Systems and methods for event driven baggage management

• US 7,243,845 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2002
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Flight Operations Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Sabre Incorporated (Sabre Corp.)
• Inventors: Offutt, Joseph R., Cash, Jerome E., Yourek, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, UYEN CHAU N
• Application Number:
  US10/103,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20020134836A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,940 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/385, 235/383, 235/472.02, 235/384, 705/5, 705/22, 705/28, 209/584, 209/900
• US Class Current: 235/384
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00

Abstract

Systems and methods for event driven baggage management are disclosed. Readers are used to detect and monitor the location of tags attached to baggage as the baggage moves from the point at which a traveler drops of the baggage at the origin of a trip to the point at which the traveler picks up the baggage at a destination location. Methods and systems that are capable of detecting when a bag has been lost or misdirected and searching for the lost or misdirected bag are also disclosed. Notification may be sent directly to a traveler or the carrier when specified baggage events occur. Additionally, systems and methods for communicating a destination of an object to a wireless earphone device worn by an object handler are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for managing objects comprising:

associating a tag with an object;

providing at least a first and second reader, wherein each reader is configured for detecting the tag;

determining a location status of the object based on whether or not the tag is detected by a reader other than the first reader within a predefined period of time; and

providing a server configured for automatically initiating a tracer routine to locate the object if the tag is not detected by the reader other than the first reader within the predefined period of time, wherein the server is configured for interfacing with at least one baggage management system for performing the tracer routine, and wherein the server is further configured for sending a message to a communication device associated with a traveler when a specified event occurs.

2. The method for managing objects of claim 1, wherein the object is an article of baggage.

3. The method for managing objects of claim 1, wherein the tag is a wireless device configured for detecting and communicating with other devices.

4. The method for managing objects of claim 3, wherein the tag is configured for detecting and communicating a destination message to a wireless device held or worn by a handling agent.

5. The method for managing objects of claim 4, wherein the wireless device is an earphone configured for receiving the destination message.

6. The method for managing objects of claim 1, wherein the tag comprises radio frequency identification and wireless communication technologies.

7. The method for managing objects of claim 1, wherein the tag is configured for detecting and communicating with each reader.

8. The method for managing objects of claim 1, wherein the tag is associated with a traveler by a registration process.

9. The method for managing objects of claim 8, wherein the registration process comprises registering on-line at a website.

10. The method for managing objects of claim 8, wherein the registration process comprises collecting a biometric identifier of the traveler.

11. The method for managing objects of claim 1, further comprising determining an expected travel path of the object in consideration of airport specific baggage transit configurations.

12. The method for managing objects of claim 11, further comprising determining the object is misdirected if the tag is detected by a reader not located along the expected travel path.

13. The method for managing objects of claim 1, wherein the predefined time is a predicted time for the tag to travel to a reader other than the first reader.

14. The method for managing objects of claim 13, wherein the predefined time is determined in consideration of airport specific baggage transit configurations.

15. The method for managing objects of claim 1, wherein the tracer routine comprises notifying at least one transportation entity that the tag was not detected by the reader other than the first reader within the predefined period of time and providing the last-detected location of the tag.

16. The method for managing objects of claim 15, wherein the tracer routine further comprises notifying at least one transportation entity when the object has been located.

17. The method for managing objects of claim 1, wherein the specified event is a failure to detect the tag within the predefined period of time.

18. The method for managing objects of claim 1, wherein the specified event is locating the tag after a failure to detect the tag within the predefined period of time.

19. The method for managing objects of claim 1, wherein the specified event is detection of the tag by a specified reader.

20. The method for managing objects of claim 1, wherein the message comprises the location status of the object.

21. The method for managing objects of claim 1 further comprising sending a message to a transportation carrier when a specified event occurs.

22. The method for managing objects of claim 21, wherein the specified event is a failure of a reader to detect the tag within the predefined period of time.

23. The method for managing objects of claim 21, wherein the specified event is locating the tag after a failure to detect the tag within the predefined period of time.

24. The method for managing objects of claim 21, wherein the specified event is the detection of the tag by a specified reader.

25. The method for managing objects of claim 21, further comprising a representative of the transportation carrier conveying the location status of the object to the traveler.

26. The method for managing objects of claim 1, wherein the server is configured for notifying the baggage management system when the tag has been located.

27. The method for managing objects of claim 1, wherein the least one baggage management system is configured for communicating with at least one transportation entity to facilitate locating the tag.

28. A method for managing objects comprising:

associating a tag with a traveler;

associating the tag with an object;

providing a plurality of readers configured for detecting the tag;

predicting a time for the object to travel to each such reader;

determining, at the predicted time, whether the tag has been detected by a respective reader;

providing a server configured for;

automatically initiating a locating process when the central server determines that one or more of the readers do not detect the tag within the predicted time;

sending a message to a traveler indicating the location status of the object when a specified event occurs; and

sending a message to a transportation carrier indicating the location status of the object when the specified event occurs.

29. The method for managing objects of claim 28, further comprising determining the last detected location of the object and notifying a transportation entity of the last detected location, provided that the tag was not detected by a subsequent reader within the predicted time.

30. The method for managing objects of claim 28, wherein the specified event is a failure to detect the tag within a predefined period of time.

31. The method for managing objects of claim 28, wherein the specified event is locating the tag after a failure to detect the tag within a predefined period of time.

32. The method for managing objects of claim 28, wherein the specified event is detection of the tag by a specified reader.

33. The method for managing objects of claim 28, wherein sending the message to a traveler includes sending the message to a communication device associated with the traveler when the specified event occurs.

34. A system for managing objects comprising:

a tag associated with an object;

at least a first and second reader configured for detecting the tag, wherein the first and second readers are located along a travel path of the object;

a server adapted to determine a location status of the object based on whether or not the tag is detected by a reader other than the first reader within a predefined period of time, wherein the server is configured for automatically initiating a tracer routine to locate the object if the tag is not detected by the reader other than the first reader within the predefined period of time, wherein the server is configured for interfacing with at least one baggage management system for performing the tracer routine, and wherein the server is adapted to send a message to a communication device associated with the traveler when a specified event occurs.

35. The system for managing objects of claim 34, wherein the object is an article of baggage.

36. The system for managing objects of claim 34, wherein the tag is a wireless device configured for detecting and communicating with other devices.

37. The system for managing objects of claim 36, wherein the tag is configured for detecting and communicating a destination message to a wireless device held or worn by a handling agent.

38. The system for managing objects of claim 37, wherein the wireless device is an earphone configured for receiving the destination message from the tag.

39. The system for managing objects of claim 34, wherein the tag comprises radio frequency identification and wireless communications technologies.

40. The system for managing objects of claim 34, wherein the tag is configured for detecting and communicating with the each reader.

41. The system for managing objects of claim 34, wherein the tag is associated with a traveler by a registration process.

42. The system for managing objects of claim 41, wherein the registration process comprises registering on-line at a website.

43. The system for managing objects of claim 41, wherein the registration process comprises collecting a biometric identifier of the traveler.

44. The system for managing objects of claim 34, wherein the server is adapted to determine an expected travel path of the object in consideration of airport specific baggage transit configurations.

45. The system for managing objects of claim 44, wherein the server is adapted to recognize the object is misdirected if the tag is detected by a reader not located along the expected travel path.

46. The system for managing objects of claim 34, wherein the predefined time is a predicted time for the tag to travel to a reader other than the first reader.

47. The system for managing objects of claim 46, wherein the predefined time is determined in consideration of airport specific baggage transit configurations.

48. The system for managing objects of claim 34, wherein the tracer routine comprises notifying at least one transportation entity that the tag was not detected by a reader other than the first reader within a predefined period of time and providing the last-detected location of the tag.

49. The system for managing objects of claim 48, wherein the tracer routine further comprises notifying specified transportation entities when the object has been located.

50. The system for managing objects of claim 34, wherein the specified event is a failure to detect the tag within a predefined period of time.

51. The system for managing objects of claim 34, wherein the specified event is locating the tag after a failure to detect the tag within a predefined period of time.

52. The system for managing objects of claim 34, wherein the specified event is detection of the tag by a specified reader.

53. The system for managing objects of claim 34, wherein the message comprises a location status of the object.

54. The system for managing objects of claim 34, wherein the server is adapted to send a message to a transportation carrier when a specified event occurs.

55. The system for managing objects of claim 54, wherein the specified event is a failure to detect the tag within a predefined period of time.

56. The system for managing objects of claim 54, wherein the specified event is locating the tag after a failure to detect the tag within a predefined period of time.

57. The system for managing objects of claim 54, wherein the specified event is detection of the tag by a specified reader.

58. The system for managing objects of claim 54, further comprising a representative of the transportation carrier that conveys a status of the tag to the traveler.

59. The system for managing objects of claim 34, wherein the baggage management system is configured for communicating with at least one transportation entity to facilitate locating the tag.

60. The system for managing objects of claim 59, wherein the server is configured for notifying the baggage management system when the tag has been located.

61. A method for tracking the status of an object, comprising:

registering travel information associated with a traveler in a central database, wherein the travel information is associated with an identification tag attached to an object that is associated with the traveler;

monitoring the location of the object by detecting when the identification tag passes by one or more checkpoints located between an origin location where the object is dropped off by the traveler, and a destination location where the object is loaded onto a transportation vehicle; and

automatically initiating a locating process with a central server when the central server recognizes that the location tag has not passed through at least one of the one or more checkpoints within a predetermined amount of time, wherein the locating process includes;

sending a notification message to the traveler from the central server indicating the status of the object'"'"'s location when a specified event occurs; and

sending a notification message to a transportation agent terminal from the central server indicating the status of the object'"'"'s location.

62. A system for managing the tracking of baggage, comprising:

a travel industry site, comprising;

one or more checkpoints located between an origination location where one or more objects are accepted from a traveler, and a destination location where the one or more objects accepted from the travelers are intended to be directed to, wherein the one or more checkpoints, the origination location and the destination location include identification tag detectors for detecting when a identification tag attached to the one or more objects is located within a predetermined distance of the respective detector;

a central server including a central database for storing;

registration information associated with the traveler and the identification tag attached to the one or more objects, and

location information associated with each checkpoint;

wherein each of the one or more checkpoints are configured to send location information to the central server for storage into the central database when the respective checkpoint detects the identification tag within a predetermined distance of a location tag detector, wherein the central server automatically initiates a locating process when the central server determines that one of the one or more checkpoints do not detect the identification tag within a predetermined amount of time, wherein the central server is configured for interfacing with at least one baggage management system for performing the locating process, and wherein the locating process includes generating a travel status message with the central server that indicates the status of the location of the one or more objects when a specified event occurs, and generating a travel industry message with the central server that indicates the status of the location of the one or more objects including the last checkpoint the identification tag was detected.

63. The system for claim 62, further including:

a voice message generator that generates voice messages that indicate the destination location associated with the one or more objects, wherein the voice messages are presented to a communications device associated with an object handler that is responsible for directing the one or more objects to the proper destination location.

64. The system for claim 62, wherein the baggage management system is configured for communicating with at least one transportation entity to facilitate locating the tag.

65. The system for claim 64, wherein the central server is configured for notifying the baggage management system when the tag has been located.