Computer-implemented system and method for tracking objects via identifier-tracker pairings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9638787-B2
Application number	US-201414262638-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 25, 2014
Priority date	Apr 25, 2014
Publication date	May 2, 2017
Grant date	May 2, 2017

Abstract

A computer-implemented system and method for tracking objects via identifier-tracker pairings is provided. Pairs of associated identifiers and trackers are stored. One of the identifier-tracker pairs is provided to a user, wherein the user associates the tracker with a physical object. The identifier from the provided pair is received and the tracker associated with the received identifier is obtained. A location of the tracker is determined. Readers are monitored within a defined area. A plurality of readings including the tracker is obtained from the readers. A location of the identified tracker is determined based on the readings from a plurality of the readers and a location of the physical object is determined based on the location of the identified tracker.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented system for tracking physical objects, comprising:
pairs of associated identifiers and trackers;
a dispenser to provide one of the identifier-tracker pairs to a user, wherein the user places the tracker with a physical object and to receive from the user the identifier of the provided identifier-tracker pair;
an identification module to identify the tracker that corresponds to the received identifier from the identifier-tracker pair provided to the user;
a tracker location determination module to determine a location of the tracker, comprising:
a monitor module to monitor readers within a defined area;
a plurality of readings comprising the tracker obtained from the readers; and
a location calculation module to calculate a location of the tracker based on the readings from a plurality of the readers; and

an object location determination module to designate the location of the tracker as a location of the physical object on which the tracker is placed.

2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein at least three of the readers obtain readings for the tracker.

3. A system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an interface module to interface a parking console within the area;
a receipt module to receive the identifier via the parking console; and
a distribution module to provide the location of the tracker.

4. A system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an image receipt module to receive an image of the identifier via a mobile computing device; and
a location distribution module to provide the location of the tracker via the mobile computing device.

5. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the readers are positioned within at least one of a parking facility, mall, school, hospital, laboratory, and library.

6. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the identifier-tracker pair is provided as at least one of a single ticket and two separate tickets.

7. A system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the identifier-tracker pairs are one of reusable and disposable.

8. A system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a ticket dispenser to distribute the identifier-tracker pair to the user.

9. A computer-implemented method for tracking physical objects, comprising:
storing pairs of associated identifiers and trackers;
providing one of the identifier-tracker pairs to a user, wherein the user places the tracker with a physical object;
receiving the identifier of the provided identifier-tracker pair from the user;
identifying the tracker that corresponds to the received identifier from the identifier-tracker pair provided to the user;
determining a location of the tracker, comprising:
monitoring readers within a defined area;
obtaining a plurality of readings from the readers comprising the tracker; and
calculating a location of the tracker based on the readings from a plurality of the readers; and

designating the location of the tracker as a location of the physical object on which the tracker is placed.

10. A method according to claim 9 , wherein at least three of the readers obtain readings for the tracker.

11. A method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
maintaining a parking console within the area;
scanning the identifier via the parking console; and
providing the location of the tracker.

12. A method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
receiving an image of the identifier via a mobile computing device; and
providing the location of the tracker via the mobile computing device.

13. A method according to claim 9 , wherein the readers are positioned within at least one of a parking facility, mall, school, hospital, laboratory, and library.

14. A method according to claim 9 , wherein the identifier-tracker pair is provided as at least one of a single ticket and two separate tickets.

15. A method according to claim 9 , wherein at least one of the identifier-tracker pairs are one of reusable and disposable.

16. A method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
distributing the identifier-tracker pair to the user.

17. A computer-implemented method for tracking vehicles, comprising:
storing pairs of associated QR codes and RFID tags;
providing one of the pairs of QR codes and RFID tags to a user, wherein the user places the RFID tag with a vehicle parked in a parking facility;
receiving the QR code from the provided pair;
identifying the RFID tag that corresponds to the received QR code from the QR-RFID tag pair provided to the user;
determining a location of the RFID tag, comprising:
monitoring RFID readers within the parking facility;
obtaining a plurality of readings from those RFID readers that identify the RFID tag; and
calculating a location of the RFID tag based on the readings; and

designating the location of the RFID tag as a location of the vehicle on which the RFID tag is placed in the parking facility.

18. A method according to claim 17 , further comprising:
providing a ticket dispenser at an entry of the parking facility; and
dispensing the pairs of QR codes and RFID tags via the ticket dispenser.

19. A method according to claim 17 , further comprising:
maintaining the RFID readers distributed throughout the parking facility.

20. A method according to claim 17 , further comprising:
calculating the location of the RFID tag, comprising:
modulating radio frequency power emitted by an antenna on the RFID reader; and
progressively identifying the RFID tags that come into range to pinpoint the location of those tags.

Assignees

• Palo Alto Res Ct Inc

Inventors

• Chua Christopher L
• Pattekar Ashish V

Classifications

• G06K7/10009 Primary

  sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves · CPC title

• G06K19/06037

  multi-dimensional coding · CPC title

• G01S5/0294 Primary

  Trajectory determination or predictive filtering, e.g. target tracking or Kalman filtering · CPC title

• G06K7/10366

  the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications · CPC title

• G08G1/017

  identifying vehicles (G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence) · CPC title