Direction signage system

• US 20070030152A1
• Filed: 08/08/2005
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Sprague, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,375,634 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.100
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/1424 Electronic display devices
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0096 Identification of the cart or merchandise, e.g. by barcodes or radio frequency identification [RFID]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/066 guiding along a path, e.g. evacuation path lighting strip

Abstract

A electronic signage system for directing persons to desired locations.

Claims

1. A system for directing a person to a location comprising

an electronically-readable tag;

an electronic interrogator operatively configured to detect the electronically-readable tag;

electronic signage operatively coupled to the electronic interrogator, the electronic signage comprising a display and being operatively configured to alter a directional indication upon said display in response to the location of the tag in respect of the location of the electronic signage.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the electronically-readable tag is an RFID tag.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the electronic signage comprises an emissive or non-emissive display.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the directional indication is at least in part graphical.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the directional indication is at least in part in written language.

6. A visual directional electronic system comprising

an object marker associated with an object, the object marker being operatively configured to store information indicative of the identity of the object;

a plurality of location markers each positioned at one of a plurality of locations and operatively configured to store information associable with the location of the location marker;

electronic signage comprising a display operatively configured to visually display directional information;

an interrogator having detection circuitry capable of detecting location markers;

a processor operatively connected to the interrogator and the electronic signage, the processor being operatively configured to receive input from as to the identity of an object from the object marker, and to receive input in respect of one or more items and to determine a spatial relationship between at least one location marker and the object, and to cause change in directional information displayed on the display of the electronic signage based on such spatial relationship.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the object marker is an RFID tag.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the electronic signage comprises an emissive or non-emissive display.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein the directional information display is at least in part graphical.

10. The system of claim 6 wherein the directional information displayed is at least in part in written language.

11. The system of claim 6 wherein at least one of the location markers is an RFID tag.

12. The system of claim 6 wherein the location markers are positioned along a path.

13. An electronic directional system capable of locating one or more items of a plurality of items stored in a facility, the system comprising

an object marker associated with an object, the object maker being operatively configured to store information indicative of the identity of the object;

a plurality of location markers each positioned at one of a plurality of locations and operatively configured to store information associable with the location of the location marker;

electronic signage comprising a display operatively configured to display directional information;

an interrogator having detection circuitry capable of detecting location markers;

an input operatively configured to obtain information pertaining to one or more items in the facility which are desired to be obtained from the facility;

a processor operatively connected to the interrogator, the electronic signage, and the input, the processor being operatively configured to receive input as to the identity of an object from the object marker, to determine a spatial relationship between at least one location marker and the object, and to cause change in directional information displayed on the display of the electronic signage based on such spatial relationship and the input information.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the object marker is an RFID tag.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the electronic signage comprises an emissive or non-emissive display.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the directional information display is at least in part graphical.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the directional information displayed is at least in part in written language.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein at least one of the location markers is an RFID tag.

19. A system for navigating to a desired location comprising

a controller having an information processor and a communication transceiver;

a plurality of routing tags providing information associable with the location of said routing tags to the processor upon receipt of a transmission from the communication transceiver;

electronic signage comprising a display operatively configured to display directional information and operatively connected to the information processor;

wherein said information processor is operatively configured to use information pertaining to routing tags responsive to a transmission from the communication transceiver and information pertaining to the desired location to determine the appropriate directional information to be displayed on the display of the electronic signage to permit navigation to the desired location.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein at least one of the routing tags is an RFID tag.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the electronic signage comprises an emissive or non-emissive display.