Method and apparatus for tracking objects and people

• US 8,866,615 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2014
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Automated Tracking Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: Automated Tracking Solutions LLC
• Inventors: Sawyer, Frederick
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US14/169,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20140167921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 263 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/10.1, 340/10.2, 340/10.4, 340/10.42, 235/384, 235/385, 702/150, 702/187, 705/22, 705/28
• US Class Current: 340/572.4
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/74 Systems using reradiation of radio waves, e.g. secondary radar systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0029 the arrangement being specially adapted for wireless interrogation of grouped or bundled articles tagged with wireless record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10079 the collision being resolved in the spatial domain, e.g. temporary shields for blindfolding the interrogator in specific directions
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10316 using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers antennas in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10346 the antenna being of the far field type, e.g. HF types or dipoles
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10356 using a plurality of antennas, e.g. configurations including means to resolve interference between the plurality of antennas
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0202 Child monitoring systems using a transmitter-receiver system carried by the parent and the child

Abstract

An object locating, identifying, tracking, and surveillance system, denoted the Assets Locating, Tracking, and Surveillance System (ALTSS), is provided for managing physical objects and evidence in environments such as police departments, law offices, and the Courts. ALTSS employs radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, computer programming and database applications, networking technologies, and hardware elements. ALTSS may locate and track physical evidence, merchandise, information carriers like files, folders or individual pieces of paper, and people, under certain conditions, in near-real time. It may be configured as part of a local area network, a wide area network, or the Internet. ALTSS may employ exemplary components such as RFID transponders, scanners, strategically located antennas and computers to facilitate tracking of objects and people as needed. Any number of users having access privileges and connected to the network may access ALTSS directly or remotely via the Internet to locate and track evidence or objects.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor in receipt of data from one or more transponders via a plurality of antennas each having a coverage area, said processor configured to perform a continuous series of read cycles during a first period of time, in which one or more transponders are read in the coverage area during each read cycle, compare the one or more transponders read during each read cycle to the one or more transponders read in the coverage area during a previous read cycle, determine that the one or more transponders has entered the coverage area, and determine that the one or more transponders has exited the first coverage area.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor determines that it has received data from said first transponder when said processor receives a first identifier for said first transponder during a first read cycle and determines that the first transponder has left the coverage area when said processor fails to receive the first identifier for the first transponder during a subsequent read cycle.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a storage device that is configured to store said data from said processor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is further configured to generate detection information.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the detection information further includes a timestamp.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the detection information includes first sighting and last sighting of the first transponder.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first sighting and last sighting of the first transponder include a timestamp.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the last sighting indicates that the first transponder left the coverage area.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the last sighting indicates that said transponder is dwelling in the coverage area.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the dwelling indicates that the transponder is detected moving or stationary inside the coverage area.