Intelligent container

• US 9,507,980 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2014
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Iyer, Prakash
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Afrifa-Kyei, Anthony D
• Application Number:
  US14/242,884
• Publication Number:
  US 20150287305A1
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/248 EAS system combined with another detection technology, e.g. dual EAS and video or other presence detection system

Abstract

An intelligent container apparatus is provided. The intelligent container apparatus comprises a container further comprising a plurality of 3-D cells and an external electronic lock. Each 3-D cell is assigned to store at least one asset including an Asset/ID tag, and at least one asset position sensor. The external electronic lock further comprises: a reader gate; a timing device; a tech/ID authentication system; and a processor. The reader gate is configured to read an Asset/ID tag, configured to read a technician tech/ID tag, configured to assign a checked_in/checked_out status to at least one asset having an Asset/ID tag, and configured to associate the tech/ID of the latest technician who checked_in/checked_out the asset having the Asset/ID tag.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a container comprising a plurality of 3-D cells for storing a plurality of assets, each asset having an Asset/ID tag, each said 3-D cell being assigned to store at least one asset; and

an electronic lock coupled to said container;

said electronic lock comprising;

a reader gate configured to read an Asset/ID tag of a first asset of the plurality of assets being checked out from said container by a first technician, said reader gate further configured to read a tech/ID tag of said first technician;

an asset report system;

a database; and

a processor coupled to said reader gate, said asset report system, and said database, wherein said processor is configured to;

communicate to said asset report system a checked-out status of said first asset having said Asset/ID tag read by said reader gate, said checked-out status including an association between said Asset/ID tag and said first technician having said tech/ID tag read by said reader gate; and

store in said database a plurality of markers, each said marker including a set of data compiled for one said asset having said Asset/ID tag, said set of data including said Asset/ID tag, a checked-in or checked-out status associated with said asset having said Asset/ID tag, a tech/ID tag of a technician who checked in or checked out said asset having said Asset/ID tag, and 3-D position coordinates of a 3-D cell inside said container assigned to store said asset having said Asset/ID tag.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said processor is further configured to store in said database a timing coordinate indicating a time and a date when said asset was checked in or checked out.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said database is selected from the group consisting of:

a database, and a cloud integrated remote database.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said asset report system comprises a wireless transceiver, and said asset report system is configured to periodically report to said database by using said transceiver an updated status of at least one said marker.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

an automated asset transport system configured to transport at least one said asset from its assigned 3-D cell to said reader gate if said asset is being checked out, and configured to transport at least one said asset back from said reader gate to its assigned 3-D cell if said asset is being checked in.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said Asset/ID tag is selected from the group consisting of:

a quick response code (QR code) attached to said asset, an RFID tag, a low power RFID tag, a barcode, an infrared tag, and an ultrasound tag.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each said 3-D cell is assigned to store at least one asset position sensor for determining said 3-D position coordinates of said 3-D cell, and said asset position sensor is selected from the group consisting of:

a radio-based position sensor, an image-capturing position sensor, and a WiFi enabled position sensor.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said image-capturing position sensor is selected from the group consisting of:

a visible camera, a monochromatic camera, a multispectral camera, a hyper spectral camera, a digital camera, a digital video camera, a digital camcorder, a stereo digital camera, a stereo video camera, an infrared (IR) camera, an ultraviolet (UV) camera, a motion picture camera, a television camera, and a non-photometric 3D scanner.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said non-photometric 3D scanner is selected from the group consisting of:

a laser sensor, a contact and proximity sensor, and a magnetic resonance sensor.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said radio-based position sensor is selected from the group consisting of:

a satellite navigation sensor, a pseudolite navigation sensor, and a cell phone sensor.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said reader gate is selected from the group consisting of:

a radio transmitter/receiver RFID tag reader, an optical transmitter/receiver barcode reader, an IR tag reader, and an ultrasound tag reader.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said electronic lock further comprises a tech/ID authentication system, and wherein said tech/ID authentication system is selected from the group consisting of:

a tech/ID tag reader, and a personal authentication system.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said container comprises a classified container requiring checking of proper clearance of a technician, and wherein said tech/ID authentication system is selected from the group consisting of:

a voice authentication device, a finger print authentication device, and a retina scan authentication device.

14. A method for managing a plurality of assets stored in a container, said container being coupled to an electronic lock that includes a reader gate and an asset report system, each of the plurality of assets having an electronic Asset/ID tag, said method comprising:

reading via said reader gate an Asset/ID tag of a first asset of the plurality of assets being checked out from said container by a first technician;

reading via said reader gate a tech/ID tag of said first technician;

assigning a checked-out status to said first asset having said Asset/ID tag read by said reader gate, and associating said first technician having said Tech/ID tag read by said reader gate with said checked-out status of said first asset; and

transmitting to said asset report system a marker, said marker including a set of data associated with said first asset having said Asset/ID tag, wherein said set of data associated with said first asset having said Asset/ID tag includes said checked-out status of said first asset having said Asset/ID tag, said tech/ID tag of said first technician who checked out said first asset having said Asset/ID tag, and 3-D position coordinates of a 3-D cell inside the container assigned to store said first asset having said Asset/ID tag.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said electronic lock further comprises a timing device, said method further comprising:

using said timing device to record a timing coordinate when said first asset having said Asset/ID tag was checked out; and

communicating to said asset report system said timing coordinate when said first asset having said Asset/ID tag was checked out.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said electronic lock further comprises a timing device, said method further comprising:

using said timing device to record a timing coordinate when said first asset having said Asset/ID tag was checked in; and

communicating to said asset report system said recorded timing coordinate when said first asset having said Asset/ID tag was checked in.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said set of data associated with said first asset having said Asset/ID tag further includes a timing coordinate when said first asset having said Asset/ID tag was checked out or checked in into said container.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said asset report system comprises a wireless transceiver, the method further comprising:

using said wireless transceiver to transmit from said asset report system to a database a plurality of markers, each said marker including a set of data associated with at least one said asset having said Asset/ID tag.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein said asset report system comprises a wireless transceiver, the method further comprising:

using said wireless transceiver to transmit from said asset report system to a cloud integrated remote database a plurality of markers, each said marker including a set of data associated with at least one said asset having said Asset/ID tag.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

reading via said reader gate the Asset/ID tag of said first asset being returned to said container by said first technician;

reading said tech/ID tag of said first technician; and

assigning a checked-in status to said first asset having said Asset/ID tag read by said reader gate, and associating said first technician having said tech/ID tag read by said reader gate with said checked-in status of said first asset.