LUGGAGE LOCKING DEVICE AND BAGGAGE HANDLING METHOD

• US 20160328900A1
• Filed: 05/04/2015
• Published: 11/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digipas Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Digipas USA LLC (Digipas Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Yong, Ming Hua, Kin, Koh Wai, Yong, Kuu Bi, Hong, Jim Li Hui
• Granted Patent: US 9,524,600 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/18 Devices to prevent theft or loss of purses, luggage or hand carried bags
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0095 Mechanical aspects of locks controlled by telephone signals, e.g. by mobile phones electronic locks G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 35/105 Locks allowing opening by official authorities, e.g. master key opening of luggage locks by customs officials
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/0092 for wardrobe trunks
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/52 Other locks for chests, boxes, trunks, baskets, travelling bags, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00563 using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/70 specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an electronic luggage locking device and airline baggage handling method mainly characterized by ease-of-use, enhanced security and efficiency by utilizing proximity access-gaining and authentication technologies, a plurality of sensors, embedded electronic storage and retrieval of luggage information. The luggage locking device is incorporated with an electronic communication system enables interactions with other sensor modules within the luggage, external smart devices and airline transport systems to form an unitary baggage handling system. The baggage handling system contents a method using application software and capable of indicating and communicating the said luggage information and locational identification within an airline transport systems.

Claims

1. A luggage locking device comprising:

an electronic lock;

an electronic luggage tag comprising a name, address, contact mobile number and email address;

an electronic memory storing luggage information comprising the physical dimension of a luggage associated with the electronic luggage tag and the contents of the luggage;

a movement sensor;

a processor in communication with the movement sensor, the processor adapted to receive signals from the movement sensor and to generate warnings in response to signals from the movement sensor indicative of detected movement of the luggage locking device;

a weighting sensor;

a proximity access gaining wireless sensor and vicinity identification and notification device;

a communication interface; and

a computer readable medium coupled to the processor, the computer readable medium including a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

locking or unlocking the electronic lock;

interacting with the weighting sensor, proximity access gaining wireless sensor and vicinity identification and notification device enclosed within the luggage,

communicating wirelessly with external devices that are wirelessly paired with the luggage through the communication interface, the external devices being external to the luggage and in proximity thereto, and

authenticating the external devices that are wirelessly paired with the luggage through the communication interface and in proximity to the luggage,

wherein the processor, computer readable medium and associated electronic circuits fit into the physical structure of the luggage and interact with the external devices in proximity to and wirelessly paired with the luggage to form a unitary system.

2. The luggage locking device of claim 1, further comprising a near field communication (NFC) device.

4. The luggage locking device of claim 1, further comprising a communication interface configured to allow an airport baggage tracking facility to identify and communicate with the electronic luggage tag.

5. The luggage locking device of claim 1, further comprising a mechanical key bypass module in conformance to the transportation security administration (TSA) enabling custom personnel to gain access to the contents of the luggage without the need to damage the locking device.

6. The luggage locking device of claim 1, further comprising at least an electronic bypass module with provision of electrical wires and wireless interconnects to a handheld electronic device enabling the transportation security administration (TSA) custom personnel to gain access to the contents of the luggage without the need to damage the locking device.

7. The luggage locking device of claim 1, further comprising at least a battery to power the electronic lock, electronic luggage tag, electronic memory, weighting sensor, and proximity access gaining wireless sensor and vicinity identification and notification device and to drive a locking mechanism of the electronic lock.

9. The luggage locking device of claim 1, wherein the communication interface includes a short-range communication device.

10. The luggage locking device of claim 1, further comprising at least an infrared sensor and a transceiver for inter-devices vicinity communication.

11. The luggage locking device of claim 1, further comprising a semiconductor fingerprint authentication module.

12. The luggage locking device of claim 1, further comprising at least a displaying device preprogramed with graphical sign or alphanumeric codes uniquely predefined by the luggage owner for obvious identification of the luggage when the luggage is in close proximity.

13. The luggage locking device of claim 1, wherein the movement sensor further comprises a roller built with an uplift pin and a rolling sensor for detection of displacement.

14. The luggage locking device of claim 1, wherein the movement sensor further comprises a mechanical ball and optical light beam sensor to detect displacement.

15. The luggage locking device of claim 1, wherein the movement sensor includes an accelerometer sensor or gyroscope to detect movement, displacement, translation or lifting up of the luggage.

16. The luggage locking device of claim 1, wherein the external devices that are wirelessly paired with the luggage through the communication interface include at least one external mobile device;

and

wherein the processor, computer readable medium and associated electronic circuits are configured to interact in conjunction with the at least one external mobile device through a network link in accessing a remote airline transport system to form an efficient and secured baggage handling system.

17. The luggage locking device of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to interface, through the at least one external mobile device, with an airline system application containing flight information for a passenger associated with the luggage to enable the luggage information stored in the electronic memory to be sent to an airline prior to the passenger arriving at an airport check-in counter.

18. The luggage locking device of claim 17, wherein the passenger'"'"'s luggage information includes at least luggage dimension and weight, luggage owner'"'"'s name, residence address, mobile phone number, and an email address.

19. The luggage locking device of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to interface, through the at least one external mobile device, with an airline system application containing flight information for a passenger associated with the luggage to enable the luggage weight stored in the electronic memory to be sent to an airline prior to the passenger arriving at an airport check-in counter.

20. The luggage locking device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions stored on the computer readable medium provides a provision for a passenger to interface with details of an airline'"'"'s particular travel schedule, availability of seat, cargo space and pricing.

21. The luggage locking device of claim 20, wherein the plurality of instructions stored on the computer readable medium provides provisions for a passenger to purchase a seat and cargo space anytime at a price.

22. The luggage locking device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions stored on the computer readable medium provides provisions for a passenger to collect incentives offered by an airline for a particular luggage weight less than pre-assigned weight by airline for each passenger.

23. The luggage locking device of claim 1, wherein the computer readable medium contains the information as in the boarding pass of an airline'"'"'s passenger.

24. The luggage locking device of claim 1, wherein the external devices that are wirelessly paired with the luggage through the communication interface include at least a smartphone, a tablet, a personal computer or a smart watch.

3. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

25. A baggage handling system comprising:

an airline system processor;

a first electronic memory coupled to the airline system processor; and

an airline system application stored in the electronic memory and including a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the airline system processor, cause the airline system processor to perform operations comprising;

optimizing an airline'"'"'s cargo space and weight for a particular flight by requesting each passenger to provide luggage information including an estimated luggage weight and precise luggage dimension to the airline days or hours before arriving at an airport for boarding;

wherein the luggage information is provided by at least one wireless device wirelessly interfacing with at least one luggage, the at least one luggage comprising;

a processor;

a second electronic memory coupled to the processor, the second electronic memory storing an electronic luggage tag comprising a name, address, contact mobile number and email address and luggage information including a physical dimension of the luggage;

a movement sensor in communication with the processor;

an electronic lock in communication with the processor;

a weight sensor in communication with the processor; and

a proximity access wireless sensor in communication with the processor for the detection and notification of wireless devices in a vicinity of the luggage;

wherein the processor is adapted to receive signals from the movement sensor and to generated warnings in response to signals from the movement sensor indicative of detected movement of the at least one luggage.