Smart documents and process for tracking same

• US 7,023,344 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Schaper, Joachim
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US10/324,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20040119605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.7, 340/572.8, 340/568.1, 340/573.1, 340/571, 340/10.1, 340/10.31, 340/825.49, 340/572.4, 340/539.13, 340/539.15, 340/539.2, 340/539.32, 340/539.1, 709/201, 709/202, 709/224, 701/217, 701/300, 342/42
• US Class Current: 340/572.4
• 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 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag

Abstract

A tracking system includes at least one tracking tag, one or more tag trackers, a processor, a first memory, and a second memory. The processor causes the tag trackers to determine a location of the item to be tracked as item location information. The system maintains item location information and a database of associations between the at least one tracking tag and its respective item to be tracked. At least one tag tracker is associated with an item container and is configured to communicate tag information to the tracking system. A method for locating an item tagged with a tracking tag includes querying at least one tag tracker of an item container of a tracking system for a location of the tagged item and displaying the location of the tagged item on a display.

Claims

1. A tracking system, the system comprising:

a first tracking tag, the first tracking tag being associated with an item to be tracked;

a first tag tracker that is associated with an item container into which the item may be placed;

a first processor configured to cause the first tag tracker to determine a location of the item to be tracked relative to the item container as item location information;

a second tracking tag that is associated with the item container;

a second tag tracker;

a second processor configured to cause the second tag tracker to determine a location of the item container as container location information;

a first memory to maintain item location information as determined by the first processor and container location information as determined by the second processor; and

a second memory to maintain a database of associations between the first tracking tag and the item to be tracked and between the second tracking tag and the item container,

wherein the second memory is distinct from the first memory, and

wherein the first tag tracker and the second tag tracker are configured to communicate tag information to the tracking system.

2. A tracking system, the system comprising:

a first tracking tag associated with an item to be tracked;

a first tag tracker associated with a mobile container into which the item may be placed, the first tag tracker being configured (i) to obtain location information for the item, with respect to the mobile container, using the first tracking tag, and (ii) to transmit the location information for the item to a memory;

a second tracking tag associated with the mobile container;

a second tag tracker configured to obtain location information for the mobile container using the second tracking tag and to transmit the location information for the mobile container to the memory; and

a processor configured to track the item using the location information for the item and the location information for the mobile container.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the item to be tracked comprises a document.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the item to be tracked comprises a folder.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the item to be tracked comprises a storage medium.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the first tracking tag or the second tracking tag comprises a RFID tag.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the second tag tracker is disposed in or on a portal.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the portal comprises a doorway.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the portal comprises an arch.

10. The system of claim 2 wherein the second tag tracker is disposed in or on a surface.

11. The system of claim 2, wherein the second tag tracker is disposed in or on a file cabinet.

12. The system of claim 2, wherein the second tag tracker is disposed in or on a drawer.

13. The system of claim 2, wherein the second tag tracker is disposed in or on a desk.

14. The system of claim 2, wherein the mobile container comprises a folder.

15. The system of claim 2, wherein the first tag tracker is configured to obtain the location information for the item upon removal of the item from the mobile container.

16. The system of claim 2, wherein one or more of the first tag tracker and the second tag tracker comprises a wireless device.

17. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to track the item at a predetermined interval.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the predetermined interval comprises once an hour.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the predetermined interval comprises once a day.

20. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to track the item at a user'"'"'s request.

21. The system of claim 2 wherein the first tag tracker is configured to obtain the location information for the item upon entry of the item into the mobile container.

22. A method of tracking items-in a tracking system, the method comprising:

associating an item container with a first tag tracker;

tagging an item to be tracked with a first tracking tag;

associating the tagged item with the item container to create an association of the tagged item with the item container;

storing the association in a first memory;

tagging the item container with a second tracking tag;

obtaining location information relative to the item container for the tagged item using the first tag tracker associated with the item container;

transmitting the location information for the tagged item associated with the item container to a second memory via a communication system, wherein the second memory is distinct from the first memory;

obtaining location information for the tagged item container using a second tag tracker;

transmitting the location information for the tagged item container to the second memory via the communication system; and

tracking the tagged item using (i) the association in the first memory, (ii) the location information for the tagged item in the second memory, and (iii) the location information for the tagged item container in the second memory.

23. A method of tracking items in a tracking system, the method comprising:

associating an item to be tracked with a first tracking tag;

associating a mobile container into which the item may be placed with a first tag tracker;

associating the mobile container with a second tracking tag;

obtaining location information for the item, indicating location of the item with respect to the mobile container, using the first tag tracker and the first tracking tag;

transmitting the location information for the item to a memory via a communication system;

obtaining location information for the mobile container using a second tag tracker and the second tracking tag;

transmitting the location information for the mobile container to the memory via the communication system; and

tracking the item using the location information for the item, indicating the location of the item with respect to the mobile container, and the location information for the mobile container.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein one or more of the first tracking tag and the second tracking tag comprises an RFID tag.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the item to be tracked comprises a document.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the item to be tracked comprises a folder.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the item to be tracked comprises a storage medium.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein:

obtaining location information for the item comprises reading the first tracking tag with the first tag tracker; and

obtaining location information for the mobile container comprises reading the second tracking tag with the second tag tracker.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein:

obtaining location information for the item comprises interrogating the first tracking tag with a tag interrogator; and

obtaining location information for the mobile container comprises interrogating the second tracking tag with a tag interrogator.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein:

obtaining location information for the item comprises scanning the first tracking tag with a tag scanner; and

obtaining location information for the mobile container comprises scanning the second tracking tag with a tag scanner.

31. The method of claim 23, wherein:

obtaining location information for the item comprises reading the first tracking tag with a wireless device; and

obtaining location information for the mobile container comprises reading the second tracking tag with a wireless device.

32. The method of claim 23, wherein tracking the item comprises obtaining location information for the item at a predetermined interval.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the predetermined interval comprises once an hour.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the predetermined interval comprises once a day.

35. The method of claim 23, wherein tracking the item comprises obtaining location information for the item at a user'"'"'s request.

36. The method of claim 23, wherein obtaining location information for the item comprises obtaining location information for the item upon removal of the of the item from the mobile container.

37. The method of claim 23 wherein the mobile container comprises a folder.

38. The method of claim 23 wherein tracking the item comprises determining that the mobile container has changed rooms.

39. The method of claim 23 wherein obtaining location information for the item comprises obtaining location information for the item upon entry of the item into the mobile container.