Article-identification-and-location device systems and methods of using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12011073-B2
Application number	US-202217588993-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2022
Priority date	Jun 4, 2019
Publication date	Jun 18, 2024
Grant date	Jun 18, 2024

Abstract

A luggage tag includes an electronic ink display screen affixed to a surface of the luggage tag. Tag memory of the tag stores a unique identifier. An antenna receives an electromagnetic signal. Circuitry of the tag captures energy and acquires data from the electromagnetic signal received by the antenna and powers the electronic ink display with the captured energy. A processor receives the data acquired by the circuitry from the electromagnetic signal and produces an image on the electronic ink display using the acquired data if the acquired data includes a match to the unique identifier stored in the memory.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A luggage tag comprising:
an electronic ink display screen;
memory storing an identifier;
an antenna adapted to receive an electromagnetic signal;
circuitry in communication with the electronic ink display and with the antenna, the circuitry being adapted to capture energy and acquire data from the electromagnetic signal received by the antenna, the circuitry powering the electronic ink display screen using the captured energy; and
a processor in communication with the circuitry and memory, the processor being configured to receive the data acquired by the circuitry from the electromagnetic signal, to process the data to switch to a mode from a plurality of different modes that the luggage tag operates in, to perform an action commensurate with the mode from a plurality of preset actions in response to processing the data, and to produce an image on the electronic ink display screen using the acquired data if the acquired data includes information that matches the identifier stored in the memory.

2. The luggage tag of claim 1 , wherein the luggage tag is battery-less, and the circuitry processes the captured energy from the electromagnetic signal to power the processor, memory, and electronic ink display screen.

3. The luggage tag of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic signal is a near-field communication.

4. The luggage tag of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic signal is an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication.

5. The luggage tag of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic signal is an industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) communication.

6. The luggage tag of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic signal is an ultrahigh frequency (UHF) communication.

7. The luggage tag of claim 1 , wherein the image displayed on the electronic ink display comprises a machine-readable code.

8. The luggage tag of claim 1 , wherein the image displayed on the electronic ink display persists after power is removed from the electronic ink display.

9. The luggage tag of claim 1 , further comprising an altimeter configured to determine a current altitude of the luggage tag.

10. The luggage tag of claim 1 , further comprising means for coupling the luggage tag to luggage.

11. The luggage tag of claim 10 , wherein the means for coupling the luggage tag to luggage includes a strap.

12. The luggage tag of claim 1 , wherein the identifier is uniquely associated with a user of the luggage tag.

13. A method of controlling operation of an article-identification-and-location device that is physically coupled to an item, the method comprising:
storing in memory of the article-identification-and-location device information associated with a user of the item;
capturing energy from an electromagnetic signal;
acquiring data from the electromagnetic signal;
processing the data to switch to a mode from a plurality of different modes that the device operates in;
performing an action commensurate with the mode from a plurality of preset actions in response to processing the data;
determining whether the data includes information that matches the information stored in the memory; and
producing an image on an electronic ink display screen of the article-identification-and-location device using the data acquired from the electromagnetic signal if the acquired data includes information that matches the information stored in the memory.

14. An electronic device comprising:
an indicator;
memory storing an identifier uniquely associated with an item and with user information associated with a user interested in locating the item;
a radiofrequency (RF) receiver with an antenna adapted to receive an electromagnetic signal transmitted by a RF transmitter of a mobile device of the user interested in locating the item; and
a processor in communication with the RF receiver, the memory, and the indicator, the processor being configured to acquire information from the electromagnetic signal transmitted by the RF transmitter of the mobile device, to process the information to switch to a mode from a plurality of different modes that the electronic device operates in, to perform an action commensurate with the mode from a plurality of preset actions in response to processing the information, and to activate the indicator if the acquired information matches the identifier stored in the memory.

15. The electronic device of claim 14 , further comprising an altimeter configured to determine a current altitude of the electronic device.

16. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further in communication with the altimeter, the processor being configured to disable the RF receiver if the altimeter determines the current altitude of the electronic device is above a given altitude.

17. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to enable the RF receiver in response to the altimeter determining the current altitude of the electronic device is below a second given altitude.

18. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the altimeter comprises a barometric pressure sensor.

19. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the altimeter comprises a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver.

20. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the altimeter comprises a global positioning system (GPS) receiver.

21. A method of controlling operation of an article-identification-and-location device that is physically associated with an item, the method comprising:
storing in memory of the article-identification-and-location device information provided to a user interested in the item;
acquiring information from an electromagnetic signal received by the article-identification-and-location device;
processing the information to switch to a mode from a plurality of different modes that the article-identification-and-location device operates in;
performing an action commensurate with the mode from a plurality of preset actions in response to processing the information;
comparing, by the article-identification-and-location device, the information acquired from the electromagnetic signal with the information stored in the memory; and
activating an indicator of the article-identification-and-location device if the information acquired from the electromagnetic signal matches the information stored in the memory.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising the steps of:
listening, by the article-identification-and-location device, for radio frequency (RF) signals containing the information provided to the user interested the item;
determining, by an altimeter of the article-identification-and-location device, a current altitude of the item; and
stopping, by the article-identification-and-location device, listening for RF signals containing the information provided to the user interested in the item in response to the current altitude of the item being higher than a given altitude.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising the step of resuming, by the article-identification-and-location device, listening for RF signals containing the information provided to the user interested in the item in response to the current altitude of the item being lower than a second given altitude.

24. The method of claim 22 , wherein the step of stopping, by the article-identification-and-location device, listening for RF signals containing the information provided to the user interested in the item includes the step o

Assignees

• Position Imaging Inc

Inventors

• Hill Edward L
• Xiong Yifeng
• Chakravarty Narasimhachary Nallana
• Martel Brian
• Bujold Marc
• Bilbrey Brett

Classifications

• G06K19/07786

  the antenna being of the HF type, such as a dipole · CPC title

• G06K19/0705

  the battery being connected to a power saving arrangement · CPC title

• G06K19/0708

  the source being electromagnetic or magnetic · CPC title

• G06K19/0717

  the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure · CPC title

• G06K19/07707

  the visual interface being a display, e.g. LCD or electronic ink · CPC title