Method and system for automatically depositing objects for the purpose of their transportation

• US 9,159,181 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2009
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IER Inc.
• Original Assignee: IER Inc.
• Inventors: Hernot, Alexis
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Randazzo, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US12/935,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20120022684A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,384 Days
• Field of Search: 700/225, 340/572.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/368 Arrangements or installations for routing, distributing or loading baggage
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0636 in which the trolleys or carts are kept in a restricted zone such as a coral-like enclosure, or are passing a gate before use is possible

Abstract

A method for automatically depositing objects for transport, including a phase of user storing transport data in a storage element, the data relating to: the user associated with the object; the total number of objects declared by the user; the destination, the route and the time of the transport; a depositing phase, including: a user applying a first electromagnetic identification tag onto an object to be transported; placing, by the user, the object to be transported on a conveyance device; reading an identification data, by first reading device, from the first electromagnetic identification tag, storing identification data read in the storage element in association with previously stored transport data; a phase of conveying the object for transport; the depositing phase including a measurement of the weight and/or dimensions of the object and/or storing, in the storage element, of the weight and/or the dimensions in association with the transport data.

Claims

1. A method of preparing and attaching an identification tag to at least one object, the method comprising:

obtaining, by a user, a first reusable electromagnetic identification tag including identification data that associates the first electromagnetic identification tag with the user;

a prior phase of storing user data associated with said first electromagnetic identification tag in a data memory by a user, wherein the user is at a location that is remote from the transport place and remote from a location of the data memory, said user data comprising;

information relating to the user with whom the at least one object is associated;

information relating to the total number of objects declared by said user; and

information relating to a destination, a route and a time of the transport of the at least one object;

applying, by the user, said first electromagnetic identification tag to the at least one object to be transported;

a depositing phase taking place at the transport place, said depositing phase comprising the following steps;

placing, by the user, the at least one object to be transported directly on a conveyor;

reading said identification data, by a first reader, from said first electromagnetic identification tag, and

storing said identification data read by the first reader in the data memory associated with previously stored user data relating to the at least one object being transported; and

a conveying phase that conveys the at least one object for the purpose of its transport.

2. A method of preparing and attaching an identification tag to at least one object, the method comprising:

obtaining, by a user, a first reusable electromagnetic identification tag including identification data that associates the first electromagnetic identification tag with the user;

a prior phase of storing user data associated with said first electromagnetic identification tag in a data memory by a user, wherein the user is at a location that is remote from the transport place and remote from a location of the data memory, said user data comprising;

information relating to the user with whom the at least one object is associated;

information relating to the total number of objects declared by said user; and

information relating to a destination, a route and a time of the transport of the at least one object;

applying, by the user, said first electromagnetic identification tag to the at least one object to be transported;

a depositing phase taking place at the transport place, said depositing phase comprising the following steps;

measuring at least one of a weight and dimensions of the at least one object and storing, in the data memory, at least one of the weight and the dimensions in association with the user data relating to the transport of the at least one object;

placing, by the user, the at least one object to be transported directly on a conveyor;

reading said identification data, by a first reader, from said first electromagnetic identification tag, and

storing said identification data read by the first reader in the data memory associated with previously stored user data relating to the at least one object being transported; and

a conveying phase that conveys the at least one object for the purpose of its transport.

3. The method according to claim 2, further including, before the step of conveying the at least one object for the purpose of its transport, the following steps:

conveying the at least one object to a second reader; and

processing the at least one object, performed out of reach of said user, and comprising the following steps;

automatic reading of the identification data from the first electromagnetic identification tag, by said second reader;

reading, on a second electromagnetic identification tag, of at least a part of the user data relating to said transport of the at least one object associated with said read identification data; and

placing said second electromagnetic identification tag on the at least one object.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein in said depositing phase, before the step of automatic reading of the first electromagnetic identification tag by the first reader, an identification of the user depositing the at least one object to be transported.

5. The method according to claim 2, further including:

during the depositing phase, reading or taking biometric data of the user; and

during a boarding step;

reading or taking the same biometric data of the user; and

comparing the biometric data read during the boarding step with the biometric read during the depositing phase.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the first electromagnetic identification tag is an RFID tag.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein the second electromagnetic identification tag is an RFID tag.

8. The method according to claim 3, wherein the second electromagnetic identification tag is a barcode label.

9. The method according to claim 2, wherein the data memory are accessible by an information system of a company responsible for the transport of the at least one object.

10. The method according to claim 2, wherein the at least one object is at least one luggage item and depositing the at least one luggage item at an airport for the purpose of transporting the at least one luggage item by air.

11. The method according to claim 2, wherein the at least one object is at least one package and depositing the at least one package to be transported at a place.

12. A system for preparing and attaching an identification tag to at least one object, the system comprising:

a first reusable electromagnetic identification tag obtained by a user, the first electromagnetic identification tag including identification data that associates the first electromagnetic identification tag with the user;

first data memory for storing, by a user, user data associated with said first electromagnetic identification tag and relating to the transport of at least one object, said first data memory being in a location that is remote from the transport place and remote from the user;

wherein the first electromagnetic identification tag is attached by the user to the at least one object after storing the user data in the first data memory;

a first reader that reads identification data from the first electromagnetic identification tag on the at least one object to be transported;

a second data memory in communication with said first reader, and provided for storing said identification data in association with previously stored user data relating to said transport of the at least one object;

a conveyor that conveys said the at least one object placed by said user directly on the conveyor, for the purpose of transporting the at least one object, said conveyor being located at the transport place; and

a measurement device that measures at least one of a weight and dimensions of the at least one object.

13. The system according to claim 12, further including:

an additional conveyor that conveys the at least one object, from the first reader to the second reader arranged out of reach of the user, wherein the second reader reads the identification data from the first electromagnetic identification tag; and

a writing device that writes on a second electromagnetic identification tag, the user data relating to the transport of the at least one object associated with said identification data read by said second reader, said second electromagnetic identification tag being provided and arranged on said at least one object.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the first data memory and the second data memory communicates with a centralized information system of a company responsible for the transport of the at least one object.

15. The system according to claim 12, wherein the first electromagnetic identification tag is a RFID identification tag, the first and second readers comprising RFID antennas configured for reading said RFID identification tag.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein at least one of the first reader and the second reader comprise at least one antenna arranged on at least one support forming, when idle, a barrier or a curtain with respect to the passage of the at least one object, and which, on contact with the latter, is capable of moving to a retracted position.

17. The system according to claim 12, further comprising:

first biometric reader that reads biometric data of the user;

second biometric reader that reads the same biometric data of the user; and

means for comparing the biometric data read by said first biometric reader and said second biometric reader.

18. The system according to claim 12, wherein the at least one object is at least one luggage item and depositing the at least one luggage item at an airport for the purpose of transporting the at least one luggage item by air.

19. The system according to claim 12, wherein the at least one object is at least one package and depositing the at least one package at a post office for the purpose of transporting the at least one package.