Locating system and process

• US 5,771,003 A
• Filed: 09/24/1996
• Issued: 06/23/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elenco Electronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Elenco Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Seymour, Arthur F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US08/719,954
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568, 340/572, 340/825.34, 340/826.31, 235/451, 235/375, 235/441, 235/492, 235/440, 235/442
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/067 Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/065 for conductive marks
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2434 Tag housing and attachment details
• 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 13/2477 Antenna or antenna activator circuit

Abstract

A user-friendly process and fail safe system instantaneously identifies, locates, and help retrieve products and their contents in drawers, shelves, rooms, offices, stores, warehouses, etc. The efficient process and economical system is particularly useful to quickly and accurately identify, locate and help retrieve: computer discs, compact discs, software diskettes, video tapes, audio tapes, and their cases; books; files; boxes, cartons, storage bins, and other containers. In the reliable process and low power system, an electrically conductive label is placed on each product. Each label is easily coded to uniquely specify the product or its contents and storage location. Light emitting diodes (LEDs) or other visual, audible or mechanical signaling devices are positioned in proximity to the stored products and are in electrical contact with the labels on the products, as well as with a central processing unit (CPU) or other equipment used to specify and select the product. When a product is to be retrieved, the CPU or other equipment shuts off the LEDs or other visual or audible signal devices positioned in proximity to all the products not desired, leaving only the desired or failed items for easy identification and retrieval.

Claims

1. A system for locating items, comprising:

a multitude of items comprising products selected from the group consisting of computer disks, software diskettes, video tapes, video tape cases, audio tapes, audio tape cases, compact discs, compact disc cases, computer tape, tape reels, tape cases, software boxes, books, magazines, storage bins, file folders, files, boxes, cartons, and containers;

each of said items having an electrically conductive label, each label being differently coded for designating an item code specifying the item or its contents and a section code specifying the location where said item is normally stored;

an array of signals positioned in proximity to said items, said signals being normally in electrical contact with said electrically conductive labels so that each item is operatively connected to a corresponding signal;

each of said labels having electrically conductive circuitry normally in electrical contact with said signals and having a shunt to short said signal in response to shut-off pulses;

equipment for generating said shut-off pulses to said electrically conductive labels;

a control circuit operatively connecting said equipment to said signals and said labels, and said control circuit includes said shunt in said label and comprises low power fail-safe electronic circuitry for shorting all of said signals except a signal comprising the corresponding signal of the selected item to be retrieved.

2. A system for locating items in accordance with claim 1 wherein:

said signals are selected from the group consisting of audible signals, bells, alarms, visual signals, lights, lightbulbs, lamps illuminators, light emitting diodes, release mechanisms, and signaling devices; and

said equipment is selected from the group consisting of mechanical switches, a central processing unit, a computer, an electronic logic board, and a microprocessor.

3. A system for locating items in accordance with claim 1 including:

a first set of visual signals positioned in a section of an area where said items are located;

a second set of visual signals positioned adjacent said items; and

said control circuit shorting and shutting off said second set of signals except said second signals associated with the item to be retrieved, items associated with failed contacts, and items insulated by a failure to short out said second signals in response to said shut-off pulses.

4. A system for locating items in accordance with claim 1 wherein:

said electrically conductive label comprises a composite label with an insulating material overlying a conductive area comprising an electrically conductive material selected from the group consisting of metal, metallic foil, copper and conductive ink; and

said insulating material is selected from the group consisting of paper, paper tabs, paperboard, cardboard, plastic, rubber zinc oxide, tin oxide and non-conductive material; and

different parts of said insulating material are selectively removed for designating said item code and said section code for each item.

5. A system for locating items in accordance with claim 1 wherein:

said electrically conductive circuitry of said labels comprises metal contacts;

said signals comprise light emitting diodes; and

said control circuit comprises inverted buffers operatively connected to said light emitting diodes, and resistors and transistors operatively connected to said inverted buffers.

6. A system for locating items, comprising:

electrically conductive labels for attachment to items selected from the group consisting of computer disks, software diskettes, video tapes, video tape cases, audio tapes, audio tape cases, compact discs, compact disc cases, software boxes, computer tape, tape reels, tape cases, books, magazines, storage bins, file folders, files, boxes, cartons, and containers; and

said electrically conductive labels comprising

electronic codes including an electronic item code specifying the item or its contents and an electronic section code specifying the location where the item is normally stored;

electrically conductive circuitry normally contacting said labels to signals operatively associated with said items; and

shunts for shorting signals associated with said items in response to shut-off pulses,

wherein a control circuit generates shut-off pulses that comprise codes for selected labels to short signals corresponding to all labels except the selected labels having the selected label codes.

7. A system for locating items in accordance with claim 6 wherein:

said electrically conductive label comprises a composite label with an insulating material overlying a conductive area;

said conductive area comprises an electrically conductive material selected from the group consisting of metal, metallic foil, copper and conductive ink; and

said insulating material is selected from the group consisting of paper, paper tabs, paperboard, cardboard, plastic, rubber zinc oxide, tin oxide and non-conductive material; and

different parts of said insulating material are selectively removed for designating said item code and said section code for each item.

8. A system for locating items in accordance with claim 6 wherein said electrically conductive circuitry of said labels comprise metal contacts.

9. A system for locating items in accordance with claim 6, wherein said signals are selected from the group consisting of audible signals, alarms, bells, visual signals, lights, lightbulbs, lamps, light emitting diodes, illuminators, and signaling devices.

10. A system for locating items in accordance with claim 9 including:

equipment for generating said shut-off pulses, said equipment being selected from the group consisting of mechanical switches, a central processing unit, a computer, an electronic logic board, and a microprocessor; and

said location specified by said section code comprises at least one signal position selected from the group consisting of an area where said item is located, a section of an area where said item is located, and a specific location in proximity to said item.

11. A process for locating items, comprising the steps of:

storing coded items in a system;

emitting a signal from each stored item location in the system;

providing a shut-off signaling method to electronically identify an item to be retrieved in the system;

insulating the item to be retrieved via its code;

generating shut-off pulses with said shut-off signaling method to short, shut-off and deactivate said signals from all items in the system except the insulated item to be retrieved so as to shunt and electronically eliminate all signals from the items except the insulated item; and

retrieving the insulated item in an area where the insulated item is located.

12. A process for locating items in accordance with claim 11 wherein said items are selected from the group consisting of:

computer discs, software diskettes, video tapes, video tape cases, audio tapes, audio tape cases, computer tapes, tape reels, tape cases, compact discs, compact disc cases, software boxes, books, magazines, file folders, files, boxes, cartons and containers.

13. A process for locating items in accordance with claim 11 wherein:

said signal is selected from the group consisting of an alarm, a visual signal, a mechanical signal, an audible signal, and a light; and

said signal is emitted from a signal emitter selected from the group consisting of a bell, light emitting diode, lightbulb, lamp, illuminator, release mechanism, and signaling device.

14. A process for locating items in accordance with claim 11 wherein said shut-off signaling method utilizes an apparatus selected from the group consisting of:

mechanical switches, a central processing unit, a computer, an electronic logic board, and a microprocessor.

15. A process for locating items in accordance with claim 11 including electronically identifying a location with an incorrectly stored item.

16. A process for locating items in accordance with claim 11 wherein said insulating includes placing a composite label on said item to be retrieved.

17. A process for locating items in accordance with claim 16 wherein:

said composite label comprises a conductive area and insulating material overlying said conductive area; and

coding said composite label by removing some of said insulating material to designate an item code and a section code corresponding to a section in the area where said item is located.

18. A process for locating items in accordance with claim 17 wherein said conductive area comprises an electrically conductive material selected from the group consisting of:

metal, metallic foil, copper, and conductive ink.

19. A process for locating items, comprising the steps of:

storing items wherein each of said items is selected from the group consisting of a computer disc, software diskette, video tape, video tape cartridge, video tape case, audio tape, audio tape case, compact disc, compact disc case, computer tape, tape reel, tape case, software box, book, magazine, storage bin, file folder, and file;

generating a first visual signal in a section of an area where each item is located;

generating a second visual signal in proximity to each item;

insulating an item to be retrieved;

shorting and shutting off all of said second visual signals except said insulated item to be retrieved to shunt, prevent and electronically eliminate second visual signals from all items except said insulated item; and

retrieving the insulated item in the area where said second visual signals have not been shorted.

20. A process for locating items in accordance with claim 19 wherein said shorting includes electronically sending shut-off pulses to said items with an apparatus selected from the group consisting of:

mechanical switches, a central processing unit, a computer, an electronic logic board, and a microprocessor.

21. A process for locating items in accordance with claim 20 including:

placing and securing a composite label on each item, each composite label having a metal contact and paper tabs covering said metal contact;

coding said label by peeling, uncovering and removing some of said tabs from a portion of said metal contact to designate an item code and a section code corresponding to the section of the area where said item is located; and

electronically engaging and contacting said uncovered metal contact with electronic circuitry electrically connecting said metal contact of said composite label with said apparatus.