Method and system for locating and handling an identifier fastened to an item

Abstract

The automated reading of luggage labels in airport baggage handling systems often fails since luggage labels, on which the luggage can be assigned sorting information, cannot be located and/or cannot be read since they are crumpled/creased/partially hidden. Removing and manually processing unreadable luggage items at a manual coding station requires removal conveyor sections, secure access routes and workstations. To increase the proportion of unreadable luggage items, a method and a system locate and handle a luggage label fastened to an item of luggage and which assigns sorting information to the item. If the identifier is not successfully located by a reader, the item is mechanically handled by a handling device. If the identifier is successfully located but the identifier is not successfully read, the identifier is mechanically handled by the handling device independently of the movement of the item. The item is then processed in accordance with its sorting information.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.