Mobile object tracking system
First Claim
1. A method of tracking the remote use of individual keys within a group of keys removed for remote use from a central location and subsequently returned to the central location, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) restraining each of the keys within the group of keys with a restraint, each restraint rendering its key un-usable without visible affecting the restraint;
(b) upon return of the group of keys to the central location, noting the restraints that are not visibly affected as an indication that their respective keys were not used during the time that the group of keys was removed from the central location; and
(c) updating a remote use log to include the use information obtained from step (b).
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Accused Products
Abstract
A mobile object tracking system is provided for tracking the removal and use of specific objects within a group checked out from storage between the time the objects are checked out and the replacement of the objects in the storage. The system includes a system controller and a storage unit that receive and store a series of object carriers therein. Each object carrier includes a series of object holders in which id tags for the group of objects checked out of the storage are received. The object carrier monitors the time each object is removed from the object carrier, which information is thereafter communicated to the system controller.
283 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of tracking the remote use of individual keys within a group of keys removed for remote use from a central location and subsequently returned to the central location, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) restraining each of the keys within the group of keys with a restraint, each restraint rendering its key un-usable without visible affecting the restraint;
(b) upon return of the group of keys to the central location, noting the restraints that are not visibly affected as an indication that their respective keys were not used during the time that the group of keys was removed from the central location; and
(c) updating a remote use log to include the use information obtained from step (b). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for tracking the remote use of individual keys within a group of keys removed for remote use from a central location and subsequently returned to the central location, said system comprising:
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a restraint associated with each of the keys, each restraint rendering its respective key un-usable without detectably affecting said restraint;
a readable identification code associated with each of said keys, said identification codes uniquely identifying their respective keys;
a reader at the central location for reading the identification codes associated with selected ones of the keys returned to the central location, the keys whose identification codes are read being selected based upon whether or not their restraints are detectably affected to indicate which keys were used during the time that the group of keys was removed from the central location; and
a computer coupled to receive identification codes read by said reader and programmed to maintain a log of remote use of keys and to update the log based upon identification codes received from said reader. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of tracking remote use of a key removed from a central location and subsequently returned to the central location, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) identifying the key with an identification code (b) restraining the key to render the key unusable without detectably affecting the condition of the restraint;
(c) upon return of the key to the central location, detecting the condition of the restraint;
(d) reading the identification code of the key if the restraint in a predetermined condition as an indication of the remote use of the key while removed from the central location; and
(e) updating a log of remote use of the key to include the indication of remote use from step (d). - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification