Method and apparatus for tracking and locating a moveable article
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Postal Service
InventorGlenn McDonald
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Tracking of an article through geographic areas using electromagnetic signals, specifically radio frequency (RF) signals. The article contains a tag operating as a transmitter and receiver. Tag-readers in the defined geographic areas transmit RF signals and in response, the tag transmits RF signals received by the tag-reader. By knowing the areas in which the tag-readers are located, a system tracks the article by monitoring the tag-readers communicating with the tag.
Claims12
A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a computer system to perform a method of operating a processor to determine a location of a moveable article, the method comprising the steps of:
- repeatedly instructing the transmission of an interrogation signal, wherein the article receives the interrogation signal and transmits a response signal, the response signal providing a unique identification code, wherein at least one of a plurality of receivers receives the response signal, each receiver having a unique receiver code;
- receiving from at least one of the plurality of receivers a plurality of information signals providing the identification code and a corresponding receiver code;
- recording the plurality of information signals in real-time over a period of time;
- tracking the location of the article in real-time;
- comparing the tracked location of the article with a predetermined route;
- and
- generating an error signal when the tracked location deviates from the predetermined route.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.