# US 12,112,576 B2 · Manifest creation using optical character recognition

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- Number: US 12,112,576 B2
- Document ID: US12112576B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/514,826
- Filed: 2023-11-20
- Published: 2024-08-15
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2023-02-01
- Applicants: Craig Mateer
- Inventors: Craig Mateer
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12112576B2

## CPC

- G01N 23/046: using tomography, e.g. computed tomography [CT]
- G07B 11/00: Apparatus for validating or cancelling issued tickets
- B42D 15/0053: {Forms specially designed for commercial use, e.g. bills, receipts, offer or order sheets, coupons}
- G06K 7/1413: {1D bar codes}
- G06Q 10/025: {Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation}
- G06Q 10/08: Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
- G06Q 30/018: Certifying business or products
- G07C 9/215: {the system having a variable access-code, e.g. varied as a function of time}
- G07C 9/22: in combination with an identity check of the pass holder
- G09F 3/207: {in the form of a badge to be worn by a person}
- G01N 23/10: the material being confined in a container, e.g. in a luggage X-ray scanners
- G06K 2007/10524: {Hand-held scanners}
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- G07B: TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
- B42D: BOOKS; BOOK COVERS; LOOSE LEAVES; PRINTED MATTER CHARACTERISED BY IDENTIFICATION OR SECURITY FEATURES; PRINTED MATTER OF SPECIAL FORMAT OR STYLE NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; DEVICES FOR USE THEREWITH AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; MOVABLE-STRIP WRITING OR READING APPARATUS
- G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G07C: TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- G09F: DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS

## Abstract

Provided is a system and method of facilitating check-in of a luggage item of a passenger, the method includes: a) obtaining, by at least one of at least one processor, image data representative of at least one image of printed passenger information associated with an airline travel carrier on an originating hardcopy bag tag or a printed instrument having at least a portion of the printed passenger information on the originating hardcopy bag tag to create a digital passenger information (DPI) data record linked to the airline travel carrier, wherein the originating hardcopy bag tag is issued for the luggage item of the passenger, and wherein the DPI data record includes machine-encoded text of an International Air Transport Association (IATA) license plate number; b) accessing a B-type message including a passenger name record (PNR) number of the passenger, by at least one of the at least one processor, using the machine-encoded text of the IATA license plate number from a computer system associated with the airline travel carrier; c) retrieving check-in information of a return flight of the passenger with a designated return travel carrier, by at least one of the at least one processor, using PNR data associated with the PNR number; and d) checking in during a check-in window, by at least one of the at least one processor, the luggage item, the passenger, or a combination thereof, with the designated return travel carrier based on the retrieved check-in information for the return flight.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of facilitating check-in of a luggage item of a passenger, the method comprising:
a) obtaining, by at least one of at least one processor, image data representative of at least one image of printed passenger information associated with an airline travel carrier on an originating hardcopy bag tag or a printed instrument having at least a portion of the printed passenger information on the originating hardcopy bag tag to create a digital passenger information (DPI) data record linked to the airline travel carrier, wherein the originating hardcopy bag tag is issued for the luggage item of the passenger, and wherein the DPI data record comprises machine-encoded text of an International Air Transport Association (IATA) license plate number;
b) accessing a B-type message comprising a passenger name record (PNR) number of the passenger, by at least one of the at least one processor, using the machine-encoded text of the IATA license plate number from a computer system associated with the airline travel carrier;
c) retrieving check-in information of a return flight of the passenger with a designated return travel carrier, by at least one of the at least one processor, using PNR data associated with the PNR number; and
d) checking in during a check-in window, by at least one of the at least one processor, the luggage item, the passenger, or a combination thereof, with the designated return travel carrier based on the retrieved check-in information for the return flight.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
parsing, by at least one of the at least one processor, the IATA license plate number to locate an airline code; and
identifying, by at least one of the at least one processor, instructions for accessing the B-type message based on the airline code.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the retrieved check-in information comprises return leg flight times and the designated return travel carrier.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, further comprising:
obtaining, by at least one of the at least one processor during the checking in, airline bag tag information for the return flight for the luggage item; and
printing, by a printer, a new bag tag for the return flight that is compatible with an International Air Transport Association (IATA) license plate for the checked in return luggage item of the passenger.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, further comprising:
during the checking in, by at least one of the at least one processor, checking in the passenger for the return flight;
obtaining, by at least one of the at least one processor, boarding pass information for the return flight; and
communicating, by at least one of the at least one processor, the boarding pass information to an electronic communication device of the passenger.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining the image data comprises:
performing, by at least one of the at least one processor, image processing on the at least one image to optically recognize printed text of the printed passenger information associated with the airline travel carrier on the originating hardcopy bag tag and converting the printed text to searchable machine-encoded text; and
creating, by at least one of the at least one processor, the DPI data record linked to the airline travel carrier from the searchable machine-encoded text for the return flight with the designated return travel carrier.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the B-type message comprises a baggage source message.

### Claim 8

A system for facilitating check-in of a luggage item of a passenger, the system comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one non-transitory, tangible memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one memory storing at least one instruction,
wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the at least one instruction to:
a) cause at least one of the at least one processor to obtain image data representative of at least one image of printed passenger information associated with an airline travel carrier on an originating hardcopy bag tag or a printed instrument having at least a portion of the passenger information on the originating hardcopy bag tag to create digital passenger information (DPI) data record linked to the airline travel carrier, wherein the originating hardcopy bag tag is issued for the luggage item of the passenger, and wherein the DPI data record comprises machine-encoded text of an International Air Transport Association (IATA) license plate number,
b) cause at least one of the at least one processor to access, using the machine-encoded text of the IATA license plate number from a computer system associated with the airline travel carrier, a B-type message comprising a passenger name record (PNR) number of the passenger,
c) cause at least one of the at least one processor to retrieve, using PNR data associated with the PNR number, check-in information of a return flight of the passenger with a designated return travel carrier, and
d) cause at least one of the at least one processor to check-in, during a check-in window, a return luggage item, a passenger, or a combination thereof, with the designated return travel carrier based on the retrieved check-in information for the return flight.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the at least one instruction to:
cause at least one of the at least one processor to parse the IATA license plate number to locate an airline code, and
cause at least one of the at least one processor to identify instructions for accessing the B-type message based on the airline code.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the retrieved check-in information comprises return leg flight times and the designated return travel carrier.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the at least one instruction to:
cause at least one of the at least one processor to obtain, during the check in, airline bag tag information for the return flight for the luggage item, and
cause a printer to print a new bag tag for the return flight that is compatible with an International Air Transport Association (IATA) license plate for the checked in return luggage item of the passenger.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the at least one instruction to, during the check-in:
cause at least one of the at least one processor to check-in the passenger for the return flight,
cause at least one of the at least one processor to obtain boarding pass information for the return flight, and
cause at least one of the at least one processor to communicate the boarding pass information to an electronic communication device of the passenger.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the at least one instruction to:
cause at least one of the at least one processor to perform image processing on the at least one image to optically recognize printed text of the printed passenger information associated with the airline travel carrier on the originating hardcopy bag tag and convert the printed text to searchable machine-encoded text, and
cause at least one of the at least one processor to create the DPI data record linked to the airline travel carrier from the searchable machine-encoded text for the return flight with the designated return travel carrier.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the B-type message comprises a baggage source message.

### Claim 15

A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by at least one processor cause the at least one processor to execute a method of facilitating check-in of a luggage item of a passenger, the method comprising:
a) obtaining, by at least one of at least one processor, image data representative of at least one image of printed passenger information associated with an airline travel carrier on an originating hardcopy bag tag or a printed instrument having at least a portion of the printed passenger information on the originating hardcopy bag tag to create a digital passenger information (DPI) data record linked to the airline travel carrier, wherein the originating hardcopy bag tag is issued for the luggage item of the passenger, and wherein the DPI data record comprises machine-encoded text of an International Air Transport Association (IATA) license plate number;
b) accessing a B-type message comprising a passenger name record (PNR) number of the passenger, by at least one of the at least one processor, using the machine-encoded text of the IATA license plate number from a computer system associated with the airline travel carrier;
c) retrieving check-in information of a return flight of the passenger with a designated return travel carrier, by at least one of the at least one processor, using PNR data associated with the PNR number; and
d) checking in during a check-in window, by at least one of the at least one processor, the luggage item, the passenger, or a combination thereof, with the designated return travel carrier based on the retrieved check-in information for the return flight.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:
parsing, by at least one of the at least one processor, the IATA license plate number to locate an airline code; and
identifying, by at least one of the at least one processor, instructions for accessing the B-type message based on the airline code.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the retrieved check-in information comprises return leg flight times and the designated return travel carrier.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises:
obtaining, by at least one of the at least one processor during the checking in, airline bag tag information for the return flight for the luggage item; and
printing, by a printer, a new bag tag for the return flight that is compatible with an International Air Transport Association (IATA) license plate for the checked in return luggage item of the passenger.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises:
during the checking in, by at least one of the at least one processor, checking in the passenger for the return flight;
obtaining, by at least one of the at least one processor, boarding pass information for the return flight; and
communicating, by at least one of the at least one processor, the boarding pass information to an electronic communication device of the passenger.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the obtaining the image data comprises:
performing, by at least one of the at least one processor, image processing on the at least one image to optically recognize printed text of the printed passenger information associated with the airline travel carrier on the originating hardcopy bag tag and converting the printed text to searchable machine-encoded text; and
creating, by at least one of the at least one processor, the DPI data record linked to the airline travel carrier from the searchable machine-encoded text for the return flight with the designated return travel carrier.

### Claim 21 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the B-type message comprises a baggage source message.