled area via the entrance because, when deposited via the entrance, the physical item passes by the outer sensor and then the inner sensor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the controlled area comprises a basket located inside of a building.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the tracking device is triggered when the physical item is removed from the basket via the entrance because, when removed via the entrance, the physical item passes by the inner sensor and then the outer sensor.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the tracking device is not triggered when the physical item is deposited into the basket via the entrance because, when deposited via the entrance, the physical item passes by the outer sensor and then the inner sensor.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the tracking device is triggered when the physical item is removed from the safe via the entrance because, when removed via the entrance, the physical item passes by the inner sensor and then the outer sensor.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the tracking device is not triggered when the physical item is deposited into the safe via the entrance/exit because, when deposited via the entrance/exit, the physical item passes by the outer sensor and then the inner sensor.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the tracking device is concealed inside of the physical item.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the tracking device is concealed inside of a band that bundles a stack of paper money.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the tracking device is concealed inside of a coin sleeve.

25. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least a second tracking device associated with the physical item, wherein each of the first tracking device and the second tracking device is activated sequentially.

15. A method of tracking the geographic location of a physical item that is stored in a controlled area and then later removed from the controlled area, the method comprising:

associating a tracking device with the physical item;

wherein the controlled area comprises;

a perimeter;

an inner opening formed in said perimeter;

an entrance comprising an elongated body, wherein one end of said elongated body is connected to the inner opening and an opposing end of said elongated body has an outer opening;

communicating with an inner sensor located at a position adjacent to the inner opening and on an opposite side of said inner opening than said entrance;

communicating with an outer sensor located inside the elongated body of the entrance and on an opposite side of said inner opening than said inner sensor such that said inner sensor and said outer sensor are located on opposite sides of said inner opening; and

triggering the tracking device when the physical item passes by the inner sensor first and then the outer sensor second indicating that the physical item is being removed from the controlled area via the entrance,

wherein the controlled area is at least one of a drop box, safe, vault, and safe box.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the tracking device is configured to activate immediately after being triggered.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the tracking device, after being triggered, is configured to delay a period of time before activating.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

providing a deactivation sensor that is configured to prevent the tracking device that has already been triggered from activating.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing a deactivation sensor configured to deactivate the tracking device in the event the tracking device has already been activated.

20. A system for tracking the geographic location of a physical item that is stored in a controlled area and then later removed from the controlled area, the system comprising:

an input system;

a tracking device associated with the physical item;

the controlled area comprising;

a perimeter;

an inner opening formed in said perimeter;

an entrance comprising an elongated body, wherein one end of said elongated body is connected to the inner opening and an opposing end of said elongated body has an outer opening;

an inner sensor in communication with the input system and located at a position adjacent to the inner opening and on an opposite of said inner opening than said entrance, wherein the inner sensor is configured to send an inner-position signal to the input system when the tracking device of the physical item passes by the inner position;

an outer sensor located inside the elongated body of the entrance on an opposite side of said inner opening than said inner sensor such that said inner sensor and said outer sensor are located on opposite sides of said inner opening, wherein the outer sensor is configured to send an outer-position signal to the input system when the tracking device of the physical item passes by the outer position;

a processing system in communication with the input system and configured to process the sequence of the inner- and outer-position signals and to generate an activation signal when the tracking device of the physical item passes by the inner position first and then passes by the outer position second indicating that the physical item is being removed from the controlled area via the entrance; and

an output system in communication with the processing system and configured to send the activation signal to the tracking device,

wherein the controlled area is at least one of a drop box, safe, vault, and safe box.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the processing system is configured to generate the activation signal immediately when the tracking device of the physical item passes by the inner position and then passes by the outer position.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the processing system, after the tracking device of the physical item passes by the inner position and then passes by the outer position, is configured to delay a period of time before generating the activation signal.

23. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

a deactivation sensor in communication with the input system and configured to send an deactivation signal to the input system when the tracking device is in a position proximate to the deactivation sensor, wherein the deactivation signal prevents the tracking device that has already been triggered, but has yet to activate, from activating.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the deactivation signal deactivates the tracking device in the event the tracking device has already been activated.