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US 6,750,757 B1Granted
Apparatus and method for managing luggage handling
AssigneeTime Domain Corporation
InventorsJerome S. Gabig, Jr., Donald David Mondul
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for managing luggage handling includes: (a) a central information management appliance; (b) a plurality of portable impulse radio communication devices; and (c) at least one impulse radio transceiving instrument. The at least one impulse radio transceiving instrument, the plurality of communication devices and the central information management appliance are in communication. Selected portable impulse radio communication devices of the plurality of portable impulse radio communication devices are coded communication devices. Respective coded communication devices are attached with respective luggage items and communicate indication of at least one item relating to the respective luggage item.
Claims30
A system for managing luggage handling;
- the system comprising:
- (a) a central information management appliance;
- (b) a plurality of portable impulse radio communication devices;
- (c) at least one impulse radio transceiving instrument;
- and
- (d) at least one luggage delivery device;
- said at least one impulse radio transceiving instrument, said plurality of communication devices, said at least one luggage delivery device and said central information management appliance being in communication;
- selected portable impulse radio communication devices of said plurality of portable impulse radio communication devices being coded communication devices;
- respective said coded communication devices being attached with respective luggage items and communicating indication of location of each said respective luggage item and at least one other item relating to each said respective luggage item;
- said at least one luggage delivery device employing said indication of location and said indication of at least one other item to deliver each said respective luggage item to a locus in the system.
7 more elements
A system for managing luggage handling in a passenger facility;
- said passenger facility including at least one passenger check-in station;
- the system comprising:
- (a) at least one information management appliance;
- (b) a plurality of portable impulse radio communication devices;
- (c) at least one impulse radio transceiving instrument;
- and
- (d) at least one luggage delivery device;
- said at least one passenger check-in station, said at least one impulse radio transceiving instrument, said plurality of portable communication devices, said at least one luggage delivery device and said at least one information management appliance being in communication;
- selected portable impulse radio communication devices of said plurality of portable impulse radio communication devices being coded communication devices;
- respective said coded communication devices being attached with respective luggage items;
- each said respective luggage item being scheduled for travel via a particular conveyance to a particular destination;
- said respective coded communication device communicating indication of location of each said respective luggage item and selected parameters relating to each said respective luggage items;
- said at least one luggage delivery device employing said indication of location and said indication of said selected parameters to deliver each said respective luggage item to a locus in the system.
10 more elements
A method for managing luggage handling;
- the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a central information management appliance;
- (b) providing a plurality of portable impulse radio communication devices;
- (c) providing at least one impulse radio transceiving instrument;
- (d) providing at least one luggage delivery device;
- (e) equipping said at least one impulse radio transceiving instrument, said plurality of communication devices;
- said at least one luggage delivery device and said central information management appliance for effecting communication;
- (f) equipping selected portable impulse radio communication devices of said plurality of portable impulse radio communication devices for operation as coded communication devices;
- respective said coded communication devices being attached with respective luggage items and communicating indication of location of each said respective luggage item at least one other item relating to each said respective luggage item;
- and
- (g) operating said at least one luggage delivery device to employ said indication of location and said indication of at least one other item to deliver said respective luggage item to a locus in the system.
8 more elements
A system for managing handling of luggage items at an airport;
- said airport including at least one passenger check-in station and a plurality of luggage-handling stations;
- respective said luggage items being transferred between airplanes and said airport at said plurality of luggage-handling stations;
- the system comprising:
- (a) at least one information management appliance;
- (b) a plurality of portable impulse radio communication devices;
- (c) at least one impulse radio transceiving instrument;
- and
- (d) at least one luggage delivery device;
- said at least one passenger check-in station;
- said at least one impulse radio transceiving instrument, said plurality of portable communication devices;
- said at least one luggage delivery device and said at least one information management appliance being in communication;
- selected portable impulse radio communication devices of said plurality of portable impulse radio communication devices being coded communication devices;
- respective said coded communication devices being attached with respective luggage items;
- each said respective luggage item being scheduled for travel via a particular flight to a particular destination;
- said respective coded communication device communicating indication of location of each said respective luggage item and selected parameters relating to each said respective luggage item;
- said at least one luggage delivery device employing said indication of location and said indication of said selected parameters to deliver each said respective luggage item to a respective luggage-handling station of said plurality of luggage-handling stations.
13 more elements
A method for controlling a delivery apparatus;
- said delivery apparatus delivering respective selected objects of a plurality of objects to respective assigned loci of a plurality of loci;
- the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) attaching an impulse radio transmitter device to each said selected object;
- (b) employing a respective said impulse radio transmitter device to transmit identifying information relating to its respective attached selected object to an impulse radio receiver device;
- (c) employing impulse radio broadband positioning to ascertain position information relating to said attached selected object;
- and
- (d) employing said identifying information and said position information to control said delivery apparatus to effect delivery of said selected object to its respective assigned locus.
4 more elements
A system for controlling a delivery apparatus;
- said delivery apparatus delivering respective selected objects of a plurality of objects to respective assigned loci of a plurality of loci;
- the system comprising:
- (a) a first impulse radio attached to a respective said selected object;
- (b) a second impulse radio communicatively coupled with said first impulse radio;
- said first impulse radio conveying identifying information relating to said respective selected object to said second impulse radio;
- and
- (c) a delivery apparatus coupled with said second impulse radio;
- said delivery apparatus employing impulse radio broadband positioning to ascertain position information relating to said respective selected object;
- said delivery apparatus employing said identifying information and said position information to control said delivery apparatus to effect delivery of said respective selected object to its respective assigned locus.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.