Apparatus and method for managing luggage handling

• US 6,750,757 B1
• Filed: 10/23/2000
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Humatics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Time Domain Corporation (Humatics Corporation)
• Inventors: Mondul, Donald David, Gabig, Jerome S. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dalencourt, Yves
• Application Number:
  US09/694,151
• Time in Patent Office: 1,331 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1, 340/572.1, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 340/825.49, 340/5.61, 340/571, 40/6, 406/49, 342/357.09, 235/375
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10306 ultra wide band

Abstract

A system for managing luggage handling includes: (a) a central information management appliance; (b) a plurality of portable impulse radio communication devices; and (c) at least one impulse radio transceiving instrument. The at least one impulse radio transceiving instrument, the plurality of communication devices and the central information management appliance are in communication. Selected portable impulse radio communication devices of the plurality of portable impulse radio communication devices are coded communication devices. Respective coded communication devices are attached with respective luggage items and communicate indication of at least one item relating to the respective luggage item.

Claims

1. A system for managing luggage handling;

the system comprising;

(a) a central information management appliance;

(b) a plurality of portable impulse radio communication devices;

(c) at least one impulse radio transceiving instrument; and

(d) at least one luggage delivery device;

said at least one impulse radio transceiving instrument, said plurality of communication devices, said at least one luggage delivery device and said central information management appliance being in communication;

selected portable impulse radio communication devices of said plurality of portable impulse radio communication devices being coded communication devices;

respective said coded communication devices being attached with respective luggage items and communicating indication of location of each said respective luggage item and at least one other item relating to each said respective luggage item;

said at least one luggage delivery device employing said indication of location and said indication of at least one other item to deliver each said respective luggage item to a locus in the system.

2. A system for managing luggage handling as recited in claim 1 wherein said coded communication devices include an alerting feature;

said alerting feature being actuated by a signal from at least one of said at least one impulse radio transceiving instrument.

3. A system for managing luggage handling as recited in claim 1 wherein said coded communication devices include a rechargeable power source.

4. A system for managing luggage handling as recited in claim 2 wherein said coded communication devices include a rechargeable power source.

5. A system for managing luggage handling as recited in claim 1 wherein said coded communication devices are transceiving communication devices;

said transceiving communication devices being configured to enable remote alteration of said indication of at least one other item using at least one of said at least one impulse radio transceiving instrument.

6. A system for managing luggage handling as recited in claim 2 wherein said coded communication devices are transceiving communication devices;

said transceiving communication devices being configured to enable remote alteration of said indication of at least one other item using at least one of said at least one impulse radio transceiving instrument.

7. A system for managing luggage handling in a passenger facility;

said passenger facility including at least one passenger check-in station;

the system comprising;

(a) at least one information management appliance;

(b) a plurality of portable impulse radio communication devices;

(c) at least one impulse radio transceiving instrument; and

(d) at least one luggage delivery device;

said at least one passenger check-in station, said at least one impulse radio transceiving instrument, said plurality of portable communication devices, said at least one luggage delivery device and said at least one information management appliance being in communication;

selected portable impulse radio communication devices of said plurality of portable impulse radio communication devices being coded communication devices;

respective said coded communication devices being attached with respective luggage items;

each said respective luggage item being scheduled for travel via a particular conveyance to a particular destination;

said respective coded communication device communicating indication of location of each said respective luggage item and selected parameters relating to each said respective luggage item;

said at least one luggage delivery device employing said indication of location and said indication of said selected parameters to deliver each said respective luggage item to a locus in the system.

8. A system for managing luggage handling in a passenger facility as recited in claim 7 wherein said selected parameters include indication of at least one of said particular conveyance and said particular destination.

9. A system for managing luggage handling in a passenger facility as recited in claim 7 wherein said respective coded communication devices are programmed for communicating said selected parameters at one passenger check-in station of said at least one passenger check-in station.

10. A system for managing luggage handling in a passenger facility as recited in claim 7, 8 or 9 wherein said coded communication devices include an alerting feature;

said alerting feature being actuated by a signal from at least one of said at least one impulse radio transceiving instrument to indicate to an observer that at least one of said selected parameters has changed.

11. A system for managing luggage handling in a passenger facility as recited in claim 10 wherein said alerting feature comprises an impulse radio communication alerting signal;

said alerting signal being received by at least one of said at least one impulse radio transceiving instrument.

12. A system for managing luggage handling in a passenger facility as recited in claim 10 wherein said alerting feature comprises a visual indicating device.

13. A method for managing luggage handling;

the method comprising the steps of;

(a) providing a central information management appliance;

(b) providing a plurality of portable impulse radio communication devices;

(c) providing at least one impulse radio transceiving instrument;

(d) providing at least one luggage delivery device;

(e) equipping said at least one impulse radio transceiving instrument, said plurality of communication devices;

said at least one luggage delivery device and said central information management appliance for effecting communication;

(f) equipping selected portable impulse radio communication devices of said plurality of portable impulse radio communication devices for operation as coded communication devices;

respective said coded communication devices being attached with respective luggage items and communicating indication of location of each said respective luggage item at least one other item relating to each said respective luggage item; and

(g) operating said at least one luggage delivery device to employ said indication of location and said indication of at least one other item to deliver said respective luggage item to a locus in the system.

14. A method for managing luggage handling as recited in claim 13 wherein the method comprises the further step of:

(h) equipping said coded communication devices to include an alerting feature;

said alerting feature being actuated by a signal from at least one of said at least one impulse radio transceiving instrument.

15. A method for managing luggage handling as recited in claim 13 wherein the method comprises the further step of:

(h) equipping said coded communication devices to include a rechargeable power source.

16. A method for managing luggage handling as recited in claim 14 wherein the method comprises the further step of:

(i) equipping said coded communication devices to include a rechargeable power source.

17. A method for managing luggage handling as recited in claim 15 wherein the method comprises the further step of:

(i) equipping said coded communication devices for operation as transceiving communication devices to enable remote alteration of said indication of at least one other item using at least one of said at least one impulse radio transceiving instrument.

18. A method for managing luggage handling as recited in claim 16 wherein the method comprises the further step of:

(j) equipping said coded communication devices for operation as transceiving communication devices to enable remote alteration of said indication of at least one other item using at least one of said at least one impulse radio transceiving instrument.

19. A system for managing handling of luggage items at an airport;

said airport including at least one passenger check-in station and a plurality of luggage-handling stations;

respective said luggage items being transferred between airplanes and said airport at said plurality of luggage-handling stations;

the system comprising;

(a) at least one information management appliance;

(b) a plurality of portable impulse radio communication devices;

(c) at least one impulse radio transceiving instrument; and

(d) at least one luggage delivery device;

said at least one passenger check-in station;

said at least one impulse radio transceiving instrument, said plurality of portable communication devices;

said at least one luggage delivery device and said at least one information management appliance being in communication;

selected portable impulse radio communication devices of said plurality of portable impulse radio communication devices being coded communication devices;

respective said coded communication devices being attached with respective luggage items;

each said respective luggage item being scheduled for travel via a particular flight to a particular destination;

said respective coded communication device communicating indication of location of each said respective luggage item and selected parameters relating to each said respective luggage item;

said at least one luggage delivery device employing said indication of location and said indication of said selected parameters to deliver each said respective luggage item to a respective luggage-handling station of said plurality of luggage-handling stations.

20. A system for managing handling of luggage items at an airport as recited in claim 19 wherein said selected parameters include indication of at least one of said particular flight and said particular destination.

21. A system for managing handling of luggage items at an airport as recited in claim 19 wherein said respective coded communication devices are programmed for communicating said selected parameters at one passenger check-in station of said at least one passenger check-in station.

22. A system for managing luggage handling in a passenger facility as recited in claim 19, 20 or 21 wherein said coded communication devices include an alerting feature;

said alerting feature being actuated by a signal from at least one of said at least one impulse radio transceiving instrument to indicate to an observer that at least one of said selected parameters has changed.

23. A system for managing luggage handling in a passenger facility as recited in claim 22 wherein said alerting feature comprises an impulse radio communication alerting signal;

said alerting signal being received by at least one of said at least one impulse radio transceiving instrument.

24. A system for managing luggage handling in a passenger facility as recited in claim 22 wherein said alerting feature comprises a visual indicating device.

25. A method for controlling a delivery apparatus;

said delivery apparatus delivering respective selected objects of a plurality of objects to respective assigned loci of a plurality of loci;

the method comprising the steps of;

(a) attaching an impulse radio transmitter device to each said selected object;

(b) employing a respective said impulse radio transmitter device to transmit identifying information relating to its respective attached selected object to an impulse radio receiver device;

(c) employing impulse radio broadband positioning to ascertain position information relating to said attached selected object; and

(d) employing said identifying information and said position information to control said delivery apparatus to effect delivery of said selected object to its respective assigned locus.

26. A method for controlling a delivery apparatus as recited in claim 25 wherein said plurality of objects are a plurality of luggage pieces.

27. A method for controlling a delivery apparatus as recited in claim 25 wherein said delivery apparatus is a luggage delivery apparatus and wherein said plurality of loci are associated with a passenger terminal facility.

28. A system for controlling a delivery apparatus;

said delivery apparatus delivering respective selected objects of a plurality of objects to respective assigned loci of a plurality of loci;

the system comprising;

(a) a first impulse radio attached to a respective said selected object;

(b) a second impulse radio communicatively coupled with said first impulse radio;

said first impulse radio conveying identifying information relating to said respective selected object to said second impulse radio; and

(c) a delivery apparatus coupled with said second impulse radio;

said delivery apparatus employing impulse radio broadband positioning to ascertain position information relating to said respective selected object;

said delivery apparatus employing said identifying information and said position information to control said delivery apparatus to effect delivery of said respective selected object to its respective assigned locus.

29. A system for controlling a delivery apparatus as recited in claim 28 wherein said plurality of objects are a plurality of luggage pieces.

30. A system for controlling a delivery apparatus as recited in claim 28 wherein said delivery apparatus is a luggage delivery apparatus and wherein said plurality of loci are associated with a passenger terminal facility.